Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is facing backlash for urging federal intervention to prohibit the popular tobacco-less nicotine pouch Zyn.
Schumer, describing Zyn as a “pouch packed with problems,” accused the Swedish company of targeting young individuals and utilizing social media to entice them. On Monday, he called upon the Federal Trade Commission and the Food and Drug Administration to scrutinize the marketing and health impacts of Zyn and similar products.
In response, Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) criticized Schumer, asserting that prioritizing a spending bill with border security funding should take precedence over investigating Zyn. McClain emphasized the urgency of addressing border control issues rather than infringing on consumer rights by attempting to ban Zyn.
Zyn and other non-tobacco nicotine pouches have witnessed a surge in popularity amid heightened restrictions on electronic cigarettes, with sales escalating from $126 million in December 2019 to $808 million in March 2022. The Biden administration, concurrently advocating for increased regulations on e-cigarettes, has proposed a menthol cigarette ban.
In October, California passed a bill that bans selling tobacco products to people born after 2006.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee condemned Schumer and the Biden administration’s proposed menthol cigarette ban, asserting that it reflects an overbearing “nanny state” mentality within the Democratic Party.
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