Snus has been around for more than 200 years in Sweden and Norway. Even though produced and consumed mainly in Sweden, the Swedish snus is becoming more and more popular in Europe and North America. While still a tobacco product, this kind is smokeless and is consumed by placing in under the upper lip. Some people also like to keep it in their cheek or lower lip even though traditionally it was meant for the upper lip because the saliva secretion is lower there. A lot of times people think that snus is the same product as snuff. However there are differences in the manufacturing process and the use of each of them. Both of them are finely ground tobacco. While the snuff comes in two types: dry and moist snuff, the snus is moist tobacco, thus considered a kind of snuff. The main differences are that snuff is inhaled through the nostrils, chewed, or placed against the gums, while the Swedish snus is only intended for being placed under the upper lip and held there for a certain amount of time. The obvious advantage of the latter is that it is available in different sizes sachets and is nicknamed tobacco teabag, thus eliminating the need of chewing and spitting. Other differences between the two are the level of tobacco specific nitrosamines which make the snuff more prone to inducing cancer; the manufacturing methods, the Ph levels, and last but not least the marketing of the products. While snuff products are advertised in several countries, snus is still not allowed to be advertised everywhere. However it is becoming more and more popular as an alternative to smoking especially with the new laws that prohibit smoking in public spaces and sometimes even on the street. Thus the Swedish snus is the perfect alternative for people who do not want to quit nicotine or sustain that cannot quit nicotine products. Even though there are other products like the patches or the tablets that contain nicotine, the snus is one of the closest to cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco. In the mean time because of the way it is produced it is less harmful for the consumer. While most of the tobacco is fire cured, the snus is steam cured. Also it is not fermented and it contains only water, salt and additives that can be consumed. In Sweden for example this is considered a food product rather than a smoking product because of the ingredients and the fact that it appears to be preferred when kept refrigerated. Snuff can usually by salty or sweet and is most of the time known as chewing tobacco. Like the Swedish smokeless tobacco, they both have mint and liquorice flavors. The former also comes in peach flavor, while the latter is available in apple, cranberry, wintergreen and coffee vanilla flavors. Also both of them are sold in tins, but while the snuff has a short period of shelf life and it becomes stale in a short period of time, the Swedish product is packaged in cardboard or plastic cans depending on its type. If the product is moist the shelf life it’s shorter, however if the product is packaged in sachets the shelf life is several weeks longer because it is packed in plastic cans.
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