Are you a chewing tobacco user or are you tempted to try it? Do you want to know more about how it affects you, its benefits, and risks? Read on to find out what expert studies have found about it.

The use of nicotine as a legal drug is widespread in our society. Although the most common form is cigarette smoking, various 'smokeless' alternatives are gaining in popularity. These include chewing tobacco - or snus. In the following lines, we will talk more about it and focus on the findings of relevant scientific studies on its impact on the human body.

What is chewing tobacco and snus?

Chewing is one of the oldest forms of tobacco consumption, practiced by the indigenous peoples of the Americas long before the arrival of Europeans. However, the popularity of chewing tobacco grew especially in the 19th century with the development of tobacco companies in the Americas. It either took the original form of a leaf or was compressed into a small rectangular 'plug'.

However, independently of the American market, the Swedes were already using their own product in the 18th century - snus, which is a variant of dry snuff that is inserted behind the upper lip. Snus is not fermented and so, although it is used in a similar way to snuff, it does not trigger the need to spit out the released juices. It is pasteurised using steam. In America, a similar product is known as dip, but differs from the Scandinavian product in the production process.

Most modern chewing tobaccos are made from dried cut leaves that are fermented and further processed. They can also be sweetened and variously flavoured.

Currently, the most commonly sold products, on our market, are in the form of small pouches that are filled with tobacco and inserted under the upper lip and do not evoke the need for spitting. These pouches are referred to as portioned snus. You have a choice of original portion (brown), white portion , white dry (white dry) or all white, which contains synthetic nicotine without tobacco.

What are nicotine pouches?

A separate category consists of all-white nicotine pouches, which have a white surface. They do not stain teeth, and the flavour, along with nicotine, is released gradually. You can find these pouches in many flavours and various sizes, so you will definitely find something to suit your taste.

The biggest difference between nicotine pouches and snus is that nicotine pouches do not contain tobacco.

What are the benefits of using snus?

The use of snus does not burn tobacco and therefore does not introduce combustion products into the body, which have been shown to significantly increase health risks. Nicotine enters the blood by absorption through the mucous membranes of the mouth, bypassing the bronchi and lungs. In this way, the user does not disturb his surroundings and can use it even in places where smoking is prohibited. This may also be related to help with smoking cessation.

What effect does nicotine have on our bodies?

Before discussing the studies on the effects of snus and snus on the human body, it is important to mention the effects of nicotine, which is contained in all products, regardless of how they are used.

Nicotine affects the central nervous system and, through dopamine, produces pleasurable sensations that the body quickly becomes accustomed to and then craves. A normal dose of nicotine gives a feeling of mild euphoria of exhilaration, relaxation, and increased self-esteem. The user has a reduced need for sleep and is less sensitive and sore. For a short period of time, there may be an improvement in memory, concentration, or hand-eye coordination. After the initial stimulation, however, there is a phase of mild decline.

The cardiovascular system responds by increasing heart rate and blood pressure. The digestive system responds with urge to urinate and acceleration of intestinal peristalsis. Appetite is reduced due to the release of glycogen, a storage form of sugar.

Nicotine is easily addictive and if a person suddenly stops using it, withdrawal symptoms occur, including dizzy spells, depression, irritability, anxiety, sleep and concentration problems, headaches, fatigue, increased appetite and more.

What do scientific studies say about snus?

Most of the available studies, examine the health risks of smokeless tobacco in general. However, there is a great variety of products under this term, which are quite different from Scandinavian snus and American 'smokeless' tobacco, which is also called snus.

These two products are made from unfermented, pasteurised, and air-cured tobacco. This production process is key to reducing the content of known hazardous substances such as nitrites, tobacco nitrosamines (TSNAs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and volatile aldehydes. These are produced precisely when tobacco is fermented and cured into other smokeless products.

Swedish snus adheres to the industry standard GothiaTek, which sets maximum permitted levels for individual pollutants. It is compliance with these standards that shows that as long as the content of certain substances is below a given level, the health risks of these products are proportionally reduced.

Is using smokeless tobacco products healthier?

Although the health risks of smokeless tobacco products are lower than those of cigarettes, it should not be ignored that these products also have their own health risks related to long-term use. Among the most common are the following:

Diseases of the oral cavity

The oral cavity is at risk of developing leukoplakia from smokeless tobacco products – white circumscribed lesions on the mucous membrane that can grow into a malignant tumour. Another risk is the development of periodontitis – receding gums that can lead to tooth loss. Gingivitis and yellowing of the teeth are very common.

Cancer

While cigarette smoking has been shown to be responsible for the majority of lung cancers, smokeless tobacco products do not. However, there is an increased risk of oral, oesophageal, and pancreatic cancers, as these products still contain around 30 different carcinogens (cigarettes have twice as many).

Cardiovascular disease

Use of smokeless tobacco products can cause high blood pressure, a higher risk of heart disease and sudden stroke.

In 2018, a group of researchers around Brian L. Rostron, a general health expert for the US FDA, published a detailed meta-analysis of existing studies examining these risks of smokeless tobacco users in the US and Sweden. The study showed an increased risk of heart disease and stroke in US users, but not in Swedish users. This difference may be due to the different levels of harmful substances that are limited by the Gothia Tek standard in Sweden.

The scientific findings to date show that no form of nicotine use is without health risks. However, individual tobacco products vary considerably in the extent of these risks, and Swedish snus is one of those where the risks are eliminated as much as possible.