ALP Nicotine Pouches Are Here
Tucker Carlson is used to making headlines, but the former Fox News presenter and conservative political commentator has been talk of the town for different reasons lately, after launching his own line of nicotine pouches in direct competition with ZYN at the end of last year.
They’re called ALP and, according to their website, they “believe in a better time.” As for their claim that they are “redefining the nicotine pouch experience?” Well, that’s for you to decide.
The ALP Assortment
So far, there are 5 flavors of ALP to choose from in a Less Intense (3mg), Regular (6mg) and Strong (9mg) pouch.
Flavors include:
- Mountain Wintergreen;
- Chilled Mint;
- Refreshing Chill;
- Sweet Nectar;
- And Tropical Fruit
Aside from some local shipping restrictions, ALP is now available across most states in the US* as a one-off purchase of 5 cans (containing 20 pouches each) or as a monthly subscription at a slightly discounted price.
*Excluding Arkansas, Massachusetts, Vermont, Washington D.C., Rhode Island, and California.
From ZYN to ALP: Pouches Get Political
As an early adopter of nicotine pouches in the US, Tucker Carlson had been very outspoken in his support of ZYN up until recently. For years, he promoted the pocket-sized nicotine products to whoever would listen, adding considerably to ZYN’s social media traction among his right-wing fanbase.
So, what happened to sour the relationship?
It all stems from backlash Carlson received from ZYN’s parent company, Philip Morris International, after comments he made in a 2023 interview with Theo Von that’s since gone viral.
In the clip, he praised ZYN for not just being a “powerful work enhancer,” but also a “male enhancer.” Suffice it to say, PMI was not pleased with his baseless innuendo—especially given the extra scientific scrutiny their nicotine pouches were subject to from the FDA at the time.
When Carlson’s team later reached out about a potential partnership with the brand, they declined and cited the incident, saying that as a public figure “[he] could promote a misunderstanding and misuse of our products,” even if intended as a joke.
Carlson didn’t take this rejection lightly and the jabs continued to fly when he dug into the company’s finances and accused PMI of making political donations to Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign, going on to label ZYN a “ladies’ brand” that men shouldn’t use.
Oh, how the tables turn! It seems like being snubbed by PMI was all it took for Carlson to vocally withdraw his support from ZYN and use his influence to come up with a nicotine pouch brand that aligns more closely with his values.
Customers Will Ultimately Decide
There’s no doubt Carlson appeals to a certain demographic who are now boycotting ZYN online, but it’s going to be interesting to see how long the hype surrounding ALP lasts and if they really can be considered a serious challenger to ZYN’s market dominance.
We’ve seen positive reviews for ALP starting to pop up online, specifically praising their Strong (9mg) options and moister pouches, but this really is a matter of personal preference. While the jury’s still out on who has superior flavors, there’s no doubt ZYN has the upper hand when it comes to the size of their range and brand awareness—bolstered by the fact that the FDA has just given 20 of their products the thumbs up to market.
As the shrewd businessman that Carlson is, we can safely assume the timing of ALP’s launch was no accident with ZYN still facing nationwide shortages. Now he’s taking it a step further with his own affiliate program where people can earn commissions and bonuses by simply spreading the word about ALP and getting more likeminded nicotine consumers to “join the movement.”
PMI has insisted that “providing adult smokers with alternatives to cigarettes shouldn't be political,” and, at the end of the day, the nicotine pouches you choose will come down to what you like in terms of flavor, strength and format. So, whether it’s ALP, ZYN or another brand entirely, I guess you could say it’s time to put your money where your mouth is...
