"How many shows did I miss?... None": Tucker Carlson defends the use of highly controversial nicotine

Tucker Carlson recently appeared on The Real Alex Clark YouTube channel and sparked yet another viral debate, not over politics, but over nicotine.


The former Fox News host, launched into an impassioned defense of the controversial compound while promoting ALP, his new nicotine pouch brand. During the sit-down with Alex Clark, he called nicotine “the only compound ever analyzed by scientists that simultaneously increases mental acuity and relaxation.” That’s quite a claim. But for Carlson, it wasn’t just talk. He’s been using nicotine daily since June 198, by his count.



And now, he wants the rest of the world to stop demonizing it.

Carlson’s new brand, ALP, isn’t shy about what it stands for. It was launched in late 2024 in partnership with Turning Point Brands, specifically targeting adults who “unapologetically love nicotine.” Available in various flavors and three strengths (3 mg, 6 mg, and 9 mg), ALP is marketed as a more honest, more masculine alternative to other brands.

In the interview, Carlson explained, “I’m not going to lie about this,” he said. “This is about truth. This is about the unvarnished veracity of the human experience.” Carlson was dead serious. And whether you agree with him or not, he’s putting his mouth, and money, where his message is.


Carlson advocated hard for nicotine, even going to the extent of explaining how, unlike many prescription drugs, they dont carry the same societal acceptance. Whatever his argument be, netizens were neither impressed nor convinced.


The harmful affects of nicotine is well known. It’s highly addictive, which is why it's the active compound in all tobacco products like cigarettes, cigars, hookah, chewing tobacco, snus, e-cigarettes, and yes, pouches like ALP.




Further CDC and FDA both point out, nicotine is not harmless. It can raise blood pressure, impact brain development in teens, and lead to long-term dependency. But it is not the primary cause of tobacco-related deaths.

One user on X wrote, “Notice how the drug addicts love the line, "It's a naturally occurring substance" to justify their habit? You hear this all the time from marijuana addicts. Well, arsenic is naturally occurring too. Do people smoke/eat that?”


Another explained, “Nicotine can help focus, but it's also an addictive substance, can affect the heart, has drawbacks, and most certain the claims to prevent illness are not based in any kind of science. This is a snake oil salesman.”


A third user chimed in, “The tobacco companies are getting creative with their advertising lol.” But there were others too who sang the same tunes Tucker was singing.


Carlson may be one of nicotine’s loudest defenders right now, but he’s not alone. Others, including some medical researchers and harm-reduction advocates, argue that nicotine in non-combustible form deserves a second look. And while his brand ALP is clearly part business, Carlson insists it's also personal. “Ask anybody,” he told Clark. “I was on TV for 29 years. How many shows did I miss? None.”


Whoever side you are on, it is better to do your own research before jumping boats.