College campuses across the country have noticed the increasing popularity of Zyn nicotine pouches among students. These tiny pouches, marketed as a discreet and “safe” way to consume nicotine, have been embraced by many young adults despite the potential health risks.

Emerging in the 2010s, nicotine pouches allowed a safer alternative to existing forms of smokeless tobacco, being placed inside the mouth on the upper lip to discreetly deliver nicotine to the bloodstream. Initially unpopular, it was only with the sudden rise of Zyn that nicotine pouches entered the public eye.

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On college campuses like LSU, it seems near impossible to escape them.

“I see them about four to five times when I’m out at Tigerland,” said entrepreneurship freshman Jack Manhan.

Nicotine addiction is nothing new to college campuses, but are Zyn pouches truly a safer substitute?

Proponents of Zyn argue that they provide students a chance to shake their addiction to smokes and vapes, accepting a higher risk of gum infection and disease to spare their lungs. As Manhan puts it, “Sacrifice the gum, not the lung.”

Such claims, however, are at odds with LSU’s health approach, which suggests nicotine pouches are not a good way to shake the habit of vaping, and instead are a new way to get people hooked on this addictive drug.

“This is a completely different product. This is not intended to help you quit. This is intended to keep you addicted and to keep you coming back…they’re designed that way,” said LSU Director of Wellness and Health Promotion Michael Eberhard.

Zyn pouches come in a variety of flavors, many alluring to young adults. Citrus, spearmint and cinnamon are just a few of the flavors coined by the brand.

“I think that’s just one way to attract younger people to try it. It’s enticing,” Eberhard said. 

Despite the warnings, some students see benefits to using pouches. Their discrete nature allows them to be consumed without disturbing others around them, something more difficult with cigarettes and vapes. The stimulant property of nicotine can temporarily enhance focus and concentration, possibly helpful for late-night study sessions or periods of high stress. But not without sacrifice.

“It’s definitely better than smoking actual tobacco or vapes, but it still has its cons,” said kinesiology sophomore Erick Gonzalez. 

It all comes down to nicotine, the highly addictive chemical at the center of Zyn. Nicotine, even in small doses, can alter a person’s psychological and physical well-being and create a dependency, which will become increasingly difficult to quit due to addiction and subsequent withdrawal symptoms. For some, it can also amplify existing issues such as anxiety.

“Nicotine is a stimulant. So, you might have some anxiety, especially if you have anxiety already,” Eberhard said.

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The long-term health effects of using nicotine pouches are not fully understood. Nicotine itself can have adverse effects on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, but the potential harm caused by the flavorings and other additives in these products remains a subject of ongoing research.

What is known is that nicotine pouches like Zyn’s can cause gum irritation, soreness, infections and eventually even cancer. It’s easy to think that because they don’t contain actual tobacco, they’re safer to use, but this is not exactly the case.

“When you strip all that away, and you have just pure nicotine in this powder form, it presents a lower risk for sure. But they’ve done trials on the different nicotine pouches that are out there, and they still do contain cancerous chemicals in them,” Eberhard said.

The LSU Student Health Center provides many resources for students looking to quit nicotine, including smoking cessation and replacement therapy products and one-on-one quitting support.

If you are struggling with quitting nicotine, you are not alone.