Can You Swallow Snus?

Have you ever thought about what would happen if you swallowed snus? If you have, don’t panic, many others have too. In this article, snus will be discussed, from what it contains to whether you can swallow snus and if it is safe to do so or not. However, this is not written by a health professional. So if you are worried about your health, it is advised to contact your local medical practitioner. So, let's get started.

Snus Pouch Ingredients: What’s Inside?

As you should know, snus largely consists of tobacco. This tobacco is dried, broken up, and ground into ‘tobacco flour’. The flour's coarseness differs depending on the brand. This is then mixed with water and salt and pasteurized. After this process, other ingredients like flavorings and alkalizing agents are added to the snus, which is later packaged loose or portioned in cans ready for you to purchase and use.

Is Snus Safe?

Now you know what it contains. Do you think it is safe? Like many other tobacco-containing products, nicotine is present. Nicotine is an addictive substance and has short-term side effects. So when using snus, this should be in your mind. Such side effects include nausea, which lasts around 30 minutes and only occurs if too much nicotine is absorbed at once. So keep an eye out for nicotine levels in your next pouch. However, this is only short-term/immediate effects. What about the long-term implications?

Many different research groups have compared the long-term safety of snus to other tobacco-containing products. As you may know, cigarettes are linked with lung and pancreatic cancer, with research supporting this correlation. When smoking, the tobacco is burnt compared to snusing, where the tobacco is not.

What Would Happen If You Swallowed Snus?

While using snus, you may accidentally swallow it or think to because you are enjoying it that much. However, by swallowing snus, the experience doesn't heighten, and you may not feel a thing as absorption in the stomach is poor due to its acidic nature. If it is only one pouch, you may not feel any adverse effects, but if you make it a habit and swallow every portion you use, you may encounter problems, like an upset stomach, for example. But as a rule of thumb, don't swallow your snus, as it doesn't do anything for you and may lead to problems down the line. If you have swallowed your snus and encounter anything unusual or are worried, it is better to be safe and contact a health professional.

Can You Swallow Snus Drip?

The tobacco in some other smokeless types, such as American moist snuff and dip is not the same in snus, as these two products have fire-cured tobacco. As mentioned previously, snus is pasteurized, curing the tobacco by steam, which leads to a reduced carcinogen and tobacco-specific nitrosamine (TSNA) level. Snuff and dip have higher TSNA and carcinogen levels than snus as the tobacco is fire-cured, which is why the saliva is not meant to be swallowed. However, you can swallow snus drip due to the lower TSNA and carcinogen levels thanks to the GothiaTek Standard and the very strict regulation of this product.

The GothiaTek Standard

What’s the GothiaTek Standard? GothiaTek was first introduced by Swedish Match in 2001 and is a symbol of quality to reassure consumers that the can of snus they purchase meets the requirements needed. This standard has been accepted by health organizations and is now an industrial standard. Therefore, this is a highly regulated product, meaning swallowing snus drip is of no concern.