Understanding Snus and Nicotine

(Dr. Lars Erik Rutqvist/SnusCentral) Swedish Snus produces a nicotine “kick” that habitual consumers find satisfying. The flip side of the coin, however, is that it is precisely this “kick” that explains the risk of nicotine dependence with snus. Most snus brands have a nicotine content of 0.8% corresponding to 8 mg in a standard 1.0 gram pouch. Brands with somewhat higher nicotine content, about 1.1-1.3%, have been recently introduced on the Scandinavian market as a response to consumer trends. On average, snus users expose themselves to roughly the same total nicotine doses as cigarette smokers. However, the patterns of blood nicotine levels are quite different. Continued