E-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, nicotine gum and other nicotine alternatives may be tested for military service members as smoking cessation options after the House passed H.R. 8800 by 216–212 on July 22. If the Senate passes the bill, Congress negotiates a final bill, and the President signs it, the Secretary of Defense may begin the one-year pilot within 180 days of enactment and submit a report recommending whether the program should continue or expand.
Table of Contents
1. Latest Research on Tobacco and Nicotine Use Among U.S. Military Forces
The latest official U.S. military tobacco-use study, published in April 2026, found that 22.0% of active-component service members reported recent tobacco or nicotine use in the 2023 Periodic Health Assessment. After medical records were added, the estimate increased to 28.7%. Approximately 5.1% reported cigarette use and 12.5% reported e-cigarette use during the previous 30 days.
In order to improve health of military members, in June 2026, Rep. Don Davis proposed an amendment to evaluate smoke alternative products for service members. The nicotine products below will be the targeted categories of the following pilot program to explore the best smoking cessation products.
2. What Are the Alternatives to Smoking?
As described in the Pilot Program to Help Certain Members of the Armed Forces Stop Smoking, the alternatives to smoking to be tested would include:
- Counseling
- Nicotine Gum
- Nicotine Patches
- Electric Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS)
- Nicotine Pouches
- Heat-Not-Burn Products (HNB)
However, it’s worth noting that smoking alternatives here are not ranked by their effectiveness at helping soldiers to quit smoking. E-cigarettes and nicotine pouches are popular and might be more effective at quitting among both civilians and military members.
Heat-Not-Burn Products, such as IQOS developed by PMI, are less popular in the United States than in Japan but produce flavors and aerosol similar to cigarette smoking. If you are a service member and want to quit smoking, you can read my IQOS ILUMA i review first and figure out whether a vape or an IQOS is a better option for you.
3. How Will the Vape Testing Pilot Help?
The pilot program is expected to test products for smoking cessation and might conduct research on ingredients, effects and safety. At the same time, it would be easier to find the best alternatives to smoking among one of the groups in the United States with a much higher smoking rate.
Sometimes, quit smoking medication fails as they can’t satisfy needs for blowing out smoke or oral fixation. This pilot program would determine whether new quit smoking devices are more effective than traditional smoking cessation products, such as nicotine patches and gums. On the other hand, if the pilot results are made public, civilians can benefit from data from vapes and nicotine pouches testing and choose better e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches to quit smoking.
4. Timeline of the Proposed Military Smoking-Cessation Pilot
Important: This pilot is proposed, not guaranteed. It could begin only if Congress approves the relevant provision and the bill becomes law.
June 2026 — Amendment Proposed
Rep. Don Davis proposed an amendment to establish a pilot program evaluating smoking-cessation options for certain service members.
July 22, 2026 — House Passage
The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 8800 by a vote of 216–212. The pilot could proceed only if its relevant provision remains in the final law.
Next — Senate Consideration
The Senate must pass the measure. If the Senate changes the bill, the House and Senate must agree on identical text before it can become law.
After Congressional Approval — The Bill Becomes Law
After both chambers approve the same version, the bill must be signed by the president or otherwise become law before the pilot can begin.
Within 180 Days of Enactment — Pilot Begins
If authorized by the enacted law, the Secretary of Defense would begin the one-year pilot within 180 days of enactment.
5. FAQ
1. What is smoking cessation help?
Smoking cessation refers to activities that aim to support people who smoke to stop smoking. All people who smoke should be advised to quit.
2. What are the quit smoking medications approved by the U.S. FDA?
There are two quit-smoking medicines approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that are pills: bupropion and varenicline.
3. What are the best smoking cessation products?
Nicotine products without combustion are the best, including e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, nicotine gums and nicotine patches.
