{"id":5113,"date":"2021-05-11T08:40:50","date_gmt":"2021-05-11T06:40:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/snusforumet.se\/?p=5113"},"modified":"2021-05-11T08:40:52","modified_gmt":"2021-05-11T06:40:52","slug":"swedish-mep-calls-out-commission-dishonesty-on-snus-and-cancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snusforumet.se\/en\/swedish-mep-calls-out-commission-dishonesty-on-snus-and-cancer\/","title":{"rendered":"Swedish MEP calls out Commission \u2018dishonesty\u2019 on snus and cancer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Swedish MEP Sara Skyttedal believes the European Commission\u2019s \u201cideological opposition\u201d to all tobacco and nicotine leaves ignorant on the science on Swedish snus and cancer. And progress on the EU\u2019s Beating Cancer plan may suffer as a result.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe fact that the Commission nevertheless persists in the view that snus causes cancer is both surprising and, to be honest, quite remarkable,\u201d Skyttedal tells Snusforumet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in January, Skyttedal formally submitted parliamentary questions<\/a> concerning snus to European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides. The questions came ahead of the February release of the EU\u2019s Beating Cancer Plan in response to information suggesting efforts to fight cancer would be integrated into the upcoming Tobacco Products Directive review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her questions, the Swedish MEP points out that, thanks to snus, Sweden\u2019s tobacco-related deaths are less than half the EU average despite overall tobacco usage on par with the EU average.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf the Tobacco Products Directive is to be revised to take account of the fight against cancer, does the Commission share the view that the EU needs to change its regulation of snus?\u201d Skyttedal asked Commissioner Kyriakides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commission rejects science on snus and cancer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In her response, issued on May 1st<\/a>, the Commissioner claims that snus and other oral tobacco products have been linked to cancer and other adverse health effects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is undisputed that tobacco for oral use is addictive and has adverse health effects, including cancers,\u201d she writes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To back her claims, Kyriakides cited a 2008 report<\/a> from the EU\u2019s Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risk which she says \u201cconfirmed the negative health effects of snus\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Commissioner\u2019s response prompted a strong reaction from Skyttedal, who claimed Kyriakides\u2019s answer \u201clacks evidence\u201d. The Swedish MEP then fired off another question in hopes of understanding why the Commission \u201crejects all available research on snus\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No evidence of snus-cancer link<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a sharply worded letter shared on Twitter<\/a>, Skyttedal explains that most research concerning snus points to there being little or no links to cancer.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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EU-kommission\u00e4r @SKyriakidesEU<\/a> motiverar exkluderande av snus fr\u00e5n inre marknaden med att snus leder till cancer. En uppfattning som saknar evidens. Har ikv\u00e4ll l\u00e4mnat in en fr\u00e5ga till kommissionen om varf\u00f6r de underk\u00e4nner samtlig tillg\u00e4nglig forskning r\u00f6rande snus och h\u00e4lsa. pic.twitter.com\/5rDadIWqPB<\/a><\/p>— Sara Skyttedal (@skyttedal) May 5, 2021<\/a><\/blockquote>