By: Ben Yi
Zyn, a company who produces nicotine pouches, designed to be put between the upper lip and gums, has exploded in popularity over the last few years. The brand’s rise nearly doubled their stock price over the last two years. While the global nicotine pouch market sold around 34 billion of these pouches in 2025, up 660% since 2020, Zyn sales volume grew 400% from just December of 2024 to December of the next year. The global market is projected to hit 25 billion by 2028.
Around 2.5% to 2.9% are reported to use or have tried Zyns. Usage jumps significantly higher among young adults and college students, where roughly 15% to 33% report having tried them. Zyn is the dominant brand, capturing over 80% of the market.
Among middle and high schoolers, age 11-18, 1.7% of middle and high school students currently use nicotine pouches, equating to approximately 450,000 to 480,000 adolescents. Young adults, ages 18-24, have the highest concentration of pouch users. A study published in The Lancet Public Health found that 47% of all nicotine pouch users are under the age of 25. Because young adult pouch usage hovers around 3% to 5% nationally, this accounts for an estimated 400,000 to 500,000 users in this bracket.
In July of 2026, however, the FDA authorized that Zyns be marketed as a lower risk than cigarettes. Many public health experts warn that “reduced risk” claims, paired with flavors, could drive youth uptake.
