Oral Tobacco: Health Hazards

(asked on 21st October 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what evidence that they have, if any, which identifies the health risks posed to smokers who switch to snus products.


Answered by
Lord Kamall Portrait
Lord Kamall
This question was answered on 15th November 2021

Consumption of any tobacco product is harmful and it is the Government’s policy to support people to quit all forms of tobacco use. Oral tobacco, or snus, is banned in the United Kingdom under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.

There is limited data on the health risks posed to smokers who switch to snus products. Evidence submitted on snus to the United States Food and Drug Administration states that there are still health risks involved with the use of snus. Although snus products contain significantly lower levels of harmful carcinogens than other smokeless tobacco products, the products contain nitrosamines, including NNN and NNK, which have been demonstrated to cause cancer, including cancers of the mouth. A copy of this evidence, Modified Risk Tobacco Product (MRTP) ApplicationTechnical Project Lead (TPL) Review, is attached.

Health risks of Scandinavian snus consumption (English summary) from Norway shows that tobacco products such as oral tobacco contains carcinogenic substances which are associated with a number of adverse health effects. This is regardless of whether the individual is a smoker or not. A copy of this summary is attached.

Reticulating Splines