The Zyn Lawsuit: A Lesson on Why Overreliance is Dangerous

Zyn is a flavor-infused, tiny nicotine pouch that users ingest. Zyns, like traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes, are made to induce and maintain a nicotine addiction. The oral nicotine pouches had been manufactured by Swedish Match, which Philip Morris International then bought. Zyn occupies a share of 70% of the nicotine pouch market. Three hundred fifty million cans were exported by PMI in 2023, a 62% increase over the previous year. In 2024, PMI anticipates earning $2 billion from Zyn.

Nicotine, just like heroin and cocaine, is a very addictive drug. The young population is the most vulnerable to nicotine addiction. Statistics show that 9 out of 10 nicotine users begin by the age of 18, and over 80% of teens who start in their teens look to continue deep into adulthood.

However, relying on Zyn a bit too much had led to serious consequences, which is the basis of the Zyn Lawsuit.

Who are the Parties Involved in the Zyn Lawsuit?

The plaintiff in the Zyn lawsuit is Bailey Wolters from California. He started using Zyn as a teenager in and around 2019. He became addicted to the nicotine content of Zyn and suffered severe consequences, such as dental issues and addiction.

The plaintiff was unaware of its dangerous and potent properties during the initial stages of consuming Zyn. One of the primary reasons behind that was misleading information portrayed in manufacturing, designing, marketing, and promoting the product, which was a causative agent behind her injuries.

There are two defendants involved in the Zyn lawsuit.

• Swedish Match North America LLC is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, and is a citizen of Virginia.
• Philip Morris International Inc. - headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut and is incorporated in the state of Virginia.

What Is Wrong with Zyn?

Even though Zyn contains more nicotine than nicotine replacement therapies, the defendants in the Zyn lawsuit falsely claim that Zyn is a smokeless form of nicotine replacement therapy from cigarettes or e-cigarettes.

The FDA has not approved the defendants' marketing of their product as a modified-risk tobacco product or as a tobacco cessation aid. Furthermore, compared to FDA-approved nicotine replacement gum or lozenges, nicotine pouches come in a wider range of flavors.

The defendants in the Zyn lawsuit also falsely state that Zyn is "tobacco-free" when it is not. The nicotine content present in Zyn was extracted from tobacco. Marketing Zyn as "tobacco-free" and with descriptions like "cleaner than anything out there" or promoting it as something that is comparatively less harmful than other nicotine-based products is false, misleading, and solely targets naïve and young tobacco users.

For many years, Philip Morris, one of the defendants in the Zyn lawsuit, allegedly took advantage of teenagers' susceptibility to imagery by using themes of self-reliance, exploration, sophistication, beauty, athletics, social inclusivity, and "coolness."

The defendants in the Zyn lawsuit employ and advertise tastes known to attract minors to utilize them. Adolescents who use nicotine experience disruptions in the development of brain circuits related to learning, attention, and addiction susceptibility. Early nicotine use is associated with daily usage and long-term nicotine dependency, according to research.

Additionally, using nicotine might make anxiety and depressive symptoms worse. It also makes people more stressed.

On the whole, due to chronic nicotine usage, the brain may become chemically altered, making the user into a person with an addiction.

Nicotine also exhibits health hazards such as increased cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and respiratory risks, a minimized immune response, and affects your reproductive health. It also causes oxidative stress, cell proliferation, DNA mutation, and apoptosis, leading to cancer.

Health experts are also worried that Zyn might lead to periodontal disease and gum damage. This is because gum damage can result from the harmful compounds in oral nicotine pouches like Zyn.

The defendants in the Zyn lawsuit failed to mention these health hazards. The phrase "Warning: This product contains nicotine" is present, but the statement "nicotine is an addictive chemical" is wholly inadequate to convey the full scope of the risks associated with Zyn. 

What Compensation Was Demanded?

To the fullest extent permitted by law, the plaintiff in the Zyn lawsuit seeks the following against the defendant:

• Compensation to cover the plaintiff's medical costs, lost enjoyment of life, mental agony, physical pain and suffering, emotional distress, and economic harm incurred as a result of using Zyn
• Lawyers' fees and expenses
• Punitive damages
• Interest accrued both before and after judgment at the legal rate
• Medical care
• An order naming plaintiffs in the Zyn lawsuit as the classes' named representatives, designating the undersigned as class counsel, and certifying the proposed classes
• A trial by jury on all concerns
• Any other relief that seems fit and just by the court