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Philip Morris will temporarily stop selling Zyn oral nicotine pouches online to comply with a subpoena from the Washington DC attorney general, the company said Monday.
Tobacco giant Philip Morris International, which acquired Zyn’s maker Swedish Match North America LLC (SMNA) in 2022, said it received a subpoena from the DC AG about its compliance with the district’s ban on the sale of flavored products.
Zyn products come in flavors like mint, coffee and citrus, but can also be purchased in unflavored versions.
“Our preliminary investigation indicates that there have been sales of flavored nicotine pouch products in D.C., predominantly related to certain online sales platforms and some independent retailers,” Philip Morris said. The company said “a material liability is reasonably possible though not estimable at this time.”
“As an initial remedial measure, while our investigation continues, SMNA is taking steps to immediately suspend online sales on Zyn.com,” it continued.
Philip Morris said it remains “committed to ensuring compliance with all laws and regulations concerning the sale of our affiliates’ products in the U.S. and worldwide.” It did not say if the website would come back online at some point in the future.
The company noted that Zyn.com sales “have represented a very small percentage of nationwide Zyn volumes” since late 2022.
Zyn has come under fire recently for its prevalence on TikTok, with videos of young people using the pouches racking up millions of views. The videos sparked fears the product would become increasingly popular among underage users, similar to how Juul became beloved by teens.
Phillip Morris said in a statement to Quartz that it “goes beyond legal requirements” to ensure its marketing “targets legal age nicotine users.”
“We do not use social media influencers, and we refuse requests for such partnerships. Manufacturers, regulators, retailers and social media platforms must work together to ensure these products are only used by people 21+, and we believe that we’re doing our part to achieve that objective.”
Senator Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, asked regulators to investigate the company in January for its appeal to young users.
But the company also has some surprising defenders. Conservative pundit Tucker Carlson, who uses Zyn, has praised the product and claimed it has unproven benefits like “enhancing male vitality and mental acuity.”