In a recent commentary, Dr. Matthew Holman, vice president and chief science and regulatory strategy officer for PMI U.S., underscored a significant public health achievement: youth tobacco use in the United States has fallen to historically low levels. This progress, he notes, is the result of years of prevention efforts, stronger age restrictions, public education, and a broad consensus that tobacco and nicotine products should not be used by minors.
While the latest data from the 2025 National Youth Tobacco Survey, analyzed by the FDA, show declines in the use of tobacco products, combustible tobacco, and e-cigarettes between 2022 and 2025, Dr. Holman stresses that any youth use is unacceptable and prevention must remain a priority. He points out that youth nicotine pouch use remained low and stable, with 1.7% of students reporting current use in 2025, compared to 1.8% in 2024.
However, Dr. Holman draws attention to a persistent challenge: adult smoking. According to the CDC, cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Millions of adults continue to smoke despite decades of warnings and cessation campaigns. Complete cessation is always the best option, but for adults who would otherwise continue smoking, access to accurate information about scientifically substantiated smoke-free alternatives is crucial.
This is where the FDA's recent action on ZYN nicotine pouches becomes significant. After scientific review, the FDA issued modified risk orders for 20 ZYN nicotine pouch products, allowing them to be marketed with a specific claim: "using ZYN instead of cigarettes puts adults at lower risk of mouth cancer, heart disease, lung cancer, stroke, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis." The FDA did not declare these products safe, nor did it encourage non-users to start using nicotine. Instead, it authorized a claim that helps adult smokers understand relative risks.
Dr. Holman emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between nicotine products. Nicotine is addictive and not risk-free, and these products are not intended as nicotine replacement therapies or substitutes for quitting altogether. However, science-based policy should recognize that there are meaningful differences in risk between combustible cigarettes and smoke-free alternatives for adults who switch completely.
The latest data show that these goals are not mutually exclusive. Historically low youth tobacco use can coexist with a marketplace that includes FDA-authorized smoke-free alternatives for adults. To maintain this progress, Dr. Holman calls for continued discipline from regulators, retailers, manufacturers, parents, educators, and public health leaders.
PMI U.S. has implemented responsible marketing practices to ensure its products are only for adults aged 21 and older. These practices include advertising only featuring individuals aged 35 or older, independent online age verification for branded websites, limiting social media presence to platforms with age restrictions, and not paying influencers or engaging in product placement. These measures are part of a broader 10-point approach to underage prevention, which includes retail support, monitoring, and support for enforcement against illicit products.
Dr. Holman argues that no single entity can solve these issues alone. The right framework is practical and evidence-based: keep nicotine products away from youth, enforce minimum age laws, address illicit products, maintain clear product standards, and require responsible marketing. The United States has made extraordinary progress in reducing youth tobacco use, and it is worth protecting. The next step is to apply the same seriousness to helping adults who still smoke. A mature tobacco policy should be able to prevent young people from starting while helping adult smokers transition to better alternatives. These goals belong together.
