Home Snus 101: A beginners guide to the Swedish snus
Local

Snus 101: A beginners guide to the Swedish snus

Contributors

If you are getting started with snus, it’s likely that you have many questions running through your head – like what makes it different, how it compares to other products, where to get it, and so on. Well, if it’s any consolation, you are not alone. Even the best “snusers” were at some point, novices like you.

In this article, we will give an outline of everything you need to know about snus.

So, what is snus?

Snus is a moist powdered tobacco product originating in Sweden. It may look like a tea bag; however, the portion is meant to give you a tobacco hit without the need to light up. Snus contains tobacco, water, salt and sometimes some herbs or flavouring. It comes in portions or loose which you’ll need to place beneath the top lip.

Unlike dipping tobacco that’s treated, fermented and includes chemicals, snus is steam processed and chemical free. This means you won’t need to worry about spitting when you use it, or accidentally swallowing it up.

Where to get Swedish snus

Purchasing snus has never been easier – thanks to technology, you can now order snus online from anywhere in the globe and have it shipped right to your doorstep (well, unless you are from the EU where the use of snus is banned). Top dealers like SnusDirect.com provide both traceable and fast deliveries across the globe. They also allow you to make safe and secure payments through your preferred means, whether its American Express, MasterCard, VISA, bank wire or PayPal.

Why use snus?

There are plenty of reasons to love snus, but here are three great reasons:

  1. Stealth

One great thing about snus is that you can use it anywhere, at any time. Snus slides beneath the top lip and is easy to hide, so no one can detect what you are doing. Unlike cigarettes, there’s no smoke or odour, so you don’t have to go outside. And the best part is you don’t have to spit either, the way you would with chew or dipping tobacco. If you think about it, you can use snus in an airplane, in a bar, in class, in the movies, in a restaurant, at work and so on.

  1. Health

Numerous studies have revealed that snus is safer than the American smokeless tobacco or cigarettes. A WHO report showed that although 50% of Swedish male population uses snus, they still rank last for oral cancer prevalence among all European countries. Also, while dipping tobacco and cigarettes contain about 170 carcinogens per use, snus only has 2.8. Therefore, while snus isn’t 100% harmless, it is the best option when matched to other alternatives.

  1. Wealth

Snus is cheaper than premium dip like Skoal or Copenhagen and costs about the same as a packet of premium cigarettes. But averagely, you won’t have to use snus as often as you would these other products.

What makes it different?

Snus tastes different and has different flavours. Unlike dip that shocks your mouth and results in spitting, snus is subtle and causes no spitting. Besides, the dip is placed in the bottom lip, while snus in the upper lip.

Contributors

Contributors

Have a guest column, letter to the editor, story idea or a news tip? Email editor Chris Graham at [email protected]. Subscribe to AFP podcasts on Apple PodcastsSpotifyPandora and YouTube.