New York State senators have introduced a bill seeking to ban the sale of flavored nicotine packs statewide to prevent youth addiction. Philip Morris International (PMI) warned that the proposed ban would affect smokers seeking alternatives to quitting.
As reported by the NY Post on February 23, U.S. Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal of New York has introduced a bill that seeks to completely ban the sale of flavored nicotine packs statewide.
Siegel noted in the bill memo that the nicotine in these products comes from tobacco or synthetic nicotine, which can lead to addiction. He believed in the values of the state of New York that all enticing flavors of nicotine products, including nicotine packs, should be banned.
Earlier, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved 20 ZYN nicotine bag products for sale for the first time.
An annual federal aid survey showed that ZYN use among 12th graders rose from 3% in 2023 to 6% last year.
Siegel stressed that the bill targets flavoring products most likely to be used by young people, seeking to stop young people from becoming addicted to popular products such as ZYN.
Brian Erkilla, director of regulatory science at PMI, said it would be a mistake for New York to ban ZYN and other nicotine bags. The proposed ban would affect 1.6 million smokers who want to find an alternative to quitting.
