Portioned snuss in a beautiful container sold by Handfaste in Stockholm.
Snuss is is a moist powder tobacco product. It has a way longer history in Europe than pipe tobacco or cigarettes. Thanks to the EU this traditional form of tobacco became banned in all EU member states in 1992. The reason for this was WHO’s recommendation to ban it. I wonder why on earth they recommended to ban snuss instead of cigarettes that are proven to be way more hazardous to health. It must be a matter of popularity and economy involved just like it is with coffee. Logically, if snuss is banned for health reasons also other forms of tobacco should be banned, as well as coffee and all alcohol. Anyway, as Finland joined the EU in 1995 it meant that snuss was out of stores here. It meant the end of the most traditional European tobacco here, but oh boy does it feel good to know that there are authorities who in their wisdom know what is best for us.
Exemption to EU’s big brother hand regarding snuss was given to Sweden in 1995 when it also joined the EU. I don’t remember the reason for this but I think it must be about snuss’ strong place in Swedish culture or something like that. Well, having lost snuss on this side of the Gulf of Bothnia what could be the closest substitute? I guess it must be mämmi, the traditional Finnish Eastern pudding. Like snuss, also mämmi looks like shit. Actually, mämmi looks way more like shit. Not only does it look like shit, it also tastes like shit. Well, to be exact, I imagine that it tastes like that. I have not at least yet tasted shit but I think mämmi must be pretty close to that. Maybe the reason why Sweden got an exemption on snuss in the EU was because they don’t have mämmi in Sweden. It would have been too good for Finns to have both mämmi and snuss. Too bad for Finns who prefer snuss over mämmi, though. I am one of those unlucky.
When it comes to the joys of the EU this is of course just a relatively unimportant thing in the big picture. There are far greater joys in it and it is just getting better year by year.
in my minds is some sing from friebndly.