Young people no longer smoke traditional cigarettes in Spain. According to the latest edition of ESTUDES, the survey carried out by the Ministry of Health to find out the trends in drug consumption between 14 and 18 years old, in 2023 The lowest consumption data was recorded for this substance in the entire historical series, with a daily prevalence of 7.5%.
On the contrary, the use of electronic cigarettes reaches the highest figure in the entire historical series: 64.6% of young people admit to having used them at some point in their lives. “Spain was one of the last countries where there was an increase in this product,” he tells EL ESPAÑOL. Carlos Rabadehead of the smoking unit at the Santiago University Hospital Complex (CHUS).
“Among adolescents, [los cigarrillos electrónicos] “They already represent a high percentage,” he continues. “And if this is not regulated in time, the same could happen with white snus, also known as synthetic nicotine pouches, which have not only become.” an alternative to traditional tobacco among young people of our country, but this also applies to vapers, since their consumption goes unnoticed.
White snus, like traditional tobacco, is sold in packages containing small sachets that are placed in the mouth, between the upper gum and the lip, so that for a few minutes the high concentration of nicotine is released that we find in them.
What are its effects?
This form of administration causes an absorption into the blood similar to that of a whole pack of cigarettes, leaving short and medium term problems in the body, as Rábade explains: “It increases the heart rate, blood pressure and, therefore, the risk of cardiovascular diseases increases“.
It also modifies the immune response and generates greater predisposition to respiratory infections. In addition, as it is consumed orally, it can have local effects, affecting the gums.
However, the consequence that most worries experts is that it could become a new gateway to smoking: “It is a way of consuming nicotine at high concentrations that will generate new drug addicts” says Rábade, who is also concerned that it is being presented as a false method to quit smoking.
White snus, in reality, is a product similar to brown snus, a substance banned in all European Union countries except Sweden since 1992. In the case of brown bags, they contain tobacco, in addition to nicotine. Although the latter is present in lower concentrations: a bag of brown snus contains about five milligrams of nicotine, while a white bag may contain up to 50 milligrams.
From the Internet to tobacconists
Unlike what happens to vapers, white snus does not fall under the regulation which is proposed in the Global Plan for the Prevention and Control of Tobacco (PIT) 2024-2027 presented by the Ministry of Health. It is for this reason that some associations have requested that “before become a public health problem“its marketing is prohibited, as has already happened in Belgium and the Netherlands.
“If the sale is not stopped, it will happen as for vapers, which One in four young people aged 12 to 13 have already tried it” warns Raquel Fernandez, president of Nofumadores.org. The association does not offer an estimated figure for its consumption among minors, but suspects that “it is accelerating.” The aforementioned health survey also does not ask questions about this substance.
“Young people,” explains Fernández, “discover white snus through social networks.” In the United Kingdom, it is the Premier League players themselves who promote (sometimes indirectly) this product that, according to a study by the Professional Footballers’ Association, two out of five players in the English championship had tried. “And considering that it no longer has the taste or smell of tobacco [se vende bajo distintos sabores]East the perfect cocktail to create new addicts among the young population.
Fernandez denounces this white snus It is sold illegally in Spain by two different routes. On the one hand, in web pages where access is prohibited to minors. But also in the own tobacconists: “If they are made with tobacco, the purchase of which is prohibited, how can they not be made with white snus, which is less regulated.”
