Zyn Nicotine Pouches warning
The Zyn Nicotine pouch is known as the “Ozenpic Gas Station.” However, using these nicotine pouches is addictive and probably dangerous to your health.
Fox-5 Atlanta
Poison Control Centers are sounding nicotine pouch alarms when young children accidentally ingest a nationwide spike.
The warning comes amid a new study that calls for a 763% increase in children under the age of six from 2020 to 2023, according to a survey published July 14th in Journal Pediatrics.
The sharp increase in calls to the poison control center is due to the increase in popularity of nicotine pouches, according to Natalie Lynn, a research author and director of the Central Ohio Poison Center. Children were also staying at home during this period as the pandemic prompted stay-at-home orders and increased access to nicotine products stored in the home.
“The popularity of these products began in 2019,” she said. “We’ve seen a huge increase in sales between 2019 and 2022…and we’ve started getting calls more frequently.”
Nicotine pouches, sometimes called “lip pillows” or “top deckers,” are small microfiber pouches containing nicotine powder. Here’s what parents need to know about keeping their kids safe from their nicotine pouches:
How dangerous is nicotine to children?
Nicotine pouches were 1.5 times more likely to be associated with serious medical outcomes, and twice more likely to be associated with medical hospitalization compared to other nicotine products in the study, such as tobacco and liquid nicotine.
Nicotine is a highly toxic substance for young children, especially in concentrated form, like a nicotine pouch, according to the National Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
After ingestion, some minor symptoms can include nausea and vomiting, Rine said. However, as the dose increases, children experience high blood pressure and a fast heart rate, which can escalate to seizures and respiratory failure.
Of the 135,000 calls made to the Toxicological Control Center between 2010 and 2023, the study authors found that nicotine was associated with the deaths of two children under the age of six.
How to prevent an emergency
The best way to prevent children from taking nicotine pouches is to remove the product from the house, Rine said.
If a parent or guardian chooses to keep nicotine products at home, she recommends taking the following precautions:
- Choose products with a child-resistant packaging.
- Store them in a high, out-of-eye location with a lock.
- Do not use nicotine products in front of children. “Children like to mimic behavior,” Rine said.
- Keep your nicotine pouch in your bag or wallet and make sure they don’t lie around the house.
- Save the National Poison Help line number (1-800-222-1222) on your phone and post it somewhere in your home.
What should you do if your child swallows a nicotine pouch?
If your child is experiencing a medical emergency, Rine urges parents to call 911.
If they exhibit mild symptoms, she recommends calling the National Poison Help Line to access free, confidential expert advice from a specially trained nurse or pharmacist.
“We are always there to help you tell you through the symptoms you see with your child, based on the history you’ve given,” Lynn said.
She warns you that you are trying to induce vomiting. This is because fluid enters the lungs can lead to secondary problems.
“Inducing vomiting is one of the big misconceptions out there,” says Rine. “In many cases, you can cause more problems than you already deal with.”
Adrianna Rodriguez can visit adrodriguez@usatoday.com.
