A soldier buys Zyn nicotine pouches at an Army and Air Force Exchange Service store in Kaiserslautern, Germany, on Jan. 10, 2025. A recently released survey of almost 2,000 soldiers at Fort Liberty, N.C., showed a higher use of the pouches among military personnel at the base than among the general public. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)

Soldiers at the largest military base in the U.S. were found to be eight times likelier to use nicotine pouches than the average American adult, according to a new survey.

University of Virginia researchers polled roughly 2,000 soldiers at Fort Liberty, N.C., and released a statement on the findings this week.

Nearly 24% of the Fort Liberty soldiers surveyed said they had used nicotine pouches in the previous 30 days, compared with about 3% of all American adults who reported ever using the pouches in a 2022 University of Nebraska survey.

“We are currently working on addressing these high rates of nicotine pouches by developing tailored interventions for military personnel,” Melissa Little, director of the Center for Nicotine and Tobacco Research at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, said in the statement.

“Given everything that military personnel sacrifice to serve our country, providing them with the tools to lead the healthiest lives possible is the best way we can give back.”

The addictive microfiber sachets filled with flavored nicotine powder are billed by manufacturers as a safer alternative to cigarettes and vaping, as they aren’t inhaled into the lungs.

However, they have been linked by medical experts at the University of Virginia and other institutions to a range of ailments, including cardiovascular risks, lung and stomach problems and narrowing arteries, which can lead to heart attacks.

The study analyzed anonymous responses from 1,957 soldiers surveyed in 2022 and 2023. Nicotine pouch use grew in popularity during the survey period, with 24.7% of soldiers queried in 2023 reported having used them, compared with 20.2% in 2022.

Soldiers at Fort Liberty, N.C., the largest military base in the U.S., showed a much greater propensity to use nicotine pouches than the American public at large, according to a survey released Jan. 8, 2025. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes)

Zyn, the most popular brand of nicotine pouches in the U.S., was introduced in 2014 but experienced a sales boom in 2023. Some 350 million tubs of the product were sold that year, an increase of 62% from the previous year, CNN reported.

The increasing popularity of nicotine pouch use also has drawn it into politicization.

On his podcast in early 2023, right-wing pundit Tucker Carlson spoke of his love for Zyn. He then distanced himself from it last year and launched his own brand.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., early last year called for Zyn to be regulated, which received pushback from some lawmakers across the aisle.

Rep. Richard Hudson, a North Carolina Republican, posted a picture of himself in camouflage holding a Zyn packet with the text: “Come and take it!”

In the Fort Liberty survey, 27% of those between the ages of 17 to 24 used the pouches, according to researchers. About 15% of soldiers age 30 and above used them.

“Military personnel historically use tobacco and nicotine products at much higher rates than their civilian counterparts,” Little said. “Our results show that these same disparities are continuing with new and emerging products, like nicotine pouches.”

With approximately 200,000 American service members leaving the military each year, more research is needed to develop ways to reduce nicotine and tobacco consumption as they return to civilian life, the study authors said.