According to a report by Fox5dc on December 13th, Washington, D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb announced on Friday (the 13th) that Swedish Match North America LLC (referred to as "SMNA") has been ordered to pay a $1.2 million settlement for violating the flavored tobacco ban implemented in Washington, D.C. in 2022.
This settlement was reached after the Office of the Attorney General, abbreviated as OAG, found that the company had been selling thousands of varieties of flavored nicotine products in the district through its website. SMNA is a subsidiary of Philip Morris International (PMI), and the company has agreed to take steps to ensure compliance with the ban, including monitoring its distributors and notifying them of legal restrictions annually.
Schwarzenegger stated during the press conference that,
The ban on flavored tobacco products like ZYN nicotine pouches is due to the dangers, addictive nature, and threat they pose to the significant progress made in reducing youth tobacco use. Manufacturers, distributors, and retailers should be aware that my office is actively enforcing this ban and will take action to protect the health and safety of our children at any time.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2024, approximately 3.5% of middle and high school students in the United States, about 890,000 people, reported using nicotine pouches.
An investigation by the OAG revealed that from October 1, 2022, to June 30, 2024, SMNA facilitated the purchase of ZYN flavored products by District consumers through its website shop.zyn.com, in violation of the Flavor Ban and the District's Consumer Protection Procedures Act (CPPA).
After receiving a subpoena from the OAG, SMNA has ceased selling flavored products in the district and has halted all sales through its website.
The company has agreed to take the following steps as part of the settlement:
The company paid $1.2 million to the district; overseeing distributors to ensure compliance with flavored tobacco ban, including quarterly inspections and stopping any violations, distributors who continue to violate may face termination of distribution agreements; sending annual compliance reminders about the flavored tobacco ban and related laws to distributors and retailers in D.C.; banning the sale of flavored tobacco products in D.C. through shop.zyn.com or any related e-commerce platforms in the future.
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