SNUS: effect, danger, what is this tobacco, a drug?

SNUS is a type of tobacco that originated in Sweden and is similar to chewing tobacco. It is known for its popularity among athletes and young people, and is also available for purchase online.

While some have touted SNUS as a lower-risk product compared to other types of tobacco, it still contains nicotine and can be harmful to your health. It can cause damage to the gums and is considered a potential drug due to its addictive properties.

If you’re considering using SNUS, it’s important to be aware of these potential health risks and to make an informed decision. As always, it’s best to consult with a healthcare professional before using any tobacco product.

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How it works ?

SNUS is more aggressive than cigarettes. Nicotine is in direct contact with the oral mucous membranes, and acts quickly on the brain by activating the reward system.

What is snus made of?

It is anything but green because the sachets contain nitrosated compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, radionuclides, formaldehyde and its volatile derivatives.

What are the risks ?

  1. Ranging from 3 to 20mg of nicotine per sachet, this type of tobacco is 3 times more dosed than a cigarette which has between 1 and 2 mg.
  2. It contains a number of toxic and carcinogenic substances.
  3. Its consumption can cause diseases of the oro-digestive system:
  4. oral and pancreatic cancers,
  5. mucous membrane damage in the mouth,
  6. irreversible retraction of the gums,
  7. nausea/vomiting,
  8. palpitations
  9. a strong addiction to nicotine

SNUS, a type of non-smoked tobacco similar to chewing tobacco, originated in Sweden. Although banned in France, it is available for purchase online and has gained popularity among athletes and young people. Despite its popularity, SNUS is highly dosed with nicotine and can be harmful to your health. As such, it is important to be aware of the risks before using it.

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SUMMARY

SNUS, a popular and legal tobacco in Sweden, is banned in France due to its potential health risks. Despite this, it has gained popularity among athletes and young people worldwide, with several videos showcasing its effects and risks being shared on social media platforms like TikTok.

However, experts like Bernard Basset, a doctor and president of the Association Addictions France, have denounced the tobacco industry’s commercial strategy to promote SNUS as a lower-risk product for younger generations. SNUS contains nicotine and can cause damage to the gums, among other potential health risks.

If you’re considering trying SNUS, it’s important to be aware of these potential health risks and to make an informed decision. As always, it’s best to consult with a healthcare professional before using any tobacco product.

What is SNUS?

SNUS is a type of tobacco that appeared in Sweden and is still widely consumed there as well as in Norway and the United States. In North America, it is found under the name “snuff” or “smokeless tobacco” . It is a non-smoked tobacco unlike cigarettes, cigars or pipe tobacco. It is a  wet tobacco powder, to be sucked or chewed. This powder can be sold in bulk (it is brown in color) or  packaged in small sachets that are generally placed between the gum and the cheek . The sachet can also be placed  under the upper lip as in Scandinaviaor under the lower lip as in Denmark. The consumer keeps it in the mouth for several minutes then throws it away.

Is it a drug?

SNUS can be considered a drug since it contains nicotine. Nicotine is a legal drug in the same way as alcohol, recalls Mildeca on its site , since it can lead to physical and / or psychological dependence . 

What does SNUS mean?

The term “SNUS” in Swedish translates into English as “snuff”. Snuff is finely ground tobacco. It comes in a dry form (powder that can be inhaled through the nose) or wet (in a chewable sachet like the SNUS invented by the Swedes).

“We consider that a sachet of SNUS is equivalent to three cigarettes in nicotine absorption”

What are the effects of SNUS?

SNUS is chewed tobacco. Nicotine passes directly into the blood by being  absorbed through the oral mucous membranes . It acts on the level of the brain by causing a feeling of well-being and pleasure at the origin, as and when, of the dependence . In sport, nicotine taken in the form of SNUS would improve performance without (a priori) having adverse effects on the respiratory system since tobacco is not smoked.

Why do athletes take SNUS?

Ice hockey, football, skiing… High-level athletes give in to the temptation of SNUS to improve their performance and sporting abilities. On November 17, 2022, footballer  Karim Benzema  also relayed a photo taken with Marcus Thuram, on the plane that took them to Qatar for the World Cup, on his social networks. We saw the latter holding in his hand a  small round box reminiscent of that of the SNUS,  as relayed by our colleagues from  World . Marcus Thuram reshared this same image by  hiding the small box under an emoji , sparking controversy. Stimulants are prohibited in competitionby the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), except for nicotine. However, the nicotine found in SNUS “increases alertness, improves coordination and cognitive performance (…), increases heart rate and blood circulation (blood pressure therefore, editor’s note)”  recalled Italian researchers in a study conducted on the effects of SNUS  and relayed on the WADA website in 2015 before specifying that “plasma concentrations of nicotine improve anaerobic energy”. During anaerobic exercise, the body works intensely for a short time and therefore needs energy quickly at the same time. . Nicotine  is on the WADA’s monitoring program . It is not considered a “prohibited” substance in the Prohibited List of the World Anti-Doping Code published in 2022 .

What are the dangers of SNUS?

Defenders of SNUS highlight the fact that the product is consumed without combustion and without smoke, which would reduce its risks compared to other smoked tobacco products, such as cigarettes in particular. It would not increase the frequency of lung cancer. Nevertheless, SNUS is associated with other dangers. It already contains nicotine :  “We consider that a sachet of SNUS is equivalent to three cigarettes in nicotine absorption ” explains the association Addictions France . And “nitrosated compounds” underlined the National Assembly in 2013. These compounds are recognized as carcinogens . Her”taking is not without risk” confirms the Tobacco Info Service site before informing that it  ” strongly increases the risk of gingival lesions” and more generally of oral lesions depending on the location of the sachet in the mouth. In 2008, the Société Francophone de Tabacologie  estimated that there was a “strong probability” that:

Studies have found an association between the consumption of SNUS and the appearance of myocardial infarction and “its addictive potential is also established” recalled the National Assembly. Before adding that it “is also not a smoking cessation aid for cigarettes and would increase the likelihood of subsequent cigarette smoking in adolescents.”

Can you buy SNUS in France?

No, SNUS is not legal in France. Its sale is prohibited. More broadly, the marketing of SNUS has been banned throughout Europe since 1992. Only Sweden has legalized it.

What is the price of SNUS?

The SNUS is only sold on the Internet, in France. The price is around 5 euros per box.

Sources: 

“Heated tobacco, SNUS, drugs and nicotine; Tobacco companies prepare their future”, Associations Addictions France, 2021.

Current knowledge of the health effects of oral tobacco with particular attention to Swedish snus, Report of February 1, 2008, DGS.

Information report, National Assembly, February 28, 2013.