Hypocrite RFK Jr.’s Senate nicotine pouch wrecks his own health agenda

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made himself a meme during his Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday — and betrayed his own health agenda in the process.

“RFK poppin’ Zyn like a boss,” cheered Jim Minardi on X. “They need to confirm him rn,” wrote X user Johnny OU.

After decades of relentless public-health campaigns and advocacy against cigarette smoking, we are now witnessing the tangible benefits, with declining smoking rates and the illnesses associated with it.

But as we relish this good news, the rise of nicotine pouches could upend this great advancement in public health.

These small, flavored packets — filled with nicotine and other additives and tucked between the user’s gum and lip — are surging in popularity, mainly under the pretext that they are a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes.

The rise of Zyn and other nicotine pouches has been significantly amplified by social media, where “Zynfluencers” promote these products as tobacco-free, smoke-free and odorless, undoubtedly more appealing than the carcinogen-laden smoke of cigarettes and tobacco.

These marketing strategies seem cleverly designed to appeal to younger Americans. The pouches feature candy-like flavors and packaging that resembles trendy gadgets, making them seem harmless or even cool. 

It’s an intentional ploy that harks back to the tobacco industry’s past tactics of cigarette glamorization, reimagined for a generation that’s supposedly more health-conscious.

The FDA has authorized Zyn and other pouches as a smoking-reduction aid, giving them a reputation as a less harmful alternative.

As a physician, but also as a mom of three impressionable kids, I’m deeply concerned about how the media is targeting nicotine pouches directly at teens and young adults, helping to normalize nicotine use at an age when the brain is still developing — and most vulnerable.

Within 30 seconds of entering the body, nicotine is quickly absorbed through the tissues into the bloodstream and reaches the brain, where it causes a release of dopamine. Most users feel an immediate sense of pleasure with a boost in energy.

The FDA has authorized Zyn and other pouches as a smoking-reduction aid, giving them a reputation as a less harmful alternative. Getty Images

The buzz people get from nicotine doesn’t last long, though. Most tend to miss the feeling when it’s gone, prompting them to crave it, leading to addiction.

And these pouches come in varying strengths — with some providing far more nicotine than cigarettes or vapes.

This is particularly dangerous to adolescents and young adults. Given their still-developing brains, nicotine can impair cognitive function, alter brain development, affect concentration and self-control and potentially derail educational and social development.

Regular use of nicotine can also lead to appetite suppression, weight loss and possibly fuel body-image disorders that run rampant among youth.

On top of all that, it can increase overall addiction rates, and quite possibly lead to other substance-abuse issues.

It’s alarming to see a new generation hooked on nicotine, reversing years of progress made in reducing smoking rates among young people.

It is clear to me that this is not just about offering alternatives for people trying to quit smoking, but a calculated move by the tobacco industry.

I believe the intentional marketing of these pouches is another money-making scheme designed to profit off our health, perpetuating a cycle where we stay addicted and sick for commercial gain.

The discreet nature of these pouches makes them particularly appealing in environments where smoking or vaping would be prohibited or frowned upon, thus broadening their acceptance and use — while perpetuating the societal impact of nicotine addiction.

That’s what made it so disturbing to see RFK, known for his vocal stance on health and environmental issues and perhaps our next secretary of health and human services, platforming this product on Capitol Hill.

As he championed the Make America Healthy Again movement before the Senate committee, he was positioning himself as a warrior against chronic illness and discussing how he plans to combat diseases including food and drug addiction.

Yet during his testimony, what appeared to be a nicotine pouch accidentally slipped from his mouth.

Here is a figure publicly advocating for health, yet engaging in the use of a highly addictive product while doing so.

In its most charitable interpretation, the incident shows how even those championing health can be ensnared by the allure of nicotine’s addictive nature.

But if we’re truly aiming for a healthier America, normalizing that addiction is certainly not the path to take.

Nicotine pouches do not free users from dependency.

Instead, they offer a new form of addiction, wrapped in contemporary packaging and pushed by savvy youth-targeted media campaigns, making them even more sinister — and all the worse for being flaunted by a supposed health champion.

Nicole Saphier, MD, is a physician and bestselling author of “Make America Healthy Again.“