What's 'buzzing' with ZYNs?
If you've been to a party recently, chances are you've seen someone holding a can labeled "ZYN." Inside are tiny nicotine pouches that offer a buzz without the tobacco, and they're the latest craze sweeping through the Generation Z audience. Even though you need to be at least 21 years old to purchase them, ZYNs are stealthily making their way into the hands of younger consumers.
Originating from Sweden, ZYNs came to the U.S. back in 2014. These little pockets have found a new spotlight, especially among TikTok users. With the #ZYN hashtag surpassing more than 700 million views, it's clear they're not just a passing fad.
The sudden surge in popularity raises questions — could it be a clever marketing ploy? TikTok users like @promptjockeyjoe have been quick to cast doubt on influencers promoting ZYN, suggesting, "Maybe they just love it. There's nothing sketchy going on here — it is pretty f**king great."
Regardless, ZYN enthusiasts have been vocal about their love for these pouches online, sharing fun and relatable videos, like this one that is heartbroken that sharks can't enjoy ZYNs or this one that jokes about nicotine addiction. These videos are under the banner of dedicated creators who exclusively post ZYN content.
They're incredibly easy to use — just pop the pouch between your gum and lip, typically on the top, and leave it in for anywhere between 5 and 30 minutes. ZYN offers a selection of up to 10 delicious flavors, ranging widely from different mints and citrus to cinnamon and even coffee — wintergreen is a clear favorite.
Although ZYNs weren't specifically created to help with quitting smoking or vaping, some have even discovered their usefulness for this purpose.
Take, for instance, TikTok user @zzzahki, who shares tips on kicking the vaping habit. His secret weapons are ZYNs and nicotine gum. While he acknowledges that it's essentially trading one addiction for another, he argues that transitioning away from vaping with these nicotine pouches is preferable to constantly inhaling a substantial amount of unknown chemicals and nicotine into his lungs.
While many see ZYNS as a better option than smoking to lessen exposure to harmful substances and tobacco fumes, their standards remain questionable.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warn that smokeless tobacco, including nicotine pouches, poses significant health risks. Not only does it fuel nicotine addiction, but it's also linked to oral cancer, elevated heart rate and blood pressure and damage to skin and gum tissue.
When you consider it objectively, continuously sticking nicotine, an already harmful drug, directly into your mouth and allowing it to absorb into your bloodstream, seems rather counterintuitive to good health.
And it's also worth noting that these beloved "upper decky lip pillows," a slang term coined to describe a ZYN under your top lip, are not even Food and Drug Administration approved.
Oral nicotine products currently face less stringent regulation compared to other tobacco products. While the FDA imposes some rules, such as including certain information, nicotine warning labels and basic marketing restrictions, there are no solid federal regulations on the merchandise. This concern has caught the attention of Senate Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), prompting his call for federal action to conduct a deeper investigation into ZYN.
Alongside this announcement, researchers emphasize the need for more studies to be done on nicotine pouches due to the lack of knowledge in many areas of the product.
If you're feeling imprisoned by the constant presence and inhalation of a vape or cigarette, turning to ZYNs might offer a liberating alternative. But, with all this in mind, it's best to tread cautiously — these pouches carry their own set of health risks.
