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Where Is 'Zynbabwe,' And Who Is Tucker Carlzyn? The 'Zyn Memes' Surrounding The Contentious Nicotine Product Explained
Upperdecky lipcushions, ferda is one of those classic 2 AM scrolling TikTok phrases that sticks in a deep-fried and dopamine-jonesing brain like Cupid's arrow. It's also a promotion of the hottest new nicotine product on the market: Zyns, nicotine salt-filled pouches which have gained a devoted and very-online following. So what's going on with Zyns, and what does the meme-filled influencer promotion and TikTokified lingo for the product actually mean? Let's explain.
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What Is 'Zyn'?
Zyns are a line of nicotine products based on snus, a Swedish style of orally-ingested tobacco. Zyns do not contain tobacco, however, but instead a synthesized nicotine salt. The small white packets (sometimes called "lip cushions") are tucked between the lip and gums. To "upperdeck" a Zyn means to place it between the upper lips and upper gums, and to "double deck" means to place two in the mouth at the same time.
Online, Zyns are known for delivering a quick and intense nicotine rush. The testimony of many posters shows that Zyns are some of the most potent products in the game. Since 2020, sales of Zyn have skyrocketed in the United States. The company producing them was bought by Philip Morris International, the famed tobacco conglomerate, in 2022.
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What Are Zyn Nicknames About?
Similar to Rizz God Nicknames, Zyn nicknames incorporate the syllable "Zyn" into a variety of words to generate punning ways to refer to the product and its users. The main promoter of Zyn-based slang jokes is "zynfluencer" freezertarps, the self-proclaimed "Mayor of Zynbabwe," noted for his love of "Zyntucky Fried Chicken." Freezertarps enthusiastically endorsed Zyns on his social media profiles, linking it to hockey and sports culture.
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How Is Tucker Carlzyn Involved?
Tucker Carlson, noted rightwing commentator, has embraced the Zyn brand as well. The Nelk Boys, a crew of content creators, delivered Carlson a massive tin of Zyns via helicopter for his birthday. Carlson's fandom of zyns is so intense that in the broader enthusiast community he has been dubbed "Tucker Carlzyn." In an appearance on Theo Von's show, Carlson also claimed Zyns are a "male enhancer."
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What Is The Future Of Zynposting?
A researched and reported opinion editorial in The New York Times by journalist Emily Dreyfuss, published on January 12th, 2024, examined the social media presence of Zyn. While none of the influencers heavily promoting Zyn appear to be directly paid by the company, their social media fame itself has generated profits and certainly aided Zyn sales.
Dreyfuss reported that the account of Freezertarps "appears to have been removed after I asked the company about it," indicating that TikTok may have taken action to remove the account after learning more about the content it posted, or anticipating public pressure.
The virality of Zyns opens up a complicated set of questions. The legal age to buy nicotine products in the United States is 21, and so companies that make nicotine products are forbidden to market to the under-21 age demographic. But all the TikTok content about Zyns makes it a near certainty that underage users have been exposed to influencers who are essentially doing the work of marketing on behalf of Zyns.
For the full history of Zyns, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.
