ZYN Spearmint Nicotine Pouches

ZYN Spearmint is a straight peppermint pouch offered across four strengths, three of them in the small Mini format at 1.5mg, 3mg and 6mg, and one in the wider Slim format at 11mg. Mini cans hold 20 pouches and Slim cans hold 21, and not one of them contains tobacco leaf. The whole range is made in Sweden by Swedish Match North Europe AB, part of Philip Morris International.

What Spearmint tastes like

ZYN's own words for this one are a smooth and authentic blend of refreshing peppermint, and that description is worth taking literally. Nothing is layered over the mint: no fruit, no sugar, no spice. Smooth and authentic are the words doing the work here, so expect peppermint presented plainly. If you are weighing up the mints in the UK line up, the natural comparison is Compare with ZYN Cool Mint pouches, and every flavour we carry from the brand sits in the ZYN collection.

Specifications

Mini or Slim, and which one this is

Spearmint is one of the flavours that crosses both ZYN formats, so the can you pick decides the pouch you get. The 1.5mg, 3mg and 6mg are Mini pouches: 0.4g each, dry to the touch, 20 to a can, with a slower and more gradual release. The 11mg is a Slim pouch: 0.7g, slightly moist, 21 to a can, and much quicker off the mark. The changeover point sits between 6mg and 9mg, so anything at 6mg or under is a Mini and anything from 9mg upwards is a Slim. You can read it off the lid too, because Mini cans carry up to two dots while Slim cans carry three to six. A longer, gentler session points you at the Mini and a heavier, faster pouch points you at the Slim. Rival brands sit alongside it in the nicotine pouches category.

What the strength numbers mean

The figure printed on a ZYN can is milligrams of nicotine in each pouch, not milligrams per gram of pouch material. Because the two formats weigh different amounts, the per gram figure shifts as you climb the ladder. A 1.5mg Mini pouch weighs 0.4g, so its nicotine works out at 3.75mg per gram. The 3mg Mini lands at 7.5mg per gram and the 6mg Mini at 15mg per gram. The 11mg Slim spreads its nicotine through a heavier 0.7g pouch, which comes to 15.7mg per gram. Worth knowing if you shop across brands: some print the per gram number on the can instead, so a similar looking figure elsewhere can mean something entirely different.

How to use ZYN pouches

1. Lift one pouch from the top layer of the can and tuck it under your upper lip.
2. Leave it where it is. There is no chewing involved and nothing to swallow.
3. A tingle usually arrives in the first minute or two. That is normal and it settles.
4. Take it out after around 30 minutes and drop it into the storage compartment built into the lid, which is there to hold used pouches until you reach a bin.

ZYN Spearmint Nicotine Pouches FAQs

Is ZYN Spearmint snus?

No. Traditional snus is made with tobacco leaf and oral tobacco of that kind cannot legally be sold in the UK, while ZYN uses tobacco derived nicotine and no tobacco leaf, which keeps it on sale here.

How many are in a can?

A Mini can holds 20 and a Slim can holds 21.

How long should one stay in?

Around 30 minutes is the guidance from ZYN.

What actually separates the Mini from the Slim?

Size, moisture and speed. Mini is 0.4g and dry, Slim is 0.7g and slightly moist, and the Slim releases faster.

Safety and age restriction

Nicotine is an addictive substance. These pouches are for adults aged 18 or over who already use nicotine, and they are not intended for non smokers, for anyone who has stopped using nicotine, or for anyone under 18. Do not use them if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Nicotine pouches are not risk free. Keep cans away from children and pets, and stop use if you feel unwell.