Public Health Groups Sound Off on Planned Zyn Facility

Our shared commitment to kids’ safety, health, and wellbeing makes us proud to be Kentuckians. One thing we can all agree on is that we don’t need any more kids addicted to tobacco and nicotine. But the recent investment by a tobacco company in Western Kentucky sends the message to kids that our state supports tobacco and nicotine use, and worse, wants to profit from it.

With cigarette smoking on the decline, the tobacco industry has been looking for new ways to hook young people, first through flavored e-cigarettes, and now through another product that is growing in popularity: the flavored nicotine pouches that will be produced at this expanded Kentucky facility.

“Smokeless and spitless” – and easily concealed in the cheek – Zyn nicotine pouches have gained TikTok-fueled popularity. In fact, one study found there has been a 641% increase in sales of the products between 2019 and 2022, but only 2.9% of U.S. adults had ever used a nicotine pouch in 2022. Meanwhile, youth use has increased: 2023 data showed 400,000 youth in the U.S. reported currently using nicotine pouches, which is double from 2021.

Walk around on a school campus and you’ll see the tiny packets littering the ground. These smokeless nicotine products are the latest craze among young people. These products, including Zyn, have not received authorization from the Food and Drug Administration, which means they are on the market illegally. This company’s expansion in Kentucky is framed as an economic driver – but if we look at the big picture, the illnesses and deaths these products cause hurt and cost us all.

Because of their smokeless, odorless features, many people believe that these nicotine pouches are a safer alternative to cigarettes. But don’t be fooled. A 2022 study of 44 nicotine pouch products found that 26 of the samples contained cancer-causing chemicals and several other chemicals such as: ammonia, chromium, formaldehyde, nickel, pH adjusters, and nicotine salt. Most concerning, nicotine pouches contain high levels of nicotine which is incredibly addictive and harmful to young people in any form.

Nicotine use is harmful to developing brains, is associated with lower grades, and puts kids at higher risk for addiction to other substances in the future. Consistent use raises the potential for cardiovascular disease. Unless current trends reverse, 5.6 million children who are alive today will die prematurely of illnesses attributed to tobacco and nicotine products.

We, as a commonwealth, are fighting hard and spending big to fight the opioid epidemic, but youth access to addictive products can and often does lead to more serious addiction issues. We are creating more issues for ourselves and our kids down the road, unless we also regulate the sales of these products to kids and properly fund prevention efforts.

We are already suffering greatly with workforce shortages – and looking into the future as our kids age – we will be facing even greater economic challenges if the rate of addiction to these products continues. While economic growth and job creation are certainly important, we must be thoughtful and strategic about the companies we welcome to and celebrate in the Commonwealth. Our kids and our future rely on it. Signed by: 

• American Heart Association
• American Lung Association
• Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights
• Kentucky Voices for Health
• Kentucky Youth Advocates