Daily Caller News Foundation co-founder Tucker Carlson launched his new nicotine pouch line, ALP, on Thursday evening near Nashville, Tennessee. Friends and supporters gathered to celebrate the event, where Carlson shared how Zyn's actions inspired the creation of his rival product.
Carlson first announced the project in September, partnering with Turning Point Brands. He said nicotine consumers shouldn't be "forced to buy nicotine pouches from soulless, pronoun-loving, politicized conglomerates." He also highlighted how Philip Morris employees had donated to Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign through a PAC.
At the launch, Carlson recounted receiving a letter from Zyn’s legal team after he joked on a podcast with Theo Von about Zyn having erection-inducing properties.
“Three weeks later, we get this letter from Zyn’s General Counsel with pronouns at the bottom,” Carlson said. “It said there’s no medical science supporting my joke. And I thought, ‘I hate you. I hate you so much.’”
“I’m joking!” Carlson added. “I gave you the greatest compliment, and you attacked me? By the way, it might even be true. You don’t know the science. Shut up!”
Carlson credited Theo Von for helping him realize he was consuming a product made by people who opposed his values. He called the realization a turning point.
“I want to thank you, Theo, for opening my eyes,” Carlson said. “I had been putting into my mouth something made by the worst people—people who hate me, my family, and everything America stands for.”
Reflecting on the experience, Carlson called it symbolic of the broader cultural divide. “It’s like living in a country full of great people, oppressed by humorless pronoun robots,” he said. “Not another dollar from me.”
Philip Morris, which acquired Zyn’s parent company in 2023, had donated thousands to Democratic campaigns, including Harris’ and the DNC’s. Carlson described ALP as his way of fighting back.
“All of a sudden, I was filled with holy rage,” Carlson said. “I thought, ‘I can’t change the world, but I can change the nicotine pouch I use.’ This is a middle finger to corporate America.”
Carlson emphasized his pride in ALP. “Not only is it better than Zyn, but it’s more righteous. It’s not owned by people who hate me or send me letters about erectile dysfunction jokes. Shut up.”
The event drew notable guests like John Rich, Kenny Shepard, Mel Gibson, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Supporters praised ALP as a game-changer for conservatives.
“I think ALP will give Zyn a run for their money and take over the marketplace,” Greene said.
Joe Kent and his wife Heather called ALP “a true American company with a stiff spine and a pure heart.” A survey by Nicokick already suggested ALP could disrupt the industry, with 86% of nicotine pouch users saying they’d likely switch.