What does snus contain?
The snus found in Scandinavia is mainly manufactured in Sweden and is, interestingly, regulated as a food product under the Swedish Food Act.
Snus is fundamentally a ground tobacco product, which contains nicotine. Due to the nicotine, it provides the user with the same benefits as other nicotine products, such as a buzz or a feeling of calm. For non-nicotine users, think of it as your first cup of coffee in the morning – soothing, uplifting and very much needed.
However, snus also possesses the addictive disadvantage of nicotine. Consequently, some nausea, irritability, and headaches should be expected if a user tries to pause or quit snus altogether.
The remaining ingredients in snus are regular salt, sodium carbonate, moisture preserving agents (for when its carried around outside the fridge), and aromatic compounds that provide any optional flavours that users may desire. Popular flavor choices include whiskey, licorice, and mint.
There have been rumours that snus contains fiberglass or glass particles, which are meant to improve the absorption of nicotine into the blood. This myth is completely
untrue and, in fact, the body is able to absorb nicotine sufficiently on its own through the mucous membranes, without any additional “assistant ingredients”.