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    FDA allows ZYN to be marketed as safer alternative to smoking

    By Robyn Oster
    July 2026

    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it will allow ZYN nicotine pouches to be marketed as less harmful to health than cigarettes.

    The details:

    • FDA issued modified risk granted orders to Swedish Match USA, Inc. for 20 ZYN products — the 3 mg and 6 mg strengths of ZYN Chill, Cinnamon, Citrus, Coffee, Cool Mint, Menthol, Peppermint, Smooth, Spearmint, and Wintergreen.
    • These products, which have been authorized for sale in the U.S. since January 2025, may now be marketed with a risk modification claim that “using ZYN instead of cigarettes puts you at a lower risk of mouth cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.”

    But: Though scientists agree that the language is accurate and that the pouches are a safer option for people who smoke, critics worry about the appeal to young people. Scientists also remain concerned about the cardiovascular effects of nicotine pouches, and critics argue that most people who use them are not former smokers.

    Read more: Exclusive: FDA allows ZYN to sell pouches on health benefits