What are Zyn nicotine pouches? All you need to know

Zyn is the latest phenomenon that has caused a stir among people. There is no smoke, so this is not an e-cigarette or a vape. It's not a form of smoking because there isn't any tobacco or spitting involved.

It is a brand of pouches with nicotine that is gaining popularity, particularly among younger groups. Oral nicotine patches and lozenges are novel-flavored nicotine products that are becoming popular.

This lotion is applied to the cheeks and gums. They contain nicotine, flavourings, sweeteners, and plant-based fibres, but no tobacco. While the long-term consequences of nicotine pouches such as Zyn are unknown, juvenile nicotine use in any form is risky.

Using nicotine during adolescence can impair the establishment of brain circuits that control learning, attention, and susceptibility to addiction.

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What is Zyn?

This new class of "tobacco product" has grown in popularity on the young market because of its diverse range of youth-friendly flavors. Although advertising could make it appear convenient and enticing, the reality is that these products contain variable levels of the addictive substance nicotine.

Zyn and similar products are little pouches approximately equivalent to the dimensions of a single piece of gum containing nicotine along with other inactive chemicals inside a permeable wrap.

Importance of not consuming nicotine (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by maksim)

When placed between your lip and the piece of gum, nicotine gradually oozes out of the wrapping over a period of about an hour.

Nicotine pouches originally appeared on the European market in approximately 2009 and began a modest spread on American markets just over five years later, before becoming widely available in the US around 2019.

Zyn, unlike vaping and smoking, is smoke- and tobacco-free; yet, the pouches include nicotine, an addictive substance. This means that the product is only legal for people over the age of 21. The brand's caution label warns that the medication is not meant for use by minors, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or people with or at risk of coronary artery disease or elevated blood pressure.

Importance of not consuming nicotine (image sourced via Pexels / Photo by cotton bro)

Although nicotine levels fluctuate substantially throughout the years, it is clear that consumption of nicotine during adolescence appears to be linked to learning, attention span, and addiction risk. Zyn products, for instance, can provide up to six milligrams of nicotine per pouch.

Eliminating oral nicotine pouches such as Zyn can be difficult, and the high nicotine levels in them may lead to an addiction to nicotine.

The good news is that you can quit this type of nicotine using the same tactics you use to quit similar nicotine products. When a person hooked on nicotine remains without it for a prolonged period, they may feel irritation, depression, anxiety, yearning, sleep difficulties, increased hunger, and cognitive and concentration deficiencies.

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If you're attempting to quit, there's good news. You are unable to try to quit on your own. Sometimes it requires an expert to help people explore their choices, create a plan, and remind them of how powerful they actually are.