DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Nicotine pouches are small, white, teabag-like pouches that are packed with nicotine. Phillip Morris said it sold 190 million cans in the third quarter of 2025.
"I feel like Zyn is more accessible. It's just cheaper," Sebastian Cuevas, a former Zyn user, told WAND News.
The FDA concluded earlier this year that the smoke-free, spit-less pouch could be a safer alternative to cigarettes, e-cigarettes and chewing tobacco.
"Especially when it becomes really convenient for the consumer when they're working, they don't have to step out or to spit or to carry a cup," Amar Lotey, the owner of the Marathon Gas Station on Pershing Road in Decatur, told WAND News.
Cuevas picked up a can of Zyns for the first time last year.
"I got into vaping when I was around 20 years old because a friend introduced me to it. And then ever since then, I just could not stop," Cuevas said.
He used the pouches for about a year to help him quit smoking.
"At the time, I was doing both, but I was doing less cigarettes and vapes, so I would. Now, I don't smoke at all," Cuevas said.
Lotey said over the past two or three years, nicotine pouches have become one of his most popular nicotine products among customers in their 20s and early 30s.
"Most of them, the newer generation, some of the older generation in their 50s have not got involved with this new kind of chew," Lotey said.
He said many of the major cigarette manufacturers have come up with multiple brands of nicotine pouches. Each offers various doses and flavors of nicotine, with sales ranging from $4 to $8. Lotey was asked how much volume he sells of these pouches each month.
"But I would say in a month, yes, it does escalate to around like $1,500," Lotey said.
Dr. John Lee, a family doctor with Memorial Health Systems, said the products can be dangerous for adults.
"So in some ways it can be safer than cigarette smoking or chewing tobacco or vaping since it is nicotine that's going directly into the bloodstream, and you don't have to be exposed to the tobacco and carcinogens. But at the same time, there are side effects with nicotine, especially at high doses or frequently use," Lee said.
Lee said the product can be especially dangerous for kids and teens.
"They've been doing a lot to attract young people. It's been one of the main ones that they're trying to promote on social media," Lee said.
An issue is the use of Zyn on social media platforms.
A Zyn spokesperson said the manufacturer does not pay social media influencers in the U.S. to endorse its products, nor does it use anyone under the age of 35 in its marketing materials.Â
As far as effects on a person's health, Lee said the pouches can irritate a user's gums, causing receding gum lines, tooth decay and a type of plaque that can lead to cancer. But there are other effects teens cannot necessarily see.
"It's a vasoconstrictor. So there's always issues with high blood pressure, heart rate. So it can speed up the aging process. Some other ones are that, that has been associated with stomach pain and increased acid production. So, increase in reflux or possible ulcers," Lee said.
Lee said the addictive product can be a tough habit for kids to break. The product is discreetly placed under the lip.
"So, one thing you can just keep active in watching your children's habits, and also, if you see any protrusion from the mouth, also, what are they looking at on social media? So, a lot of times, if they're seeing these influencers who are promoting is in or in like products that can be a clue," Lee said.
He said parents should have conversations with their junior high school children about the dangers of the product.
"So we may find out in several years more and more damaging issues with it," Lee said.
In 2020, Illinois Poison Control fielded 10 calls about children under six years old being poisoned by nicotine pouches. This shot up to 58 calls in 2024. Doctors said to keep any nicotine and tobacco products out of reach of young kids.
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