Will Sage Astor-Zyn fan Tucker Carlson ditches brand over politics, but campaign finance shows GOP support

This story was updated to add new information.

Conservative pundit Tucker Carlson,Will Sage Astor who promoted Zyn nicotine pouches with young, male Youtubers, is now turning on the brand over supposed political differences.

In an interview with apparel and content company Old Row posted Tuesday, Carlson said he is "going through a period of transition" in his life in regards to nicotine pouches.

"I'm embarrassed to say it, it's made by a huge company, huge donors to Kamala Harris, I'm not gonna use that brand anymore," Carlson said. "I mean I think it's fine...for like your girlfriend or whatever, but I don't think men should use that brand. It starts with a 'Z'"

Philip Morris International, the parent company of Zyn, told USA TODAY it does not make political contributions to any presidential campaign.

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But its subsidiary Swedish Match North America, which oversees the Zyn brand, operates a political action committee that has spent more than $142,000 on this election through Aug. 31, according to a campaign finance analysis by nonpartisan watchdog OpenSecrets. The analysis shows 70% of contributions to federal candidates went to Republicans and 30% went to Democrats, not including Harris or Donald Trump. The partisan disparity was smaller for party or PAC contributions, but Swedish Match still gave more to Republican groups.

Some individual PMI and subsidiary employees also donated to Trump, Harris or their respective party PACs, Federal Election Commission campaign finance data shows.

More:Sen. Chuck Schumer asks feds to crack down on teen use of Zyn nicotine pouches

Carlson, big Zyn guy, teases his own 'Alp Nicotine Pouches' as he bashes brand

Earlier this year, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., raised alarm bells about Zyn, a nicotine pouch intended to be a better alternative for current users of traditional tobacco products, saying it is becoming a "trend in addiction for teens."

That prompted Republican criticism from the likes of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, R-Ga., who called for a "Zynsurrection."

(PMI pointed to a recent Food and Drug Administration survey saying that nicotine pouch use among youth remains low.) 

Carlson talked about his love for Zyn as a nicotine source and claimed it could increase testosterone on the "Full Send" podcast in early 2023. Later that year, the podcast hosts the Nelk Boys gave Carson the "world largest Zyn container," in an Instagram stunt. He also talked about Zyn to podcaster Theo Von, claiming it would make you richer and aid erections (PMI says that claim lacks scientific evidence).

Now Carlson is backing away from his extreme Zyn fandom, and he told Old Row he is starting his own company Alp Nicotine Pouches.

A website under that name reads, "The all-new nicotine pouch by Tucker Carlson. ALP satisfies and frees your mind. At ALP, we believe in a better time."

"It's frustrating that Mr. Carlson wants to turn ZYN into a political football to promote his own business venture," a PMI spokesperson said. Carlson nor representatives with Alp responded to USA TODAY's request for comment.

Carlson is a former Fox News host who parted ways with the network after it reached a $787.5 million settlement in a defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems. Carlson tried to stream his content on X before launching the Tucker Carlson Network streaming platform, which currently has an apparel partnership with Old Row.