FDA

Sofia Hamilton | 10.9.2025 3:30 PM

The gas station across the street from my house in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., is filled with most of my guilty pleasures: energy drinks, candy, chips, and an entire wall of nicotine products—including many counterfeits. 

I'm a regular there and friendly with the manager. When I spotted the knock-off nicotine pouches that he proudly displays next to the cash register, he mentioned that he imports the products from Sweden. 

As a well-read policy nerd on nicotine regulations—and a fan of Zyn, a popular brand of tobacco-free nicotine pouches—I knew that "Guac Shake" flavor wasn't an authentic brand product. These were sinister impostors of a brand that my friends and I trust.

I doubt my gas station manager is aware of the problems with the products he's selling. I assume he, like most, is blissfully........

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