Are ZYN nicotine pouches safer than smoking? FDA weighs in.

Health newsSome ZYN nicotine pouches can be sold as safer than cigarettes, FDA says Twenty flavored ZYN products are included in the authorization, which says that the pouches put users at lower risk for several health problems compared to smoking.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00A recent FDA survey showed that among middle and high school students who used nicotine pouches, ZYN was the most popular brand.Elise Wrabetz / NBC NewsShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJune 30, 2026, 2:08 PM EDTBy Erika EdwardsThe maker of ZYN nicotine pouches can tell consumers its products are safer to use than cigarettes, the Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday.Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscriptionGet exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading.The agency has authorized Swedish Match USA, Inc, which is part of Philip Morris International, to say that 20 of its ZYN products “puts you at a lower risk of mouth cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis” than cigarettes. It’s long been clear that burning tobacco in cigarettes is toxic and can cause cancer, heart disease and other illnesses. Nicotine is the substance in cigarettes that make them so addictive. Nicotine pouches — which users tuck between their lip and gum and later discard — can contain as much as 6 milligrams of nicotine. They are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration as nicotine replacement products used to help quit smoking.The change applies to select ZYN flavors, such as Cool Mint, Citrus, Coffee and Cinnamon, in both 3 milligram and 6 milligram strengths. Fruity flavors known to be favored among kids, such as Black Cherry and Peach, are not included.Last week, the FDA’s annual National Youth Tobacco Survey found that 1.7% middle and high school students reported using nicotine pouches in 2025, with more than 1 in 6 of those kids saying they used them every day. ZYN was the most popular nicotine pouch brand reported. Mike Seilback, a...