Snus - Smokeless Tobacco Made Easy

Now available over the internet and in stores; Snus (rhymes with loose), a smokeless tobacco product containing nicotine that originated in Sweden. Snus comes in colorful tins and is packaged in small tea bag-like packets. It’s real advantage over traditional smokeless chewing tobacco is that no spitting is necessary - the small amount of juice produced can just be swallowed. It’s likely to become popular among teens who want their tobacco use to go undetected, patrons of bars and restaurants where smoking is not permitted, and smokers who want to quit.

The tobacco companies are looking to attract a whole new generation of tobacco users and to shore up profits in the face of declining cigarette sales. R.J. Reynolds launched a nationwide marketing campaign for “Camel Snus” in 2009. As usual, the company denies that it aims its marketing campaign toward underage users.

So far there is no evidence that Snus use may be a risk factor for cancers of the mouth and throat. Nevertheless, it is a tobacco product. It’s worth remembering that there were no clear health risks associated with cigarettes, either, when they first became popular in the 1940s.