Snus use makes it harder to quit smoking

A Norwegian study[1] observed that both male and female smokers who use snus have a harder time quitting than those who do not. The authors suggest that smokers should be warned that snus use may prevent smoking cessation.

This study followed 4,333 smokers (72.1% women) who had enrolled in a free Norwegian Internet-based smoking cessation program between 2010 and 2012 for 6 months. The study entry questionnaire collected sociodemographic, lifestyle, and tobacco use, including snus, from participants.

The majority of people in the study (85%) had already tried to quit smoking with an average number of four unsuccessful attempts. On the Fagerström test for assessing nicotine dependence, 64.3% had an average score (4-6), and 6.3% had a high score (7-10). One in five people used snus, and 6% used it daily.

Compared to men, women were more educated, used less snus, smoked fewer cigarettes on average, and had a higher Fagerström score less often.

Women and the more highly educated are more likely to successfully quit smoking

At 6 months, women were 30% more likely to successfully quit smoking than men, and smokers with a college degree were 42% more likely to have quit than those with less than a high school diploma.

Students were 44% less likely to quit than those with full-time jobs.

Smokers with an average or high score on the Fagerström test were 29 % less likely to have quit than those with a low score.

Snus use reduces chances of quitting smoking

People who smoked and used snus were about 50% less likely to successfully quit than those who did not use snus.

The role of snus in quitting smoking

In a report based on seven Norwegian cross-sectional surveys, authors suggested[2], following the observation of an inverse correlation between the consumption of smoked tobacco and that of snus, that the use of snus could help smokers to quit smoking, knowing that over the last two decades in Norway, the prevalence of smoking has continued to decrease, and that of snus has increased, particularly among young women.

The authors of this present study point out that there is little sequential information on the effects of snus use on smoking cessation in Norway, with the debate based almost exclusively on cross-sectional studies. They emphasize the originality of their study on this subject.

Finally, they conclude that smokers wishing to quit smoking should be informed of these results and that, in any case, it is essential to remember that the use of snus is not harmless, because it can initiate and maintain nicotine dependence and that it increases the risks of cardiovascular disease and pancreatic cancer, not to mention the occurrence of lesions of the oral mucosa.

Keywords: snus, withdrawal, quitting smoking, Norway

©Tobacco Free Generation

AE

[1] Gram IT, Antypas K, Wangberg SC, Løchen ML, Larbi D. Factors associated with predictors of smoking cessation from a Norwegian internet-based smoking cessation intervention study. Tob Prev Cessat. 2022 Oct 31;8:38. doi:10.18332/tpc/155287. PMID: 36382026; PMCID: PMC9620393.

[2] Lund KE, Scheffels J, McNeill A. The association between use of snus and quit rates for smoking: results from seven Norwegian cross-sectional studies. Addiction. 2011;106(1):162–167. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03122.x.