As oral nicotine pouches from brands such as Zyn, On!, and Velo have gained popularity, they have raised concerns about their high nicotine content, youth-appealing flavors, and misleading claims about their health risks. On top of that, the products are also causing confusion about whether they can be used to quit smoking, vaping, and other tobacco products.
Oral nicotine pouches have spiked in popularity over the last several years, with unit sales increasing by six-fold between 2019 and 2022 and manufacturers building on marketing methods used by e-cigarette companies to target young people including through rewards programs.
Most recently, the total monthly nicotine pouch sales increased by 207% between January 2023 and April 2025, from $145.5 million to $446.8 million.
Tobacco users of all ages frequently come to EX Program, a comprehensive quit program by Truth Initiative with Mayo Clinic, with questions related to Zyn and how to quit using it as well as how to use nicotine replacement therapy. We answered some of their questions below.
Only 26 oral nicotine pouch products have been approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but none have been approved as a tool for quitting nicotine. Nicotine pouches can contain high concentrations of nicotine, which can put users at risk of nicotine addiction and can make quitting more challenging. For these reasons, using oral nicotine pouches like Zyn is not a recommended way to quit nicotine in any form.
Oral nicotine pouches versus nicotine replacement therapy
Can you use Zyn to quit vaping
Oral nicotine pouches are not the same as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) like nicotine lozenges or gum. NRT includes medications that are approved and regulated by the FDA. Decades of research, as well as a 2020 report from the Surgeon General, confirms that NRT is safe to use (even long-term) and is an effective way to quit tobacco products for good.
Oral nicotine pouches can contain high levels of nicotine, and a study from 2022 found that sales of oral nicotine pouches containing the highest nicotine concentration (8 mg) increased faster than sales of pouches with a lower nicotine concentration (6, 4, or 3 mg), raising concerns about the addictiveness of these products. In addition, a study found that many young people who use oral nicotine pouches also use a different tobacco product, which can increase the risk of nicotine addiction and dependence and makes quitting more challenging. The study, published in Preventive Medicine, found that most young people (73%) who use oral nicotine pouches also smoke cigarettes, and nearly half (49%) vape nicotine. Nicotine in any form is addictive and harmful to developing brains, and using nicotine pouches and other tobacco products concurrently increases the risk of addiction.
The good news is, if you are currently vaping, smoking, or using other tobacco products, there are resources to help you quit. You can also quit Zyn with similar strategies to quitting other nicotine products.