Oral nicotine product Zyn has skyrocketed in sales in recent years. The popularity of Zyn, packaged in small, nicotine-filled pouches that users place between their top lip and gum, has often created controversy as it is marketed heavily to the youth market. Last
week, it was announced that nationwide sales of Zyn nicotine pouches on Zyn.com
have been suspended as officials in Washington D.C. investigate the product
maker’s compliance with the district’s ban on sale of flavored tobacco products.
On Monday, June 17, tobacco giant Philip Morris International confirmed that online sales on Zyn.com have been suspended after finding that their affiliate Swiss Match North America - makers of the nicotine pouch brand Zyn - may have illegally sold products in the
nation’s capital. Philip Morris purchased Swedish Match in 2022 in an effort to
reduce its reliance on cigarettes amid stricter regulations and in response to customers’
shift towards alternatives to tobacco and traditional cigarettes.
Swedish Match North America is now under investigation stemming from a 2022 subpoena issued by the District of Columbia's (D.C.) Attorney General banning sale of all flavored tobacco, including flavored synthetic nicotine products. A spokesman from Philip Morris responded in a statement saying, "Swedish Match is conducting a full review of its sales
and supply chain arrangements in D.C. and other U.S. localities where flavor
bans may apply and is temporarily suspending all sales on ZYN.com until the
assessment is complete.”
Zyn products have been a point of public health concern with Congress calling for regulators to investigate nicotine
pouches due to their appeal to teens. The Food and Drug Administration is
closely monitoring underage use of nicotine products as its studies show
roughly 1.5% of middle and high school students reported using nicotine pouches
last year and 10% of high school students reported current use of e-cigarettes
in 2023.
Swedish Match International has greatly benefitted from a strong demand for Zyn nicotine pouches – first
quarter results in April reported shipments of Zyn nicotine pouches grew nearly
80% compared to a year ago. The company claims Zyn pouches do not contain tobacco
and that they differ from other oral nicotine products because they contain
nicotine powder rather than shredded tobacco leaf.
This pause on online sales does not mean Zyn products are going away. As with all substance use, the best prevention
is to arm yourself with knowledge and research the facts. Just because
synthetic nicotine is not made from tobacco does not mean it is not harmful. The
pouches contain nicotine, which is harmful to young people in any form. Scientists
continue to study this product and it is already known that flavor ingredients
can cause negative health effects. Nicotine use during adolescence can change
the brain’s chemistry and disrupt the formation of circuits that control
attention, learning, and susceptibility to addiction. Long-term effects of
products like Zyn remain unknown.
Read about the health effects of oral nicotine
pouches
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