Zyn Lawsuit Filed by Baltimore Over Youth Marketing and Nicotine Addiction Risks

City officials claim Philip Morris launched an internal initiative to create a new generation of nicotine users, as cigarette sales declined.

The City of Baltimore has filed a lawsuit against the manufacturers of Zyn nicotine pouches, alleging the companies intentionally targeted youth through their marketing in an effort to addict a new generation to nicotine.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore in Baltimore Circuit Court on May 7, naming Philip Morris International, Swedish Match North America LLC, and Swedish Match USA, Inc. as defendants. 

The city seeks civil penalties and injunctive relief under Baltimore’s Consumer Protection Ordinance, alleging the companies violated local laws by deceptively promoting Zyn to children and teens.

Zyn pouches are small, flavored nicotine products that are placed under the lip, delivering nicotine through the soft tissues of the mouth. Marketed as “smoke-free” and “spit-free,” the pouches are sold in sweetened flavors like citrus and wintergreen and promoted as convenient to use “anytime, anywhere,” a strategy the lawsuit says deliberately conceals their addictive potential and targets underage users.

City officials allege that these marketing efforts are part of a broader corporate strategy developed by Philip Morris, known internally as “Project Sunrise,” which was launched in response to the declining popularity of cigarettes. According to the lawsuit, Project Sunrise marked a deliberate pivot by the tobacco giant to rebrand nicotine as a “clean” lifestyle product for a younger generation.

The complaint details how Zyn’s marketing plays into this effort by combining kid-friendly flavors, misleading “tobacco-free” labeling, social media campaigns featuring influencers known as “Zynfluencers,” and a rewards program offering gifts like Apple Watches and Amazon gift cards in exchange for product purchases.

Citing studies from Stanford University and the CDC, Baltimore officials say Zyn’s popularity has surged among adolescents, with nearly 70% of underage nicotine pouch users preferring Zyn over other brands. The city argues that such aggressive youth-focused marketing echoes the tactics once used to fuel the JUUL vaping epidemic.

The lawsuit also highlights serious health risks associated with nicotine use in children. Medical experts warn that even “tobacco-free” products like Zyn can impair brain development, elevate anxiety and depression levels, and increase long-term risks of addiction, cardiovascular issues and oral injuries. The city claims the defendants failed to disclose these dangers or implement safeguards to keep the products out of children’s hands.

Baltimore is asking the court to impose civil penalties and issue an injunction barring Philip Morris and Swedish Match from continuing their current marketing practices. Proposed remedies include tighter restrictions on Zyn’s platform features, advertising channels and the rewards system, as well as greater transparency around product risks and nicotine content.

“The purpose of creating a flavored tobacco product is clear—it is meant to capture children and adolescents,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit positions Baltimore at the forefront of a growing effort by cities and public health advocates to push back against what they view as a modern rebranding of nicotine addiction. Rather than waiting for federal regulators to act, local governments are beginning to challenge corporate marketing practices directly in court, aiming to set new guardrails around how nicotine products are promoted and sold.

By targeting Zyn’s youth appeal, Baltimore hopes to curb what it sees as a looming public health crisis. City officials say the goal is not only to stop the spread of flavored nicotine pouches among teens, but also to force greater accountability from companies attempting to sidestep decades of tobacco regulation through alternative products and modern marketing techniques.