What's Zyn, and why there was a shortage this summer

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Nicotine pouches, most notably Zyn, have become very popular lately.

While they've been sold in the U.S. for about a decade, demand has soared recently as fans spread the word online. Here's what you need to know about the nicotine craze that sparked a shortage this summer.

So what exactly is Zyn?

Zyn comes in puck-shaped containers that look like Ice Breakers. Each container holds 15 pouches, and they come in about 10 flavors, ranging from coffee to cinnamon, each sold in a different bright-colored package.

The pouches contain powdered nicotine, which enters the bloodstream after dissolving in the mouth. Users call it "packing a lip," which basically means inserting the pouch between a user's gum and upper lip.

Zyn was originally intended to help existing nicotine users kick the habit. While the pouches don't contain cancer-causing tobacco, Zyn is quite addictive and it has raised alarm bells among regulators who worry that it is being marketed to underage users.

In April, the Food and Drug Administration issued warnings to 119 retail stores for selling Zyn to minors. However, Philip Morris International, the owner of Zyn, told NPR that consumer research found that the average age of Zyn users is 39 years old.

Social media's "Tucker Carl-Zyn"

Still, lately the appeal of Zyn has taken off on social media.

On TikTok and podcasts, "Zynfluencers" have raved about the 10 flavors. In a statement to NPR, Philip Morris International said that none of the influencers are paid by the company.

One of the most active advocates is conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, whom some members of Generation Z have jokingly called Tucker Carl-Zyn.

Some of the attraction stems from the fact that the pouches don't pose the same respiratory risks associated with inhalable devices like vapes. Some users like that the pouches are discreet: no telltale clouds of smoke like those that come with smoking, plus users don't need to spit as you do when chewing tobacco.

Josh Hadden, a senior at Texas A&M University, started using Zyn two years ago when trying to quit vaping. He likes the array of flavors and uses peppermint and coffee pouches simultaneously. He says he also likes to use it on campus without the stigma of vapes.

"I hate being the guy, like, walking around campus blowing clouds. I just hate the way it looks," says Hadden. "But Zyn is very subtle, which is probably honestly a bigger draw to it for me than protecting my lungs."

Big sales and shortages

Users like Hadden have helped the tobacco company Philip Morris International, which owns Zyn, after acquiring its producer, Swedish Match, in 2022.

In just the first quarter of this year, Philip Morris said, it sold 131.6 million cans of Zyn, up 80% from the same time last year. Other U.S. nicotine pouch brands include Rogue, on! and Velo, but Zyn accounts for almost three-quarters of nicotine pouch sales, according to Philip Morris.

But recent legal troubles led to a nationwide Zyn shortage this summer.

In June, Washington, D.C.'s attorney general issued a subpoena to Philip Morris, alleging that its online sales violated the District of Columbia's ban on flavored nicotine. In response, the company suspended all online sales. This led to a nationwide shortage.

However, demand hasn't abated, and Philip Morris told NPR that its Kentucky factory was increasing production. The company also announced a $600 million investment to build a new facility in Colorado.

Zyn could continue to face legal barriers as lawmakers worry about underage use. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has called for federal action against the pouches, warning parents of their appeal to minors.

Lawmakers have been imposing measures to discourage its use too. For instance, in July, Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz's state of Minnesota added "tobacco-free products containing nicotine" to its list of tobacco products that are charged a 95% tax.

Some health experts recognize the product's addictive nature but feel that it offers benefits to adult tobacco users who may be addicted to even more harmful nicotine products like cigarettes.

"There's definitely a place for them," says Tory Spindle, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins Medicine, who has a Ph.D. in experimental health psychology. "But the challenge is how do you make them accessible to those kind of people and encourage use, without also making people use them who otherwise would not use nicotine."

It's unknown how federal regulators will rule. Philip Morris says it filed an application in 2020 to market Zyn in the United States. While the FDA continues its review of that application, it has allowed the product to stay on the market.