ZYN nicotine sachets: a marketing campaign that perpetuates confusion about smoking cessation in the United States

In the United States, nicotine pouches are regulated as tobacco products and cannot be marketed as smoking cessation aids without specific authorization based on rigorous scientific evidence of safety and efficacy. A promotional campaign analyzed in the journal Tobacco Control[1], The campaign, titled "ZYN 10 Challenge," encourages smokers to use these products for ten days to become "smoke-free," employing messages and visual cues that suggest a quick and lasting cessation of tobacco use. The authors emphasize that these strategies perpetuate confusion about the actual effectiveness of the products consumed and can divert consumers from validated cessation methods.

A campaign based on implicit and explicit claims of smoking cessation

The "ZYN 10 Challenge" promotional campaign relies on a set of messages and marketing materials that present nicotine sachets as a solution for quitting smoking in a very short time. It explicitly encourages tobacco users to use the product for ten days to become "smoke-free," suggesting that a limited period of use would be sufficient to achieve lasting change. In promotional content disseminated online, particularly on social media and video platforms, the product is presented as a way to "step away from smoke," "break free from traditional tobacco," or "achieve lasting change"—phrases that directly convey a promise of smoking cessation.

Some advertising materials go further by offering an implicit cessation schedule, suggesting that ten days of use may be enough to quit smoking permanently, along with a money-back guarantee if the desired result is not achieved. This marketing promise reinforces the apparent credibility of the therapeutic claim by suggesting a level of effectiveness comparable to that of a validated medical treatment, even though no nicotine sachet has received regulatory approval as a drug or smoking cessation aid.

The campaign also employs visual and symbolic elements designed to reinforce the perception of successful quitting. For example, some advertisements feature congratulatory messages such as "You did it!", associated with the idea of having successfully become a non-smoker, or the notion of "fresh start," suggesting a transition to a tobacco-free life. These narrative codes are part of the tobacco and nicotine industry's historical strategies of positioning new products as alternatives rather than addictive substances. At the same time, the industry is positioning itself on the health front of quitting by using medical terminology.

According to the authors, these campaigns can divert smokers from scientifically validated methods, such as pharmaceutical nicotine replacement therapies or medical and behavioral support. This situation fosters an area of ambiguity that can disorient consumers regarding the actual effectiveness of the products. It sows confusion about the available cessation options, confusion that the tobacco and nicotine industry deliberately seeks to exploit.

Marketing strategies that could encourage the development of addiction

Beyond claims of nicotine withdrawal, the authors emphasize that certain promotional strategies associated with nicotine sachets can encourage increased consumption rather than promote quitting. Loyalty programs play a central role in these strategies. The "ZYN Rewards" program, for example, allows consumers to accumulate points with each purchase, points that can then be exchanged for attractive rewards (iPad, Dyson Airwrap). This type of marketing mechanism, mentioned in some promotional materials, clearly encourages consumption. It relies on a logic of purchasing and increasing the volume consumed in order to reach the thresholds required to obtain gifts.

These devices are part of marketing strategies known to promote loyalty and behavioral anchoring, by associating nicotine consumption with mechanisms of gratification and reward.

These promotional campaigns target products containing high concentrations of nicotine and flavorings. They aim not only at smokers but also, and perhaps even more so, at new consumers, namely young people, who are particularly susceptible to these attractive offers and products.

©Generation Without Tobacco

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[1] Soule E, McAnnany K. 'ZYN 10 Challenge': illegal marketing of nicotine pouches as smoking cessation aids? Tob Control Epub ahead of print: [02/17/2026]. doi:10.1136/tc-2025-059872