What is snus? The tobacco product Premier League players are 'addicted' to | OneFootball

What is snus?

The tobacco product comes in small pouches and is placed inside your gum to release nicotine into the bloodstream. It's said to relax the user, while stronger variants can give you a bit of a buzz.

While it's illegal to sell snus in the United Kingdom and European Union countries, apart from Sweden, it's not illegal to use it.

So, why are we talking about snus?

Premier League players are 'addicted' to snus

Well that's because many professional footballers - including Premier League stars - are addicted to the product.

And now, an investigation by The Athletic has delved into the genuine problem with snus in English football.

In previous years, we've seen Leicester striker Jamie Vardy carrying the product. He also wrote about his use of snus in his autobiography.

While Vardy has admitted he's stopped using it, there are many professional footballers who do.

The Athletic highlighted two incidents that were seen on television screens that appeared to show players using snus during a Premier League match.

Recently, Aston Villa substitute, Bertrand Traore, seemed to lift his lip and place something in his mouth. Traore later denied it was snus.

Last season, Newcastle third-choice goalkeeper was sitting in the stands during a Premier League match against Liverpool and was spotted doing something similar.

Meanwhile, the likes of Marcus Rashford have been pictured with a pot of snus nearby.

The Athletic are now reporting that one high-profile England international is “fully reliant (on snus)… rarely seen without one under his gum”.

They also claim that players at a League One club have been selling snus to 13 and 14-year-olds in the academy.

Meanwhile, one player at a League Two club had “a bit of cancer cut out of his gum” because of their use.

Lee Johnson: Snus use is getting worse

Comments from those with first-hand experience of snus-use have given an insight into the problems it's causing.

“It’s a bit of a taboo subject; nobody is talking about it,” said Lee Johnson, the manager of Hibernian. “But it has become a culture. It’s getting worse and we need to educate these lads because it’s highly addictive. I don’t feel they understand the true threat of it over the long term.”

“I don’t know how to fight it. It's not on the banned drugs list, so you can’t stop them doing it. They’re big lads and, in the end, you give up. But it really bugs me, particularly when I see young lads, aged 16 to 21, on it.

“If I walked into the training ground with four or five cigarettes between my fingers, people would look at me and say, ‘How unprofessional, how bad does that look?’. But it’s no different (with snus). It’s the same amount of nicotine going into the body, it’s just hidden.”

Johnson estimates 35 to 40 per cent of players are taking snus and says that, if anything, the number is probably higher.

Meanwhile, one unnamed former Premier League footballer admitted he was addicted.

“I first did it when I was 18,” said the player, “and I was out in Manchester with some of the players I knew from England. We went to a nightclub and they said, ‘Get on these, lad’. I tried it and I just liked it. It chills you out, makes you relax.

“When you first try it, it gives you a bit of a head rush and you go a bit lightheaded. Especially if you’re out and having a drink, it gives you a nice little buzz. You’d hear stories about Jamie Vardy loving the snus. Initially, it was a thing people used to do to calm their nerves, especially players who get really anxious or nervous before games. But the more and longer you do it, you don’t really get an effect, and it becomes more of an addiction.

“The number of times I say to myself that I don’t know why I do this anymore. I want to stop, but then you try and fall off the wagon again because it becomes such a habit. It’s like smoking. People just crumble and end up smoking again. Obviously, though, it’s not good. You can get cancer. It can damage your gums. I heard it damages your circulation, too.”

What have the PFA said about snus?

So, what's being done about it?

Well, the PFA plan to warn players of the dangers of snus this summer ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

"Ensuring the health and wellbeing of our members is central to our work,” said a PFA spokesman. “As part of this remit, we maintain close relationships with club doctors and staff to monitor emerging health concerns for our players, such as the growing prevalence of snus use.

“While snus is not a banned substance, members will receive clear and accurate information to help them make informed decisions about their health.

“We are also finalising plans to undertake research to address the knowledge gap regarding snus use among football players. This three-stage approach will review existing literature, gather first-hand accounts from players and quantify snus use among academy and senior players. This research will inform long-term targeted initiatives to protect player health and performance.”