Aussie "Influencers" Promote Flavoured Nicotine Pouches

[SYZ]

Australian social media influencers are promoting highly controversial
and likely harmful flavoured nicotine pouches in viral videos claiming
they are an effective tool to quit vaping, as public health experts warn
the increasingly popular products could become the next youth epidemic.

The teabag-like sachets are placed between the gum and lip and are
similar to Snus, which is popular in Scandinavia. But unlike Snus, which
contains tobacco, nicotine pouches contain nicotine extracted from
tobacco or synthetic nicotine and are promoted as “tobacco free”.

The products are manufactured by tobacco companies such as Philip
Morris International and British American Tobacco. (No surprises with
these two!)

Stefan Kohut, 19, is an Australian fitness(!) influencer with 13,700
followers on TikTok. He promotes the platform Snussaholic with a link
to the website that sells Zyn, Velo and other nicotine pouches.

And Sydney-based fitness(!) influencer Zahki Kapusta, 24, has more
than 15,000 followers on TikTok. His 30 December video, "Become your
best self and quit vaping in 2024" has 2 million plays.

—Both of these disgusting individuals need to be shut down.  Playing
   on the gullibility of youthful Australians is just not on.   End of story.

[Aegon]

Yeah, Zyn is taking over the United States. Every comedy podcast is promoting them.

Pardon my ignorance, but is nicotine without tobacco that bad for you? I'm sure it can increase your BP but so can caffeine. I personally don't care for nicotine, not my favorite headspace to be in. (Well, I used to smoke 7 years ago, but that was when I was addicted to amphetamines; what else are you supposed to do when you're stimming at 3:30 AM and can't sleep?)

[Dānu]

Yeah, Zyn is taking over the United States. Every comedy podcast is promoting them.

Pardon my ignorance, but is nicotine without tobacco that bad for you? I'm sure it can increase your BP but so can caffeine. I personally don't care for nicotine, not my favorite headspace to be in. (Well, I used to smoke 7 years ago, but that was when I was addicted to amphetamines; what else are you supposed to do when you're stimming at 3:30 AM and can't sleep?)

Nicotine by itself is highly addictive and it's consumption has general negative side effects. There's some question whether such an addictive product is ethical.

[brewerb]

I still use nicotine buccal lozenges.