Trend: Wellness Tackles Addiction and Harm Reduction
Week of September 17th, 2025
‘All the Hot Girls Are Quitting Nic’––The Cut
Vaping had its moment but has lost its cool. On TikTok, people posting about how to kick the vape habit are going viral and attracting millions of views. Gen Z is sharing the consumer solutions they’re using to stop this harmful addiction, from those who swear by Blip’s nicotine lozenges and Doja-cat approved toothpicks in millennial pink and mint green to those who breath in vitamins and plant residue from nicotine-free vapes like Luvv and Ripple+ or inhale flavored air from brands like Füm and Pure. Many of these products are covered in our trend.
The Growing Thirst for Sober Travel––Travel Weekly
With younger gens rejecting drinking, more tour companies are adding alcohol-free (and wellness-heavy) itineraries. Contiki, a travel brand that caters to18- to 35-year-olds, made a startling discovery in a recent survey: 83% of Gen Z and millennials in the US were interested in booking “sober experiences.” So, they launched six sober-curious trips in 2025, with their chief marketing officer reporting “the interest has shocked me and blown my mind a bit.” Contiki is not the only tour provider responding to new demands for sober travel: for instance, EF Ultimate Break also launched alcohol-free tours for younger travelers and Flash Pack, a solo travel specialist, has done the same. Alcohol-free tours are growing in popularity beyond niche specialists and those that cater to people in alcohol addiction recovery.
As Alcohol Sales Stumble, THC Tonics Are Positioning as a Better-for-You Alternative––Fitt Insider
Promising relaxation without regrets, THC seltzers and tonics are projected to hit $1B in sales this year and $4B by 2028. A loophole in a US law allowed hemp-derived THC products to be sold outside dispensaries, sparking a boom in direct-to-consumer THC beverages. Snoop Dogg debuted Iconic Tonics, Seth Rogen sells them under his brand Houseplant, and Cali Sober’s pastel cans are a poolside vibe. Cann markets to newcomers with microdoses, while BRĒZ incorporates adaptogens to “turn up, tap in, or tune out.” Originating as a salve for alcoholism, Magic Cactus hydrates while soothing. Legislators might crack down on the unregulated THC boom, but, in the meantime, brands are taking initiative to prove they’re a better option than alcohol, collectively sponsoring the world’s first infused beverage study.
Vending Machines in Canada Offer “Healthboxes” with Nalaxone Kits––CBA
There’s a new kind of vending machine being rolled out in Canada, and it’s not full of soda or junk food. It’s called Our Healthbox (the brainchild of a researcher at St. Micheal’s Hospital in Toronto) and offers free nalaxone kits for opioid overdose, HIV self-testing kits, menstrual kits, and more. Fifteen communities have the wellness and harm-reduction vending machines so far, with a goal of getting them into 100 Canadian cities and towns. Their mission: make harm reduction super-accessible for drug users.
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