Is snus the future of a smoke-free Europe? Tobacco-free synthetic nicotine

Europe´s future of nicotine may just become tobacco-free, as the synthetic nicotine product, snus, continues to spread across the EU countries, especially attracting the younger generation.

Tobacco-free synthetic nicotine spread in Europe – snus and its origins 

You´ve heard of snuff but snus may be even worse; the tobacco-free nicotine small pouches come in white and brown strips, typically in metallic boxes, and are placed discreetly between the gum and the cheek. Snus contains synthetic nicotine, along with microcrystalline cellulose or sodium carbonate that is absorbed through the buccal mucosa as they mix with saliva.

The product originated in the 16th century in Sweden but its influence on the EU has just begun. In Sweden, snus is a trending substance among young people, who benefit from snus´s discreet use, as well as athletes, who consume it for the supposed fat-burning effects. Today, Sweden is the only country in which snus is legal and is used by one in seven Swedes.

According to the Swedish government, the product fuelled the reduction of cigarette smokers from 15 per cent in 2005 to 5,2 per cent in 2023; a record low for a European country. A country is considered smoke-free when less than 5 per cent of its population are daily smokers; Sweden may be close to becoming smoke-free, yet, levels of nicotine addiction remain high.

There had been an attempt to legalize snus in the rest of the EU as the former European Commissioner for Health John Dalli resigned in 2012, after being accused of accepting bribes in exchange for promoting the legalization of the substance. Spokesman of the Swedish Match factory Patrik Hildingsson explained to the Press; “It´s part of the Swedish culture, just like many other European countries have their wine culture.”

Although still illegal in the rest of Europe, snus has been particularly popular in Spain and France; bypassing anti-tobacco regulations, the substance can be purchased at some tobacco stores in the two countries, as well as on specialized websites, which require no legal age verification. Not subject to tax, as they evade anti-smoking rules, snus is easily accessible to young people.

The substance exists in a legal grey area where it can be promoted without restrictions under the notion of being a “white product,”; a “healthier” alternative to nicotine products. But how healthy is it?

Snus spread in Europe – safer than tobacco?

A report from the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment in Germany issued a warning about the high toxicity of “nicotine products,” including snus as one of the substances. In snus, pellets were found containing 47, 5 mg concentration of nicotine, while 6 mg of the snus pouch led to an average increase of 10 heartbeats per minute. It was estimated that the level of nicotine in the pouch released in the first seven minutes of consumption is between 60 and 70 per cent, making it a highly hazardous substance.

As synthetic nicotine becomes extracted from the tobacco plant, nitrosamines are present; these are recognized by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as carcinogens, provoking the threatening disease, and posing the same risks as regular tobacco.