Nicotine has served itself in many different forms, constantly adapting to ensure that each upcoming generation forms an addiction, therefore keeping themselves in business. What began with a prosperous cash crop has morphed into products like cigars, cigarettes, patches, gum, chew, vapes and now ZYNs. Each method has its appeal such as flavors or being considered “healthy” because it is not inhaled. However, addiction is unhealthy in any form and this new age of nicotine will likely be over soon as the newest form of addiction cycles through.

In a CBS News Interview, Dr. Nidhi Kumar “[t]he marketing strategies, the packaging looks like candy, flavors like cinnamon and mint and even names like ‘smooth’ or ‘chill.’ I mean, who are these products appealing to? Young people.”

ZYN’s have begun infiltrating the North Polk High School student population because of marketing toward youth and as a more discreet method of nicotine usage than vaping. Methods to prevent vaping such as sensors in the bathrooms may have pushed students away from vaping for fear of getting caught. However, there are not as many strategies to prevent ZYN usage because students are able to hide it in their gum without any indicators of usage.

An anonymous North Polk High School student claims “[they] could fill an entire list of people who do ZYNs now. They became really popular really quick and no one would ever know if you were using them.” 

The question is posed: what will drive people away from using nicotine? Studies have shown countless times that it is bad for people in any form but nicotine products continue to be produced and purchased. At what point will the health effects be realized as bad enough that people finally start shying away from nicotine products?

The anonymous student hopes “that we can stop using nicotine altogether soon instead of replacing it with the newest trendiest version of nicotine.”