FDA permitted one specific statement comparing Zyn to cigarettes
Philip Morris International’s U.S. division said Wednesday that it is expanding the Zyn nicotine-pouch lineup with new strengths and a higher-moisture product called Zyn Ultra.
The expansion comes less than three months after the Food and Drug Administration said Zyn could market itself as less harmful than traditional cigarettes using the statement: “Using ZYN instead of cigarettes puts you at a lower risk of mouth cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.”
The new offerings add 1.5mg and 8mg strengths to the flagship Zyn dry-pouch line, alongside existing 3mg and 6mg options. Philip Morris is also launching Zyn Ultra, a format with higher moisture content than the flagship product, in 9mg and 11mg strengths.
For its 3mg and 6mg products, the company said it will transition during the fourth quarter to 20 pouches per can, up from the 15 pouches in a typical can.
“Together, these products recognize that preferences are not one-size-fits-all: Legal-age adults looking to switch from cigarettes or other nicotine products should be provided with options, including a range of different nicotine levels, flavor profiles, and formats,” the company said.
The expansion is part of Philip Morris’s effort to scale up the Zyn brand following substantial manufacturing investments and a regulatory decision during the summer. In July, the company opened a $1.2 billion manufacturing campus in Colorado to meet demand for the product.
Zyn is the most popular brand in a growing market for oral nicotine pouches, and Philip Morris has seized on the category as a revenue driver in recent years.