According to research presented during Global Forum On Nicotine 2017 in Warsaw, the use of snus is said to be 95% less harmful than smoking. If its use were allowed across Europe, snus could even reduce the impact of smoking-related illnesses.
SWEDEN: ONLY 5% OF SMOKERS THANKS TO SNUS!
The analysis of the new data presented yesterday at Global Forum On Nicotine 2017 explains the potential that snus has to reduce the impact of tobacco-related illnesses. The new study presented by Peter Lee, epidemiologist and medical statistician, states that snus is at least 95% less harmful than cigarettes.
Lars Ramstrom, a researcher specializing in snus showed that if it were available in Europe, where it is currently banned with the exception of Sweden, it would be possible to prevent many premature deaths each year. Snus, this wet tobacco that cannot be smoked, is very popular in Sweden. According to Eurobarometer 2017 data, snus has led to a reduction in tobacco-related illnesses in the country. Indeed, compared to the rest of Europe where there are 24% smokers on average, Sweden has only 5%.
While 46% of smoking deaths result from respiratory illnesses such as lung cancer, lung disease and pneumonia, there is no evidence that snus can advance these numbers. Snus also does not appear to increase the risk of other smoking-related illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, and other cancers.
For Gerry Stimson, President of the ANN, Snus is a tobacco product that has always been presented as less harmful to health compared to cigarettes. The ban on snus in Europe limits the possibilities of transition towards a reduction of the risks for the smoker and this also has a negative impact on public health.
Researchers took the opportunity to clarify that " Tobacco is one of the biggest threats to public health, killing more than seven million people a year. There are currently a billion smokers in the world »
