I had seen Zyn NT on
Northerner.com before but didn't have much interest in reviewing it at the time. However, I recently heard that Zyn NT is expanding in a big way in the US and being an advocate for harm reduction, I wanted to write about it. It originally launched in 2015 in Colorado and Montana in 4 flavors. Recently it expanded to 6 flavors and is pushing into more states in the US. This year you will be able to find it in California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Washington and Oregon. It's a really interesting product. ZynNT can be stored at room temperature and has a one year shelf life from the date it’s manufactured. It also has the first and only child resistant lid, which can be difficult to open at first, even for an adult. Also, these cans do not have a catch lid. But, you may be asking yourself, "What is Zyn NT"?
ZynNT has non-woven pouches which contain flavor, non-tobacco filler, nicotine salts and pH balancers which help enhance the nicotine delivery. Basically the nicotine is soaked out of the tobacco leaves using high pH water then it is filtered to remove any elements of tobacco. What you have left is pure nicotine salt. You'll notice it looks much like table salt. If you're interested in a more detailed explanation of the science behind ZynNT, my friend Larry at SnusCENTRAL.org wrote a
great article on that. There are 15 portions in a can with each portion weighing 0.4 grams. The portions are about the same length and width as a regular snus portion, but are much, much slimmer. They are virtually flat. The cans are also the same diameter as a regular snus can, but are also a little bit slimmer.
The flavor description for Zyn NT Wintergreen says, "
Wintery mint refreshment with a hint of sweetness." Going into this review, you probably know I'm not the biggest fan of wintergreen! However, I do try to stay objective in my reviews. The portions are interesting to touch. I've had purified portions in the past, but these didn't feel quite as dry. When you open the can, the aroma that comes through is a very mild smell of wintergreen. The portions feel softer to the lip than I expected. They're thinner than a regular snus pouch, but don't feel as small as a mini portion. The flavor is pretty mild, as well. It's a gentle taste of wintergreen but has a little bit of sweetness to it. I found the flavor of wintergreen to be mild enough that it didn't bother me too much. The sweetness was a nice touch, as well. Usually I don't like sweetness in my snus, but as someone who doesn't like the taste of wintergreen it helped make it taste a little better, in my opinion. I was able to enjoy this product for the 45 minute to 1 hour mark. When it comes to the nicotine, there are two strengths: 3mg and 6mg. With the 6mg, I do experience satisfaction. I use mostly 8mg/g snus, and with the 6mg level I did notice nicotine and felt the same level of satisfaction I feel with my usual snus. With the 3mg level, I didn't notice much nicotine, so I imagine this is going to be for someone who doesn't need as much nicotine. If you've used mini portion snus before, it feels to deliver about the same amount of nicotine.
So the ultimate question is this: "Is Zyn NT for me"? Personally, this product isn't for me. I'm a snuser, and that is my product of choice. But that doesn't mean it's not a good product. I am an advocate for harm reduction in all forms. I know a lot of people want to quit smoking and tobacco but don't want to quit nicotine. The gum doesn't work for everyone, the patch doesn't work for everyone, medicine doesn't work for everyone, and many people don't want to vape or snus. This is a product that I think needs to exist, because it's a way that people can enjoy nicotine in a non traditional way. If you're looking to quit smoking but don't want to vape, snus, dip or use any pharmaceutical aids, I definitely suggest giving Zyn NT a try. Harm reduction comes in all shapes and sizes, and anything that helps people quit smoking is a product that I can support.
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