Don't Risk It: The proposed marketing of nicotine pouches as “lower-risk” is deceptive and fuels teen use

Four dollars gets you an energy drink at QuickTrip. It also gets you 15 nicotine pouches.

The caffeine boost from the Red Bull would last around four hours. But the pouches could last 15 days if you take one a day.

Many teenagers are choosing the pouches for their energy boost. In 2022, around 2% of teenagers said they’ve used nicotine pouches, according to the Keck School of Medicine. That 2% became 3% in 2023 and 5% in 2024. According to that trend, the number of users will increase in 2025 and 2026.

Teenagers aren’t at fault. And parents aren’t at fault. The marketing is.

The marketing strategy of Zyn, the most popular nicotine pouch brand, misleads teenagers, giving them a distorted understanding of the harmfulness of the product and contributing to rising teenage use.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration held a meeting on Jan. 22 to review whether Zyn pouches can be marketed as a “lower-risk nicotine option,” according to Health Day.

Like all governmental agencies, the FDA has to complete assessments and rigorous reviews before approval — it’s slow. And according to Health Day, there’s no set deadline to make this decision, but it’ll happen “soon.” Regardless of whether “soon” means two weeks or two years, nothing good comes of this reclassification. It would supercharge marketing that’s already attracting teenagers.

Here’s a quick fact: it doesn’t matter if a product is 21-plus and illegal for teenagers; high schoolers have methods of acquiring practically any product.

Nearly half a million middle and high school students reported using nicotine pouches in 2024, according to the University of Colorado Anschutz. And in 2023, 17% of SM East students used nicotine pouches, according to a 200-person poll. It’s difficult to imagine a 14-year-old popping a Zyn, but sadly, it’s a reality — at SM East, used Zyn pouches have been found under classroom desks and in bathroom urinals.

So age restrictions don’t matter. What matters is how teenagers view the product. And marketing Zyn as “lower-risk” nicotine is going to make the pouches more appealing, expanding the current teenage usage problem.

Zyn has already been twisted into being teenager-friendly through marketing.

They come in 10 delicious flavors and colors, including Black Cherry, Violet Licorice and Cinnamon. They also come in different strengths — or “levels” — ranging from 1.5 mg to 16.5 mg. On top of that, there are different formats — Mini, Slim and Mini Dry — which differ in size, moisture level and nicotine experience.

Basically, they’re fully customizable — and teenagers love making their own choices.

Zyn was created in 2014 to help Swedish women quit cigarette smoking, according to The New Yorker. But now, adolescents who don’t even smoke cigarettes are using nicotine pouches.

It’s true that Zyn lowers the risk of smoking-related diseases when compared to other tobacco products, according to Health Day, which is intuitive, considering Zyn doesn’t emit smoke. Health Day also reported that “36 of 42 known cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco products were either not detected or present at extremely low levels in Zyn.”

Though Zyn may have a “lower-risk” of causing cancer than cigarettes, the health risks of nicotine pouches are still significant.

First of all, Zyn has only been available for 12 years, which isn’t enough time to research long-term health effects. The product is just too new. Instead of rushing "lower-risk" approval now, the FDA should wait a decade for teen-specific long-term studies on developing brains and bodies.

Additionally, Zyn is accompanied by nausea, cardiovascular disease, cancer and cognitive development issues, according to Scientific American. These side effects sure don’t sound “lower-risk.”

Then there’s the affordability problem. Zyn pouches are cheap — especially in today’s market. They range from $4 to $6 per pack — cigarettes are around $10, and vaping devices are around $20 — and can be found at any nearby gas station or convenience store.

Every high school student has been told at some point in their schooling that nicotine prices are becoming increasingly high to decrease demand, whether that be in a health or social studies class. News flash: a $4 Zyn pack is cheaper than a McDonald’s Happy Meal.

Ultimately, marketing Zyn as “lower-risk” isn’t technically a lie, but it’s deceptive.

Saying Zyn is less harmful than cigarettes or other tobacco products is like saying getting hit by a Lamborghini is better than getting hit by an 18-wheeler at 60 mph. Probably true, but you end up in the hospital both ways.

So, dear teenagers, please get your smokeless buzz from something other than Zyn. Running and hanging out with friends are great alternatives.

And before you slip a Zyn under your lip in the middle of English class, think: Are you falling for the marketing trap Zyn has created?

And dear FDA, maybe don’t label the fastest-growing product of the tobacco market as “lower-risk” while teenagers are getting hooked on it.

Try using your power to stop. Hurting. Teenagers.