Snus Should Not Be Banned!

Snus Should Not Be Banned! The Evidence Says That Snus Should Not Be Banned

Swedish Snus!

How would the people of France react if the European Union wanted to prohibit them from selling wine in other member states on health grounds? Or their wonderful cheeses, which contain the Listeria monocytogene bacteria, a well-known health risk? And what would Irish or Danish people say if their beef trade were to be permanently banned because of animal-welfare issues? Hopefully, we will never have to find out. The principle of the free movement of goods, services, people and capital on the EU’s internal market is a cornerstone of the Union that we should continue to develop – not restrict.

Our Union has come a long way from endless disputes at border stations, looking for excuses to constrict the arteries of trade that fill the economy of the EU with strength and prosperity. The day-to-day functioning of the internal market benefits us all as Europeans, and to my knowledge there is now only one commodity that is lawfully produced, sold and consumed in one member state, and exported all over the world, that still cannot be sold in the rest of the EU – the special form of tobacco for oral use known as Swedish snuff, or snus.

The unanswered trade question

Swedish snus was outlawed in the EU in 1989, six years before Sweden became a member of the Union in 1995 and four years before the establishment of the internal market in 1993. Upon our accession to the EU we reluctantly had to settle for a permanent derogation from this prohibition.

But a partial revocation of the ban is not enough. Since then, the Swedish parliament, the Swedish government and an overwhelming majority of the Swedish people have been consistently united in their desire to abolish the ban. A survey conducted in late 2008 showed that eight out of ten Swedes believe it is wrong that snus is treated differently than cigarettes, and 20% stated that the ban is negatively affecting their view of the EU. In November last year, I – as Sweden’s trade minister – tried to initiate a discussion with the European Commission by writing to Charlie McCreevy, the European commissioner responsible for the internal market and services. I asked him if he thought that the ban on snus could be regarded as consistent with the principles of the internal market. I also made it clear that in my view it is obvious that the ban is disproportionate and has discriminatory effects.

The Commission has still not responded in substance to my concerns. The only reply so far has come from the commissioner for health, Androulla Vassiliou, in early February. However, she did not address any of my primary questions, which spring from the fundamental principles of the entire European Union and should be treated accordingly.

A scientific case without a scientific base

Sweden has the same right as any member state to raise issues that are of concern to our citizens, influence the terms of trade for our industry and are matters of fundamental principle. And the Commission has an obligation to acknowledge the legitimacy of our concerns and make an appropriate response.

Instead I was referred to a report from the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) published by the Commission in February 2008. Based on the inconclusive findings of this report, the commissioner stated that snus causes cancer, is addictive and might be a gateway to other forms of tobacco use. The Commission therefore does not at this stage envisage proposing any changes, I was told.

But, first of all, the SCENIHR report does not establish a scientific basis for banning snus. The claims that Swedish snus is a major cause of cancer have not been scientifically proven in a satisfactory way.

Secondly, the directive that bans Swedish snus stipulates that any tobacco product less harmful than the ones already allowed should be included in every review. This is something the Commission so far has failed to do.

The Commission’s case for acting as guardian of Swedes’ health is unproven. As for its role as guardian of the principle of free trade and every member state’s equal right of access to the internal market, it has failed to prove a clear answer as to why the ban on snus is reasonable. The ban has not been sufficiently discussed from the point of view of free movement of goods in the EU. Swedes need an answer that is reasonable, fair and just in the light of the principles of the internal market,

Ewa Björling is Sweden’s minister for trade

The potentially most problematic substances in smokeless tobacco products are nitrosamines (TSNA) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). The Swedish Food Federation recently commissioned a study of the presence of these from Eurofins, a world-leading corporation for food and pharmaceutical products testing. Its analysis of 27 smokeless tobacco products marketed within the EU revealed that, in comparison with Swedish snus, some of these products contained up to 30 times higher levels of readily absorbed TSNA and up to 400 times higher concentrations of the PAH carcinogen benzo(a)pyrene.

It revealed that in comparison with Swedish snus, nasal snuff products from Germany, the Netherlands and the UK contained up to 40 times higher concentrations of carcinogenic TSNAs, and more than 400 times higher levels of the PAH benzo(a)pyrene, which is a potent carcinogen (indeed, in some of these EU-approved products, PAH benzo(a)pyrene exceeds the maximum permitted concentrations in food items by a factor of one hundred).

Swedish snus is no doubt seen as an unwelcome competitor by producers of pharmaceutical nicotine products, but it is a stunning display of cynicism that the European Commission prevents access to an affordable alternative to cigarettes that could prevent smoking-related deaths.

Smoking is responsible for the deaths of about 700,000 people in the EU each year. It is no coincidence that the incidence of smoking- related diseases has dramatically decreased among Swedish men at a time when more and more of them are opting to use snus instead of cigarettes.

At SWEDISHPRODUCTS.ONLINE you will find all ZYN flavors! We sell ZYN pouches for $3.59 per can at the moment. We ship our orders by UPS or PostNord. All payments are processed by NETS. All purchases include seller insurance. If you are not satisfied with your goods when they arrive at your place, you can file a claim with NETS and get your money refunded. It´s safe for you. It puts some pressure on us to always deliver fresh and high-quality products.

We strive to form long-lasting relationships with our customers. A wide and varied assortment of Swedish snus and Nicotine pouches (more than 300 SKU´s), best prices, special offers, discount codes and promo codes, speedy and secure shipments by UPS or PostNord, secure payments by NETS includes seller insurance, fresh, high-quality products, dedicated, knowledgeable and service-minded customer service are the cornerstones in our snus shop!