With nearly a full week of the new year down, you might be coming to grips with the things you decided to quit at the beginning of January; from vaping and alcohol to chocolate and saying yes to absolutely everything.
And perhaps to help you give up your vice, you’re looking for replacements as the cravings kick in.
But an expert has issued a warning over snus as it starts to become even more popular than using vapes.
In case this hasn’t quite entered the group chat for you yet, snus is basically a tobacco product that looks like tiny little teabag pillows.
Originating in Sweden, it’s been pretty big in Scandinavia for quite some time (it’s actually the most common type of tobacco product in Norway) and has grown in popularity among young Brits over the years.
Snus is illegal in all of the European Union (EU) except for Sweden as well as Australia and New Zealand.
The little dry pouches of tobacco are placed under a person’s lip for about thirty minutes – it’s often compared to being a single use teabag of cigarettes.
In the UK, Swedish snus is banned so our nicotine pouches do not contain any tobacco.
But as it is nicotine, it is addictive.
But Libby Clarke, a Managing Consultant of Toxicology, told Cosmopolitan: “Nicotine from oral products is absorbed more slowly compared with inhaled products like cigarettes or vapes, therefore the addictive potential is thought to be lower.”
A dental surgeon took to TikTok to warn users about the effects of snus as the pouches are placed against the gums when they are used.
The London Dentist claimed: “But this causes lesions on the gums, like this.”
He then shows some pretty gross close ups of gums that look all sore and ripped with white bits of skin peeling off. Yeah, gross.
He continued: “Some studies have suggested that this might even be precancerous.
“Snus even causes gum recession and even gum inflammation and gum disease.”
As per Cleveland Clinic, gum recession is a form of gum disease where the gum tissue pulls away from your teeth and exposes the roots underneath. This then makes your teeth more vulnerable to cavities and they can become more sensitive.
There isn’t a lot of data out there at the moment on how safe snus is but it’s said that in theory, nicotine pouches should be better for you than cigarettes but – obviously – still not great for your health.
Pharmacist Ian Budd added to Cosmo: “The information we do have does not paint it in an entirely positive light.
“As snus contains nicotine, it is seen as an addictive substance, as it’s the nicotine in tobacco products that causes addiction in the first place.
“Some studies have shown that there may be a link to higher rates of pancreatic cancer, heart failure, and diabetes, although research is still ongoing.”
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
