also how big? where? and so on.
There seems to be a hysteria around tobacco use, that is impervious to reason and that has an overwhelming force and momentum.
I think the root of it comes back to addiction. How many people don’t understand that addiction is not a one way street of just bad. That there are benifits. To many they don’t get that tobacco gives something to the user, that it isn’t just a formula of try then have to keep using. If you don’t get that it has posotives it seems very devilish (in a bad way)
My therapist who is giving me nothing but grief about my nicotine addiction doesn’t understand this. I’d much rather go to an earlier grave than give it up. A matter of quality rather than quantity of life.
Thanks for that Roderick, I will be interested to see how this plays out.
I agree mr snuffy pants. Life isn’t about how far you go. It’s about the experience.
“The talk of the tobacco show in Germany was the easing of restrictions on snuff and the lifting of the ban on snus in Europe. Nobody in the business is worried; on the contrary we are all very optimistic that the future for snuff is looking very healthy indeed.” Was this optimism based on anything concrete, or was it simply the hopeful beliefs of the gathered tobacco manufacturers ? I find it really hard to accept that there is an imminent relaxation of the snus ban in the current climate.
@Roderick “I also heard it from a couple of very reliable sources’ who should be in the know.” Tantalising, if not totally compelling. If tobacco de-regulation is on the cards for smokeless then some very peculiar bargains are being struck between the member states. I can’t wait to see the moral panic about smokeless tobacco in the media when Snus gets rolled out across Europe. It is not every day a new narcotic hits the high street.
I don´t think the comission will vote for option 2, to lift the Snus ban, but for option 3, to ban all oral tobacco products entirely. Simply because they never made a tobacco-friendly decision so far. And the cigarette industry doesn´t push it, quite the contrary. They know they have to make sacrifices to prevent the plain packaging issue. But there is a point that aims towards snuff as well: 6 Availability of tobacco products Option 3 aims for the ban of cross border (internet) sales and the ban of postal deliveries of tobacco products to consumers. More likely than option 1, which would leave things the way they are now. This whole consultation is pretty shady. You can send the commission your opinions about every single point and choose one of the options, but basically it has no impact, as the whole thing is not a poll.
@ Red Star. Option 3 has a broader scope than just oral tobacco, this would make sense given the dual use nature of a lot of snuffs. Lobbyists are making a fair bit of noise around Indian snuffs, many of which are used more often orally. I think the intention is to portray snuff as a ‘dirty foreign habit’ in the public imagination. I imagine, though I am not sure, that in exempting some forms of smokeless in the last round, there was a nod to multi-culturalism informing the decision. Certainly there were concerns for traditional and cultural tobacco use. The E.U does seem now to be having a root and branch re posing of what are European customs and values. I think it is clear that such concerns for multi-culturalism are no longer to to fore in policy makers minds. Indeed an attempt to synthesise a mono culture is more of the moment. I think it would need a lot of work to replace the popular view, that smokeless tobacco is something used by ‘the other’. It is also worth being mindful that snus is snuff, all be it prepared and marketed differently. In most of the E.U briefing documents I have read, snus is described as a moist snuff. I doubt that many E.U policy makers would make a meaningful distinction. “Option 3 - Ban on all types of smokeless tobacco products The ban on “snus” would be extended to all types of smokeless tobacco products.”
"The talk of the tobacco show in Germany was the easing of restrictions on snuff… " @Roderick - What are the current restrictions? “Nobody in the business is worried; on the contrary we are all very optimistic that the future for snuff is looking very healthy indeed.” Can you be more specific as to why there should be optimism? Where or what is the evidence for a healthy snuff future in Europe, or is it simply hearsay?
I like how no ones thought of this yet. The E.U. has got to throw a few bones soon apease the masses that are probably in part so grumpy due to a lack of nicotine. Seriously if you want me to start a riot take away my nicotine. Overly simplified and silly point made to illustrate the need for all governing bodies to appease the mass sometimes. You might say might makes right but then you didn’t finishing reading the prince which is sad because it’s a good book and it’s so short.
Roderick, my man : " I can’t really say much but, one Swedish company I spoke to said they were sure the ban on Snus is going to be lifted very soon. Another company who supplies snus companies said it was gearing up for the lifting of the ban. I hope they are right but, at the end of the day it is all hearsay " You just made my day 
Any guessed indication in how soon "soon " might be ? edit : Interesting read : http://www.swedishwire.com/business/958-sweden-wants-eu-to-lift-snus-tobacco-ban
@ Micheltn, they are looking to ratify any changes to the tobacco directive in 2012. I imagine it will become clear which way the wind is blowing some time next year. I guess a roll out into the E.U market for Snus would take some time, maybe some product in counter top fridges by 2013/2014? Any guesses as to how expensive a can of snus will be in Tesco?
Darn. After December 2012 we are all screwed, guess I’ll be ordering more from the Northerner then with 80% tax 
Just to back up Roderick a bit… the piece of the grapevine I’m tapped into is also optimistic of good news concerning the EU ban being lifted. I’m having a hard time deciding if that is merely hope speaking or based on hard evidence but the undercurrent of optimism is pretty strong.
it’s cause this year roderrick gets the cod crown (it’s the fish the secret leader of the E.U. wears to their secret meetings). So as fiscal king of the E.U. what do you think he’s going to do?
@Bigmick. Nice to hear about other optimistic voices. I struggle also to decide whether de-regulation is a realistic possibility. I am so used to hearing bad news these days.
We’ve just had the biggest spending cuts in history announced in the UK. One thing you can be sure of is that nothing thats taxable will be outlawed but I think we can anticipate parity with cigarettes at some point?
Sorry to dig up an old thread, but it seems that the optimism around a lifting of the snus ban was misplaced. We also now know, that the latest proposed tobacco directive was aiming at a blanket smokeless tobacco ban, although this met with some resistance within the European Commission itself.