Proper snusing: application tips for snus beginners

Snus refers to a tobacco product intended for oral consumption, which differs from chewing tobacco and snuff in terms of ingredients and use. In its country of origin, Sweden, snus is now more popular than cigarettes, and with the legalization of its sale in Switzerland, it is also becoming more popular in other European countries and the number of users is increasing.

Of course, it would be best if you never want to start using nicotine. However, if you want to switch from smoking to snus, for example, a few tips should be followed when using it for the first time. Since it is a product with nicotine, it should not be used lightly. Therefore, we want to introduce you to a few steps to snus properly and explain what you should pay attention to snus and which products are suitable for first use.

What is snusing?

Snus has existed for decades and is still traditionally made from ground tobacco, salt, water and various flavors. At first, the product was sold loose in metal cans and partly even today one of the oldest snus brand Ettan produces its products this way.

For easier use, snus was later packaged in cellulose pouches. At first, portonated snus was available only as an original portion, which is moistened. After that, drier variants called White Portion and White Dry Portion came on the market, before the practical Nicotine Pouches with the EPOK brand were launched in 2016. These Nicotine Pouches have now even replaced the tobacco with cellulose as a filler, so these white snus completely without tobacco have a reduced potential for harm.

Start snusing: Which variety is best?

The snus strength depends on various factors, among other things, of course, the nicotine content plays an important role. If you switch from cigarettes to snus, you should choose a brand that is not so strong, because the nicotine content can sometimes be stronger than cigarettes.

How high the nicotine content is, you can either see on the can or take from the Internet. Snus varieties are classified with different strength scales depending on the manufacturer, which is why it is not easy to compare them - that is why we have introduced an objective strength scale for each product on www.snushus.ch, which also makes it possible to compare different brands. There are a few more factors to consider than the pure nicotine content: the wetter a snus and the higher the ph-value, the more of the nicotine content is absorbed in the body. We therefore recommend that you look at the comparative strength information on the product pages on our website.

How to use snus: What is the best way to use snus?

If you want to try snus for the first time, you first have to decide between loose and portioned snus. Since the sale of snus is legal in Switzerland, you can order the most popular snus products on our website and get them delivered reliably.

Compared to snuff, snus does not need to be shaken before use, so you can take a bag of snus right out of the can or portion the loose snus with your fingertips. Then you can put the snus under one side of the upper lip. Since snus increases salivation, you can dry your upper lip a bit before using it.

Compared to chewing tobacco, snus is not chewed and is not spit out immediately. Most snusers keep the product in their mouth for about 20 minutes to an hour. The effect of the nicotine sets in after a few minutes. If you have chosen a moistened variety, a juice of tobacco will develop in the mouth. This should not be swallowed, but spit out. The White Dry portion runs less and is often preferred by snusers.

How much can I snuse?

When you want to stop snusing depends entirely on your preferences. The product will lose its flavor after about half an hour to an hour and should then be discarded. As with cigarettes, no exact upper limit can be set for snusing, but you should rather enjoy the product in moderation. Should you want to reduce your snus consumption, nicotine-free variants such as CBD snus from edel can also help.

Since snus contains nicotine, it can be addictive and come with health risks. One of the most common snus harms is irritation of the gums and discoloration of the teeth. Those who experience a burning sensation in the mouth or receding gums should reduce their consumption somewhat or choose less potent varieties. If you need help quitting snus, you can also contact us via the contact form.