NEW YORK, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. health officials have cleared America's most popular nicotine pouch to stay on the market, saying Zyn's benefit as a safer alternative for adult cigarette smokers outweighed its potential risk to young people.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Philip Morris International's Zyn pouches pose lower risk of cancer and other serious health conditions than cigarettes or traditional dipping tobacco. The agency said it reviewed data on the risk to young people and found that youth use of nicotine pouches remains low despite growing sales of the pouches in recent years.
"Zyn's skyrocketing sales last year landed it in the middle of the culture wars, with liberals raising alarm bells that it was attracting teenagers and conservatives touting it as a way to save smokers' lives," reported The Wall Street Journal on Thursday about the move.
A nationwide survey of U.S. high-school students found that use of nicotine pouches like Zyn rose in 2024 to 6 percent from 3 percent a year earlier. Though still a small percentage of the overall population, the increase has alarmed some public health groups, noted the report.
Tom Hayes, president of Swedish Match North America, a subsidiary of Philip Morris, said the FDA's decision was "an important step to protect the public health by providing better alternatives to cigarettes and other traditional tobacco products for adults" 21 and older.
