POUCH FOR TOBACCO OR TOBACCO SUBSTITUTE
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.