Makers of Popular Nicotine Pouch Ask FDA to Loosen Ad Rules
Philip Morris International met with FDA officials to propose advertising its Zyn flavored nicotine pouch as less dangerous than cigarettes.
Unlike cigarettes, Zyn doesn’t contain tobacco, but it’s a catalyst for nicotine, which is widely addictive. It’s also dangerous to your health. But that’s not stopping Philip Morris from asking to say using Zyn reduces “mouth cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, and stroke.” Let’s take a closer look at those claims.
The tiny pouches are about the same size as a piece of gum, and when placed between the gums and your teeth, they deliver nicotine directly to your bloodstream as they dissolve. The American Cancer Society notes that not only can Zyn harm your dental health, but might also put you at risk for some of the following:
- Increased heart rate
- Greater risk of heart disease and stroke
- Damage to blood vessels
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Upset stomach
Whether using Zyn reduces your risk for lung cancer remains to be seen without clinical trials. But, they’re certainly dangerous, and if they get into the hands of kids, risk poisoning them.
The FDA is reviewing the request to use the wording “reduced risk” when comparing Zyn to cigarettes, although Phillip Morris hasn’t conducted long-term studies of Zyn users or whether this product will encourage smokers to make the switch to the nicotine pouch.
Meanwhile, Zyn is widely popular across social media, and videos of “Zynfluencers” using the pouches have racked up tens of millions of views, according to the Associated Press. This popular pouch is selling, raking in $3.24 billion in sales last year.
The FDA has yet to make a decision on whether Zyn will get approval for its claims about being a healthier alternative to smoking, but for the hundreds of thousands of people in the U.S. who are using it, they seem to enjoy the flavored pouch, which comes in citrus, spearmint, and cinnamon.