By: Sara Oliveira
The number of Swedish women between the ages of 16 and 29 who use nicotine pouches daily has increased by more than one million since 2013. Olga Ige, 23, says quitting “isn’t part of the plan.”
Nicotine pouches, more commonly known as snus, are essentially small pouches of synthetic nicotine. There are two types, the brown and white ones. The browns are a concentrated form of tobacco, that can be flavoured, these are the original snus. The most recent snus are the white ones – pouches of flavoured synthetic nicotine.
1177’s website, (Sweden’s Health Advice Agency), specifically states that “snus contains carcinogenic substances”, which increase the risk of getting esophagus and rectum cancer, having strokes or heart attacks, and losing teeth. People who use snus frequently, “five or more” boxes a week, are also in risk of developing type 2 diabetes. “Mortality from any cause is higher among snus users than among people who do not use tobacco.”
Olga Ige, a student at University of Gothenburg, has never smoked, however, she started ‘snusing’ daily at 18. After discovering its consequences, she decided to only use it at parties, but says that, regardless of the dangers, she has no intention of stopping.
Data from Statistics Sweden (SCB) shows that the trend is increasing rapidly, while there’s an equal decrease in the number of smokers amongst young women in Sweden.
Alva Gustavsson, a 23-year-old student at the University of Gothenburg, says that she also started ‘snusing’ at 18. “It feels good, but I probably use it more because of the habit.”
Helen Stjerna, leader of the Swedish non-profit foundation, A Non-Smoking Generation, was interviewed by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the subject. She warns that the tobacco industry advertises snus as a healthier choice rather than the traditional cigarette. “They push the idea that white snus is something fresh, with candy-like flavours. It’s no longer this disgusting brown snus that runs down your teeth and stains them brown” she says.