Local health leaders warning families to watch out for nicotine pouch products among kids

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Tiny pouch products, specified arsenic Swedish-based nicotine brand, Zyn, are gaining popularity among the youth.

Hope Megerdichian of the Fresno County Department of Public Health says their bureau has seen an summation successful availability of these types of products.

Megerdichian explained, "Essentially they are these small achromatic pouches."

"They're filled with nicotine powder, whether that's synthetic nicotine oregon ground-up tobacco, you enactment it successful your rima and it sits down the gums and the cheek."

According to Zyn's website, the tiny pouches are "smoke-free, spit-free and hands-free", designed for adults implicit 21 years old.

The website adds that the pouches tin beryllium utilized arsenic an alternate to smoking.

So what pushed the popularity for products similar Zyn?

"The selling tactics that we were seeing during the tallness of the vape epidemic, erstwhile we were seeing Juul coming retired and each of the e-cigarettes, are precise akin to what we're seeing with nicotine pouches," said Megerdichian.

The 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey revealed that 1.8% of students reported utilizing nicotine pouches.

The survey besides showed Zyn was 1 of the astir commonly utilized brands among nicotine pouch users, with astir 70% choosing it.

The Fresno County Department of Public Health recovered that 53% of the stores that merchantability baccy successful Fresno merchantability these nicotine pouches.

Megerdichian adds that 93% of baccy retailers successful Fresno besides merchantability flavored non-cigarette products.

She believes families should ticker retired for signs of nicotine addiction successful children, saying, "It affects their brains and their mood. It volition disrupt their quality to function. It mightiness summation their hazard of processing anxiousness and depression."

Just this month, the FDA authorized the selling of 20 Zyn nicotine pouch products aft extended review.

The bureau says it volition beryllium intimately watching the company's selling tactics.

Fresno County wellness leaders are besides taking action.

They volition beryllium partnering with section organizations to big municipality halls to beryllium capable to amended parents and however to beryllium capable to speech to their kids astir these products.

Tiny pouch products-- similar Swedish-based nicotine brand, Zyn-- are gaining popularity among the youth.