Snus is a type of smokeless tobacco product that has been
used for centuries in Sweden and Norway. The term “snus” comes from the Swedish
word for snuff, which is “snuff.” Snus is different from other types of
smokeless tobacco products because it is not chewed or sucked but is placed
under the upper lip where it delivers nicotine through the mucous membranes.
History of snus
In the 16th century, Swedes began to mix tobacco leaves
with salt and water to place behind the upper lip. The snuff was born, but
prior that the predecessor went from the Caribbean, into the French court and
then across Europe as the latest fashion. Here is the history about snuff, from
the 1400s until today.
Europeans came into contact with tobacco for the first
time on the island of Hispaniola (Haiti) in the West Indies. It was in October
1492 when Columbus and his men went ashore on the island. On the beach, they
were met by indigenous people bearing gifts. The gifts included some dried
leaves, which the natives regarded as very valuable. In 1497, the monk, Ramon
Pane, came into contact with the predecessor of snus when he accompanied
Columbus on the second journey to America. He saw native priests inhale a
powder into their noses through a fork-like tube. According to researchers, the
powder probably did not consist exclusively of tobacco, and snus itself only
became significant to tobacco consumption when it was introduced in Europe. Spanish
and Portuguese seamen transported the tobacco plant to Europe. In the
mid-1500s, physicians in Lisbon started using the herb for medicinal purposes.
They thought that it could cure syphilis and cancer, among other illnesses. The
tobacco was cultivated in their backyards.
Since Paris was the model for all European courts, it was
not long before snus was being used in the rest of Europe. The first-time snus
was named in Sweden was in 1637. A customs document states that snus was
brought to Sweden from Porvoo in Finland. In the 1700s, the use of snus became
a must among the men and women of the aristocracy. A snus can was one of the
possessions of a fine gentleman in the 1700s. It had to be expensive and
handled with carefully controlled elegance. The cans were small masterpieces of
gold, silver or other precious material and rapidly became a most popular gift.
In the 1700s, the Swedish tobacco industry had its breakthrough. Tobacco was
planted in Skåne, Gränna and Alingsås, where the father of the potato, Jonas
Alströmer, started growing tobacco on a large scale. At the end of the 1700s,
tobacco was being grown in about 70 Swedish towns.
The French Revolution signified the end of the upper
class that traditionally used snus. Although snus experienced a temporary
upswing under Napoleon, a major snus user, it became unfashionable after his
fall, maybe even politically risky to continue using snus. Snus went out of
fashion and the burghers, who now came into power, switched to smoking cigars.
During the 1800s, manufacturers began to produce local
varieties of the moist snus. Some popular suppliers include Petter Swartz with
Röda Lacket and J.A. Boman with General snus. However, the largest brand was
Ettan, Ljunglöfs Ettan. Jacob Fredrik Ljunglöf’s plant at Badstugatan, today
Sveavägen in Stockholm, traces its roots to a tobacco company founded around
1695. Jacob Fredrik Ljunglöf took over the company in 1822 and turned it into
the leading snus plant in Europe and the world. Practically all Swedish snus
manufacturers in the 1800s included a snus No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 in their
assortments, which represented various qualities. However, Ljunglöf’s launch of
his No. 1 as a national quality product was a major success. Ljunglöf’s Ettan
became a household name. Today, it is still one of Sweden’s largest brands and
accounts for approximately one fifth of all snus sales in Sweden.
Snus began to regain its popularity in the late 1960s
when health risks associated with cigarette smoking were documented in several
reports. During the 1970s, the first portion-packed snus was introduced, an
important step for snus to reach a broader public. Since then, the sales
curve has pointed upwards.
Present of snus
Recently, snus has gained a reputation for being less
harmful than smoking cigarettes because it doesn’t produce tar, which is one of
the most dangerous substances in cigarettes. Additionally, snus users are less
likely to develop lung cancer or other respiratory problems associated with
smoking. This has led some countries, including Sweden, to allow snus to be
sold as a less harmful alternative to smoking.
However, snus still has negative health consequences. It
can cause oral cancer, gum disease, and other health problems. Furthermore,
people who use snus are still exposed to other harmful chemicals, such as nicotine,
which can lead to addiction.
Today, snus is still popular in Sweden and Norway, but it
has also become more widely available in other parts of the world. In recent
years, its popularity has grown in the United States, where it is marketed as a
safer alternative to smoking for people who are unable to quit.
In conclusion, the history and present of smoking snus is
complex. While it has been used for centuries and is seen by some as a safer
alternative to smoking, it still has negative health consequences, and the
debate over its safety continues. As with any tobacco product, it is important
that individuals make informed decisions about their use, and that governments
and health organizations continue to provide accurate information about the
potential risks and benefits.
Can snus Help You Quit?
One of the big problems with snus is that it keeps people
smoking who might otherwise quit. Instead of quitting, these smokers use snus
when they can’t light up and cigarettes when they can. Snus supporters suggest
that promoting snus as a way to quit smoking would be a benefit to the public.
But at least one study shows that this approach is not likely to work.
Snus as a product on a spectrum. At the most harmful end
of the spectrum are tobacco products you burn. At the least harmful end are
medicinal nicotine products, such as patches and gum. Snus falls into the
middle: safer than cigarettes but not as safe as nicotine gum. Snus products still
contain thousands of chemicals and still contain nicotine. They are addictive,
and they affect the cardiovascular system and increase the risk of cancer. They
are still tobacco products.
Norway Numbers
·
About 30 per cent of adults use tobacco, either
as cigarettes or snus.
·
Smoking is as common among women as men.
·
There are clear socioeconomic differences. For
smoking and snus, tobacco use is lowest in the group with a longer education.
·
Historically, smokers have made up the largest
group of tobacco users, while the group that uses snus has been much smaller.
However, the difference between the groups has decreased in recent years and by
2017 the groups were of similar size.
·
Snus is the most common tobacco product used by
young people in the 16-24 year age group. Also among men in the 25-44 year age
group, snus use is significantly more common than smoking
Sources and Additional Information:
https://www.swedishmatch.com/Our-business/smokefree/History-of-snuff/
https://harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12954-019-0335-1
https://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/features/snus-tobacco-health-risks
https://www.fhi.no/en/op/hin/lifestyle/royking-og-snusbruk-i-noreg/
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