Zyn Nicotine Pouches Toxic For Kids Are Flying off U.S. Shelves

Move over vapes, Americans appear to have a new addiction: Zyn, a tobacco-free nicotine pouch product, that has exploded in sales over the past year.

Zyn has become a cultural sensation in the past year, attracting the attention of Gen-Z consumers who have become loyal buyers of the product. I Photo: Zyn UK

Philip Morris said last week that it shipped 350 million cans of Zyn in 2023, a whopping 62% growth compared to 2022. Shipments typically correlate to sales, even if they represent a slightly different measure of demand, Jordan Valinsky reported for CNN.

Growth is expected to continue this year with the company looking to ship more than 520 million cans, bolstering the Marlboro maker’s full-year forecast.

Zyn has become a cultural sensation in the past year, attracting the attention of Gen-Z consumers who have become loyal buyers of the product. It is aimed at adults 21 and up who already use nicotine, according to Zyn’s website.

“We follow the law and voluntarily do more than regulations require,” a company spokesman said.

“For example, we age-gate our digital channels to 21-plus and do not use social media influencers in the US.

Beyond that, we regularly request the removal of inappropriate content online.” Zyn costs about $5 for about 15 pouches (in a variety of flavors) that contain nicotine and are absorbed in a person’s gum and lip over an hour, then spit out.

Nicotine is very addictive and can harm young people’s developing brains, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC.) However, like Juul, the popularity and growth of Zyn might face difficulties, in particular from the US government.

By law, anyone who makes or sells “non-tobacco nicotine” must comply with FDA regulations, which include not selling to people under 21, not giving away samples, and not making claims that their products are less harmful than cigarettes without FDA authorization, Carma Hassan also reported for CNN.

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