According to a recent report by CNBC, former US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said that the popularity of “Zyn” nicotine bag products is helping more Americans quit tobacco.
Gottlieb served as the 23rd commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from May 2017 to April 2019. “If we can get more adult smokers who are already addicted to switch to these alternative products that don’t have a lower risk of burning to produce harmful substances, we can realize a huge public health benefit,” he told CNBC.
He says that while nicotine is not completely safe, the nicotine in tobacco smoke is not a major cause of death and disease.
He also suggested that the topic of harm reduction should be reopened, on the grounds that a product such as a nicotine bag, free of combustion and smoke, is a useful alternative to the burning tobacco products that cause disease and death.
According to Gottlieb, another 28 million people smoke in the United States. “Although smoking rates have declined in recent years, the rate of reduction has slowed. We will further reduce the number of smokers by promoting products that pose less risk to smokers.” ‘he said.
David Sweanor, a law professor and harm reduction activist at the University of Ottawa, confirms that many smokers have switched from traditional tobacco to harm reduction products such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco and nicotine packs.
The rapid rise and popularity of Zyn nicotine bags in the United States can be attributed in large part to social media, which has fueled American regulatory chatter about these products.
Gottlieb believes these products should be marketed as products to help smokers transition, but the key is appropriate regulations. He believes that social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, Tiktok and others should do more to further intervene in the market for inappropriate advertising.
“With 600,000 applications now pending at the FDA, I believe these lower risk tobacco products should be prioritized for approval to ensure proper market positioning.” ‘he said.