Snus’ future in the EU is still uncertain, despite the product being recognized as a less harmful alternative to cigarettes and allowed to sell in the US.
A spokesman for the European Commission told Euractiv that decisions about the future of Sweden's snus, which is presently prohibited in the EU, will be made based on ongoing evaluation of the tobacco directive.
Although snus has been outlawed in the EU since 1992, Sweden and other non-EU nations like Switzerland and Norway continue to use it.
According to a spokesperson for the European Commission, "Sweden negotiated an exemption to the ban under its accession negotiations, provided that the product is not sold outside Sweden."
“We are currently evaluating the legislative framework for tobacco control, which includes the Tobacco Products Directive 2014/40/EU, the Tobacco Advertising Directive 2003/33/EC, and other related tobacco control policies across the EU. The next steps regarding the Tobacco Products Directive will be decided based on the results of the evaluation”.
The Swedish Snus Manufacturers' Association secretary-general, Patrik Strömer, told Euractiv that the EU ban has created a "unique situation" that facilitates the comparison of public health data. “The numbers are extremely beneficial for the snus country regarding several smoking-related diseases”, he said. He added that the EU snus ban was based “mainly on lack of knowledge”.
“It was something exotic or a novelty, and with no tradition within the member countries at that time, it was easier to ban the product than to learn more,” he explained. “There is the argument that “we don’t want more products like this”, in effect leaving 80 million smokers with no other option than to quit or die, but it is hard to admit that you’ve been doing the wrong thing for decades.”
Karl Fagerström, an associate professor and researcher on nicotine and tobacco, considers it "strange" that, based on the same data, snus has been prohibited in the EU but has been recognized by US health authorities as less harmful and allowed to be sold in the market.
“I think it’s very emotional,” he said. “There was a ban long ago, almost 30 years ago. And I guess it’s a lot of psychology here. Also, if you unban something, you admit that you have been wrong.”