Moe and the world of Nicotine Pouches
When I, Moe Unz, began using snus, there really no tobacco-free nicotine pouches on the market. There was Onico, but that was tobacco and nicotine-free; designed to get around Swedish snus advertising restrictions. I thought at the time, why bother using it? I liked both tobacco and nicotine.
I was not impressed... to be honest
Time moved by and eventually a few new nicotine products popped up but I was still not impressed. “It is just a passing fad, I thought.”
Beginning a few years ago, nicotine pouch brands flooded the market to the point where they now outnumber tobacco snus brands! Every month more and more appeared. I started hiding in my office when deliveries arrived to ensure I wasn’t run over by a forklift! Our massive SnusCENTRAL warehouse suddenly did not seem so massive. Had the world gone mad? Where were all these nicotine pouches coming from and why?
Look back in time
Tobacco products were and are heavily regulated, restricted, and taxed by governments around the world. In Sweden, home of Swedish snus, our National Food Agency began regulating snus making in 1970-71 to make it a safer product for consumers. Many old snus recipes had to be abandoned and factory machinery substantially upgraded. Ettan Snus began using steam pasteurization in the 1830’s but post-1970, other manufacturers were forced to upgrade to this method to avoid having high levels of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA) which the new regulations restricted.
In the end, all of this was to the good as Sweden has the lowest incidents of oral and pancreatic cancer in the entire EU. Swedish snus was the first real reduced harm tobacco product in the world.
Secondhand smoke...
The Anti-All-Tobacco Extremists were outraged. Fighting cigarette “secondhand smoke” had made them a rich and powerful lobbying force. In the EU (except for Sweden) snus was illegal to sell despite the science…. And then the nicotine pouch was created.
What is a nicotine pouch?
A nicotine pouch is made by taking plant material and water-boarding it into a tasteless, tobacco and nicotine free white powder. Pharmaceutical or similar nicotine and flavoring are added back. The white powder is then stuffed into pouches like snus portions.
The portions are all white inside and out. They will not give you “tobacco breath” which your partner will be very grateful for. Like portion snus, nicotine pouches fit comfortably under your upper lip and no spitting is ever needed. The juice from the pouch will mix with your saliva and be easily and safely swallowed. This makes nicotine pouches the most discreet way to get your nicotine and flavor fix. I, Moe Unz, use them on airplanes and in hospitals with no one being the wiser.
Finally, the nicotine pouch portions are canned; twenty portions per can usually. Simple to make for the manufacturer, no expensive top grade tobacco to import, no tobacco taxes, and they can be sold everywhere to anyone 18 or 21 years of age (depending on the country). This may be an oversimplification but gives you the general idea.
What is nicotine?
As to nicotine, it is like caffeine in that it is a stimulant and doesn’t cause cancer or other diseases attributable to cigarettes. Both nicotine and caffeine are addictive though, with nicotine being the much more addictive.
My advice referring to nicotine
If you do not smoke or use nicotine currently, I would not advise you to use nicotine pouches. Addiction to anything is nothing to aspire to. Use Onico or other tobacco and nicotine-free oral products. Use chewing gum if you don’t mind looking like a Swedish cow chewing its cud (I, Moe Unz, am laughing at the cow analogy).
Why you should switch from cigaretts to nicotine pouches
If you are a current cigarette smoker, I would strongly recommend switching to either Swedish nicotine pouches or Swedish snus. You be glad you did.
Best Regards,
MOE UNZ
Snus Lord and Manager of SnusCentral.com
moe.unz@snuscentral.com
