Safer Tobacco Alternative From Sweden?

Smokeless Tobacco Called Snus Is Less Harmful Than Cigarettes, New Research Shows

(AP)  Smokers looking for a less harmful way to get their nicotine fix should switch to Swedish snus — a smokeless tobacco that puts them at a significantly lower risk of cancer than cigarettes, doctors say in an article posted online Thursday in The Lancet.

Smokers are at least 10 times more likely to get lung cancer than people who use snus, studies showed — a finding that could challenge bans on snus, particularly in the European Union.

All EU nations now prohibit snus, except for Sweden, which was granted an exemption because of the widespread use of the powder tobacco among Swedes. In the United States, smokeless tobacco is legal, and Swedish snus is being test-marketed in at least two U.S. cities.

"We should not delay in allowing snus to compete with cigarettes for market share," Drs. Jonathan Foulds and Lynn Kozlowski of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey said in analyzing two studies published in The Lancet. "The banning or exaggerated opposition to snus in cigarette-rife environments is not sound public health policy," they wrote.

One study tracked the incidence of cancer over among nearly 280,000 Swedish men — some of them snus users, some smokers and some who never used tobacco — over a 20-year period. The other projected the effect on health if snus were introduced in Australia, where it currently is banned.

Swedish snus makers say the production process there is different from similar products in the U.S., adding that they work hard to remove carcinogens during manufacturing.

But snus is far from harmless; about 30 carcinogens have been found in the smokeless tobacco. In 2004, the Luxembourg-based European Court of Justice upheld a ban on the substance, ruling that the dangers of snus merited its being outlawed.

However, the two studies show snus may not be as harmful as previously thought, and far less harmful than cigarettes.

International researchers followed 279,897 male Swedish construction workers from 1978 to 1992. About 26 percent were snus users, 37 percent were smokers and the rest never used tobacco.

For smokers, the incidence rate of pancreatic cancer was 13 cases per 100,000. That rate dropped to 8.8 cases per 100,000 for snus users.

Among those who did not use tobacco, the rate was 3.9 cases per 100,000.

However, snus users were twice as likely to develop pancreatic cancer than those who had never smoked or used snus.

The study also showed that using snus did not increase the risk of oral cancer, though users might develop mouth lesions where the substance is placed since it generally is tucked inside the upper lip. In addition, using snus can complicate pregnancies and may raise the risk for heart disease.

In the modeling study, Australian researchers found that lifting current restrictions on snus would probably benefit public health if the smokeless tobacco is adopted by people who would otherwise continue smoking.

In Sweden, many smokers have switched to snus, and the country now has one of the lowest smoking rates in the world: less than 20 percent of the population.

Some experts worry that legalizing snus could still have harmful effects.

"As with all tobacco products, snus is not completely risk-free," said Jean King, director of tobacco control at Cancer Research UK. King, who was not connected to either study, said that while snus could help smokers quit, it would be important to prevent snus from being adopted by new users.

Smoking is the top risk factor for cancer, and approximately 1 billion people worldwide are addicted to the nicotine in cigarettes. Tobacco kills one in ten people globally, and causes four million deaths every year.

"For a smoker, quitting all tobacco use is best, but failing that, switching to snus is a good idea," said Dr. Peter Hajek, professor of clinical psychology at Queen Mary University Hospital in London. Hajek was not involved in either study.

"If a sufficient proportion of smokers switched to snus, lifting the ban could be in the public interest," Hajek said.

[rushman71]

finnzz: As a smoker trying to quit using the Nicoderm CQ patch, do you still have the urge to smoke even though you are using the snus. Since you are on the opposite side of the earth from where I am--Houston, Texas, USA--I'll wait until tomorrow for your response. :)

[rf35]

Since everyone whines about second-hand smoke, it would make sense to promote this form of smokeless tobacco. My question: is there still the spitting thing with this stuff? I hate that.

[rf35]

Since everyone whines about second-hand smoke, it would make sense to promote this form of smokeless tobacco. My question: is there still the spitting thing with this stuff? I hate that.

[jolsonbear]

The health problems, deaths, and criminal activity generated by the use of ALCOHOL in this nation make tobacco look like candy. But since most Americans are drunks we smokers will have to take the blame for everything. Go sip on our own drug and leave me alone.

[finnzz]

I use snus here in Finland..it is illegal to buy it here in finland, but not illegal to buy in sweden and bring back to finland.

Since sweden is our neighbor, we send one guy to go stock up on several crates of snus and bring back to finland and then we split the snus between 10-15 guys... it is better than smoking..probably not better than no tobacco at all, but better than smoking..

[sevenveils]

Hummm, cancer of the lungs or cancer of the mouth, cancer of the lungs or cancer of the mouth?

"Smokers are at least 10 times more likely to get lung cancer than people who use snus, studies showed ..." Following this logic; tobacco chewers are more likely to get mouth cancer than smokers.

[d33pthroat1]

They need to come up with a sexier name for it than snus. Looks like a cross between a*nus and s*nafu.

Posted by Iceman_1960 at 11:26 PM : May 09, 2007


No kidding. I read it as "***" myself.
We already have a smokeless tobacco brand called "Copenhagen" from Denmark. So, may be they should rename this one "Stockholm".

"Stock" it and enjoy it at "home".

[iceman_1960]

"Smokers looking for a less harmful way to get their nicotine fix should switch to Swedish snus"

They need to come up with a sexier name for it than snus.

Looks like a cross between a*nus and s*nafu.