My friend in Uppsala has a new adorable puppy. Full of life and curiosity, she loves to sniff and chew and eat most anything that fits in her mouth. Unfortunately, this includes snus. Not yet very popular in the US, these little tobacco-stuffed packets juice you up with perhaps about four times the amount of nicotine found in one cigarette. While I think that they are a better option than smoking (no lung cancer, not smelly, & can use them inside), they can still lead to gum cancer and addiction. I think it’s interesting that in the US, the ground may be littered with cigarette butts, while in Sweden, it is more common to see little used snuses (the correct plural??) on the sidewalk. What makes people think that these products should be thrown on the street? I mean, the round plastic packages you buy snus in have a center compartment where you can put the used ones, and ostensibly toss the whole thing once it’s used up. Is it because of their small size? (goes for both snus and cigarettes) Or is it because they are dirty and gross so people don’t want to hold on to them until they find a trashcan? But they will put them in their mouths…
