Nicotine Pouch Products Get FDA Approval for Adults

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On January 16, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the sale of Zyn nicotine pouch products, citing potential health benefits for adult smokers. Nicotine, rather than tobacco, is the main ingredient in these smokeless products, which users place in the mouth between the lip and gum. In the U.S., individuals must be at least age 21 to purchase Zyn or any other nicotine product legally.

The pouches, which contain nicotine derived from tobacco, are small, dissolvable, and flavored. They were originally made by Swedish Match, a company acquired in 2022 by tobacco giant Philip Morris International (PMI). PMI markets nicotine patches as a modern, tobacco-free alternative to smokeless tobacco products like snus, chewing tobacco, or dip. In its 2025 announcement, the FDA noted that "a substantial proportion of adults who use cigarette and/or smokeless tobacco products" switched to Zyn pouches, justifying the authorization.

Tobacco-Free Branding

Containing extracted nicotine but no tobacco leaf allowed Zyn to be marketed as a cleaner, more discreet, less-stigmatized option to traditional tobacco products like chew or dip. For example, Zyn doesn’t have to be spit out. In addition, there is no strong odor, making it less noticeable in workplaces or social settings. Also, the white, dry pouches prevent tooth staining, a common concern with snus (moist snuff) and dip.

Underage Use and Abuse of Nicotine Pouches in the U.S.

Recent data from the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) indicates that cigarette smoking among high school students has reached an all-time low, with only 1.7% reporting current use. The decline is part of a broader trend of reduced use of other substances like alcohol, marijuana, and traditional nicotine products: 64% of high school seniors haven’t used any substances in the past month, and more than 36% have never used them in their lifetime.

Among adolescents, nicotine pouches are one of the fastest-growing trends in nicotine abuse. Despite the decline in cigarette smoking, the use of alternative nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, remains a concern. The annual Monitoring the Future (MTF) study of drug abuse in school expanded its scope to include nicotine pouches like Zyn in yearly surveys. The 2024 MTF survey reported a notable increase in nicotine pouch usage among high school students. Tenth-grade use increased 1.9% in 2023 to 3.4% in 2024. For seniors, use doubled, from 2.9% in 2023 to 5.9% in 2024.

The discreet nature of pouch use , appealing flavors, and nicotine delivery of products like Zyn may increase popularity among teens. Self-medication may put some teens at even higher risk. In 2024, 7.8% of high school students reported current e-cigarette use, making it the most commonly used tobacco product among this group. The data highlights a disconnect between the FDA’s analysis of teen use and the apparent growing popularity of nicotine among adolescents.

Nicotine Addiction Facts

Nicotine addiction is driven by its effects on the brain's reward system. Addiction develops through repeated nicotine-related release of dopamine. Nicotine affects other brain chemicals, including glutamate, GABA, serotonin, and endorphins, reinforcing addiction. When a person inhales cigarette smoke, within 10 seconds nicotine enters the bloodstream and crosses the blood-brain barrier. Nicotine self-administration by smoking or inhalation is comparable to intravenous injection but without a needle. In contrast, Zyn and similar products release nicotine to the brain more slowly.

Over time, increasing amounts of nicotine are needed to achieve the same pleasurable effect. The brain reduces its natural dopamine production, leading to a state in which nicotine is necessary just to feel normal. Nicotine dependence follows: Without nicotine, smokers experience withdrawal symptoms like irritability, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and cravings. As nicotine levels drop, the withdrawal symptoms prompt cravings, driving repeated smoking.

The cycle of intake leading to dopamine release creates tolerance begetting withdrawal that stimulates craving and keeps smokers hooked. Treatments like nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), the use of varenicline (which blocks nicotine’s effects), and behavioral interventions can help break the cycle.

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How Nicotine Pouches Addict

There are several reasons why nicotine pouches are addicting. First, nicotine in pouches is quickly absorbed through the mouth. This fast absorption leads to rapid nicotine and corresponding dopamine release. As with other paths to nicotine use disorder/tobacco addiction, nicotine from the pouches binds to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the brain, triggering dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens, the brain’s reward center. The reinforcement quickly leads to compulsive nicotine use and dependence.

The pouches are sold in different nicotine strengths, with some containing up to 6 mg of nicotine per pouch. For comparison, a cigarette delivers about 1–2 mg of nicotine. The high-strength pouches can provide a nicotine hit like smoking more than one cigarette at once.

Unlike smoking or vaping, whereby a user takes breaks between cigarettes or puffs, Zyn use is more continuous; users can keep a pouch in their mouth for 30–60 minutes, leading to prolonged nicotine release and brain exposure, reinforcing dependence. Odorless and discreet, the pouches enable users to consume nicotine unnoticed in almost any setting. The reduced barriers to use can make quitting nicotine more difficult.

Perceived Harmlessness May Increase Use and Be a Smoking Gateway

Zyn is addictive but less so than cigarettes or vapes because nicotine absorption is somewhat slower than inhalation. In this sense, it is a harm-reduction strategy for current adult cigarette smokers. Cigarettes are also extremely addictive, due to the fast lung-to-brain delivery and reinforcing effects of nicotine and associated behavioral rituals (lighting, inhaling). Vaping is the most addictive use of nicotine due to the rapid absorption of nicotine salts and high nicotine content in devices. Nicotine replacement therapies like patches and gum have much lower addiction potential because they provide nicotine in a slower, controlled manner.

Many people perceive Zyn as a “safer” alternative to smoking or vaping because it doesn’t involve inhaling harmful combustion byproducts. However, for teen users, the ability to use the product frequently and discreetly increases opportunities for self-medication and nicotine addiction risk. ADHD are twice as likely to smoke cigarettes and three times more likely to use smokeless tobacco. Evidence accumulated over the past decade indicates a robust association between ADHD and increased susceptibility to nicotine use and dependence among adolescents. ADHD is not , however, treated by vaping or other nicotine delivery. Teen non-smokers with ADHD or addiction could start with pouches and then move on to vaping or smoking.

Summary

As with any nicotine product, prolonged Zyn use is addicting and leads to tolerance, requiring ever-higher doses to achieve the same effect. When they try to quit, users experience withdrawal symptoms like irritability, cravings, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating, all of which drive continued use. In recently approving the marketing of 20 Zyn nicotine pouch products (Chill, Coffee, Cool Mint, Wintergreen), the FDA emphasized that they are authorized for sale but are not without risk and not considered "safe." Recent reports indicate a rising popularity of nicotine pouches among teenagers, attributed to their ease of use and appealing flavors.