No hope for snus sale in EU

[Mazur]

"Smokeless tobacco products are addictive and hazardous to health, a scientific committee concluded"

http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/health_consu....cfm?al_id=701

SCENHIR is EU advisory body so Brussels will not change its policy.

[Zero]

nanny state politico-crats... should all be shot if it wasn't against my morals :evil:

[darkwing]

OK, great, so everybody can keep smoking, then. WTF?!?! Where is this coming from? The pharma industry?

[TropicalBob]

I didn't find much to disagree with, except the consequences a snus ban leaves. Darkstar, you're right. Cigs are okay, alternative tobacco products are not. Something is seriously wrong here.

This is a stinging refutation of the harm reduction strategy. And it's so short-sighted from a health standpoint. Millions of lives could be saved or improved by adopting a harm reduction program. But it's not going to happen, at least in Europe. Clearly, these people do not want ANY legal tobacco products (they ALL contain addictive nicotine). Isn't that obvious? They want tobacco banished from Planet Earth.

My next fear is that borders will be closed to import of all tobacco products. I don't mind ordering my snus on the Internet, but I can easily see my government deciding it's not in my best interest to receive the shipment I ordered.

Then what? Back to cigs?

[chainsnuser]

nanny state politico-crats... should all be shot if it wasn't against my morals :evil:

Yes, I remember a topic in a German forum some months ago.
One member asked, what one could do to influence the politicians in Brussels to lift the snus-ban.
Another member just posted a list of different assault rifles.
And I answered "Agreed!" :lol:

So, is the decision against a lift of the ban already adopted?

The original SCENIHR-report on smokeless tobacco is some months old and now updated. What I've seen is, that the conclusion, which originally was far more anti-smokeless, seems to be changed at least a little towards a more positive view. Of course, I've only read a few parts of the updated report, right now, in the last few minutes.

Anyhow, I don't really have high expectations.

Cheers!

[aj01]

Snus in Europe

There are more positive aspects to the SCENIHR report than that small article would indicate, and Swedish Match is interpreting it positively.

One aspect which the producers are overlooking is that if the EU opens up, and new accession countries get snus (Poland, Baltics, etc), the price per can will be much lower than in Scandinavia due to per capita income and lower excise rates. Product will flood back to Sweden and Norway by the boatload. One example: A pack of Prince in Poland is about 2 euros, whereas in Norway, it's around 11.

The ban will be lifted at some point, especially if Philip Morris enters the market.

[Mazur]

Re: Snus in Europe

Product will flood back to Sweden and Norway by the boatload. One example: A pack of Prince in Poland is about 2 euros, whereas in Norway, it's around 11.

According to Polish law, even is snus ban is lifted in EU, local companies will not be allowed to manufacture snus. Snus will be imported to Poland, our goverment will tax it more and no chance for "pararell import" like in case of cigarettes.

Maybe from more liberal countries like Estonia, Slovakia, Czech Republic and so on.

Snus is much cheaper in Russia but the market is so small that noone sells it online abroad. And their post office services are very unreliable.

Maybe company from India - www.vikingswed.com start some online shop with cheap snus from Asia?

And Chineses? They manufacture almost everything. Chinese snus - why not? ;-)


There are more positive aspects to the SCENIHR report than that small article would indicate, and Swedish Match is interpreting it positively.

There are more positive aspects to the SCENIHR report than that small article would indicate, and Swedish Match is interpreting it positively.

Yes but SCENHIR ignored the facts and draw a politically correct conclusion.

[aj01]

Snus in Poland

Mazur,

I find that surprising. Gallaher (JTI), House of Prince (F&L) and Imperial (Skruf) all have significant cigarette factories in Poland. Many of the cigarettes sold in Scandinavia come from Polish factories. It would be logical to save on labor and social costs, and move snus to these factories as well.

Also, the anti-smoking lobby is getting louder every year in Poland, trying once to ban smoking in cars and parks and bus-stops. 36% of Poles smoke, so it would not be a bad idea to allow snus. Then members of the Sejm would not have to run out so often for smoke-breaks.

(I have a fiancee and a flat in Warsaw, so I keep track of life there fairly closely).

One of the reasons snus caught on in Scandinavia is the price differential with cigarettes. It was always cheaper to snus. Now after 2 huge excise increases, Swedish Match has reported a first-ever drop in snus volume in yesterday's annual results. Poland and the Baltics would do well to keep snus cheap for its own population if they want to reduce smoking.

[Mazur]

That will be logical to move snus production but first the companies have to invest in changing local law.

And if they change, they will do it in the way that local manufacturers will not be able to produce snus (high costs of R&D, licences, certificates etc.) and Big Ones will keep the price.

If any goverment would like to "harmonize" cigarettes prices to EU level
at once it would be overthrown. But who cares about snus.

[Zero]

One member asked, what one could do to influence the politicians in Brussels to lift the snus-ban.
Another member just posted a list of different assault rifles.

:lol: :lol: :lol: A nice Swedish AK-4, perhaps

[aj01]

EU

In Europe, they are all in the pockets of big-pharm, big-tobacco, etc. just like in the USA. And believe me, big-Pharm has NO interest whatsoever in weening punters off of nic. Gum is a bright cash cow.

What's interesting is the loudest voice to lift the ban, Swedish Match, has absolutely no recognized brands. Lucky Strike, Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta (and LD) have a far better chance than General and Ettan, as they are brands with reasonable positions as cigarettes/cigars outside of Scandinavia.

[anweis]

Re: Snus in Europe

And Chineses? They manufacture almost everything. Chinese snus - why not? ;-)

I will not put anything Chinese in my mouth, thank you very much.

[aj01]

Sweden

The issue of production outside of Sweden would be a presumption that the local food authorities would regulate conditions of production as well as the Swedes. Sweden would have to outsource its food inspectors to companies' overseas factories.

Come to think of it, the US could use it now after that massive recall of hamburger made from sick cows.

On the other hand, I am sure the major manufacturers would duplicate conditions if they went overseas, or else it's not snus.