Letter from Malmö

Located on the main shopping street in Lund, a university town in southern Sweden, one shop in particular stands out. Behind the window, the decor is carefully arranged: On the right, there are leather benches covered with autumn-hued cushions, and on the left, there are bistro tables and chairs, along with a counter topped by a gleaming espresso machine. Welcome to the world of Swedish Match, the Swedish giant of the tobacco and nicotine industry, which was acquired by the American company Philip Morris in 2022.

Here, they sell "snus": either with tobacco (brown), or without (white). There is something for every taste, from macchiato flavor to violet licorice, cucumber lime or lemon spritz. On the wall, a poster advertises classes to learn about the history and manufacturing process of these small, nicotine-packed pouches, meant to be sucked or chewed, and sold in containers shaped like hockey pucks.

Brown snus is already banned for sale in the European Union, while white snus will be prohibited in France starting on April 1, 2026. In Sweden, the situation is just the opposite: Not only did the country secure an exemption from the EU ban on brown snus when it joined in 1995, but Stockholm is now fighting to prevent restrictions on white snus − both in France and elsewhere.

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