Sweden seeks to lift EU snus ban...

[RobsanX]

In its role at the helm of the EU presidency, Sweden is in prime position to make its case and Stockholm has intensified talks with the European Commission and other member states on the subject.

"As the presidency, you're not supposed to put things on the agenda that can be seen as national priorities ... But on the other hand, we cannot rule out that this issue will come up in some form during other discussions," Swedish Trade Minister Ewa Bjoerling told AFP in a telephone interview.

She argued that other forms of "oral" tobacco are allowed to be sold within the EU and points out that her country has one of the lowest rates of smoking.

http://www.thelocal.se/22086/20090915/

[RobsanX]

Hey! I like this news site!

http://www.thelocal.se/gallery/stockholm/1300/

[sagedil]

Blah, blah, blah.

Sweden has been "seeking" to lift it since the day after it passed. Don't expect much from this.

[justintempler]

I don't see it as a no win situation, at some point I expect the ban to be lifted. Politicians are always looking for ways to replace lost revenue because of declining smoking rates. You also have the entrance into the snus world of the mutinationals. And by next year we shold have some results from the medical studies of snus.

[sagedil]

Oh I agree with you justintempler that it's juts a matter of time.

But I still laugh every time I read someone's excitement about Sweden trying to get the ban lifted. They have been doing that since the day after it passed.

But one day, politicians will come to their senses. One day.

[Snusdog]

And by next year we shold have some results from the medical studies of snus.

JT,

What medical studies?

[justintempler]

And by next year we shold have some results from the medical studies of snus.

JT,

What medical studies?

Medical might be the wrong word, It's a clinical trial to see if snus can be used to wean people off of cigarettes.

http://www.clinicaltrial.gov/ct2/sho...M+08-01&rank=1

Controlled Study of the Ability of a Smokefree Tobacco Product to Increase the Quit Rate Among Cigarette Smokers

Estimated Enrollment: 250
Study Start Date: February 2009
Estimated Study Completion Date: February 2010
Estimated Primary Completion Date: December 2009 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)

Detailed Description:
In a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled setting, participants are randomly allocated to either a smokefree, oral tobacco product or a non-tobacco, non-nicotine placebo product with identical flavoring and physical appearance. The study consists of three phases: Study Product Test Period (4 weeks), Intervention Phase (12 weeks), and a Follow-Up Phase (12 weeks). The participants are all cigarette smokers who are motivated to quit. They are encouraged to gradually substitute as many cigarettes as possible with study products during the Study Product Test Period and to refrain from all cigarettes at the latest by the first day of Week 5. Use of study products will continue during the 12 week Intervention Phase. The participants are encouraged to cut down on use of study products during the last 3 weeks to avoid a too abrupt ending of nicotine intake.

All subjects are encouraged to continue in the study for clinical follow-up independent of smoking status although use of study products is discontinued during the Follow-Up Phase. If a subject has managed to quit smoking during the Intervention Phase but there is an imminent danger of smoking relapse during the Follow-Up Phase, that subject is informed that use of nicotine replacement therapy or a smokefree tobacco product is a better option in terms of health risks than a smoking relapse.

[derango1]

Hmmm. I like Snus a lot more than I liked smoking.

[tom502]

What smokless product are they using? Snus or dip? Is this a US test?

[snusjus]

What smokless product are they using? Snus or dip? Is this a US test?

Snus.

Official Title: A Controlled Study of the Ability of a Traditional Swedish Smokeless Tobacco Product ("Snus") to Increase the Quit Rate Among Cigarette Smokers Who Wish to Stop Smoking

http://www.clinicaltrial.gov/ct2/sho...M+08-01&rank=1