United States | Pouches of resistance

Why do conservatives in America love Zyn?

A nicotine pouch has stimulated America’s young men—and the culture wars 

Zyn smokeless nicotine pouch containers for sale at a convenience store in New York, USA.
Photograph: Getty Images
|New York

You have probably heard of Tucker Carlson, a former Fox News host. But what about Tucker Carlzyn? Mr Carlson has earned the moniker for his enthusiasm for Zyn, a small white pouch, placed between the lip and the gum, that delivers a jolt of nicotine. He has called it “a powerful work enhancer, and also a male enhancer, if you know what I mean”, and likened its effect to “the hand of God reaching down and massaging your central nervous system”. Thanks in part to Mr Carlson, Zyn has become a symbol for a new boyish blend of conservative masculinity.

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This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “Pouches of resistance”

From the August 10th 2024 edition

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