Snus, a drug that is not so mild

In Europe, the three countries where smoking is the most prevalent are: Bulgaria (36%), Greece (37%) and France (36%). At the bottom of the table, we find the United Kingdom (17%) and, far behind, Sweden (7%)*. This encouraging figure is explained by the fact that Swedish consumers have replaced cigarettes with a smokeless tobacco product: snus, which is far from being safe for health.

Snus, a growing market

Snus, mainly sold in Scandinavian countries, but also in Switzerland, is a moist tobacco powder that is consumed orally. It is more commonly called “sucking tobacco” because it is placed between the gum and the upper lip and its consumption can last for several hours. In addition, the powder that makes up snus is a mixture of tobacco, water, as well as salt, sodium carbonate and flavorings.

In Sweden, the average consumption of snus is about 800 grams (or 16 boxes of lössnus) per person per year, knowing that a box of twenty sachets per day represents the amount of nicotine in sixty cigarettes.

The real health risks

Like all other tobacco products, snus contains nicotine, a highly addictive and harmful substance. In this sense, the claim that snus is a healthier alternative to smoking should be taken with a grain of salt. Indeed, according to Dr. Isabelle Jacot Sadowski, a physician at the University Medical Polyclinic of Lausanne, snus is also known to cause serious pathologies.[1]. Since snus is not inhaled, it is mainly oral and dental lesions and gum retractions that appear first. In addition, snus is said to contribute to the formation of various cancers, particularly of the mouth, pharynx and pancreas. Beyond this, research has confirmed the existence of a link between snus consumption and the occurrence of a stroke or heart attack.[2].

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[1] “Snus, not such a mild drug!” https://www.letemps.ch/sciences/snus-tabac-sucer-seduit-inquiete

[2] International Agency for Research on Cancer, IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, vol. LXXXIX: Smokeless Tobacco and Some Tobacco-specific N-Nitrosamines, Lyon, 2007, IX-626 p. (ISBN 978-92-832-1289-8 and 978-92-832-1589-9, ISSN 1017-1606, OCLC 979372430, read online [archive] [PDF]), p. 33, 43, 239, 366.

https://drseb.com/fr/arreter-de-fumer/snus/

https://www.lesechos.fr/2017/06/pourquoi-la-suede-ne-compte-que-5-de-fumeurs-quotidiens-173608

*Eurobarometer 2017

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