Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

SNUS

What is snus and why do so many Norwegians use it? 

If you spend any amount of time in Norway, you’re likely to come across snus, but what is it and why is it more popular among Norwegians than another common habit? 

Published: 28 June 2021 17:26 CEST
What is snus and why do so many Norwegians use it? 
A tub of snus. Photo by Lisa Risager/ Flickr

In Norway, more people use snus daily than smoke everyday, according to a report from Statistics Norway released in May.

“The proportion who smoke daily in Norway has fallen considerably in recent years, but the use of snus is still very widespread,” Statistics Norway said in the report. 

Less than 10 percent of people in Norway now smoke daily, while 13 percent use snus on a daily basis. 

Snus is a moist, powdered tobacco, which originated in Sweden in the 1800s. Tobacco had been in Sweden since the 1600s, having arrived from New Sweden, the country’s short-lived colony in Delaware, the United States.

However, as tobacco was so expensive in the country, due to Sweden not having much power in the tobacco commodities market compared to the colonial powers of the time, there was a need for a cheaper tobacco product. Thus snus was introduced as a more affordable, alternative form of snuff.

The smokeless tobacco product then made its way to Norway in the late 1800s as Norway was in union with Sweden at the time. 

Snus typically comes as a moist powder or in small bags that are placed between the top lip and the gum. However, unlike snuff, spitting isn’t required.

It has become increasingly popular among young people.

More than a quarter of those born in the 1990’s use snus every day compared to just three percent of people the same age who smoke. 

“The increase in the number of young people using snus can be linked to the decline in smoking among people in the same age group,” Statistics Norway’s report said. 

The sale of snus is illegal in all EU countries except Sweden, Estonia, Hungry and Denmark, as Norway is not a member of the EU the sale of snus is legal.

READ MORE: Snus is now more popular than smoking in Norway 

Snus, like all tobacco products in Norway, comes in plain packaging with no branding or logos. Snus is sold in small tubs with little bags containing the snus inside. 

Why is snus more popular than cigarettes?

There are a few reasons why snus is more popular than cigarettes in Norway.

“Snus is more popular with young people than smoking. Some explanation may be that snus does not smell as much as smoke, it doesn’t harm anyone but oneself, and there are many flavours to choose from,” according to information site for young people ung.no. 

Additionally, snus can be discreetly used in public spaces such as bars and restaurants, making it more convenient than smoking for many, especially given how cold Norway can get during the winter.

Also, snus is cheaper than smoking, with a tub of snus costing around 80 kroner, compared to 140 kroner for a box of 20 cigarettes. 

Like all tobacco products, snus also increases the risk of health problems, however not to the same extent as smoking.

Snus still contains carcinogens, however, and increases the risk of cancer of the oesophagus and pancreas. Snus may also increase the risk of stomach and rectum cancer, according to helsenorge.no.

Snus also causes gum disease and receding gums, and like all tobacco products, increases the risk of type 2 diabetes. 

In numbers

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

NORWEGIAN HABITS

Shoes, sandwiches and small talk: The habits you pick up living in Norway 

Whether it's by a conscious effort to fit in or you catch yourself doing it instinctively one day, you'll pick up several Norwegian habits that'll govern what you wear, your social interactions and what you eat. 

Published: 28 February 2023 14:09 CET
Updated: 31 October 2023 11:55 CET
Shoes, sandwiches and small talk: The habits you pick up living in Norway 

Sooner or later, your surroundings influence you, whether it’s your perception of things or how you behave or see yourself. 

However, you won’t have to start seeing yourself as a true Norwegian before you start inadvertently picking up a few Norwegian habits. 

You may have even begun to form some of these habits from day one after being clued in on some of the country’s social norms. Nevertheless, here are six Norwegian habits you will probably pick up living in Norway. 

Function over fashion 

This habit will be formed out of necessity and practicality. You will probably need to change up your wardrobe due to the weather in Norway- mild summers and freezing winters – and the emphasis on spending time outdoors and in nature. 

Learning how to layer and investing in wool will be two essential changes you’ll make to how you dress. If you live on Norway’s west coast (Bergen is considered one of the rainiest cities in the world), you’ll need to invest in a good raincoat too. 

Slippery pavements and streets in the winter will also likely tweak your choice of footwear during the colder months.

READ ALSO: Six tips on how to dress like a Norwegian

Shoes off 

On clothing, you’ll habitually take your shoes off whenever you enter someone’s home. This is especially important in Norway in the winter. Due to the snow and ice, you don’t want to leave your floors soaked after walking around with shoes on. 

Shoes with deep treads will also walk tiny bits of stone, grit and sand into the home. These little bits of debris can scratch up floors and ruin carpets in no time. 

Cutting down on small talk 

Many countries and cultures see chitchat as a form of politeness and a fun part of everyday life. However, in Norway, the opposite is true. Instead, saving the small talk and savouring the silence is seen as more polite. 

Norwegians emphasise respecting one another’s privacy, which is why many refrain from small talk or at least keep personal questions to a minimum, which is seen as respecting one’s privacy. 

For those from places where small talk is more common, this may make Norwegians seem cold and aloof. But it’s worth remembering that the locals refrain from small talk with good intentions. 

After some cultural adaptation, most will typically switch up their social routine to make small talk more appropriate (in the eyes of Norwegians) or take silence as golden.

READ ALSO: When can you talk to a stranger in Norway without annoying them?

Eating earlier 

This habit may not change immediately or for many years, but eventually, time (an earlier dinner time) will catch up with you. 

For most people, this happens when they have kids. This is because children in Norway are typically signed up for all kinds of clubs, events and activities in the evenings. This means getting in an early dinner before sending them off for their hobbies, classes, and training is preferable to feeding them at 8pm. 

Many people in Norway will finish work between 3pm and 5pm, making an early dinner fairly possible.

If it isn’t dinner at 5pm that you’ll pick up, your colleagues at work may rub off on you, and you’ll begin having ‘lunsj’ at 11am instead. 

Friluftsliv 

Translated to the outdoors life, is friluftsliv. This is a cornerstone of Norwegian culture. Everyone will figure out their way of getting outdoors and enjoying nature. 

This doesn’t mean massive cross-country ski trips, scrambling up and down mountains or throwing yourself down a slope on two planks of wood.

It could just mean a slow winding walk on a Sunday (Søndags tur), enjoying a hammock trip in the summer, or just generally getting out and about. 

Depending on how well you adapt ad adjust to Norway will depend on how you embrace the outdoor lifestyle when the weather is less than stellar. 

As Norwegians say, “there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes).  

Sandwiches are a serious business (and other Norwegian cuisine habits) 

Not only will Norway change when you eat, but it will also influence what you eat. Norwegians enjoy a sandwich topped with their pålegg (topping or spread of choice). In fact, it can end up being three of their four daily meals if they opt for a kveldsmat (evening snack-sized meal). 

These are the lunch of choice of Norwegians up and down the country, and if you construct a sandwich which goes beyond what is typical (by Norwegian standards), you can expect to be subject to intense scrutiny. 

Other changes to your diet will include the adoption of texmex tacos and frozen pizzas to varying degrees and saving alcohol and sweets until the weekend. 

READ ALSO: Five Norwegian food mistakes you only make once

SHOW COMMENTS