NO - don't even consider legalizing SNUS in Australia..

February 25, 2009 - Dr. Gunilla Bolinder, Chief Physician, Director of Studies and Education, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm 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 even snus. (The use of snus is part of the Swedish heritage - its use dates back over 200 years.)

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.

In a recent communication with Queensland Health Minister Stephen Robertson MP tells us that Australia's toughest and most comprehensive tobacco control laws can be found in his state.

Then why in the world would they have an academic from the University of Queensland Dr. Coral Gartner wanting to bring another tobacco product into the country.
(Call to legalise 'snus' in Australia, by Danny Rose, Medical Writer, The Sydney Morning Herald, 2/23/2009) Professor Wayne Hall colleague of Dr. Gartner - Encourage Smokeless Tobacco Use Though Banned in Australia Since 1991..

They must realize that all tobacco products with no exceptions are highly addictive and dangerous to health; as the World Health Organization tells us "Tobacco is Deadly in Any Form or Disguise."

Not enough is known about smokeless tobacco. As pointed out by Marita Broadstock in her systematic review (Systematic Review of the health effects of modified smokeless tobacco products, NZHTA Report, February 2007, Volume 10 Number 1), the number of studies on smokeless tobacco is relatively slight compared to the wealth of literature published relating to smoking.) More and more studies are surfacing about the dangers of smokeless tobacco.

Selection of supporting news briefs from the archive..

1st image placement of a snus packet and the 2nd an oral lesion induced by sucking on snus bags.


Dr. Goran Boethius, pulmonary specialist and in Sweden Chairman of Doctors Against Tobacco: only five percent of all adults men in Sweden have quit smoking with the use of snus. (Sweden Tobacco Control 2006 Progress & Challenge - both are greater than ever) Michael Thun, MD, American Cancer Society, Vice President of Epidemiology and Surveillance Research - "There is no evidence that smokers will switch to smokeless tobacco products and give up smoking. Encouraging smokeless tobacco use is not only a dangerous tactic in the drive to reduce smoking rates, but scientifically unproven as well.."

The levels of one of the carcinogens in snus, namely nitrosamines, may be lower than in most U.S. brands but the levels are at least 100 times greater than the nitrosamine levels permitted by the United States Department of Agriculture in any non-tobacco product on the U.S. market. (Communication with Dr. Stephen S. Hecht, an internationally recognized expert on cancer-causing agents in tobacco.)

Sir Alexander Macara: if legalized, snus might be taken up by people, especially the young, who might never have smoked tobacco but who may then progress to doing so.(BMJ 2008;336:359 (16 February)) (SNUS use in Inveterate [long established, deep-rooted, in-grained] Tobacco Smokers..) The result of legalizing snus would be a generation of youngsters addicted to nicotine never able to reach their full potential. (Are adults snoozing while kids are "snusing?"..)

Snus causes premature death..; Karolinska Institution finds twice risk of pancreatic cancer when using moist snuff (snus)..

From the article in The Local (Sweden's news in English) - the availability of snus in Norway, a non-EU country, had NOT led to any measurable drop in the prevalence of smoking. Those that use snus in Norway are young adults and kids that tobacco companies have convinced to give it a try. According to Dr. Karl E. Lund, research director at the Norwegian Institute for Alcohol and Drug Research over the past decade, daily use of snus has tripled among teens and young adults. Swedish Match, makes what Dr. Lund calls "starter kits." "This is snus sold in glamorous metal boxes in which the snus is seasoned with different kinds of fruit flavors," he explains. "[They are] easy to use for snus novices." (NCI Cancer Bulletin, Feb 20, 2007 vol 4 number 8)

Royal College of Physicians still pushing the use of SNUS..

Tobacco companies like Swedish Match/Philip Morris International since they lack credibility are always looking for researchers to champion their cause. Both the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast of Queensland offer some of the best beaches in the world. If you thought Cigarette Butts Everywhere Were Bad Wait Until Discarded SNUS Bags..

Many more news briefs can be found (perform a random search) on the dangers of all tobacco products.