TikTok-Viral Nicotine Pouches Pose Risks

Could Zyns be unc?

A UBC Okanagan study reveals how TikTok has turned nicotine pouches like Zyn into viral lifestyle symbols among youth, transforming a quitting aid into a trend that glamorizes nicotine use and risks addiction.

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Nicotine Pouches: From Quitting Aid to Problematic Youth Trend

Nicotine pouches, once marketed as tools to quit cigarettes, found a new vibe on TikTok. A study led by Dr. Laura Struik, Associate Professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Nursing, shows how social media is transforming nicotine usage into a lifestyle trend.

"This is concerning, given the substantial health risks associated with nicotine use at an early age."

— Dr. Laura Struik

The study analyzed 250 TikTok videos featuring nicotine pouches, which collectively had 16 million likes, 114,000 comments, and nearly 2 million shares. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the clips were found to mostly market nicotine pouches as cool and easily hidden, not exactly as quitting aids.

“One particular brand was framed as empowering, exclusive and socially desirable, where using the brand meant that you were part of a movement."

As the researchers describe, the nicotine-pouch campaigns turned product usage into an act of identity signalling — a useful strategy when marketing to teenagers. Only about 6% of the analyzed videos mentioned any negative health impacts. Meanwhile, prolonged use can lead to gum disease, tooth decay, harmful oral bacteria, heart issues, and even oral cancer.

“When a hallmark of brain development during adolescence is identity development, where teens explore who they are and experiment with different behaviours, like the use of nicotine products, it becomes really clear why these pouches would be especially appealing to a young person."

As social media normalizes nicotine use — at times highlighting its benefits — the UBCO study sheds more light on how the tobacco industry normalizes its products and markets to young people.

The study's takeaway message: as nicotine pouches go viral, so too does a public health concern.

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