
Snus vs Other Smokeless Products: A World of Tobacco
Any snus connoisseur knows the tobacco formulation hails from Sweden. Ever wondered how the rest of the world survives without it? In many cases, the answer is simple - they have their very own version of snus. Makla or Toombak, anyone?
Let’s go around the world in seven smokeless tobacco products, hailing from the US to Asia to Europe.
Snus vs Dip
Let’s start with a quick explanation of snus itself. The formulation consists of ground tobacco, salt, water, and various flavorings. Similarly, dip is made of finely ground moist tobacco. Both can be bought loose or in portions — it’s easy to see why they’re sometimes confused.
Dip (also known as dipping tobacco or “moist snuff”) is an all-American invention, with the first kind introduced by George Weyman in 1820s.
A key difference between the two is that dip produces “spit,” excess saliva produced in the mouth that can’t be swallowed. But since the tobacco in snus is processed differently from that in dip, it can be swallowed safely.
More specifically, snus is steam-pasteurized, while snuff is cured by age and fermented.
Also, while snus is always placed below the upper lip, dip tobacco is placed under the lower lip, or by the cheek and gum.
Snus vs Makla
Now, let’s go a little further afield. Makla is a moist tobacco product that hails from Algeria. It has its name because the very first brand was called Makla El Hilal, which dates back to French colonization. However, in Algeria, the substance is often called chema.
Makla and snus share a lot of similarities. Both are consumed by placing them in the upper lip. However, the tobacco is more finely ground and has higher nicotine contents in makla, and a higher pH level.
Snus vs Snuff
Snuff is made from fire-cured tobacco, making it about as badass as tobacco products come. It is then finely ground, and its final form can be dry, moist, or even creamy.
The stuff was also traditionally sniffed through the nose — again, badass. But these days, it’s more often consumed through the mouth. This means that, when snuff is moist, it becomes the same thing as dip by most accounts.
Snus vs Gutka
Gutka is a tobacco formulation that’s popular mostly in India and Southeast Asia.
It combines tobacco with betel quid (a combination of areca nuts, betel leaves, and slaked lime). Then, it’s flavored with various spices, including:
- Mustard
- Turmeric
- Anise
- Cardamom
- Saffron
- Cloves
Gutka is consumed by placing it between the cheek and gum in the mouth, and many report that it delivers a more intense experience than snus. However, this is partly due to the additional ingredients used rather than the tobacco.
When chewed, gutka becomes a deep red color (due to the reaction between saliva and the ingredients). That certainly helps it stand out from the other products mentioned in this article!
Snus vs Nicotine Pouches
If snus is the original whisky on the rocks, nicotine pouches are a Manhattan cocktail.
Snus dates all the way back to the 1600s, with commercial brands popping up around the 1800s. But loose portions became replaced by portion snus in the last century, and these eventually paved the way for today’s nicotine pouches, which include brands like ZYN and VELO.
Nicotine pouches look similar to portion snus at first glance, but crucially, they’re free from nicotine. They also contain a range of exciting flavors, from mint to coffee to berries.
Snus vs Toombak
Toombak is a kind of moist oral tobacco product used in Sudan. Just like snus, it enjoys an extensive history, dating back 400 years. The product is made from the Nicotiana rustica plant and turned into a fermented ground powder that is moist.
It’s extremely popular in Sudan, with some estimates suggesting almost half of males aged 30 and above use the substance.
As well as having a distinct production process, toombak differs from snus due to its mouth placement (it’s usually placed in the cheek) and higher nicotine contents.
Snus vs Iqmik
Dip might be known as an American invention, but the continent has another formulation that dates back even further.
Before Europeans arrived, Native Americans in Alaska consumed a mix of ash and balsam. Later, this turned into a new blend of punk ash and tobacco, called Iqmik (also known as blackbull).
Its usage continues in Alaska today, with some estimations suggesting that more than half of Yupik-Eskimoos consume Iqmik. The product is made with fire-cured tobacco and consumed by chewing. Punk ash may raise the pH level, therefore delivering a particularly intense experience.
The Tour is Over
Who knew that so many different parts of the world have their own version of snus? When it comes to enjoying vices, we’re not so different after all!
While we sadly can’t stock all these products on SnusCentral, we do have a wide array of snus and nicotine pouch brands.