Zyn: The Scummiest Company That Took Over The USA

Summary

The script discusses the rapid rise of nicotine pouches, like Zyn, as a global addiction, fueled by social media and big tobacco companies. It traces their origin from traditional Swedish snus to a modern, discreet alternative to smoking and vaping. The script highlights the aggressive marketing strategies targeting youth, the potential health risks, and the societal implications of a new generation becoming addicted to nicotine. It also raises concerns about the long-term effects and the industry's push for dominance in nicotine products, despite regulations and health scares.

Takeaways

• 🚀 The rise of nicotine pouches, like Zen, has seen a staggering increase in popularity, with users growing by nearly 80% in just one year, largely driven by social media influence.
• 🌐 Zen's success is part of a larger trend where big tobacco companies are monopolizing the market and increasing production to capitalize on this new form of addiction.
• 🇸🇪 The origins of nicotine pouches trace back to a traditional Swedish tobacco product called 'snus', which has been consumed for centuries but was modernized with the advent of pure nicotine extraction technology.
• 📦 Swedish Match, a major tobacco company, saw an opportunity to maintain its business in a nicotine-free Sweden by introducing snus-like products without tobacco, which could bypass marketing restrictions.
• 📈 Through aggressive marketing strategies, targeting young and impressionable audiences, the use of nicotine pouches quickly overtook traditional smoking among the youth, reversing decades of anti-smoking progress.
• 💰 The financial success of nicotine pouches is evident in the sales figures, with Swedish Match selling millions of cans and experiencing exponential growth, attracting the attention of larger tobacco corporations like Philip Morris.
• 🔄 Philip Morris's acquisition of Swedish Match for $16 billion signifies a strategic move to maintain a stronghold in the nicotine market as traditional cigarettes and vaping decline in popularity.
• 🚫 Despite the potential health risks and the highly addictive nature of nicotine, the lack of stringent regulations allows for the continued promotion and sale of these products, especially to younger demographics.
• 🤔 The long-term health effects of nicotine pouches are still not fully understood, but they are known to be addictive and potentially harmful, with users building up a tolerance that can exacerbate withdrawal symptoms.
• 📚 There is a cultural shift occurring where nicotine pouches are being normalized and even glamorized through online influencers and social media, which can influence young people to start using these products.
• ⚠️ The normalization and promotion of nicotine pouches risk creating a new generation of addicts, with serious implications for public health and the potential to undo years of progress in reducing tobacco-related harm.

Q & A

What is Zen and how is it related to nicotine pouches?

Zen is a brand of nicotine pouches that are part of a growing trend of smokeless tobacco products. These pouches contain nicotine, flavorings, and filler, and are marketed as a less harmful alternative to traditional tobacco smoking.

How has the popularity of nicotine pouches grown in recent years?

The popularity of nicotine pouches has surged, with a nearly 80% increase in users in the past year alone, largely fueled by social media promotion and marketing campaigns targeting younger demographics.

What is the historical background of nicotine pouches like Zen?

Nicotine pouches have roots in a tobacco product called snus, which has been consumed for hundreds of years, particularly in Sweden. The modern form of these pouches emerged with the ability to extract pure nicotine from tobacco and the subsequent development of products like Zen.

Why did Swedish Match, a tobacco company, find nicotine pouches like Zen essential to their business?

Swedish Match saw nicotine pouches as a lifesaver for their business in a nicotine-free Sweden, as they provided an alternative product that could capture the market without using tobacco, thus circumventing strict marketing laws.

How did the marketing strategies of Swedish Match and competitors impact the youth?

The companies used aggressive marketing tactics, including free giveaways, online ads, and in-person promotions at youth gatherings, which led to a rapid increase in nicotine pouch usage among young people, effectively reversing decades of anti-smoking progress.

What are the perceived health benefits of nicotine pouches compared to traditional smoking?

Nicotine pouches like Zen are seen as less harmful than tobacco smoking because they do not produce smoke or vapor, and they are considered to have a lower risk of causing cancer and other health issues associated with combustion.

How did the growth of Zen compare to the traditional tobacco and vaping industries?

Zen experienced explosive growth, with sales increasing by 700% by 2022, outpacing the decline in traditional tobacco use and the slower adoption of vaping products.

What was the significance of Philip Morris' acquisition of Swedish Match?

The acquisition by Philip Morris, the world's largest tobacco company, signified their interest in Zen as a key product for the future of nicotine consumption, aiming to capitalize on its rapid growth and market dominance.

What are the potential long-term health effects of using nicotine pouches like Zen?

While the long-term health effects of nicotine pouches are not fully known, they are considered to be addictive and may have negative impacts on blood pressure and gum health. The risk of addiction and potential transition to more harmful nicotine products is also a concern.

How does the script suggest that the promotion of Zen and similar products could influence societal health?

The script suggests that the promotion of Zen could lead to a new generation of nicotine addicts, increasing the prevalence of addiction and potentially exacerbating mental health issues and attention span problems among young people.

What is the concern regarding the potential for nicotine pouches to act as a gateway to smoking?

There is a concern that nicotine pouches could lead to a higher likelihood of non-smokers taking up smoking, as they become accustomed to nicotine and may seek stronger forms of it, such as cigarettes or vaping.

Outlines

00:00

🚭 Rise of a New Addiction: Zen Nicotine Pouches

The script discusses the rapid global spread of nicotine pouches, branded as 'Zen', which have seen an 80% increase in users in just one year, largely fueled by social media promotion. These pouches, marketed as less harmful than tobacco, are easily concealed and produce no smoke or vapor. The script delves into the origins of these products, tracing back to a traditional Swedish tobacco product called 'snooze', and how the industry evolved with technological advancements. It highlights the aggressive marketing strategies of tobacco companies, targeting young and impressionable consumers, and the subsequent societal and health implications of this new form of nicotine addiction.

05:01

📈 Zen's Explosive Growth and Market Domination

This paragraph details the financial and operational aspects of Zen's expansion, particularly in the US market. It describes the significant investment made by Swedish Match to establish production in the US, costing over $100 million. The sales figures are staggering, with millions of cans sold annually, reflecting a substantial growth in just a few years. The narrative also touches on the acquisition of Swedish Match by Philip Morris, the world's largest tobacco company, for $16 billion, emphasizing the potential profitability of this deal due to Zen's market share and growth trajectory. The paragraph concludes with concerns about the health effects of nicotine pouches and their potential to normalize nicotine use, despite being less harmful than traditional smoking methods.

10:02

📱 The Societal Impact of Nicotine Pouches: A Generation at Risk

The final paragraph examines the cultural impact of nicotine pouches, focusing on their promotion through social media influencers and the peer pressure they create among young people. It discusses the potential for these products to lead to increased nicotine addiction and the associated health risks, including the possibility of transitioning to more harmful nicotine delivery methods. The script also raises the issue of nicotine tolerance and the difficulty of quitting once addicted. It concludes with a broader reflection on the societal implications of making nicotine mainstream again and the potential long-term effects on the health and well-being of future generations.

Keywords

💡Zen

Zen refers to a brand of nicotine pouches that are part of a growing trend in nicotine consumption. The video discusses how Zen is marketed and its increasing popularity, especially among young people. It is portrayed as a potentially harmful product due to its addictive nature, despite being marketed as less harmful than traditional tobacco products.

💡Nicotine Pouch

Nicotine pouches are a type of smokeless tobacco product that contain nicotine, flavorings, and other fillers. They are highlighted in the video as a new form of addiction that is spreading globally. The script mentions that these pouches are easily concealed and do not produce smoke or vapor, making them appealing to users looking for a discreet nicotine fix.

💡Social Media Influence

The video script discusses the role of social media in promoting nicotine pouches, with celebrities and everyday individuals endorsing these products online. This influence is a key factor in the rapid rise of nicotine pouch popularity, as it reaches a wide audience and can normalize their use.

💡Big Tobacco

Big Tobacco refers to the large multinational corporations that dominate the tobacco industry. The script mentions how these companies have monopolized the market for nicotine pouches, ramping up production to meet the growing demand. Big Tobacco's involvement is significant as it suggests a shift in how nicotine addiction is being perpetuated and marketed.

💡Snoose

Snoose is a traditional Swedish smokeless tobacco product that has historical roots and is related to the modern nicotine pouches. The video explains that snoose was consumed by placing a small amount of powdered tobacco under the lip, allowing for slow nicotine release. The evolution from snoose to nicotine pouches illustrates the adaptation of traditional products to modern consumption methods.

💡Vaping

Vaping refers to the act of using an electronic cigarette or vape pen, which typically involves inhaling vaporized nicotine. The video contrasts vaping with the use of nicotine pouches, suggesting that while vaping was initially seen as a healthier alternative to smoking, the rise of nicotine pouches has introduced a new form of addiction.

💡Addiction

Addiction is a central theme in the video, discussing how nicotine pouches, like Zen, can lead to nicotine addiction. The script describes the process of addiction, from initial use to lifelong dependency, and the strategies used by tobacco companies to target new users and ensure brand loyalty.

💡Philip Morris

Philip Morris is the world's largest tobacco company, which the video mentions as having acquired the company behind Zen, Swedish Match, for $16 billion. This acquisition is significant as it indicates Philip Morris's strategy to pivot from traditional cigarettes and vaping to the newer, potentially more profitable market of nicotine pouches.

💡Health Effects

The health effects of nicotine pouches are a key point of discussion in the video. While they are portrayed as less harmful than smoking, the script raises concerns about the unknown long-term effects and the potential for increased health risks due to the addictive nature of nicotine.

💡Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is highlighted in the video as a tactic used by tobacco companies to promote nicotine pouches, particularly among young people. The script describes how influencers on social media platforms like TikTok create content around these products, potentially contributing to their normalization and appeal.

💡Regulation

Regulation is discussed in the context of the tobacco industry and the marketing of nicotine products. The video mentions the strict laws against marketing tobacco products and how companies navigate these regulations, suggesting that the rapid growth of nicotine pouches may outpace the establishment of effective regulatory measures.

Highlights

Nicotine pouches, like Zen, have seen a surge in popularity with a nearly 80% increase in users in the past year alone, driven by social media promotion.

These products are perceived as less harmful than tobacco, being easily concealed and not producing smoke or vapor.

Big tobacco companies are monopolizing the market for nicotine pouches, ramping up production with no signs of stopping this new addiction trend.

The rise of snus in Sweden created a template for a global campaign of addiction, despite initial efforts to eliminate tobacco use.

Swedish Match capitalized on the opportunity of a nicotine-free Sweden by creating a seemingly harmless alternative to tobacco with snus.

Marketing strategies for nicotine products focus on creating lifelong customers through addiction, targeting young and impressionable demographics.

Zen and similar products are advertised as discreet and less harmful than smoking, appealing to a younger audience.

Philip Morris' acquisition of Swedish Match for $16 billion indicates a significant interest in nicotine pouches as the next big market.

Zen's growth numbers are reminiscent of successful tech startups, with a 700% increase in sales by 2022.

The health effects of Zen are considered less harmful than smoking, but the long-term effects of continuous nicotine exposure are still unknown.

Nicotine pouches are highly addictive, with users building tolerance quickly and facing severe withdrawal symptoms if they attempt to quit.

The promotion of Zen on social media platforms like TikTok has contributed to its cultural buzz and appeal among young people.

There is a risk that nicotine pouches could lead to an increase in traditional smoking as users seek stronger nicotine hits.

Big tobacco's resurgence through nicotine pouches poses a threat to public health, potentially creating a new generation of addicts.

The convenience of nicotine pouches allows for constant consumption, increasing the risk of heart attacks and cancer.

The mental addiction to nicotine is long-lasting, with the potential for lifelong cravings even after physical dependence fades.

The societal harm of a generation addicted to nicotine is immeasurable, and the mainstreaming of such a harmful substance is a concerning trend.

The lack of regulation and the rapid growth of nicotine pouches like Zen indicate a significant public health issue that needs to be addressed.

Transcripts

Zen might just be the addiction of the

Future these small pouches of nicotine

flavorings and fill are sweeping across

the world with sers increasing by nearly

80% in the past year alone it's a craze

that's been fueled by social media with

everyone from the biggest celebrities to

random people promoting them online the

advantages seem endless to smokers

they're far less harmful than tobacco

easily concealed and they don't make any

smoke or vapor with big tobacco

monopolizing the market and ramping up

production it doesn't look like there's

any way to stop this new Addiction

taking route so let's explore how Zen is

taking over the world by storm and what

the sense of consequences of this could

be as when you start peeling back the

truth you realize how dangerous this

might be the rise of sin in Sweden would

create the template for a global

campaign of addiction but first we need

to understand where they came from in

the first place despite the fact that

they seemingly appeared out of nowhere

Zen and other nicotine pouches aren't

exactly a new thing it has its roots in

a tobacco product called snooze which is

being consumed around the world for

hundreds of years its spiritual home

though is in Sweden where centuries of

tradition has seen as how compete

smoking tobacco is the most popular

method of consumption back in the day

people would take a small pinch of the

specially made powdered tobacco and keep

it under their lips as it slowly release

nicotine beginning in the 1970s

manufacturers like Swedish match took

control of the market by offering the

tobacco portioned into a small sachche

each with a controlled dose of the drug

a few decades later when the technology

to extract pure nicotine from tobacco

was perfected the entire industry was

thrown on his head by 2006 the first

Vapes had entered the us and it wasn't

long before they were everywhere a few

years later new K walk 10 ft without

seeing someone hit the device or

smelling the sickly sweet clouds

Drifting by with their apparent health

benefits compared to Tobacco it wouldn't

have been a big leap to expect vaping to

replace tobacco smoking entirely but the

arrival of sin has led people to ask

whether Vapes were just another stepping

stone on the path to perfecting the

addiction in Sweden it's been a

different story through pervasive

anti-smoking campaigns as well as a

cultural appetite for other methods the

country almost eliminated tobacco and

other nicotine products from their

Country Strong laws against marketing

the products kept pick tobacco from

fighting back people hoped that as the

other ways to consume it slowly died out

that Sweden would become the first

country to actually kill the nicotine

habit for good that was until Swedish

match found their ideal product as the

largest Swedish Tobacco Company a

nicotine free Sweden would almost

certainly mean an end to their business

so when So-Cal white snooze came along

it was a godsent for them by taking that

pure nicotine and replacing the tobacco

with it they could make a seemingly

harmless alternative that could take the

market by storm these new products

launched in 2016 and Swedish match were

quick to take advantage while laws

prohibited marketing tobacco products

and Vapes white snoo seemed to be free

of these restrictions now marketing has

always been an easy game for tobacco

companies other companies whose products

aren chemically addictive have to

constantly prove their Worth to the

consumer if someone else offers a better

alternative or the customer simply

doesn't want it anymore then you're out

of luck but that's not true for nicotine

though just a few Tes or a week or two

of of habit forming and they've got you

for life once addiction sets in the

product sells itself and the nature of

addiction means nicotine customers are

unusually loyal to their chosen Brand

This Is Why when tobacco companies are

allowed to advertise they almost

exclusively Target new smokers each

marketing campaign is that much more

effective because each person who

convinces is likely to become a lifelong

customer whether they like it or not

Swedish match and their competitors went

straight to work advertising their new

product to the young and impressionable

companies would give the products out

for free to lure in new users putting

out Internet ads that would send people

free pouches with just a few clicks or

they do it in person staking out places

where young people would gather that can

me at conventions festivals or even more

disturbingly outside playgrounds thought

it looked good and I wanted to try I

just kept going there going it's hard to

stop I'm kind of stuck and the results

were quick with the marketing beginning

in 2017 it only took 3 years for the use

of snoo to overtake smoking in young

people Decades of progress and stopping

the use of nicotine were reversed almost

overnight with tons of young people

taking up this new Addiction Swedish

match who had the most money to throw

around were very well positioned to

Corner the market buying out competitors

and securing basically a monopoly you

can see why nicotine pouches might be

appealing to young people smoking vaping

are far less discreet the smoke can give

it away easily you can't do it in front

of people without them noticing and

everyone has the image of smoking with

cancer whereas products like Zen are

almost invisible on the other hand

meaning kids can indulge in their new

habits all day without having to sneak

off to the bathrooms every half hour

combined with the fact that they were

easy to get and easy to use compared to

the Alternatives it made their

popularity inevitable and people would

have no idea about how truly bad this

was like they do about smoking

cigarettes and that's why big tobacco

was quick to notice this massive

opportunity to afflict even more people

with an addiction to their product

they've never cared what form the

nicotine they sell comes in as long as

it's addictive they've only ever cared

about creating new lifelong customers so

when white snoo spread across Sweden

like a wildfire they noticed at first

Swedish match made the operation

International the product had been

imported and sold in small numbers a

year earlier but in 2017 they began a

nationwide rollout in the US it wasn't

cheap to even make the stuff in the US

they needed to upgrade and pretty much

rebuild one of their factories in the

country a project that would cost over

$100 million but once you start adding

up the numbers you can see why they did

this each can of z a container which

holds 15 of the pouches cost about $4

but heavy users could easily go through

a can every 2 days all year round and

this really adds up in 2017 alone the

year they were introduced Swedish match

sold over 13 million cans of sin and the

other brands outside of Scandinavia a

year later as more people were

introduced to it and got addicted this

nearly doubled to 25 million the scale

of growth was truly insane but it got

even Crazier by September of 2019 they

were selling 20 million pouches or

around 1.3 million cans every single

month in the us alone once the factory

finally opened that same year they

started selling even more and by 2022 2

sales had gone up by 700% Zin continued

to dominate the market for these

products never losing the over 50%

market share lead they had taken earlier

over the competition which is why the

brand had exploded in growth and

seemingly came out of nowhere now while

Swedish match might be over 100 years

old these were the kind of growth

numbers that only the most successful

Tech startups see so just like any other

startup once they had the product in the

market controlled they sold it all off

and who better to step in than the

masters of addiction themselves the

largest deaco company in the world

Philip Mar

in late 2022 they bought out Swedish

match in their entirety for an eyering

$16 billion but the only thing they were

really interested in was Zen and this

deal might end up being one of the most

lucrative deals ever made if Zen and

other nicotine pouches keep growing as

fast as they are they'll replace vaping

and eventually cigarettes you see Philip

Morris could see the cigarettes and

vaping were becoming outdated nobody in

jenzi really wants to do this stuff

anymore there was so many regulations

you couldn't advertise properly all the

reporting on the health consequences the

popcorn lungs the lung cancer they

needed something to Pivot fast with

which is why Phil Morris didn't just buy

51% of the company it was a complete

buyout of every single share they wanted

it all and you can easily see why with

that dominant market share Philip Morris

doesn't really need to do anything with

how heavily controlled additional

advertising is for nicotine and tobacco

products there isn't any danger of

someone else taking the throne addiction

makes people take the easiest route

possible to get that fixed so if they

know the brand then they'll buy it it

means this deal could give Philip

Morrison almost complete Monopoly over

nicotine products stretching far into

the future of course that'll only be

true if Zen and other nicotine pouches

really catch on but what's making them

so much more popular than vaping or

smoking ever since they finally couldn't

cover up the dangers of tobacco the

health effects have been the Achilles

Hill of the tobacco industry they don't

care about the actual suffering of

course is the Optics and the appearance

of selling an addictive deadly product

that hurt them bin so far at least seems

like the least harmful alternative

old-fashioned snooze and other products

with actual tobacco in them cause cancer

they're terrible for your health but as

far as we know Zin doesn't do this the

fact that unlike with vaping you don't

actually inhale anything makes it at

least marginally healthier and while it

might not kill you it can ruin your day

if you use it incorrectly people who let

them sit on their tongue have reported

being knocked out for the entire day or

feeling incredibly sick from the

nicotine overdose but to be clear the

negative health effects are the same as

any other nicotine product we don't know

the long-term effects of course but it

seems like it would at least affect the

gums for example leaking chemicals

through specific place in your mouth all

day every day surely can't be healthy

and it's also a highly addictive

substance that can mess with with your

blood pressure and is a known

carcinogenic but there's no clear reason

that it would be any more harmful than

some of the government approved

Alternatives like nicotine gum and the

benefits are clear even in the worst

possible case it's far less harmful than

smoking is in a perfect world Zin could

save a ton of lives by helping people

quit smoking but unfortunately we don't

live in a perfect world it isn't Zin

itself that's the problem some people

are always going to use nicotine in some

way and that's not to say we should ban

it we shouldn't control what adults want

to do with their lives and so far Zim

seems like one of the safest options but

it's the way that it's being pushed onto

younger people and the Damage this is

doing to society in the future that's

the real problem thanks to Zin tons of

people are getting more and more

addicted to nicotine and as time has

gone on the SES of the highest

concentration pouches have risen much

faster than the others it shows people

are needing more and more to satisfy

their Cravings moving on to the stronger

stuff as this happens it isn't just exsm

smokers using this as a safer

alternative and to eventually cut down

it's becoming its own addiction this is

the danger not smokers using them as a

replacement but people who've never had

any kind of netin getting addicted to

them one of the ways this happens is

through their cultural buzz if your

friends are all trying them and there's

peer pressure to try them lots of kids

are going to cave in and try it the

pression doesn't just come from in

person a lot of it is online truth is

Zen is a powerful work enhancer and also

male en answer if you know what I mean

really yeah talking erection huh yep

there's no election Forin like pretty

much anything Zin has its own community

of influencers on Tik Tok whose whole

online personalities revolve around them

it's a mixed bag of your bul standard

embarrassing Tik Tok content there's

plenty of videos of people just popping

them or in general talking about them oh

there we

go oh it's like a

twister

what but a lot of the time the content

is talking about upping the dosage and

almost competing over how much you can

take with a bunch of people talking

about taking multiples at a time then

there's the so-call Z influencer showing

off their massive collection of MD Zin

containers there isn't any indication

that these are sponsored posts but

Philip Morris the tobacco giant who now

owns Zin has done it before they came

under Fire as recently as 5 years ago

for paying young influencers to promote

their addictive products the idea isn't

to outright sell them but to show them

alongside influences along with the

online Buzz has come claims about how

zins can help you focus or help to make

you sh for work and studying and there

is some truth to this nicotine has been

shown to increase the levels of some

neurotransmitters like dopamine which

has a very beneficial effect on brain

function anyone who's tried nicotine can

attest the buzz you get the first few

times as well it's almost similar to

caffeine which is also an incredibly

addictive drug but one part of why

nicotine is so addictive is that the

buzz quickly Fades with people barely

feeding anything after just a few weeks

of regular use it very quickly becomes a

matter of just taking it to feel normal

rather than getting any sort of effect

from it the only way you can do that is

by increasing the dosage kids taking

these things to get a buzz quickly have

to take stronger pouches often lots of

them at one time just to get that buzz

again Zen and other pouches put nicotine

straight into the bloodstream so people

who use them can quickly build up a

massive tolerance to netin without ever

even knowing it if they ever try to stop

it makes the withdraws that much worse

and if they switch to vaping or

cigarettes they'll need far more of them

to get the same effects this is just

another hidden danger of Zen and other

nicotine pouches we've already seen

through studies that if people start

vaping without any prior nicotine use

they're three times more likely to take

up smoking than other non-smokers and we

can expect that Zin has pretty similar

effects because the active chemicals are

completely identical what if they're

worrying about just how harmful they are

misses the bigger picture though we're

currently watching it big tobacco which

was losing customers every day for

decades it's once again getting its claw

into the Next Generation and it's really

working big tobacco is creating a whole

new generation of addicts making

nicotine popular once again risking the

health increasing the chances of cancer

and other fatal illnesses by getting

Generation Z hooked on the stuff it's

just going to add on to the long list of

addictions that jenz and gen Alpha have

been exposed to at a very young age at

least with smoking it's pretty

inconvenient to do it all of the time

only the heavy smokers would be puffing

away all day but because of how Zin

works it means kids can be walking

around with invisible nicotine IV stuck

in their arm all day massively raising

their risks of heart attacks and cancer

just slowly poisoning you day by day and

making it seem cool with nice branding

and a whole bunch of influencers

promoting it just like the phones it's

created a world where people can

constantly be feeding their addictions

we've already seen what this is doing to

Young people's attention spans and their

General mental well-being kids already

can't focus in class anymore teachers

constantly talk about how each New Year

is worse than the last and adding Zen

into the mix makes each new generation

the heaviest addicts history has ever

seen or whilst destroying the mental and

physical health with one of the most

infamous toxic substances becoming

mainstream once again the tragedy is

that once you get addicted to nicotine

it pretty much lasts forever the

chemical need actually fades in a few

weeks after you stop but the mental

addiction never goes away you always

know it's there just waiting for you but

you have to ignore it it does get easier

with time but it never really leaves

however clean or convenient they can

package nicotine is still one of the

most addictive carcinogenic toxic

chemical is known to man and whil we may

not know the exact effects of zins all

we can see is that is addicting people

to nicotine and the societal harm of

having a whole generation of addicts

isn't something that we can measure

making nicotine mainstream once again is

a terrible sign of where we're headed

and with the explosive growth of Z and

the snow's pace of actual regulation

this is going to be a major problem that

we'll have to deal with soon