Timeline of everything that happens to your body when you take snus

Snus is fast becoming an alternative to smoking, but it may not be as healthy as it's purported to be.

For those who aren't familiar with snus, it's a pouch of dry tobacco that is placed under the lip and next to the gum for around half an hour.

Originating from Sweden, it has been touted as an alternative to smoking.

Pixabay

It's illegal in the UK as well as in all of the European Union - bar Sweden.

Despite not being legal, its use is apparently on the rise as it's seen as a healthier way of getting your tobacco fix.

In Sweden, half of snus users are ex-smokers.

However, the product still carries health risks with it.

The health effects of snus are immediate upon use - although they can vary depending on factors such as body mass, metabolism and how long a person uses a pouch.

Within the first ten minutes of the pouch being placed next to the gums, the nicotine is absorbed through the mucous membrane into the bloodstream. This causes an increase in blood pressure and heart rate.

In the next ten minutes, it reaches the brain, stimulating neurotransmitters such as dopamine.

Around thirty minutes after the use started, the peak levels of nicotine in the bloodstream are reached.

In the next two to three hours, the half-life of nicotine in the body is about two hours. This means it's dropped by half this time.

As it drops, a person begins experiencing desire for another pouch.

Eight to ten hours after the initial use, most of the nicotine will have been cleared from the body via the kidneys.

However, if somebody is a regular user, the nicotine will accumulate and take much longer to leave the body.

Pixabay

Snus carries potential health risks with its use, although scientists aren't making too many definitive statements.

Michael Steinberg, MD, MPH, director of the tobacco dependence program at Rutgers University, said: "Compared to cigarette smoking, the use of snus is probably less harmful.

"But there's a big difference between 'less harmful' and 'safe.'"

Eric Garrison, from the College of William and Mary, echoed these sentiments: "I'd rather have a person do nothing, but of tobacco products, it's down on the lower end."

So, what are the health risks that come with snus use?

Well, as it contains nicotine, it's extremely addictive and quitting it can bring the unpleasant side effects of nausea and headaches.

Pancreatic cancer rates are higher in snus users, although not every study has shown this. The practice has also been linked to heart disease and diabetes.

Smokerless tobacco users in general are at higher risk of cancers in the cheeks and gums. As it currently stands, the studies don't prove that snus causes these ailments - just that there's a correlation.

Topics: Health, World News, Drugs, UK News, Science

Ben Thompson