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Date of Graduation

5-2026

Description

Despite claims by ZYN, the leading nicotine pouch brand, that it does not partner with social media influencers, influencers with large followings continue to post content depicting nicotine pouch use. Prior research suggests oral lesions are among the most commonly reported adverse events associated with nicotine pouch use; however, public discussions of these outcomes on social media remain understudied. This study examined public discourse surrounding nicotine pouch use and oral health in response to an Instagram post by a popular influencer. Methods: We collected 1,668 publicly available comments from an Instagram post by Emma Chamberlain (@emmachamberlain) using a social media application programming interface. An iterative coding process was used to develop a codebook. Two trained coders independently annotated all comments for relevance, mention of ZYN, relatedness, oral health, advice, and sentiment (positive, negative, neutral). Interrater reliability was high across codes (κ = .86–1.00). Chi-square analyses examined associations among coded variables. Results: Of all comments, 34.5% (n = 650) were relevant to nicotine use or oral health. Among relevant comments, 28.5% explicitly mentioned ZYN. Most relevant comments discussed oral health (75.1%), and 38.9% described how the influencer’s experience was relatable to the commenter’s own nicotine use or oral health concerns. Additionally, 41.2% of relevant comments provided advice, ranging from oral hygiene recommendations (e.g., brushing, flossing, water flossers) to suggestions to discontinue nicotine pouch use. Mentioning ZYN was significantly associated with expressing relatedness (p < .001), discussing oral health (p < .001), and offering advice (p < .001). Among ZYN-related comments, sentiment was predominantly neutral (68.6%), with fewer positive (18.4%) and negative (13.0%) sentiments.Conclusions: Social media platforms serve as spaces where users exchange experiential knowledge about nicotine pouch use and potential oral health consequences. These findings are particularly relevant as ZYN has submitted an application for designation as a modified risk tobacco product. Regulatory review should consider user-reported oral health concerns, including lesions that may contribute to periodontal disease and potentially elevate cancer risk. Influencer content may shape public understanding of nicotine products and provides a valuable opportunity for surveillance of emerging health perceptions and outcomes.

Publication Date

2026

Document Type

Book

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Public Health

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Health, Human Performance and Recreation

Advisor/Mentor

Dobbs, Page

Disciplines

Life Sciences | Medicine and Health Sciences

Keywords

Health

Responses to Influencer’s Vlog on Instagram: Nicotine Pouches and Oral Health

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