Tony Grist
The tobacco company Philip Morris International, which owns the nicotine-pouch brand Zyn, announced Monday that it will be ceasing online sales for North America, following a subpoena sent by the attorney general of the District of Columbia. The subpoena follows from a 2022 decision by the district to ban flavored nicotine products.
The move to target Zyn comes amid Washington’s widespread crime problem. Violent crime increased by 40 percent in 2023, and the highest homicide rate is at its highest in over two decades. Nevertheless, more than 67 percent of arrests made are declined to be prosecuted, and D.C. is currently facing its largest police shortage in half a century.
Zyn has seen enormous growth: Its first quarter sales from this year show an increase of 80 percent from those of the previous year. It is unclear how the cessation of online sales will impact the brand, as “only a very small percentage of nationwide Zyn volumes” are sold via their website, according to the company.
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