Pouch for tobacco or tobacco substitute

Abstract

A smokeless tobacco product adapted for oral administration includes a permeable pouch adapted for administration into a user's mouth and adapted to be removed from the mouth and disposed in nature and smokeless tobacco contained in the pouch. The pouch is made from a degradable polymer whose degradation properties allow the pouch to be essentially intact until the time of disposal and allow the pouch to degrade in nature after disposal.

1 . A smokeless tobacco product adapted for oral administration, comprising:
 a permeable pouch adapted for administration into a user's mouth and adapted to be removed from the mouth and disposed in nature; and   smokeless tobacco contained in the pouch, wherein the pouch is made from a degradable polymer whose degradation properties allow the pouch to be essentially intact until the time of disposal and allow the pouch to degrade in nature after disposal.   
   
   
       2 . A smokeless tobacco product according to  claim 1 , wherein the degradation after disposal mainly is caused by water. 
   
   
       3 . A smokeless tobacco product according to  claim 1 , wherein the degradation after disposal mainly is caused by microorganisms. 
   
   
       4 . A smokeless tobacco product according to  claim 1 , wherein the degradation after disposal mainly is caused by sunlight. 
   
   
       5 . A smokeless tobacco product according to  claim 1 , wherein the degradation after disposal mainly is caused by oxygen. 
   
   
       6 . A smokeless tobacco product according to  claim 1 , wherein the degradation after disposal is caused by any combination of water, microorganisms, sunlight, and oxygen. 
   
   
       7 . A tobacco pouch comprising:
 tobacco; and   a pouch holding the tobacco, the pouch being biodegradable in the presence of at least one of sunlight, microorganisms, and oxygen.   
   
   
       8 . A tobacco pouch as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the tobacco has a moisture content and the pouch retains its integrity for at least 6 months in the presence of the moisture content. 
   
   
       9 . A tobacco pouch as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the pouch completely encloses the tobacco with a material which is not dissolvable in a user's mouth. 
   
   
       10 . A tobacco pouch as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the pouch is biodegradable in the presence of sunlight. 
   
   
       11 . A tobacco pouch as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the pouch is biodegradable in the presence of microorganisms. 
   
   
       12 . A tobacco pouch as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the pouch is biodegradable in the presence of both sunlight and microorganisms. 
   
   
       13 . A tobacco pouch as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the pouch comprises a polymer. 
   
   
       14 . A tobacco pouch as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the pouch is biodegradable in the presence of oxygen. 
   
   
       15 . A tobacco pouch as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the pouch is biodegradable in the presence of both sunlight and oxygen. 
   
   
       16 . A tobacco substitute product adapted for oral administration, comprising:
 a permeable pouch adapted for administration into a user's mouth and adapted to be removed from the mouth and disposed in nature; and   a tobacco substitute contained in the pouch, wherein the pouch is made from a degradable polymer whose degradation properties allow the pouch to be essentially intact until the time of disposal and allow the pouch to degrade in nature after disposal.   
   
   
       17 . A pouch for containing tobacco or a tobacco substitute, comprising:
 a permeable pouch adapted for administration into a user's mouth and adapted to be removed from the mouth and disposed in nature, wherein the pouch is made from a degradable polymer whose degradation properties allow the pouch to be essentially intact until the time of disposal and allow the pouch to degrade in nature after disposal.   
   
   
       18 . A pouch as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the permeable pouch comprises a fibre mat. 
   
   
       19 . A pouch as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the permeable pouch comprises a film. 
   
   
       20 . A pouch as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the permeable pouch comprises a non-woven fibre mat. 
   
   
       21 . A pouch as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the permeable pouch comprises a perforated polymer foil. 
   
   
       22 . A pouch as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the permeable pouch comprises a foil. 
   
   
       23 . A tobacco pouch comprising tobacco and a pouch containing the tobacco, the pouch being made from a polymer which is biodegradable in the presence of at least one of sunlight, microorganisms, oxygen, and water.