SNUS Ewa Björling, Sweden's trade minister more concerned with sales than health..

November 28, 2008 - Sweden's trade minister Ewa Björling has called on the European Union to let loose the snus (Swedish style moist snuff). As smokers all over Europe are left to shiver with their cigarettes outside the doors of pubs, bistros and offices, Sweden has sensed an opportunity to mount a challenge to the infinite wisdom of the European Commission.

Dr. Gunilla Bolinder, Director of Education at Stockholm's Karolinska University Hospital points out, "To sing the praises of SNUS is a deathblow to over 20 years of hard tobacco preventive work. SNUS only saves the life of the tobacco industry" (SNUS gets the thumbs-down NEWS-24 1/31/2007).

Except for Sweden, snus is outlawed by the European Union (EU) (in May, 1992) mainly because it was believed it would be used above all by young people, and that oral tobacco contained particularly large quantities of carcinogenic substances. (The use of snus is a vital component of the Swedish heritage - its use dating back over 200 years.) The EU ban does not include chewing tobacco or tobacco for smoking.


Bans have been placed on smokeless tobacco products in a number of countries, including Australia (in 1991), Israel, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Related news briefs: Royal College of Physicians still pushing the use of SNUS..; Our Kids are still our number one priority..; EU Scientific Committee Concludes: Insufficent Evidence to Lift Ban on SNUS..; EU officials said that Snus might appeal too much to young people..; Snus snub for Sweden at EU court...

There are many more news briefs that provide reason we can't allow the expansion of snus sales (Do a random search..) Snus appeals to young adults and kids that want to be young adults and not inveterate (hard-nose, long-established, deep-rooted) smokers. Adolescence is a critical time for brain growth and nicotine alters normal brain development. Surely every parent wants their child to reach there full potential and not being an addict dependent on nicotine their whole life.

Reference: Trade minister vows to snuff out EU snus ban, The Local, 11/28/2008.