The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday authorized Zyn nicotine pouches to remain on the market, reasoning the nicotine pouches help adult users reduce their use of harmful cigarettes.

Regulators authorized 10 Zyn flavors, such as cinnamon and spearmint, and said they would monitor use to ensure that persons under age 21 do not get the products. Only 1.8% of U.S. middle and high school students reported using nicotine pouches this year.

“It’s critical that the manufacturer market these products responsibly to prevent youth use,” said Brian King, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. “While current data show that youth use remains low, the FDA is closely monitoring the marketplace and is committed to taking action, as appropriate, to best protect public health.”

Zyn products are small synthetic fiber pouches that contain nicotine and are placed between a person’s gum and lip.  

This is the first time the FDA has authorized nicotine pouches. Regulators determined that Zyn pouches have “substantially lower amounts of harmful constituents” compared to cigarettes and non-smoke products such as snuff and snus.

Zyn pouches come in hockey puck-shaped containers. They are made by Philip Morris International and are incredibly popular with young adult men.

When Senate Democratic leader Charles E. Schumer called for a federal crackdown in early 2024, the backlash was vocal and swift, with users saying he didn’t understand its popularity and relative safety compared to tobacco products.

Matthew Farrelly, a top tobacco official at the FDA, said Zyn products were “benefiting adults who use cigarettes and/or smokeless tobacco products and completely switch to these products.”

The FDA is making a flurry of decisions in the final days of the Biden administration.

Earlier in the week, regulators proposed capping the amount of nicotine in cigarettes and banned the use of red dye No. 3, a bright-colored additive, starting in January 2027 for foods and January 2028 for ingested drugs.

• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.