Nicotine pouches, particularly the Zyn brand, have become a staple among top Trump administration officials and MAGA influencers, including Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. The trend has reportedly caught President Donald Trump's attention, leading to a new Food and Drug Administration (FDA) policy that allows wider sales of Zyn pouches without full scientific authorization.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Trump called Kennedy after a meeting with tobacco industry executives to learn more about the product. White House spokesperson Kush Desai defended the policy shift, stating it is based on evidence that nicotine pouches can help adults quit smoking. Zyn, manufactured by Philip Morris International, has seen its market share surge from 4% to 44% of the oral tobacco and nicotine market between 2023 and 2024.
Advocates argue that the tobacco-free pouches deliver nicotine without the cancer risks of cigarettes, but public health experts warn of cardiovascular risks and potential dangers for young people. Kennedy has endorsed Zyn as "probably the safest way to consume nicotine" and was seen using a pouch during a confirmation hearing. Staffers of Kennedy and Dr. Mehmet Oz, now head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, are also known users.
General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, noted that U.S. service members in the Iran war consume large amounts of nicotine, though he did not specify the form. A viral photo of a fighter pilot with a Zyn container in the cockpit in 2024 drew over 12 million views on X, with the caption "Zyn fuels the American warfighter."
Tucker Carlson has been a prominent promoter, calling Zyn an "unbelievable" and "powerful work-enhancer" on a podcast in 2023. He later launched his own nicotine brand, Alp. The FDA's new policy allows more Zyn containers on store shelves as long as manufacturers have submitted applications for approval, a move that former FDA regulator Mitch Zeller said could help addicted smokers but also risks appealing to children.
