DENVER, COLORADO — Used nicotine pouches are found under tables and in empty drink glasses in Denver bars. People often spit used nicotine pouches on the ground, in urinals, and other areas instead of disposing them in the trash.

"It used to be gum under the tables, now it's just Zyns," said Gabby Masseran, a bartender who has worked in Denver for five years. Masseran said she discards drink glasses that contain used nicotine pouches instead of cleaning them.

Nicotine pouches like Zyn are small packets that deliver nicotine through the gums without smoke or vapor. The pouches consist of small disposable sachets containing nicotine salt and other chemicals and come in different doses and flavors. They can last between 30 minutes and an hour and 45 minutes depending on their strength.

Sales of nicotine pouches stored in circular, gum-like dispensers increased 641% from 2019 to 2022 according to a 2024 research study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Zyn is the most popular brand of nicotine pouches.

According to Jonathan Alpert, users can use nicotine pouches multiple times a day in public spaces where smoking or vaping is discouraged. "The litter problem is partly behavioral," said Alpert, a psychotherapist. "Cigarette smokers were already accustomed to flicking a butt away outside. With pouches, users often remove them quickly and discreetly, and the nearest place to discard them becomes a golf course, the underside of a bar table, or the sidewalk. It's less visible than smoking but produces its own kind of mess."

Some bars have posted signs asking patrons to dispose of used nicotine pouches in the trash. "Obviously, they are litter just like a coffee cup or a bag of chips, and obviously they go in the corner litter basket or your trash at home," said Joshua Goodman, Deputy Commissioner for Public Affairs at the New York City Department of Sanitation. Goodman said that people believe nicotine pouch litter is harmless but that it damages the appearance of city streets.

PMI U.S. markets Zyn in the United States. A spokesperson said the company encourages responsible use and disposal of nicotine pouches. The company website states that used nicotine pouches should be stored in the dispenser's top compartment before disposal in the trash. Empty nicotine pouch dispensers are made from recyclable plastic and can be recycled after rinsing.