Nearly a third of EU smokers would consider switching to snus if it were legal, the results of the EU Nicotine Users Survey reveal. 

The survey found that 31 percent of smokers who want to quit indicated they would be willing to try snus were the current EU ban to be lifted. 

The findings, based on more than 35,000 responses to the EU Nicotine Users Survey, also show that 73.7 percent of European snus users were former smokers. And 75 percent of snus users cited harm reduction as their primary reason for choosing snus. The second most cited reason was quitting or reducing smoking (61 percent).

“This survey adds to the growing body of evidence that availability of less harmful nicotine alternatives like snus is critical to helping people successfully quit smoking,” says Patrik Strömer, Secretary General of the Association of Swedish Snus Manufacturers. 

“Hopefully it will help strengthen the voice of nicotine consumers and get policymakers to start paying more attention to the harm reduction potential of snus.”

EU Nicotine Users Survey: snus helps smokers quit

Looking specifically at Sweden – the one EU country where snus is legal and widely used – the survey found that 85.6 percent of Swedish snus users who had smoked at one time managed to quit smoking altogether thanks to snus. 

And when asked about effective aids they used for quitting smoking, 43.3 percent of Swedish ex-smokers in the survey mentioned snus and/or nicotine pouches. 

Conducted from October to December 2020 by the European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (ETHRA), the EU Nicotine Users Survey confirms there is an “unstoppable movement” toward tobacco harm reduction across Europe, the group said in a statement.

ETHRA: lift EU snus ban

In light of the EU Nicotine Users Survey findings, ETHRA published several recommendations, first among them being lifting the EU’s snus ban.

“Snus permits Swedish nicotine users to opt for a harm reduction path, which has led to the largest decline in smoking-related diseases in the EU,” ETHRA writes in its recommendations.

“Even if only a fraction of smokers adopted snus, it would reduce the burden of smoking-related illness and premature death for millions of Europeans.”

LEARN MORE: The Swedish Experience with tobacco

Other recommendations from ETHRA include repealing the 10 ml limit on e-liquid bottles and increasing the nicotine concentration limit of e-liquids. 

The group also wants to curtail additional vaping taxes, vape flavour bans, and state sales monopolies, which they see as “barriers to smoking cessation” that force consumers to the black market.

Finally, ETHRA urged European authorities to “provide honest, open and accessible information” about safer alternatives to smoking.