U.S. sales of oral nicotine pouches increased more than fourfold between 2020 and 2023, raising concerns about how they're portrayed on social media. New research from the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health found that nearly 90% of Instagram and TikTok posts about Zyn, the leading oral nicotine pouch brand in the United States, expressed positive sentiment.
Published in JMIR Infodemiology, the study analyzed 1,809 Instagram and TikTok posts containing the hashtag #Zyn to better understand the messages users encounter about nicotine pouches. Researchers evaluated each post for sentiment, themes, youth appeal and potentially misleading health claims.
The study originated with Pitt's youth advisory collaborative, whose members repeatedly identified Zyn as an emerging trend long before it became a focus of public health research.
"Our youth collaborative members told us, 'You need to be looking at Zyn,'" said senior author Jaime E. Sidani, PhD, professor in the Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences. "At that time, there really wasn't any research out about Zyn, at least on social media."
Because Instagram and TikTok are among the platforms most widely used by adolescents, the researchers wanted to better understand the messages young people may be encountering about nicotine pouches. Lead author Arpita Tripathi, PhD, who conducted the research as a doctoral student at Pitt Public Health and is now a postdoctoral associate at Rutgers University, and colleagues analyzed 1,200 Instagram posts and 609 TikTok posts to evaluate sentiment, themes, youth appeal and potentially misleading health claims.
The findings revealed an online conversation that frequently portrayed nicotine pouches as a normal part of everyday life. More than one-third of the posts used comedy or memes, while many highlighted flavors, sports, gym culture and personal experiences with the products. Researchers also identified posts containing potentially misleading or unsupported health claims.
"Zyn was not simply being discussed as a nicotine product—it was being woven into humor, sports and everyday routines,” Tripathi said. "That kind of framing can make nicotine use seem normal and socially acceptable.”
The researchers also found notable differences between the two platforms. Instagram featured more commercial accounts promoting or selling nicotine products, while TikTok included more influencer-generated content and personal accounts discussing nicotine pouch use. Together, the findings underscore the need to better understand how emerging nicotine products are portrayed on social media and the potential influence of that content on youth.
While nicotine pouches have drawn attention for their potential to reduce harm for adults who switch from cigarettes, Sidani said the team's focus is on preventing nicotine initiation among adolescents.
"There very well may be reduced harm in a pack-a-day adult smoker switching to a product like this," she said. "We just don't want youth to start using these products and then transition to other products along the way."
Tripathi said the findings highlight the need for continued research on how young people perceive nicotine pouches and how messages about nicotine evolve as the products become more widely available.
"Our study does not tell us whether seeing these posts causes young people to use nicotine pouches. Instead, it shows that an addictive product is being presented in overwhelmingly positive, relatable and often youth-appealing ways,” explained Tripathi. “That makes continued monitoring of both social media content and youth use essential.”
Additional University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health co-authors include Beth Hoffman, PhD; Christine Larkin; Piper Narendorf; and Chaim Kittredge, along with Coltin Kunz of VISIMO, Inc.
-Clare Collins