– Maybe men are a little dumber than women. I think we are a bit more concerned with creating an image, says student Jonas Hegerberg (24), whom Dagsavisen meets on the streets of Oslo.
He and his friend Emil Kvalheim (25) snuff regularly, and have more friends who snuff than who don’t. They are unsure why snus is more prevalent among men their age.
– I don’t think it’s that much of an image to have a snuff box, but maybe it’s unconscious, Kvalheim believes.
Men aged 25 to 34 are the biggest snuff users in Norway, with 37 per cent who snuff daily. Only 22 percent of women in this age group do the same.
Hegerberg and Kvalheim believe that accessibility, normalization and role models can play a role.
– If a lot of guys are sniffing, then it might be easier to start. And something that is a bit fascinating is that footballers have started sniffing now. It almost seems like they are a little proud of having started scandinavian intoxication, says Kvalheim.
according to The Athletic at least 35 to 40 percent of soccer players now use snuff. They report increased snus use right from the Premier League down to amateur level.
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Different flavors and varieties
Senior researcher at the Department for Drugs and Tobacco at FHI, Tord Finne Vedøy, explains that men have always had a greater consumption of tobacco than women.
– And exactly why it is like that, whether it is men’s inherent self-destructive nature, vulnerability to addiction, gender roles or masculinity rituals, we do not know for sure, but it is probably a mixture of several factors. Old advertisements portray smoke as something for the family man, the boss, the one who has control and power, he says.
E-cigarettes, or vapeis a battery-powered, hand-held device that is used to inhale liquid both with and without nicotine. They are often used in connection with smoking cessation, as a substitute for regular cigarettes.
E-cigarettes are less widespread in the population, but significantly more popular among young women. 17 percent of women aged 16 to 24 report using e-cigarettes, or steamregularly. Only 7 percent of men of the same age do so.
Vedøy believes that e-cigarettes and snus appeal to young people, and preferably to women, because they are varied and offer different flavors and designs. The all-white snus also gives the impression of being clean and harmless to young people, he believes.
In effect of the tobacco directive flavoring in e-cigarettes was banned in July. In 2025, the packaging will also be standardized, as snuff boxes are today.
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– Undoubtedly better that people sniff
It may look like snuff is slowly but surely replacing cigarettes in Norwegian society. The number who snuff in Norway today is almost twice as high as ten years ago. At the same time, the number of people who smoke daily has halved, the figures from Statistics Norway show.
– The largest group of snuff users is still former or current smokers. At the same time, another change is taking place, where a larger proportion of snuff users have no experience of smoking, explains Vedøy.
Vedøy explains that people primarily start with nicotine because it fulfills a social function and has one central stimulant effect. In addition, it is addictive.
As snus has less dangerous effects than cigarettes, there has long been a discussion about whether snus should be recommended to smokers who are unable to quit, says Vedøy. Every fourth person who has quit smoking states that they quit with the help of snuff, writes The Directorate of Health.
– It is better that people sniff than smoke if it is the two alternatives. Personally, I do not think that we will get rid of nicotine use in the population so easily, he believes.
He still believes that you can influence the products and the market to a greater extent than is done today, for example by setting an upper limit for the strength of snus.
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– Not the same warning
43 percent of those who sniff regularly seriously consider quitting within the next six months, write SSB.
Student Kvalheim has managed to quit many times, and the longest period lasted almost a year, but nevertheless he has started again each time.
– You become addicted, of course. I just like it, I like that feeling, he says.
There are many factors that make it difficult to quit, because nicotine causes a release of dopamine in the brain. When the source is removed, you get symptoms such as restlessness, anxiety, restlessness, irritability, concentration difficulties, sleep disturbances or depression, writes The Directorate of Health.
Healthcare writes that the craving for smoke and snuff is also about a learned pattern of action and habits. Hegerberg and Kvalheim agree that it is a matter of habit.
– I remember it from when I quit. When you sit and work at school, you reach for the snuff box without it being there, says Kvalheim.
– You get rituals like that, after you’ve eaten or before you go to bed. If you don’t take a sniff, it feels like something is missing. It’s like brushing your teeth, says Hegerberg.
Senior researcher Vedøy explains that the motivation to stop using snus must therefore be sufficiently great, to outweigh the benefits.
– With smoke, there has been a very clear narrative: this product is the most dangerous thing you can use. But with snus you don’t get the same clear warning that can be weighed against the desire to continue, he explains.
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Why is snus so dangerous for the body?
- Nicotine acts on both the brain, spinal cord (central nervous system) and nerves in the body (peripheral nervous system).
- Over time, nicotine use can have a negative effect on the areas of the brain that control attention, learning and impulse control, especially on young brains that are not fully developed.
- Snuff can also increase the risk of high blood pressure and increased mortality after a heart attack or stroke. In addition, it affects the metabolism in the body, which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Frequent use can increase the risk of cancer of the oesophagus, pancreas, stomach and rectum. In addition, snus can increase mortality after a cancer diagnosis.
- Dentists also warn against snuff, as it causes changes in the mucous membrane in the oral cavity, and can cause long tooth necks that lead to frostbite in the teeth.
Sources: Great Norwegian Lexicon & Healthcare
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