Snus, pronounced like ‘snoose’, is a smokeless tobacco product that many of us may be familiar with. As a common alternative to cigarettes or chewing tobacco, it is widely known and used by many. But do you know exactly what the product is? Where is has come from? And how it is produced? Probably not. Luckily for you, we’re here to help with this post all about snus…
Background of Snus
Traditionally, Snus came from Scandinavia, where you can still find a large number of snus sellers today. Snus originated back in the 18th century in Sweden, from a dry snuff variant of tobacco. When it first originated, snus and its precursor snuff, were fashionable amongst the upper-class, particularly with females as it was seen as more attractive than smoking traditional cigarettes. As society progressed and snus became a more mainstream product, it started to develop into a profitable product with varied uses and functions.
Snus vs. Other Tobacco Products
There are a wide range of tobacco products on the market, each offering different functions and primary uses. Of course, there is the popular and most commonly used tobacco product, cigarettes. 1.3 billion people across the globe use tobacco regularly, the majority of them opting for cigarettes over any other form.
Another popular choice of tobacco product is snuff, the precursor to snus. Snuff, as suggested in the name, is sniffed rather than smoked or ingested. Typically, snuff is scented or mentholated, and also dry and powdered. This is the main difference between snuff and snus, is that snus is a moister form of smokeless tobacco. Similarly, however, snus is also flavoured and mentholated, but tends to have stronger scents and flavours, often using citrus, juniper, herbs and floral flowers.
One of the most popular forms of smokeless tobacco is chewing tobacco. Most commonly found in North America and Europe, chewing tobacco, or chew, is loose leaf tobacco that is either placed between the cheek and gums or actively chewed. Most similar to this is dipping tobacco, which again is usually placed between the cheek and gums. Both of these forms of tobacco are often flavoured. It is important to note that chewing tobacco can lead to serious health issues, such as oral cancer and gum disease. To mitigate these risks, you can shop chewing tobacco alternatives.
How is Snus Made?
Rather than being rolled into cigarettes, dried for chewing or powdered for sniffing, tobacco undergoes a specific process before being sold. First off, the tobacco leaves are sliced into thin strips, which are then dried in the sun before being ground into a fine powder. This powdered tobacco is then heated for 24 to 36 hours, until it reaches temperatures of 212 degrees Fahrenheit, or 100 degrees Celsius.
As snus is typically rather moist, the dry powdered snuff is then combined with water. Usually, snus will contain 50% water and 30% tobacco. The remaining 20% is then made up with additives, flavourings, and preservatives. Once produced, snus tends to be kept in the fridge to keep contents fresh.
How is Snus Used
Snus is usually sold in tins or tea bag shaped portions that can be placed under the upper lip and can remain in place for 13 to 15 hours each day. Snus isn’t smoked or inhaled, and instead is simply placed in the users mouth and from there the tobacco will be absorbed throughout the day.