Kansas police warns about nicotine product teens are using to get 'high'
MARYSVILLE (KSNT) - A local police department is warning people about a nicotine product in circulation among Kansas youths.
On Friday, Feb. 2, the Marysville Police Department (MPD) took to social media to inform locals about the product Zyn. The department describes Zyn as a flavored nicotine pouch which is meant to act as an alternative to smoking cigarettes.
"We've heard from some concerned parents that youth are using multiple pouches at a time for a euphoric effect or a "high" up to 30 minutes, and that's led to some side effects including vomiting. Zyn comes in a small pouch and can easily be hidden in the upper lip."
MPD social media statement excerpt
The MPD said it was sharing information about Zyn for informational purposes as the product is popular among teenagers. The issues potentially posed by Zyn go beyond Kansas' borders however.
Zyn is a hot topic among the nation's top leaders in Washington D.C. at present, with figures such as Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, debating use of the product, according to an article from The Hill. Democrats like Schumer are urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate Zyn over its effects on people's health along with its marketing strategies while Republicans like Greene oppose moves to curtail access to the product.
Zyn is manufactured by Swedish Match which aims to create "A world without cigarettes," according to its website. This is done to improve the public's health by selling products like Zyn as alternatives to smoking cigarettes. Zyn is specifically marketed as an adult nicotine product for people over the age of 21.
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