U.S. Attorneys General Accuse F1 of Sidestepping Tobacco Ad Rules with Nicotine Pouches

Nineteen state attorneys general challenged Formula 1 on nicotine pouch sponsorships—Zyn and Velo, owned by tobacco giants Philip Morris and BAT. These pouches contain no tobacco leaf, yet the AGs argue the deals breach longstanding motorsport advertising bans. The sponsorships exploit a regulatory gap: existing rules don't explicitly cover nicotine-delivery products. As F1's U.S. footprint grows, such legal friction threatens its commercial expansion.