Tobacco – Latest News and Analysis – Page 1 | Straight Arrow News

Straight Arrow News

Unbiased. Straight Facts.^TM

FDA allows sale of ZYN nicotine pouches, cites lower risks than cigarettes

January 16, 2025
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has officially approved nicotine pouches from ZYN, deeming them safer than traditional cigarettes and lower in health risks. The decision made on Thursday, Jan. 16, marks a significant win for ZYN, allowing it to remain on the market.

After a scientific review, the FDA approved 20 new ZYN products. These pouches, placed between the gum and lip, deliver nicotine in varying doses. ZYN submitted an application asking the FDA for permission to market the products to consumers.

The FDA’s decision is based on a law that establishes public health standards for tobacco products. This leaves it to the agency to evaluate the benefits and risks of new products.

In its review, the FDA concluded that nicotine pouches contain fewer harmful chemicals than cigarettes and other smokeless tobacco products. The administration said this reduces the risk of cancer and other serious health issues.

The FDA also found a significant number of smokers completely switched to nicotine pouches, with the potential to quit nicotine altogether over time.

Swedish Match, a company affiliated with the tobacco product, praised the FDA’s decision. They say it was “An important step to protect the public health by providing better alternatives to cigarettes and other traditional tobacco products for adults.”

ZYN has experienced a surge in sales, partially fueled by social media trends. However, the rise in popularity has raised concerns among public health groups, which are focused on preventing youth access to nicotine products. Despite growing sales, the FDA reports that fewer than 2% of middle and high school students use nicotine pouches, according to a recent study.

However, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids criticized the FDA’s approval. They call it a “dangerous precedent” that allows products with flavors “clearly appealing to kids.”

The approval of nicotine pouches comes with cautionary notes. Dr. Brian King, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, emphasized that the agency is closely monitoring the marketplace. He says they are committed to taking necessary action to protect public health.

ZYN must adhere to strict marketing restrictions to ensure its products are only advertised to those over 21. Despite the FDA’s approval, the agency stresses that these products are not safe. The FDA warns against starting to use tobacco products.

The decision to allow nicotine pouches on the market represents a major shift in the regulation of tobacco products, with the FDA taking a new approach to reducing health risks while offering alternatives to traditional smoking.
Related Stories
Supreme Court to decide whether to ban sweet-flavored vapes

November 29, 2024
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear arguments Monday, Dec. 2, on whether to reinstate a federal ban on sweet-flavored vaping products. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants to regulate the products as another step in its effort to fight teen nicotine addiction.

Over the past few years, the FDA has denied more than a million applications to market candy- and fruit-flavored e-liquids after the agency said teen e-cigarette use saw an “epidemic level” surge in 2019.

While advocates say the FDA’s crackdown does appear to have played a big role in reducing youth nicotine use to its lowest level in a decade, concerns still remain over the availability of flavored products.

According to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, sweet-flavored products remain the most popular among the nearly 2 million American high schoolers who vape. That fact has the nonprofit concerned over what would happen if the Supreme Court rules against the FDA.

The case stems from a Dallas-based vaping company that said the FDA unfairly changed its approval requirements without warning, effectively setting its applications up for rejection. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals agreed, overturning the FDA’s decision and allowing the company to continue selling its products.

Earlier this week, the Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to federal rules requiring graphic warning labels on cigarette packaging and advertisements. The FDA issued the mandate in March 2020, but its implementation has been delayed due to ongoing legal challenges.
Related Stories
US Supreme Court declines hearing Big Tobacco’s challenge to FDA labels

November 25, 2024
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge from cigarette companies on Monday, Nov. 25, against a federal requirement that cigarette packages include graphic labels that warn of the health risks associated with smoking.

Tobacco company R.J. Reynolds and other companies appealed a lower court’s decision to uphold the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) mandate, which found the federal rule consistent with the First Amendment. The court agreed with the FDA that the warnings were “factually accurate.”

R.J. Reynolds unsuccessfully argued the FDA’s rule amounted to “compelled speech” and that violated the company’s free speech rights. The company claimed the proposed warnings “overstate” the health risks associated with smoking.

The proposed labels from the FDA consisted of images of tumors, blackened lungs and surgery scars, with messages about the health issues smoking can potentially cause. The FDA proposed the 13 warning labels in 2019 under the Trump administration.

The FDA accused cigarette companies of “knowingly and actively conspiring to deceive the public about the health risks and addictiveness of smoking.”

Around 120 countries already have large graphic warning labels on cigarette packages. The United States has not updated its labeling on cigarette packages since 1984.
Related Stories
Surgeon general finds gaps in smoking rates based on race, gender: Report

November 19, 2024
A new report from the U.S. surgeon general finds there are gaps in smoking rates on racial, ethnic, gender and class lines. Cigarette smoking rates have been trending downward in recent years but the report found racial and ethnic communities, members of the LGBTQ+ community and lower-income people smoke at higher rates.

The report found that people in poverty are more than twice as likely to smoke as those with income above the poverty line.

Native Americans and Alaska Native people have higher rates of smoking than other racial and ethnic groups. Americans identifying as lesbian, gay or bisexual had higher rates of smoking than heterosexual adults.

“Tobacco use imposes a heavy toll on families across generations. Now is the time to accelerate our efforts to create a world in which zero lives are harmed by or lost to tobacco,” Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said in a statement alongside the report.

The report also found that 1 in 5 U.S. deaths tie to cigarette smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke. In total, smoking and secondhand smoke are responsible for roughly 500,000 deaths per year.

The report suggested a series of policy recommendations, including improving health care equity, enacting policies to protect people from secondhand smoke exposure, setting limits on how much nicotine can be in tobacco products and a ban on menthol cigarettes.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration had been working on a rule to ban menthol cigarettes but the Biden administration held off on finalizing the rule after tobacco industry pressure.

The surgeon general’s report mentioned that inequality also persists in advocacy spending. The report says that for every $1 spent by tobacco control groups, there are more than $12 spent on tobacco industry marketing.
Related Stories
- Cigarette smoking at historic lows — but still more popular than vaping
- California city is latest to ban residents from smoking in their own apartments
Here’s why it may seem like some people’s brains age faster than others

November 7, 2024
Not everyone’s brain seems to age the same way. Some elderly people you meet may still be as sharp as ever, while others couldn’t tell you what they had for breakfast. Now, new research is giving us a deeper understanding of why that may be.

A recent paper published Thursday, Nov. 7, in the journal Genomic Psychiatry tested brain aging theories. Researchers found about half the variabilities that cause some to experience more cognitive decline than others may already have been present in childhood.

They said some aspects of cognitive abilities in older age may be connected to test scores around age 11.

However, researchers said cognitive decline isn’t inevitable. Some adult lifestyle factors still appear to be linked with improved cognitive performance and slower aging of the brain.

Researchers said factors like exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument may be linked to healthier cognitive aging.

One of the study’s authors explained it like this: “marginal gains, not magic bullet.” That means there isn’t one single thing that puts you at a bigger risk for cognitive decline, rather, lots of factors play into it.
Related Stories
Gambling is as big a health risk as alcohol and tobacco, experts say

October 25, 2024
Gambling has long been regarded as addictive – with warnings on scratch-offs and lottery tickets, and support groups for those struggling to stop. And since technology entered the race, it’s only gotten worse.

Now, an international group of health experts is calling for gambling to be treated in the same ways as alcohol and tobacco.

In a report commissioned by medical journal “The Lancet,” experts said online betting has grown the gambling industry so much it’s become a public health threat.

At least one form of gambling is legal in 80% of countries worldwide. The researchers found when it comes to online casino or slot products, 16% of adults and 26% of adolescents have gambling disorders. When it comes to sports betting, they estimate 9% of adults and 16% of adolescents have such disorders.

They said about 450 million people display at least one behavioral symptom or have experienced a harmful personal, social or health consequence of gambling, and at least 80 million suffer from gambling disorder. The study’s authors also said those are conservative estimates.

In the report, the commission criticized governments worldwide for paying too little attention to the harms of gambling and not implementing sufficient gambling-related public health protections.

They recommended that, much like what is done for alcohol and cigarettes, leaders take steps to restrict gambling access and advertisements, launch marketing campaigns about the consequences of gambling and provide more support for those who suffer harm.

The authors are also calling on governments to implement and enforce minimum age requirements and betting limits.
Related Stories
Teen smoking drops to lowest level in 25 years: CDC

October 18, 2024
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released new numbers on teen smoking. It seems that progress is being made toward less young smokers, with the lowest numbers for this age group in 25 years reported.

Researchers looked at data between 2023-2024 and found that middle and high school students who used any kind of tobacco product dropped 20%. The significant drop is mostly because of a decline in e-cigarette or vape use. In 2024, 1.63 million students said they used e-cigarettes, down from 2.13 million in 2023.

Cigarette smoking rates also reached record lows. Only 1.4% of students said they smoked tobacco. CDC officials believe the overall decline is because of price increases, smoke-free policies and social media campaigns targeted at students.

Health officials said reaching a 25-year low for youth tobacco product use is a huge milestone, but emphasize there’s still work to do.

The report found some disparities by race and ethnicity. Tobacco use rose among Native Americans and Alaska Native students while current use of nicotine pouches increased among white students.

The study included 30,000 students at more than 280 schools. The response rate was about 33%.
Related Stories
Tucker Carlson launches nicotine pouches to compete with Zyn

September 19, 2024
Conservative talker Tucker Carlson launched a nicotine pouch that he hopes will compete with the massive popularity of Zyn. Carlson’s foray into the business started with an appearance on comedian Theo Von’s podcast last year where he was actually talking about his love for Zyn.

“The truth is, Zyn is a powerful work enhancer, and also a male enhancer,” Carlson said as he covered the microphone. “If you know what I mean.”

Shortly after the appearance, Carlson’s team reportedly reached out to Zyn-maker Philip Morris International to form a partnership. But the tobacco giant declined the offer at the time, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“While we understand that these may be Mr. Carlson’s views, or made in jest, these statements lack a scientific foundation,” the company said at the time. “Given Mr. Carlson’s popularity and reach, these statements could promote a misunderstanding and misuse of our products.”

Research shows nicotine can result in erectile dysfunction, decreased sex drive and infertility, according to anti-smoking group the Truth Initiative.

The response from Philip Morris upset Carlson and prompted the new venture.

“I’m going through a period of transition in my life with nicotine pouches,” Carlson said in a video posted on Old Row on X. “I’ve used a certain brand. I’m embarrassed to say it. It’s made by a huge company, huge donors to Kamala Harris. I’m not going to use that brand anymore. I think it’s fine. It’s good for your girlfriend or whatever. But I don’t think men should use that brand. It starts with a Z. And we’re launching our own brand today called Alp.”

For its part, Philip Morris International told both the Journal and USA Today that it doesn’t contribute to presidential campaigns. But the subsidiary that does oversee Zyn does make contributions to federal campaigns, and nearly 60% of those have gone to Republicans, according to OpenSecrets.

It’s no surprise Carlson wants to get into the nicotine pouch industry as Zyn pouches have beco m e somewhat of a staple of young conservative men.

Additionally, Alp will offer more nicotine to users while Zyn only comes in three and six milligrams. Alp will also feature a 9 milligram pouch.

With the popularity of a product with nicotine, it has caught the eye of lawmakers and regulators alike that fear it may attract young people and get them addicted to the drug.

Research found a very small amount of middle and high school students are pouch users. But, Zyn pouches have become so popular, there was a shortage over the summer.
Related Stories
Philip Morris pauses online Zyn sales amid legal challenge

June 18, 2024

Philip Morris International temporarily stopped online sales of Zyn nicotine pouches in the U.S. on Monday, June 17, in response to a legal challenge from the attorney general for the District of Columbia. The halt is part of an investigation into the company’s possible violation of the district’s ban on flavored tobacco products.

“Zyn is not a sin,” Tucker Carlson said on the “This Weekend w/ Theo Von” podcast.

Zyn is a 100% tobacco-free product that is rapidly gaining popularity as a nicotine alternative. Users place the flavored pouches under the upper lip for an almost immediate nicotine buzz. Each tin contains 15 pouches, and each pouch lasts about 30 minutes.

The growth of Zyn sparked a culture of “Zynfluencers” who promote the product online.

@casanova_k9s
Nothing like a mornjng upper decoer ti start the day #zyn #upperdecker #uppydecky #zynpun #zynpuns #funny #punny #skit #comedy
♬ original sound – Jay Nova

Over the past year, Zyn’s popularity surged. Philip Morris expects to sell 560 million cans in 2024. That is a 34% increase from the previous year.

The product has also drawn scrutiny. Health experts note that while Zyn might pose fewer risks than traditional smoking methods, it carries similar health implications as other nicotine delivery systems like gums and patches. These risks include dependence and long-term health effects associated with nicotine consumption.

“What we’re seeing is when kids use it, because it has such a high level of nicotine, they get addicted to it really rapidly,” said Bruce Barcello, the director of education and preventions at Soter Technologies.

Analytical chemist Ben Katz analyzed the composition of Zyn pouches and found that nicotine is the primary active ingredient, unlike other similar products that contain tobacco leaf.

“In the data analysis software, we see a series of peaks,” Katz said. “There is a common peak that’s in all of the samples, and it’s the most abundant peak in all the samples that is our nicotine peak. Based on these tests, nicotine is the bioactive molecule in Zyn, and nicotine is the only tobacco-related alkaloid that we can see in this product.”

Philip Morris’ current legal challenge revolves around allegations of non-compliance with local regulations banning flavored tobacco products.

In 2022, the District of Columbia banned the sale of all flavored tobacco, including flavored synthetic nicotine products.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is currently evaluating whether Zyn meets U.S. health standards for legal marketing. As of now, the FDA has not authorized any Zyn products for sale. Despite this, Zyn nicotine pouches are still available for purchase in the U.S.

The pouches can be sold under existing regulations that permit the marketing of tobacco products while they are under review.
Surgeon general wants tobacco-style warning labels on social media

June 17, 2024
The U.S. Surgeon General called on Congress to require tobacco-style warnings on social media platforms. In an op-ed released Monday, June 17, in The New York Times, Dr. Vivek Murthy reiterated his stance that the mental health crisis among young people is an “emergency.” Murthy reiterated that social media is one of the biggest reasons why.

Murthy said he wants to require warnings that include language alerting users to the potential mental health impacts of social media websites and apps.

Social media has become an important contributor to our #YouthMentalHealth crisis. We are in the middle of an emergency, and it’s essential that Congress act with speed and urgency. The health and well-being of our kids is at stake. Read more: https://t.co/AR0VOfcjoF 2/2
— Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) June 17, 2024

Last year, the Surgeon General’s Office issued an advisory about social media use and its potential mental health effect on teens. The office also called on social media companies to ensure platforms enforce minimum age requirements. Now, he wants to take that further by adding these labels, which require congressional approval.

“Legislation from Congress should shield young people from online harassment, abuse and exploitation and from exposure to extreme violence and sexual content that too often appears in algorithm-driven feeds,” Murthy wrote. “The measures should prevent platforms from collecting sensitive data from children and should restrict the use of features like push notifications, autoplay and infinite scroll, which prey on developing brains and contribute to excessive use.”

Murthy said the proposed labels would “regularly remind parents and adolescents that social media has not been proved safe.”

“To be clear, a warning label would not, on its own, make social media safe for young people,” Murthy added.

On Monday, June 17, Murthy noted the success of adding similar labels to tobacco products while appearing on NBC’s “Today.”

“Now, a warning label would help parents to understand these risks,” Murthy said. “Many parents don’t know that these risks exist. And we have data from tobacco warning labels that, in fact, that they can be helpful in changing awareness and changing behavior. Keep in mind, when Congress authorized these labels for tobacco more than half a century ago, or nearly half a century ago, the smoking rate in America was above 40% today it’s under 12%.”

Murthy also said social media companies should have to share all their data on health effects with independent scientists and the public and allow independent safety audits.
Related Stories