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ZYN pouches contain nicotine, the addictive product used in cigarettes, cigars and most e-cigarettes. The health risks of using nicotine include everything from increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, increased heart attack risk and a narrowing of the arteries.
Nicotine is “an addictive chemical.” ZYN is designed for adults age 21 or older who are currently using nicotine products. Because they contain no tobacco or smoke, Zyn pouches avoid the tar and toxins of cigarettes. They deliver nicotine directly to the bloodstream.
Yes, there are health risks associated with ZYN use. “There are no safe tobacco products, including nicotine pouches.” Nicotine is a natural toxic substance found in tobacco products. It’s also the chemical that makes tobacco products addictive.
A Zyn pouch contains pure nicotine (usually in a salt form) along with flavorings and other additives. Zyn avoids nearly all the carcinogens found in cigarettes – this doesn’t make nicotine pouches harmless.
Nicotine poisoning is more common in children. Researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio, examining more than 134,000 cases of children under 6 who accidentally ingested nicotine through products like vapes, gums and lozenges, one delivery method – nicotine pouches – shot up, rising more than 760% between 2020 and 2023.”
“Nothing is telling the kid, ‘This is bad, you should spit it out’ … and that’s where you get into trouble.”
The warnings on the labels are for adults. Nicotine pouches don’t contain tobacco but are instead filled with nicotine, either synthetically or naturally derived, along with flavorings and sweeteners. Studies found that nicotine pouches were associated with a 150% greater risk of serious medical effects and were twice as likely to lead to hospitalization than other smokeless nicotine products swallowed by children, like gums, lozenges, e-liquids, tablets and powders.
Children are the most vulnerable to any type of poisoning due to their low body mass, curiosity and unawareness. The potentially lethal dose of nicotine will be significantly lower for a child than for an adult.
As parents, we know children regularly try to eat and drink things that they shouldn’t. In 2023, U.S. poison centers reported 134,663 cases of nicotine poisonings among kids under age 6. Nearly all occurred at home.
It’s nicotine pouches, like Zyn, that are behind the most significant rise in accidental nicotine poisonings among young kids. That’s an increase of 763% in just three years – a startling finding that correlates with a surge in sales of nicotine pouches to minors.
Some children had significant side effects, like trouble breathing and seizures. Most nicotine poisoning cases, 76%, were babies and toddlers under age 2. Several children under 2 years old have died after ingesting nicotine. Sad, especially for something considered a preventable death.”
Kids are curious by nature. Babies and toddlers, in particular, explore their worlds by putting things in their mouths. And they’re masters at breaking into drawers and cabinets to find new “toys.” All nicotine products should be placed far out of reach of children.
Users of chemicals only think of themselves. Using any chemicals has consequences for the user and those around them. The best thing to do is quit.
Dr. Herb Clark of Murphy is an expert in the field of addiction with 33 years of experience. He served on the N.C. Professional Practice board, adjunct professor for two universities and was a U.S. Marine serving 25 years, through two wars and three conflicts traveling the world, seeing the effects of addiction firsthand worldwide. Send questions or comments to him at hypno321@hotmail.com.