PMI Settles D.C. Flavor Ban Violations Case

Swedish Match North America (SMNA) will pay $1.2 million to settle an investigation into violations of Washington D.C.’s flavored tobacco ban, reports Reuters.

The District of Columbia attorney general’s office accused SMNA of facilitating online sales of “tens of thousands” of flavored Zyn nicotine pouches to D.C. consumers between Oct. 1, 2022, when the ban was enacted, and June 30, 2024.

SMNA parent company Philip Morris International must now monitor its distributor’s compliance with D.C.’s ban quarterly and stop sales of flavored Zyn pouches through Zyn.com and related e-commerce platforms.

Nicotine pouches became the second most commonly used tobacco product in the U.S. after combustible cigarettes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

PMI suspended sales on Zyn.com after it had been issued a subpoena by the D.C. attorney general earlier this year.

Swedish Match would continue to focus on its brick-and-mortar stores, PMI said in a statement e-mailed to Reuters.

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