According to Camel’s website snus is a smokefree, spitfree tobacco that comes in small pouches, which can be placed under the upper lip. Snus is a popular Swedish form of chew tobacco that comes in small teabag like pouches, which deliver a dose of nicotine to the user without the need to swallow. The health risks of snus have not had extensive studies done to determine possible side effects. Marlboro offers four different flavors including rich, peppermint, spearmint, and mild, with flavors varying upon popularity. While camel offers only two popular flavors, front and mellow. As a non-smoker, I have tried both products to determine which one is actually superior.
Review of Marlboro Snus Peppermint
I have tried the rich, peppermint, and spearmint flavors of Marlboro snus, which comes in small packs of six pouches. Retailing for around $2.34 per pack in New Hampshire, Marlboro snus is an expensive habit, as users typically go through a half or a whole pack per day.
I tested the Marlboro snus flavor of peppermint for the purpose of this article, as it is the closest in flavor to Camel frost. The flavor is pleasant, tasting much like peppermint gum for the first 30-40 minutes and like bitter tobacco after the flavor is released. The flavor is packed into the pouches on Marlboro snus, opposed to flavoring directly into the tobacco for Camel. The nicotine buzz last for about 30 minutes. The biggest benefit to Marlboro and Camel snus is that the product is pasteurized, which allows you to swallow, rather than spit. Pasteurizing takes out the bacteria found in chew tobacco that makes it harmful to swallow.
Marlboro prints that the product may cause mouth cancer directly on the side of the pouch. Having only tested the product I do not have a cause for concern for negative side effects, but long term use can lead to mouth cancer, tooth staining, and gum disease if you do not properly floss or brush. The flavorings contain heavy amounts of sugars, which rots teeth if not properly attended to.
Review of Camel Snus Frost
Camel snus frost comes in an attractive tin that boasts 15 teabag like pouches. The product tastes like a pleasant mild mint, and delivers a buzz almost immediately, with flavors lasting for about 30-40 minutes. The thinner bag of the Camel snus allows it to break easier, but this problem only persists if you leave the product in for too long. The price of Camel snus frost has varied from $1.99-3.50 in the past two months.
Taste test
The taste of Camel snus is mild and pleasant, however, not as powerful as that of Marlboro snus. I enjoyed the flavor, and as a non-tobacco user, I had no complaints in regards to the flavoring.
Side effects
Interestingly, the label printed on the side of the Camel snus tin reads, “This product may cause gum disease and tooth loss”. This label seems much more attractive than cancer, as tooth loss and gum disease are associated with the extensive sugars used in flavoring, which are treated with good oral hygiene.
Overall
Overall, I preferred the taste of the peppermint snus of Marlboro to Camel frost, but if I were a regular user, I would scoff at the high price. $2.34 per pack of six seems much higher than $3.50 (highest price observed of Camel snus) for 15 pouches. Both products did what they claimed and seem to be a good substitute for smokers, as they do not cause the same health risks associated with inhaling smoke into your lungs. Marlboro snus not only delivered a better flavor, but the pouches seemed sturdier and more convenient. I will not use either product in the future because they are tobacco products that have no health benefits.
*The advice posed in this article is not from a medical professional and should not be treated as such.
Sources:
Personal experience
https://snus.tobaccopleasure.com/modules/security/Login.aspx
https://www.marlboro.com/marlboro/login_input.action
