Swedish Match Scientific Publications
Science has for the last 60 years been an integral part of Swedish Match’s business. Over this period, the company has published close to 200 peer-revied scientific studies.
Initially the focus was the tobacco plant. In “Tobacco isoprenoids - precursors of important aroma constituents” [1] the findings on how aroma compounds are formed via biodegradation of tobacco isoprenoids are summarized. One of its authors, Curt R. Enzell, was the man who came up with the idea to put loose snus in a pouch, which came to revolutionise the way the product was used and paving the way for the Swedish experience.
In 1975, the scientific department turned their attention towards toxicology which ultimately led to GOTHIATEK®, the strictest standard ever developed for a tobacco product. The “Formation of Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamines (TSNA) During Air-Curing: Conditions and Control” [2] for example, helped Swedish Match to better understand how different parameters such as temperature and humidity during air curing of tobacco played a role in formation of TSNAs, ultimately decreasing the level of TSNAs in our snus products.
With the increase of snus use in Sweden, the company also wanted to understand how snus was replacing cigarette smoking and consequently how that shift impacted public health. “Swedish snus and the GOTHIATEK® standard” [3] outlined how and why Swedish Match developed GOTHIATEK® illustrating the importance of reducing toxic levels in oral tobacco.
As snus became an increasingly used product amongst Swedish men, it became important to understand which role snus played and could play in transitioning smokers away from cigarettes. The “Population-based survey of cessation aids used by Swedish smokers” [4] researched the consumption patterns amongst tobacco users, finding that oral tobacco was the most frequently reported cessation aids amongst Swedish men, whereas Swedish women reported other methods for smoking cessation.
With the success of snus and the advent of nicotine pouches, the scientific department turned their attention to the difference in delivery from nicotine pouches compared to tobacco based oral products. “Pharmacokinetic Comparison of a Novel Non-tobacco-Based Nicotine Pouch (ZYN) With Conventional, Tobacco-Based Swedish Snus and American Moist Snuff” [5] shows that nicotine pouches with higher doses of nicotine (6 and 8 mg) deliver nicotine in a similar way compared to existing smokeless products, with no significant adverse effects. Their efficacy in reducing withdrawal symptoms should therefore be similar to that for existing smokeless products and thereby they should be able to aid smokers reduce or stop combustible tobacco use.
With toxicology being an integral part of the work of the scientific department since 1975, it was also important to understand the nicotine pouches and what they contained compared to snus and nicotine replacement therapies. “Harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) in two novel nicotine pouch products in comparison with regular smokeless tobacco products and pharmaceutical nicotine replacement therapy products (NRTs)” [6] screened 43 harmful or potentially harmful constituents establishing that the tested nicotine pouches (ZYN) contained fewer and a similar number of constituents to the tested snus and NRT products, respectively.
The scientific work conducted over the last 60 years significantly contributed to the company’s strategic objective. It was the foundation for critical business decisions, transitioning the company from a state-owned tobacco entity with focus on cigarettes, towards becoming a company that saw a future with offering consumers reduced risk tobacco and nicotine products.
References
- Enzell, C.R. and I. Wahlberg, Tobacco isoprenoids-precursors of important aroma constituents. Pure and applied chemistry, 1990. 62(7): p. 1353-1356.
- Staaf, M., et al., Formation of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA) during air-curing: conditions and control. Beiträge zur Tabakforschung International/Contributions to Tobacco Research, 2005. 21(6): p. 321-330.
- Rutqvist, L.E., et al., Swedish snus and the GothiaTek® standard. Harm reduction journal, 2011. 8(1): p. 1-9.
- Rutqvist, L.E., Population-based survey of cessation aids used by Swedish smokers. Harm Reduct J, 2012. 9: p. 38.
- Lunell, E., et al., Pharmacokinetic Comparison of a Novel Non-tobacco-Based Nicotine Pouch (ZYN) With Conventional, Tobacco-Based Swedish Snus and American Moist Snuff. Nicotine Tob Res, 2020. 22(10): p. 1757-1763.
- Back, S., et al., Harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) in two novel nicotine pouch products in comparison with regular smokeless tobacco products and pharmaceutical nicotine replacement therapy products (NRTs). BMC chemistry, 2023. 17(1): p. 9.
