SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - The popular nicotine product ZYN is at the center of a new class action lawsuit against its maker, Philip Morris.
A class action lawsuit has been filed against Philip Morris International Inc. and Swedish Match North America, LLC by a plaintiff identified as John Doe.
The lawsuit, filed March 29 in Sacramento federal court by Timothy Fisher and Brittany Scott from Bursor & Fisher, alleges that the defendants deceptively marketed their oral nicotine pouches, ZYN, as being healthy and a nicotine-cessation device.
The complaint asserts that ZYN merely provides a new delivery mechanism for addictive nicotine and has no health benefits. It further accuses the companies of targeting adolescents and young adults with their marketing strategies.
"A key aspect of ZYN is the ability to use it discretely. ZYN has no odor or smoke and does not require users to spit to avoid ingesting toxins," the suit says.
"As has been the case for decades, Defendants made a targeted effort to push ZYN on adolescents and young adults, emphasizing the ability to use it discretely – 'They’re smokefree, spit-free and hands-free' and 'can be used anywhere' without the need for refills or batteries.
"Moreover, Defendants promoted ZYN through the use of social media influencers, appealing flavors and packaging and an advertising campaign designed to make it appear that using ZYN was fun and cool."
The suit was Doe thought ZYN was safer than cigarettes and could help him quit. Instead, he experienced gum tenderness, the suit says.