Plant-based smoking product for a hookah, comprising pure nicotine

Description

technical field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of smoking products for hookah, also commonly referred to as shisha. Previous technique

[0002] The hookah, or shisha, is a water pipe in which the smoke is inhaled by the smoker through a long, flexible hose. It is used to smoke tobacco. The shisha product (the "flavor") most commonly used in France is generally composed of 28% tobacco, 70% molasses (a syrupy liquid that gives shisha tobacco a pasty and sticky texture), with the remainder consisting of flavorings, texturizing agents, and preservatives. Molasses is a very viscous, non-crystallizable syrup, a residue from the production of sugar from sugar beets or sugar cane. It is composed of approximately 50% sucrose and 13% glucose / fructose.

[0003] The shisha material is placed in a bowl that opens onto a stem, which draws the smoke into the bottom of a water-filled base (0.5 to 11 liters). The shisha material does not burn independently but is heated and partially burned by adding a glowing charcoal to the bowl, usually separated from the shisha material by a perforated piece of aluminum foil or a kaloud. A hose is connected to the top of the base, allowing users to inhale the smoke through the water in the stem.

[0004] Hookah smoke contains metals from the tobacco, but also from the charcoal and even the aluminum foil. Like all smoke from burning organic substances, hookah smoke releases nearly 4,000 chemical compounds during combustion, including heavy metals (chromium, cobalt, lead, etc.), tars, and carbon monoxide. Many of these are toxic, irritating, and / or carcinogenic.

[0005] Using shisha exposes smokers to significantly larger quantities of smoke than cigarettes, primarily due to the duration of smoking sessions. The WHO (World Health Organization) estimates that a cigarette is smoked in 8 to 12 puffs over a period of 5 to 7 minutes, while shisha is smoked in 50 to 200 puffs over a period of 40 to 60 minutes.

[0006] Tar is the main substance responsible for smoking-related cancers. However, its production by a single hookah is 10 to 100 times higher - depending on the size of the device, the frequency of inhalations, the type of water, etc. - than that of a single cigarette.

[0007] Tobacco naturally contains nicotine. The water in the hookah device retains a fraction of the nicotine, which encourages the smoker to inhale more deeply to obtain the same effect, thus exposing them to greater quantities of undesirable substances, including tar.

[0008] The published patent documents RU 2 595 978 C1, RU 2 595 9994 C1 and

[0009] RU 2 595 995 C1 discloses various hookah smoking products, including tobacco leaves and floral or herbaceous plant material such as thyme, oregano, nettle, sorrel, basil, or parsley. The purpose of including this plant material is to reduce the toxicity of the smoking product by lowering the nicotine content while maintaining the characteristics necessary for smoking in a hookah. However, the presence of tobacco leaves still leaves the product with inherent toxicity. Documents DE202020002844U1, DE202020002254U1, and KR20210070289 disclose hookah smoking products containing plant fibers other than tobacco. Description of the invention

[0010] The invention aims to overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the aforementioned prior art. More specifically, the invention aims to provide a hookah smoking product that is less harmful and provides organic and noreptial satisfaction to the consumer, particularly for the purpose of reducing or quitting smoking.

[0011] The invention relates to a smoking product for hookah, comprising a vaporizable part for inhalation, comprising glycerin and propylene glycol, and a fibrous support for the vaporizable part comprising vegetable fibers other than tobacco, characterized in that the product further comprises nicotine, of a purity of at least 95%, the nicotine being at a concentration between 0.05 and 0.7% w / w.

[0012] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, no tobacco is present or containing traces of tobacco with a concentration of less than 0.5% w / w.

[0013] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the plant fibers are selected from the following list: fruit fibers, leaf fibers, bast fibers, cellulose fibers, cereal fiber(s), flower fibers, and any combination thereof.

[0014] Advantageously, plant fibers comprise several types. A type of plant fiber can refer to a family, genus, or species of plant from which the fibers are derived. The type of plant fiber can also correspond to the elements of the aforementioned list, namely fruit fibers, leaf fibers, bast fibers, cellulose fibers, cereal fibers, and flower fibers.

[0015] Plant fibers may or may not include bagasse.

[0016] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cereal vegetable fibers are cereal bran fibers.

[0017] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the vegetable fibers are at a concentration of between 2% w / w and 50% w / w.

[0018] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the plant fibers are cut and / or ground so as to have an average principal size of between 0.1 and 20mm.

[0019] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the plant fibers are cut and / or ground so as to present an average principal surface area of ​​between 1 and 20 mm².

[0020] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the plant fibers have a moisture content of between 5 and 30% w / w.

[0021] Advantageously, the nicotine is at a concentration between 0.15 and 0.3% w / w.

[0022] The measures of the invention are advantageous in that they provide a smoking product that is significantly less harmful than a smoking product predominantly based on tobacco, while providing similar pleasure and sensation. The use of pure nicotine as a replacement for tobacco leaves allows the smoking product to provide the organoleptic effect of tobacco while significantly reducing the production of harmful substances that would otherwise be produced during the combustion of tobacco leaves. Nicotine, in fact, causes an increase in blood pressure and heart rate, and leads to the release of adrenaline and dopamine. It also has the effect of improving concentration and memory.

[0023] Also, the use of pure nicotine makes it possible to control the dosage in the smoking product, the invention thus fitting into smoking cessation.

[0024] Furthermore, the use of plant fibers other than tobacco provides a substrate or fibrous support particularly well-suited for absorbing the liquid components, namely glycerin, propylene glycol, and nicotine. This fibrous support is advantageous because it is less harmful when the product is heated or burned in the hookah, compared to tobacco leaves, and, depending on its composition, it also provides an aromatic effect that complements the nicotine. Brief description of the drawings

[0025] [ Fig.1 ] is a graph showing the average ratings of a group 1 of 20 testers of the smoking product according to the invention as a function of nicotine concentration; [ Fig. 2 ] is a graph showing the average ratings of a group 2 of 20 testers of the smoking product according to the invention as a function of nicotine concentration; [ Fig.3] is a graph showing the average ratings of a group 3 of 20 testers of the smoking product according to the invention as a function of nicotine concentration. Detailed description

[0026] The hookah smoking product according to the invention comprises, advantageously in descending order of importance by mass concentration, glycerin, propylene glycol, vegetable fibers other than tobacco and nicotine.

[0027] Glycerin, or glycerol, is a clear, viscous, colorless, odorless liquid with a sweet taste and low toxicity if ingested. Its UCIPA name is 1,2,3-propanetriol, CAS: 56-81-5. It is readily available commercially.

[0028] Propylene glycol (PG), whose UCIPA name is propane-1,2-diol CAS: 57-55-6, is a colorless, odorless, hygroscopic, and viscous liquid. It is also readily available commercially and is commonly used in many fields, including the food industry as an emulsifier and the cosmetics industry as a humectant.

[0029] In the field of application of smoking products for hookah, propylene glycol, particularly in combination with glycerol, makes it possible to produce, once heated by the hookah charcoal, an aerosol simulating tobacco smoke.

[0030] Plant fibers other than tobacco may be fruit fibers, leaf fibers, bast fibers, cellulose fibers, cereal fibers, flower fibers, or any combination of these fibers.

[0031] Fruit fibers may include dried pieces of flesh with or without peel, and / or dried zest or peel of these fruits. These pieces, zest, and peels may be obtained by cutting and / or grinding the dried fruits.

[0032] Leaf fibers may include pieces of dried leaves, obtained by grinding the leaves in question. These leaves may be kaffir lime leaves, bay leaves, cinnamon, verbena, tea, hawthorn, agrimony, mugwort, boldo, Centella Asiatica, Cistus Incanus, eucalyptus, birch, damiana, raspberry, lemon balm, blueberry, dandelion, sana makki, honeybush, kinkeliba, maté, mint, Moringa oleifera, linden, rooibos, bergamot, yucca, sisal (agave), phormium, mother-in-law's tongue, henequen, pineapple (pina), abaca (banana leaves) and any combination thereof.

[0033] Bast fibers can be obtained by cutting and / or grinding plant stems. These stems are advantageously dried beforehand. The fibers obtained by cutting and / or grinding can also be dried again. They can include fibers from linden, ramie, papyrus, nettle, flax, barrel liana, kenaf, jute, Indian hemp, hemp (wool), and any combination thereof.

[0034] Cellulose fibers can be obtained from cotton, wood, hemp, flax, and sugar cane.

[0035] Plant fibers, and therefore the smoking product, may or may not contain bagasse. Bagasse fibers are fibrous residues of sugarcane that have been crushed to extract the juice. They are composed primarily of the plant's cellulose.

[0036] Cereal fibers may include pieces of bran from the cereals in question. This bran, once dried, is ground to form these pieces. The cereal(s) are selected from the following list: wheat, oats, buckwheat, and any combination thereof.

[0037] Flower fibers may also include pieces of dried flowers. The flower(s) are selected from the following list: rosebuds, chamomile, arnica, orange blossom, cornflower, elderflower, ginkgo biloba, hibiscus, clover, lavender, passionflower, and any combination thereof. The flowers are advantageously fruit tree blossoms, particularly apple, pear, etc. More generally, they are advantageously flowers capable of producing fruit.

[0038] These different types of plant fibers can be combined, typically using at least two or three of the aforementioned types. The term "plant fiber type" can refer to the various elements mentioned above, namely fruit fibers, leaf fibers, bast fibers, cellulose fibers, cereal fibers, and flower fibers. "Plant fiber type" can also refer to a plant family, a plant genus, or even a plant species.

[0039] Generally, the plant fibers detailed above have a moisture content between 5 and 30% w / w. They are cut and / or ground to have an average main surface area between 1 and 20 mm² and / or a main dimension between 0.1 and 20 mm. They are present in the smoking product at a concentration between 2% w / w and 50% w / w.

[0040] Plant fibers other than tobacco are advantageous in that they constitute a fuel that releases a limited amount of carbon dioxide when heated.

[0041] Nicotine is advantageously of plant origin, extracted from tobacco. However, it can also be produced synthetically. It can also be a mixture of plant-based and synthetic nicotine. Nicotine advantageously has a purity of 95% or higher, preferably 99% or higher. Its UCIPA name is (S)-3-(1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)pyridine, CAS: 54-11-5, and its chemical formula is C10H14N2. It is a hygroscopic, oily, yellow liquid with a characteristic odor, which turns brown upon exposure to air.

[0042] Nicotine is an alkaloid that acts through inhalation, ingestion, and contact. In the case of hookah smoking products, nicotine acts through inhalation. When inhaled, nicotine is absorbed by the blood capillaries in the lungs, crosses the blood-brain barrier, and reaches the brain within seconds without passing through the hepatic portal system.

[0043] The inventors of the present invention have observed that the combination of glycerin, propylene glycol, vegetable fibers other than tobacco, and nicotine in products to be smoked with a hookah provides the pharmacokinetic effects of passage into the brain which are similar to those of conventional hookahs while greatly reducing the adverse effects associated with the inhalation of tars resulting from the combustion of tobacco.

[0044] Nicotine has a concentration between 0.05 and 0.7% w / w, more preferentially between 0.15 and 0.3% w / w.

[0045] This nicotine concentration range has been validated by consumption tests on a group of consumers, described below.

[0046] In order to obtain an objective and accurate population for these tests, regular shisha consumers of different sexes and ages were selected, namely: a group 1 of 20 people who have used substitute products for traditional shisha tobacco and who were not satisfied and returned to traditional tobacco; a group 2 of 20 people who use traditional shisha tobacco and have never tried the substitutes; and a group 3 of 20 people who use traditional shisha tobacco very regularly and have never tried the substitutes, for a total of 60 people who are used to using shisha with nicotine.

[0047] Consumers were invited to several "shisha" sessions during which hookahs containing Herbal Shisha products were prepared at varying nicotine levels: 0.05%, 0.10%, 0.15%, 0.20%, 0.30%, 0.40%, 0.50%, 0.60%, 0.70%, 0.80%, 0.90%, and 1.00%. Herbal Shisha contains, in addition to nicotine, glycerin, propylene glycol, and plant fibers other than tobacco, specifically sugarcane bagasse. All the hookahs were prepared in the same way, by the same person, and contained 15g of Herbal Shisha product.

[0048] After each session, each consumer was asked to rate the product they had tested on a scale of 1 to 10 in terms of the nicotine sensation, specifically the throat hit (the sensation of laryngeal contraction when inhaling vapor) and any potential side effects or unpleasantness. A score of 0 corresponds to an unsatisfactory experience, a score of 5 to an acceptable experience, and a score of 10 to a very satisfactory experience.

[0049] The average scores for groups 1, 2, and 3 are shown in the graphs of figures 1, 2 And 3 , respectively.

[0050] It is observed that preferred concentrations vary depending on the type of consumer. Taking these different types of consumers into account, however, we can deduce from these results that the preferred nicotine concentration range is from 0.05% to 0.70%.

[0051] It is worth noting that a large proportion of testers appreciated being able to vary the percentage and therefore the intensity of nicotine in the Herbal Shisha, which they cannot do when using traditional tobacco, because the levels are not communicated and those who consume alone tend to consume a lower nicotine level when they do not consume the product socially and do not have to "share" the shisha.

Claims

1. A smoking product for a hookah, comprising: a vaporizable portion for inhalation including: - glycerin, and - propylene glycol; and a fibrous carrier for the vaporizable portion, wherein the vaporizable portion comprises plant fibers other than tobacco; characterized in that the product further comprises : - nicotine having a purity of at least 95%, the nicotine being at a concentration of between 0.05 and 0.7% m / m.

2. The smoking product according to claim 1, wherein no tobacco is present or comprising traces of tobacco with a concentration of less than 0.5% m / m.

3. The smoking product according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the plant fibers are selected from the following list: fruit fibers, leaf fibers, bast fibers, cellulose fibers, cereal fibers, flower fibers, and any combination thereof.

4. The smoking product according to claim 3, wherein the cereal plant fibers are cereal bran fibers.

5. The smoking product according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the plant fibers are at a concentration comprised between 2% m / m and 50% m / m.

6. The smoking product according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the plant fibers are cut and / or ground so as to have an average main size comprised between 0.1 and 20 mm.

7. The smoking product according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the plant fibers are cut and / or ground so as to have an average major surface area of between 1 and 20 mm2.

8. The smoking product according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the plant fibers have a moisture content in the range of 5-30% m / m.