Rise of nicotine pouches: Are they fueling a hidden addiction?

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- It's a nicotine addiction that probably doesn't register on many parents' radar.

Researchers at the University of Southern California found the popularity of tiny, little nicotine pouches that sit between the lip and gums is soaring, especially among teenagers.

Pouches are far different than smoking or vaping, but do they carry their own health risks?

What to know about nicotine pouches

These discreet pouches are the latest stop along Haleigh Trickett's path with nicotine.

"I probably go through about a can a day, which is like 15 pouches," she said.

Her nicotine addiction began when the 33-year-old musician was just 14.

"I smoked for five years, and then I vaped for five years, and then I ended up with nicotine pouches," she said.

Trickett is not alone. The trend is taking social media by storm, and kids are taking notice.

"We found a doubling of nicotine pouch use amongst teens, and so about one out of every 20 teens in the year 2024 in America had used these nicotine pouches," said Adam Leventhal, Ph.D., the executive director of the USC Institute for Addiction Science.

He and his team at Keck School of Medicine of USC surveyed more than 10,000 high school students.

Content creators often called "Zynfluencers," coined from Zyn, which is the most popular brand, tout the different flavors. They often connect pouch use to better workouts, confidence and focus.

A spokesperson for Zyn says the product is for adults 21 and older as a better alternative than continued smoking or use of other tobacco products. The company does not use paid social media influencers in the U.S. or people under the age of 35 in marketing materials, employs independent age-verification systems to direct digital advertising to only those 21 and over, and uses an age-gate for its own digital platforms.

"There's a little bit of a culture happening," said Leventhal. "That's causing certain groups to use these products more than others."

But Leventhal said there's more to it, warning nicotine dependency is dangerous.

Leventhal said nicotine absorption through the blood stream can increase heart rate and blood pressure, which are known risk factors for cardiovascular issues.

Preliminary research also warns of potential damage to young brains.

"It may interfere with the development of the brain pathways that are associated with mood, regulation and attention and control," said Leventhal.

Earlier this year, the Food and Drug Administration authorized Zyn pouches for sale in various flavors. Experts say it's a surprising move given the limits on flavored vaping products due to the flavors' appeal to teens.

"To receive marketing authorizations, the FDA must have sufficient evidence that the new products offer greater benefits to population health than risks," said Matthew Farrelly, Ph.D., director of the Office of Science, FDA's Center for Tobacco Products in a press release at the time of the authorization.

"In this case, the data show that these nicotine pouch products meet that bar by benefiting adults who use cigarettes and/or smokeless tobacco products and completely switch to these products," Farrelly said.

The pouches are available online and at most convenience stores. Leventhal hopes research such as his will be enough to sway regulators.

"They're going to keep a close eye to see whether youth use increases, and if it does, they'll reconsider allowing these products to be sold, and that's exactly what we found in our study," he said.

Leventhal adds that parents need to be aware of pouches and talk to their kids. Trickett said she'd like to quit, but admits it isn't easy.

"I think nicotine is probably one of the most addictive things that I've ever had in my life," she said. "One of the hardest to kick, for sure."

Trickett said the pouches have helped her quit smoking and vaping, but Leventhal warns unlike nicotine patches, these have not been tested for this purpose.

A spokesperson for Zyn notes it is not intended or marketed as a cessation product, and is meant for legal-age consumers who wish to continue using nicotine products.

But one positive trend to report from the study is that vaping among high school teens has gone down.

This web copy has been updated with information provided by a Zyn spokesperson.