Zyn users face up to five years behind bars plus 436,600 dollars in fines under the new law.
🇫🇷 France just made Zyn a criminal offense.
Up to 5 years in prison and $436,600 in fines for nicotine pouches; the harshest penalties anywhere in the world.
No other country has gone this far. Most have just restricted sales or raised the age limit.
Meanwhile, in the U.S.,… pic.twitter.com/qfmbwBQEGc
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 25, 2026
France has banned nicotine pouches including popular brands like Zyn. The new law makes possession and use a criminal offense with penalties up to five years in prison and fines as high as 436600 dollars. It is by far the harshest crackdown anywhere in the world. Most other countries have only restricted sales or raised the age limit.
The ban took effect in early April after France classified the pouches as a serious public health threat especially among young people. In the US nicotine pouches have become the second most popular tobacco product among minors so governments are still figuring out how to handle the demand.
New York Post on the ban:
https://nypost.com/2026/05/24/world-news/france-bans-zyns-and-other-nicotine-pouches/