FIRST ON FOX: Two conservative nonprofits have teamed up to deploy resources at major sporting events across the country this summer to criticize and bring attention to a push by Democrats to crack down on Zyn nicotine pouches.
Americans for Consumer Protection and Building America’s Future have launched a six-figure campaign that began with a team on the ground at golf’s U.S. Open in North Carolina over the weekend as operatives with signs and promotional materials called on lawmakers to "Save Our Pouches."
"Nicotine pouches have been found to help adult smokers transition 'to safer alternatives.' Sweden has virtually eradicated usage of traditional cigarettes by ‘enabling this transition to safer alternatives’ and the country’s openness to allow the sale of smoke free alternatives (like nicotine pouches) to cigarettes," the nonprofits said in a press release.
"Instead of banning nicotine pouches, alternative products to cigarettes such as nicotine pouches have helped accelerate the rapid decrease of smoking rates among adults in Sweden."
Operatives on the ground at the U.S. Open pushing the "Save Our Pouches" message passed out merchandise and collected signatures for a petition to stop the Zyn ban proposed by Democrats.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called for a federal crackdown on Zyn nicotine pouches earlier this year, eliciting strong backlash in return.
FETTERMAN REJECTS TOP DEMOCRAT'S ATTEMPTED CRACKDOWN ON ZYN: 'ON THE SIDE OF MORE FREEDOM'
While Schumer did not call to ban Zyn nicotine pouches outright, he issued a warning to parents about their popularity and announced he was asking the FTC and the FDA to investigate Zyn for concerns related to marketing and health effects on children.
The U.S. Open was the first event of the "Save our Pouches Summer Tour," which is expected to target 10 similar sporting events during the coming months to "continue building opposition for a ban on nicotine pouches."
The press release explains that the Save our Pouches Summer Tour will "help engage low propensity conservatives ahead of the 2024 election" and "the events they will prioritize have an abundance of conservative pouch users who may not normally attend traditional political events such as rallies or state party conventions."
Upcoming events the groups are considering attending next include UFC 303, WWE SummerSlam and NASCAR events, such as the Great American Getaway, Firekeepers Casino 400 and Quaker State 400.
Fox News Digital’s Alexander Hall and Joe Schoffstall contributed to this report.
