New Guy

[M0RNA]

Greetings Steve, welcome to the forum. That's great news that you quit cigarettes for snus. I did the same, I quit 5 months ago, and with snus, I never looked back.

Many thanks for the warm welcome. Congratulations to you also on your stopping smoking. The other day, I had to stand near someone who was smoking a cigarette in public, and the smell was just....awful. All the time I was unaware of snus, the chances were that I would start smoking again at some stage....however, with snus, I like to think that I will never put match to tobacco again.....I'd rather stuff it under my lip (but only the Swedish stuff)

Cheers

Steve

[The Cook]

Greetings Steve, welcome to the forum. That's great news that you quit cigarettes for snus. I did the same, I quit 5 months ago, and with snus, I never looked back.

[M0RNA]

Thanks for the welcome Slatter

[M0RNA]

Hi Chainsnuser,

Thanks for the welcome

Yes, I have read the Swedish construction workers study, and I agree totally with your observations re pancreatic cancer. As you say, there are many confounding factors which could account for this observation, including previous undeclared smoking habits, exposure to dangerous chemicals in the course of their work and alcohol too. Also, yes, if more women in Sweden smoke compared to men, then that would account for a higher incidence of pancreatic cancer in females.

I love the studies which show a RR of less than 1 for snus users compared to non-tobacco users. For example, the study carried out by Luo et al in 2007 indicated that snus use has an apparent protective effect against lung cancer ( RR of 0.8 ). Also Huhtasaari et al in 1992 showed that snus use has an apparent protective effect against heart attack (RR of 0.9 )!! I'm maintaining an open verdict on these very interesting observations, but I am personally convinced that snus use is not a danger to health, which, in this incredibly anti-tobacco world, is still hard to believe....it shows how indoctrinated I had become with the 'all tobacco use is terrible' message.

Here in the UK, we have the wonderful, but underfunded National Health Service which probably spends millions of pounds each year treating smoking related illnesses. I don't need to say how much money could be saved, not to mention lives, if the pointless EU ban on Snus sales could be lifted, and people steered away from a habit which will almost certainly have a negative effect on their health, ie smoking, to one which will give more pleasure, but without the risk to health, ie Snus

Cheers

Steve

[chainsnuser]

Re: New Guy

Welcome to the Forum, Steve!

I am aware that one of the studies did show a slight risk of pancreatic cancer, but pancreatic cancer is relatively rare anyway, and interestingly the rates of pancreatic cancer in Sweden is actually higher in women compared to men (1.6% of cancer diagnoses in men in 2004 vs 2.0% of cancer diagnoses in women in 2004 (1)). If snus was such a risk factor for pancreatic cancer, surely it would be the other way round given that snusing is predominantly a male preserve?

That's not hard to understand. Smoking is still very popular among Swedish women and smoking AFAIK poses a higher risk for pancreatic cancer, than snus...

... if snus does at all. The study that found a possible, so to say statistical risk of pancreatic cancer (0,032% or one case in 3125 users) was done with 125.000 Swedish construction workers. These people come in contact with so many dangerous chemicals (including cheap beer :wink that I even doubt, that snus has something to do with the cases of pancreatic cancer. I've only read abstracts about this study, so AFAIK the comparison group of non tobacco-users, which was used in that study, was taken from general statistics, not only including construction workers.

So, If I'd say, that snus-use even prevents pancreatic cancer to a certain extent, then the known statistics could hardly disprove it.

I've even seen statistics, where the chances of certain types of cancer are lower for snus-users, than for non snus-users

Please correct me, if my informations are wrong.

The "Harm-Reduction Report by the Royal College of Physicians (October 2007)" could be of interest for you, if you haven't already read it:
http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/pubs/cont...239b09c5db.pdf


Cheers!

[slatter]

welcome

[M0RNA]

Hello,

Thought I'd introduce myself.

I'm from Portsmouth in the UK and am new to snus having only tried it a few weeks ago. I've been trying a few different brands and find that, by far, my fave is Nick and Johnny Los. Goterborgs Rape Los is great too, but at the moment I am enjoying a pris of Offroad Cranberry Los.

My reason for snusing is that I have been a smoker, on and off, since I was about 17 (I'm 37 now) and even though I have successfully stopped smoking in the past, I have always started again. Snus for me is a wonderful way to stop me going back to cigarettes, and I have now come to really dislike the smell of cigarettes.

I am currently working as a service engineer, but my background is 14 years in medical science, so I have spent a lot of time reading as many academic and peer reviewed papers on the subject of snus as possible. I am sure that I am preaching to the choir, but I am convinced that the studies carried out regarding cancer/cardiovascular risk are large enough, and robust enough to have shown any problems in these areas. I am aware that one of the studies did show a slight risk of pancreatic cancer, but pancreatic cancer is relatively rare anyway, and interestingly the rates of pancreatic cancer in Sweden is actually higher in women compared to men (1.6% of cancer diagnoses in men in 2004 vs 2.0% of cancer diagnoses in women in 2004 (1)). If snus was such a risk factor for pancreatic cancer, surely it would be the other way round given that snusing is predominantly a male preserve? So, overall, having thoroughly reviewed the evidence, my conclusion is that Swedish snus, manufactured in the traditional Swedish way, do not present an increased risk of cancer (head, neck, mouth, oesophageal, stomach and lung) to the user. I have to admit that there is evidence to suggest that snus users do run an increased risk of death from a cardiovascular event, but this risk is not so high that it worries me.....if this were not the case then there would be a strong and distinct association between snus use and death due to stroke or heart attack. Sorry for all the academic stuff, but its my training and nature coming to the fore

Personally, I feel that the 'all tobacco is bad' lobby is wrong and the the EU ban on sales of snus is akin to prohibiting the sales of bows and arrows when machine guns are freely available in every shop. Additionally, snus is a lot cheaper than smoking. I reckon that a tin of los will last me at least a week, so a 10 tin roll of snus (even with the rumoured hike in price) will work out at about £4 a week.....hardly an expensive habit, and like I said, if it stops me going back to the cigarettes then there is no argument about the price.

My regards to all the noble snusers on this forum

Cheers

Steve

1. Cancer Incidence in Sweden 2004, The National Board of Health and Welfare, Centre for Epidemiology.