Washington D.C. – Axis reports the Trump-RFK Jr. FDA is set to “allow Zyn nicotine pouches to be marketed as less harmful to human health than cigarettes” in a major “win for Philip Morris International, the parent company of Zyn manufacturer Swedish Match”. The expected announcement ignores concerns from scientists about Zyn’s cardiovascular effects and the American Lung Association’s warnings about the “increasing and alarming rate of youth use.”
The decision is also a big win for Donald Trump’s personal stock portfolio. As KFF Health News recently noted: Trump “grew his stock holdings this year to as much as $1.64 million in tobacco giant Philip Morris”. And in 2025 alone, “tobacco interests donated $6 million to MAGA Inc., a super PAC that supports the president, and Trump’s inauguration”.
The move comes on the heels of the administration’s toxic effort to fast-track poisonous flavored vapes into the hands of kids. In May, Health Secretary RFK Jr. dutifully followed Donald Trump’s order to push FDA Commissioner Marty Makary out the door for not moving ‘quickly enough’ to approve addictive and harmful flavored vapes and nicotine products that appeal to American teens and kids – a major no-no for MAHA leaders – after big tobacco interests cut a $5 million check to a Trump SuperPAC and after a fancy golf course luncheon between Trump and big tobacco/vape lobbyists.
“Yet another Trump administration decision is poised to put more money in the pocket of Donald Trump and his corporate backers while compromising the public interest,” said Kayla Hancock, Director of Protect Our Care’s Public Health Project. “For the Trump FDA to promote this addictive nicotine product as a safe alternative to tobacco effectively gives American youth a license to abuse it. Addictive flavored nicotine products like vapes or Zyn overwhelmingly appeal to teens and kids, but Trump and his health secretary consider that good for business. Where health experts see our kids set up for a lifetime of addiction and a potential gateway to more harmful tobacco, Trump sees only dollar signs for himself and his industry mega donors. Trump abusing the power of the presidency to do favors for industries he’s invested in may be a ‘dog bites man’ story at this point, but it should never be normalized, especially when American teens are exploited for profit.”
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