The Battle Over Tucker Carlson’s Nicotine Pouch Emerges as a New Culture War Front
Of course, we couldn't resist giving them a go.
TroibNews 
It all started, Tucker Carlson told me, with a “boner joke.”
In October 2023, the former Fox News host met with internet comedian Theo Von in a Las Vegas hotel room to record an episode of Von’s popular podcast “This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von.” Just six months after being dismissed from Fox News, Carlson was in the throes of a personal rebranding, engaging in the podcast realm to share his narrative and generate excitement for his forthcoming venture, the Tucker Carlson Network.
Sitting in leather armchairs, Von donned an oversized Arizona Diamondbacks baseball jersey and a backward trucker cap, while Carlson sported his customary prep-school look with a blue V-neck sweater and blue gingham shirt. To Carlson’s left on a white side table were three items: a bottle of Perrier sparkling water — his drink of choice — an unopened can of Celsius energy drink, and two tins of Zyn, the tobacco-free nicotine pouches Carlson had been vigorously endorsing.
“You’ve gotta try this product,” Carlson urged Von, as he popped a mini-marshmallow-sized pouch into his mouth with the cameras rolling. A playful grin spread over his face as he declared, “The truth is, Zyn is a powerful work enhancer,” and added in a conspiratorial whisper, “a male enhancer — if you know what I mean.”
Later that week, Zyn sent Carlson a note. His remarks about the product’s potential as a sexual aid had apparently reached the company, which pointed out — in what Carlson interpreted as a threatening tone — that his health claims were unsupported by scientific evidence.
Carlson perceived this as a slight from a brand he had gone out of his way to promote.
“They were so closed-minded and humorless and douchey that they attacked me, and I just thought, ‘I can’t even deal with this,’” Carlson recounted in an interview.
With the support of business partners, he opted to venture out on his own. This decision led to the creation of ALP, a new line of tobacco-free nicotine pouches launched by Carlson in December to rival Zyn.
The introduction of ALP represents the latest development in an ongoing cultural clash over nicotine pouches, which have emerged in the global market as an alternative to smoking, vaping, and traditional chewing tobacco. The issue can, in some ways, be traced back to Carlson himself: After leaving Fox News in April 2023, Carlson, an ex-smoker, began to passionately advocate for Zyn through his new network and social media platforms, praising the product for its usefulness as both a productivity enhancer and a means for conservatives to resist the mainstream medical narrative.
Thanks to Carlson’s endorsement, tobacco-free nicotine gained considerable traction among conservative influencers and Republicans in Washington. It became increasingly common to see Republican lawmakers and their young aides with the signature circular outline of a Zyn tin in their pockets. The pouches, which are small sacs of nicotine salts placed between the lips and gums, offer stimulant effects without the health risks associated with traditional tobacco products, available in flavors like mint, coffee, and cinnamon.
By the end of 2023, national media and public health experts on Capitol Hill took notice, raising alarms about the products’ attractiveness to children and teenagers. Tensions peaked in January 2024, when following then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s call for the FDA to investigate nicotine pouches, a group of congressional Republicans took to social media to declare a full-scale “Zynsurrection” against perceived Democratic overreach.
However, Carlson's public romance with Zyn proved to be short-lived. Following his clash with the brand, he launched an equally robust campaign against it, maligning it as a product “for women and liberals” and highlighting connections between its parent company, Philip Morris International, and Democratic campaign contributions. In late 2024, Carlson disclosed his plans for ALP as a 50-50 joint venture between his privately held Tucker Carlson Network and Turning Point Brands, a publicly traded company.
Drawing its name from the European mountain range — on account of its “clean, crisp” image and the beneficial notion of elevation — Carlson’s branding capitalizes on his public feud with “the brand that starts with Z,” a phrase he now uses to refer to Zyn. In one promotional video for ALP, posted in November, Carlson demonstrated his product by shooting a Zyn tin with a shotgun.
“By the way,” he remarked, “whenever someone says that your product is a boner cure, that’s a compliment, not an attack.”
Since its introduction, many influential conservative figures have endorsed Carlson’s brand. In December, Tennessee Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty shared a picture from his Senate office with Kash Patel, Donald Trump’s nominee for FBI director, both posing with a tin of ALP. During Christmas, conservative activist Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project, joyfully showcased a video of himself unboxing ALP tins. In late January, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick for the position of Health and Human Services director, was caught using an ALP during his congressional confirmation hearing.
Meanwhile, ALP appears to have carved out a broader market niche. Although a spokesperson declined to reveal initial sales figures, they stated that early demand had been “incredible,” leading to a delay in their launch from November to December to fulfill pre-orders. Online, the brand has gained a life of its own, with a cryptocurrency token named “ALP Coin” entering the market and numerous fan accounts cropping up on X, dedicated to sharing artistic memes about the product. For instance, one animated video depicted Tucker Carlson and an anthropomorphized tin of ALP driving in a Trump-branded pick-up, shooting floating Zyn tins with machine guns.
This buzz might seem excessive for what amounts to a high-profile celebrity product launch, akin to Gwyneth Paltrow's goop line or George Clooney's tequila brand. For the average consumer, Carlson’s venture into tobacco-less nicotine reflects a recurrent theme of conservative media personalities promoting a variety of unconventional products — from dietary supplements to precious metals — as a means of earning income while maintaining their anti-establishment ethos. This is not Carlson's first foray into endorsements; during a nationwide tour the previous year, he touted a sleep aid based on honey and herbs, along with a Bitcoin purchase platform.
However, launching ALP taps into two significant trends that are influencing the political right during Donald Trump’s second term.
The first trend is the emergence of the “Make America Healthy Again” movement led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This movement has centered around a skepticism toward established medical consensus — particularly regarding childhood vaccines — and has fostered a renewed interest in once-ignored health trends like raw milk consumption and using beef tallow in cooking. It has prompted certain young conservatives to reconsider nicotine's potential health benefits, challenging the traditional view held by mainstream health organizations that deem it a harmful and addictive substance.
“There is a sense in which this moment is a great rethinking of what constitutes a healthy life and what leads to vigor and clarity and longevity,” Carlson remarked. He acknowledged that nicotine fits within this reevaluation.
The second trend propelling interest in ALP is an effort among conservative entrepreneurs and investors to create a “parallel economy” — sometimes referred to as a “patriot economy” — that specifically caters to right-leaning consumers. With the belief that major corporations and technology firms have embraced “woke” ideologies, many conservatives are asserting the need for aligned businesspeople to build an independent network of enterprises — spanning from breweries to banks — that reject liberal orthodoxy surrounding social issues.
Carlson’s media company has both benefitted from and advocated for this developing sub-economy. In 2023, investment firm 1789 Capital, established by Trump benefactor Omeed Malik, contributed $15 million to his network. In December, Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s eldest son, announced he would be joining Malik’s firm, underscoring the potential significance of nurturing a parallel economy as Trump embarks on another term.
Despite the political undercurrents, Carlson claims to be avoiding overt political messaging with ALP. He asserts that his intention is to create a product for consumers who “don’t want politics in your mouth in the first place.”
“To be clear, I’m not making a political pitch on behalf of ALP,” he clarified to Forbes. “I’m not saying, ‘If you vote for this candidate, this is the product for you.’”
Carlson believes ALP's true advantage is its superiority over Zyn.
“Try them both.”
Naturally, I did.
Similar to Zyn, ALP comes in a round plastic “tin” — a somewhat misleading term borrowed from traditional chewing tobacco — featuring a removable lid. The lid showcases the brand’s mascot: a cartoon ranger with a wide-brimmed hat, winking while holding a pouch in hand. According to a spokesperson, ALP also stands for “Americans Love Pouches,” although fans on the internet have playfully dubbed it “America’s Lip Pillow.”
Securing the new pouches proved challenging. In October, I reached out to the company via an email address listed on its website, requesting a sample. An anonymous administrator replied with enthusiasm, indicating they would arrange a shipment to my preferred address.
A month later, having received no pouches, I followed up and was assured that my sample was on its way, and I could have tracking information. However, neither the tracking details nor the sample ever materialized, and subsequent inquiries went unanswered. Instead, I ordered five tins when the product officially became available in early December.
ALP offers five flavors: “Chilled Mint,” “Mountain Wintergreen,” “Tropical Fruit,” “Refreshing Chill,” and “Sweet Nectar,” as well as three nicotine strengths: 3 mg, 6 mg, and 9 mg, with the latter surpassing Zyn's strongest offering of 6 mg. I chose “Chilled Mint” at 3 mg, which I knew was a suitable dose for a casual user.
Upon receiving the pouches, I placed one in my upper lip. The initial sensation was a burst of mintiness, followed by a tingling around the pouch on my gums — slightly stronger than Zyn, but not by a wide margin.
Unlike smoking a cigarette, nicotine pouches don’t provide an instant buzz; instead, the nicotine effect manifests gradually, over roughly thirty minutes as it is absorbed through the gums. Carlson has likened the feeling to “like the hand of God reaching down and massaging your central nervous system,” which might be an exaggeration but captures a certain essence. Within minutes, I experienced a gentle lift in my head and a sense of overall relaxation. By the time I removed the pouch, I felt somewhat more awake and alert, akin to having consumed a robust cup of coffee.
It’s a pleasant sensation; there’s a good reason nicotine is known for its addictive qualities. Ultimately, however, the experience was fairly similar to Zyn’s — and not particularly transformative.
The differences between them are mainly superficial. Zyn pouches feel dry, while ALP’s are slightly moist — a distinction that loses significance once they interact with saliva. ALP contains 20 pouches per tin, compared to Zyn’s 15, which can offer more value depending on where it’s purchased. Though the flavor of ALP lasts longer than Zyn's and is less harsh in the throat, it was notably harsher on my gums after a few uses.
Was it vastly superior to Zyn, as Carlson had suggested? Not really. But he reminded me during our discussion that he doesn’t place much weight on individual opinions.
“All kinds of new companies are making these money-back guarantees, but if you think that Zyn is better than ALP, we’re not refunding your money,” he said. “We’re gonna mock you.”
In reality, nicotine isn’t the sole — or primary — thrill that ALP provides. For Carlson and the members of ALP’s online community, the real intoxication seems to stem from the sense of rebellion that comes not only with nicotine use but especially with using Carlson’s pouches.
As Carlson explained during our recent conversation, openly using nicotine products in 2025 — especially among political elites — has become a symbol of defiance against what many on the populist right refer to as “the regime.” This defiance, Carlson contends, extends beyond a mere libertarian urge to disregard a heavy-handed liberal state. It represents a clear rejection of the authority of conventional public health and medical institutions, which Carlson and many conservatives believe have failed in the face of the coronavirus pandemic and the alleged “vaccine injuries” from COVID-19 vaccinations, as well as the opioid epidemic, increased chronic diseases, deteriorating food systems, and the overall decline in Americans’ health.
“They’ve presided over the deaths of a lot of people,” Carlson stated. “Their opinion means literally nothing to me.”
This strain of skepticism toward public health may find powerful supporters in the federal government if RFK Jr. is confirmed as Trump’s Health and Human Services director. Although Kennedy, also an ex-smoker, hasn’t hinted at specific changes for HHS or FDA policies on nicotine products, significant adjustments seem plausible given his unconventional public health views and Trump's favorable stance toward the tobacco industry. Notably, RFK Jr. has also been observed using Zyn in the past.
However, many within the populist-nationalist right believe that mere tweaks to FDA regulations might be just the beginning of what nicotine could represent.
“An observant person can’t help but notice that the compounds that make the population much more passive and accepting of injustice and poverty are promoted, and the ones that make people more aware — and potentially more self-reliant — are discouraged,” Carlson posits, arguing that the government treats chemical depressants like alcohol, marijuana, and Xanax with less scrutiny than stimulants like nicotine. “If you’re going to destroy America’s middle class and put all the money in the hands of a few, you need to make people more accepting of that incredibly ugly fact — so maybe you want them smoking more weed and watching more Netflix.”
This perspective may seem exaggerated — is the temptation to binge-watch shows truly the primary barrier preventing people from revolting against the government? Yet the irony surfaces in the notion of a self-identified regime critic championing the revolutionary potential of the tobacco industry, which has historically done much to skew public health narratives for its gain.
Carlson does express disdain for large tobacco companies and their governmental supporters — “You’re morally equivalent to someone who runs a slave market at that point, because you’re profiting from human suffering,” he stated — yet it’s somewhat unclear how his new company stands apart. A distinction could exist regarding the health implications of the two products: Cigarette smoking is categorically addictive and unhealthy, while nicotine pouches are merely addictive and only potentially harmful. However, the broader vision of a consumer society remains similar: an America reliant both physically and spiritually on corporate interests, with the difference being that the new corporate figurehead is partly Tucker Carlson.
Meanwhile, ALP pushes forward aggressively. The brand is currently pursuing regulatory approval to have its products displayed in stores and gas stations nationwide, with plans for new merchandise, including a Western-style leather holster for tins. Carlson’s message is unmistakable: The Zynsurrection has concluded; the ALP avalanche is just getting started.
“It’s going to be everywhere,” he declared.
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
In October 2023, the former Fox News host met with internet comedian Theo Von in a Las Vegas hotel room to record an episode of Von’s popular podcast “This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von.” Just six months after being dismissed from Fox News, Carlson was in the throes of a personal rebranding, engaging in the podcast realm to share his narrative and generate excitement for his forthcoming venture, the Tucker Carlson Network.
Sitting in leather armchairs, Von donned an oversized Arizona Diamondbacks baseball jersey and a backward trucker cap, while Carlson sported his customary prep-school look with a blue V-neck sweater and blue gingham shirt. To Carlson’s left on a white side table were three items: a bottle of Perrier sparkling water — his drink of choice — an unopened can of Celsius energy drink, and two tins of Zyn, the tobacco-free nicotine pouches Carlson had been vigorously endorsing.
“You’ve gotta try this product,” Carlson urged Von, as he popped a mini-marshmallow-sized pouch into his mouth with the cameras rolling. A playful grin spread over his face as he declared, “The truth is, Zyn is a powerful work enhancer,” and added in a conspiratorial whisper, “a male enhancer — if you know what I mean.”
Later that week, Zyn sent Carlson a note. His remarks about the product’s potential as a sexual aid had apparently reached the company, which pointed out — in what Carlson interpreted as a threatening tone — that his health claims were unsupported by scientific evidence.
Carlson perceived this as a slight from a brand he had gone out of his way to promote.
“They were so closed-minded and humorless and douchey that they attacked me, and I just thought, ‘I can’t even deal with this,’” Carlson recounted in an interview.
With the support of business partners, he opted to venture out on his own. This decision led to the creation of ALP, a new line of tobacco-free nicotine pouches launched by Carlson in December to rival Zyn.
The introduction of ALP represents the latest development in an ongoing cultural clash over nicotine pouches, which have emerged in the global market as an alternative to smoking, vaping, and traditional chewing tobacco. The issue can, in some ways, be traced back to Carlson himself: After leaving Fox News in April 2023, Carlson, an ex-smoker, began to passionately advocate for Zyn through his new network and social media platforms, praising the product for its usefulness as both a productivity enhancer and a means for conservatives to resist the mainstream medical narrative.
Thanks to Carlson’s endorsement, tobacco-free nicotine gained considerable traction among conservative influencers and Republicans in Washington. It became increasingly common to see Republican lawmakers and their young aides with the signature circular outline of a Zyn tin in their pockets. The pouches, which are small sacs of nicotine salts placed between the lips and gums, offer stimulant effects without the health risks associated with traditional tobacco products, available in flavors like mint, coffee, and cinnamon.
By the end of 2023, national media and public health experts on Capitol Hill took notice, raising alarms about the products’ attractiveness to children and teenagers. Tensions peaked in January 2024, when following then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s call for the FDA to investigate nicotine pouches, a group of congressional Republicans took to social media to declare a full-scale “Zynsurrection” against perceived Democratic overreach.
However, Carlson's public romance with Zyn proved to be short-lived. Following his clash with the brand, he launched an equally robust campaign against it, maligning it as a product “for women and liberals” and highlighting connections between its parent company, Philip Morris International, and Democratic campaign contributions. In late 2024, Carlson disclosed his plans for ALP as a 50-50 joint venture between his privately held Tucker Carlson Network and Turning Point Brands, a publicly traded company.
Drawing its name from the European mountain range — on account of its “clean, crisp” image and the beneficial notion of elevation — Carlson’s branding capitalizes on his public feud with “the brand that starts with Z,” a phrase he now uses to refer to Zyn. In one promotional video for ALP, posted in November, Carlson demonstrated his product by shooting a Zyn tin with a shotgun.
“By the way,” he remarked, “whenever someone says that your product is a boner cure, that’s a compliment, not an attack.”
Since its introduction, many influential conservative figures have endorsed Carlson’s brand. In December, Tennessee Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty shared a picture from his Senate office with Kash Patel, Donald Trump’s nominee for FBI director, both posing with a tin of ALP. During Christmas, conservative activist Terry Schilling, president of the American Principles Project, joyfully showcased a video of himself unboxing ALP tins. In late January, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick for the position of Health and Human Services director, was caught using an ALP during his congressional confirmation hearing.
Meanwhile, ALP appears to have carved out a broader market niche. Although a spokesperson declined to reveal initial sales figures, they stated that early demand had been “incredible,” leading to a delay in their launch from November to December to fulfill pre-orders. Online, the brand has gained a life of its own, with a cryptocurrency token named “ALP Coin” entering the market and numerous fan accounts cropping up on X, dedicated to sharing artistic memes about the product. For instance, one animated video depicted Tucker Carlson and an anthropomorphized tin of ALP driving in a Trump-branded pick-up, shooting floating Zyn tins with machine guns.
This buzz might seem excessive for what amounts to a high-profile celebrity product launch, akin to Gwyneth Paltrow's goop line or George Clooney's tequila brand. For the average consumer, Carlson’s venture into tobacco-less nicotine reflects a recurrent theme of conservative media personalities promoting a variety of unconventional products — from dietary supplements to precious metals — as a means of earning income while maintaining their anti-establishment ethos. This is not Carlson's first foray into endorsements; during a nationwide tour the previous year, he touted a sleep aid based on honey and herbs, along with a Bitcoin purchase platform.
However, launching ALP taps into two significant trends that are influencing the political right during Donald Trump’s second term.
The first trend is the emergence of the “Make America Healthy Again” movement led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. This movement has centered around a skepticism toward established medical consensus — particularly regarding childhood vaccines — and has fostered a renewed interest in once-ignored health trends like raw milk consumption and using beef tallow in cooking. It has prompted certain young conservatives to reconsider nicotine's potential health benefits, challenging the traditional view held by mainstream health organizations that deem it a harmful and addictive substance.
“There is a sense in which this moment is a great rethinking of what constitutes a healthy life and what leads to vigor and clarity and longevity,” Carlson remarked. He acknowledged that nicotine fits within this reevaluation.
The second trend propelling interest in ALP is an effort among conservative entrepreneurs and investors to create a “parallel economy” — sometimes referred to as a “patriot economy” — that specifically caters to right-leaning consumers. With the belief that major corporations and technology firms have embraced “woke” ideologies, many conservatives are asserting the need for aligned businesspeople to build an independent network of enterprises — spanning from breweries to banks — that reject liberal orthodoxy surrounding social issues.
Carlson’s media company has both benefitted from and advocated for this developing sub-economy. In 2023, investment firm 1789 Capital, established by Trump benefactor Omeed Malik, contributed $15 million to his network. In December, Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s eldest son, announced he would be joining Malik’s firm, underscoring the potential significance of nurturing a parallel economy as Trump embarks on another term.
Despite the political undercurrents, Carlson claims to be avoiding overt political messaging with ALP. He asserts that his intention is to create a product for consumers who “don’t want politics in your mouth in the first place.”
“To be clear, I’m not making a political pitch on behalf of ALP,” he clarified to Forbes. “I’m not saying, ‘If you vote for this candidate, this is the product for you.’”
Carlson believes ALP's true advantage is its superiority over Zyn.
“Try them both.”
Naturally, I did.
Similar to Zyn, ALP comes in a round plastic “tin” — a somewhat misleading term borrowed from traditional chewing tobacco — featuring a removable lid. The lid showcases the brand’s mascot: a cartoon ranger with a wide-brimmed hat, winking while holding a pouch in hand. According to a spokesperson, ALP also stands for “Americans Love Pouches,” although fans on the internet have playfully dubbed it “America’s Lip Pillow.”
Securing the new pouches proved challenging. In October, I reached out to the company via an email address listed on its website, requesting a sample. An anonymous administrator replied with enthusiasm, indicating they would arrange a shipment to my preferred address.
A month later, having received no pouches, I followed up and was assured that my sample was on its way, and I could have tracking information. However, neither the tracking details nor the sample ever materialized, and subsequent inquiries went unanswered. Instead, I ordered five tins when the product officially became available in early December.
ALP offers five flavors: “Chilled Mint,” “Mountain Wintergreen,” “Tropical Fruit,” “Refreshing Chill,” and “Sweet Nectar,” as well as three nicotine strengths: 3 mg, 6 mg, and 9 mg, with the latter surpassing Zyn's strongest offering of 6 mg. I chose “Chilled Mint” at 3 mg, which I knew was a suitable dose for a casual user.
Upon receiving the pouches, I placed one in my upper lip. The initial sensation was a burst of mintiness, followed by a tingling around the pouch on my gums — slightly stronger than Zyn, but not by a wide margin.
Unlike smoking a cigarette, nicotine pouches don’t provide an instant buzz; instead, the nicotine effect manifests gradually, over roughly thirty minutes as it is absorbed through the gums. Carlson has likened the feeling to “like the hand of God reaching down and massaging your central nervous system,” which might be an exaggeration but captures a certain essence. Within minutes, I experienced a gentle lift in my head and a sense of overall relaxation. By the time I removed the pouch, I felt somewhat more awake and alert, akin to having consumed a robust cup of coffee.
It’s a pleasant sensation; there’s a good reason nicotine is known for its addictive qualities. Ultimately, however, the experience was fairly similar to Zyn’s — and not particularly transformative.
The differences between them are mainly superficial. Zyn pouches feel dry, while ALP’s are slightly moist — a distinction that loses significance once they interact with saliva. ALP contains 20 pouches per tin, compared to Zyn’s 15, which can offer more value depending on where it’s purchased. Though the flavor of ALP lasts longer than Zyn's and is less harsh in the throat, it was notably harsher on my gums after a few uses.
Was it vastly superior to Zyn, as Carlson had suggested? Not really. But he reminded me during our discussion that he doesn’t place much weight on individual opinions.
“All kinds of new companies are making these money-back guarantees, but if you think that Zyn is better than ALP, we’re not refunding your money,” he said. “We’re gonna mock you.”
In reality, nicotine isn’t the sole — or primary — thrill that ALP provides. For Carlson and the members of ALP’s online community, the real intoxication seems to stem from the sense of rebellion that comes not only with nicotine use but especially with using Carlson’s pouches.
As Carlson explained during our recent conversation, openly using nicotine products in 2025 — especially among political elites — has become a symbol of defiance against what many on the populist right refer to as “the regime.” This defiance, Carlson contends, extends beyond a mere libertarian urge to disregard a heavy-handed liberal state. It represents a clear rejection of the authority of conventional public health and medical institutions, which Carlson and many conservatives believe have failed in the face of the coronavirus pandemic and the alleged “vaccine injuries” from COVID-19 vaccinations, as well as the opioid epidemic, increased chronic diseases, deteriorating food systems, and the overall decline in Americans’ health.
“They’ve presided over the deaths of a lot of people,” Carlson stated. “Their opinion means literally nothing to me.”
This strain of skepticism toward public health may find powerful supporters in the federal government if RFK Jr. is confirmed as Trump’s Health and Human Services director. Although Kennedy, also an ex-smoker, hasn’t hinted at specific changes for HHS or FDA policies on nicotine products, significant adjustments seem plausible given his unconventional public health views and Trump's favorable stance toward the tobacco industry. Notably, RFK Jr. has also been observed using Zyn in the past.
However, many within the populist-nationalist right believe that mere tweaks to FDA regulations might be just the beginning of what nicotine could represent.
“An observant person can’t help but notice that the compounds that make the population much more passive and accepting of injustice and poverty are promoted, and the ones that make people more aware — and potentially more self-reliant — are discouraged,” Carlson posits, arguing that the government treats chemical depressants like alcohol, marijuana, and Xanax with less scrutiny than stimulants like nicotine. “If you’re going to destroy America’s middle class and put all the money in the hands of a few, you need to make people more accepting of that incredibly ugly fact — so maybe you want them smoking more weed and watching more Netflix.”
This perspective may seem exaggerated — is the temptation to binge-watch shows truly the primary barrier preventing people from revolting against the government? Yet the irony surfaces in the notion of a self-identified regime critic championing the revolutionary potential of the tobacco industry, which has historically done much to skew public health narratives for its gain.
Carlson does express disdain for large tobacco companies and their governmental supporters — “You’re morally equivalent to someone who runs a slave market at that point, because you’re profiting from human suffering,” he stated — yet it’s somewhat unclear how his new company stands apart. A distinction could exist regarding the health implications of the two products: Cigarette smoking is categorically addictive and unhealthy, while nicotine pouches are merely addictive and only potentially harmful. However, the broader vision of a consumer society remains similar: an America reliant both physically and spiritually on corporate interests, with the difference being that the new corporate figurehead is partly Tucker Carlson.
Meanwhile, ALP pushes forward aggressively. The brand is currently pursuing regulatory approval to have its products displayed in stores and gas stations nationwide, with plans for new merchandise, including a Western-style leather holster for tins. Carlson’s message is unmistakable: The Zynsurrection has concluded; the ALP avalanche is just getting started.
“It’s going to be everywhere,” he declared.
Debra A Smith for TROIB News
