November 10, 2007 - Are Swedes Using SNUS for Harm Reduction or as an Alernative When Smoking is Banned??

November 10, 2007 - -Are Swedes Using SNUS for Harm Reduction or as an Alernative When Smoking is Banned?? Dr. Brad Rodu, a strong proponent of the use of Snus by inveterate tobacco smokers, tells us Swedes have adopted the public health practice of "harm reduction," in this case substituting relatively safe smokeless tobacco for cigarettes. Dr. Lars E. Rutqvist, the Vice President for Scientific Affairs at Swedish Match (the world's second largest maker of snuff and chewing tobacco and market leader in Sweden - volume share of 90% at the end of 2006) tells us the drive in snus sales in Sweden has been in response to the smoking ban rather than the perceived advantage to user’s health. Comments of a Swedish American in Sweden: Another argument for the use of SNUS is that it keeps people from smoking, but I don't buy that argument. I know all kinds of Swedes who smoke whenever they get a chance but because of the ban on smoking indoors use snus when they are in the bar or at work or anywhere else they can't get their nicotine fix right away. The second they step outside though they light up.(10/5/2007) Another argument for the use of SNUS is that it keeps people from smoking, but I don't buy that argument. Margaretha Haglund, the Director of Tobacco Prevention for the Swedish National Institute of Public Health. 'I'm not a health fascist,' she added , 'but I don't believe the solution to the tobacco problem lies in a new product from the tobacco industry.'" Dr. Rodu has a web site entitled TobaccoHarmReduction.org that attempts to convince people that smokeless is the way to go using either moist snuff and even chewing tobacco. One of the two major headings on the first page of the site is entitled "Reduce the harm from Nicotine use: Go smokeless." A number of studies have shown that nicotine levels resulting from the use of smokeless tobacco are either the same or even higher than with tobacco smoking. (Maximum levels of nicotine were similar but, because of prolonged absorption, overall nicotine exposure was twice as large after single exposures to smokeless tobacco compared with cigarette smoking (Benowitz et al., Clin Pharmacol Ther. Jul;44(1):23-8, 1988)) Leading tobacco researchers have stated that there is no evidence smokeless tobacco can help people quit smoking.