Stepan Krinitsky about snuse: “Those who invented it will burn in hell!”

The first death and the wave of psychosis

Chief visiting narcologist of the ministry of healthcare of Russia Yevgeny Bryun stated that the first death due to non-smoking nicotine-containing mixtures has been recorded in Russia. Besides, the use of sweets and gums with nicotine has provoked a wave of psychosis.

“This has caused a lot of problems in the country, an outbreak of psychosis, the first death has already been recorded. The state responded very quickly to this threat and challenge. In some regions, the sale of such substances has been forcibly banned, and this is very great," Bryun said.

The problem is the uncontrolled dosage of nicotine

As Deputy Chief Physician for Children's Narcology of the Republican Narcological Dispensary Stepan Krinitsky told Realnoe Vremya, the main problem of tobacco-free nicotine-containing products is in the uncontrolled dosage of poison in its composition.

“Cigarettes have a certain content of nicotine, but in these products, since they are produced at non-certified plants, the dosage is not observed, they can contain an arbitrary amount of nicotine, which varies from package to package, up to 150 milligrams, and this is obviously a fatal dose," the expert explained. “As for an outbreak of psychosis, I assume that it may be associated with the use of nicotine in non-smoking form, since this poison is one of the 'building materials' involved in the metabolism of many neurotransmitters, and an excess of its content leads to a serious failure of the entire neurotransmitter system. The consequences of this can be different, including manifested in the form of psychosis.”

Children are the first to be hit

According to Krinitsky, particularly strong destructive effects of the gum and the candy with nicotine is on children — due to small body weight and, as a result, a higher concentration of the toxic substance in biological fluids. This leads to intoxication (poisoning).

“The distribution of these sweets and chewing gum is clearly aimed at children," says Stepan Krinitsky. “Those who invented it will burn in hell!”

Higher addiction

“The main irreversible consequence of nicotine use is addiction, which accompanies a person for the rest of his life," the expert warns.

At the same time, it is possible that through chewing gum and candy the addiction will be higher than through cigarettes, since the very form of release provokes a person to take another dose of nicotine more often: you do not need to go to a designated smoking area, just put another candy in your mouth; there is no unpleasant smell that irritates others, respectively, there is no social condemnation, as in the case of 'smoky' smoking.

According to the position of Rospotrebnadzor, the manufacture and sale of nicotine-containing non-smoking products are illegal for the simple reason that it has all the identification features (the form of release and the method of use) inherent in food products where the presence of nicotine is prohibited. During the New Year holidays, Rospotrebnadzor conducted a series of raids to stop the illegal sale of poisonous sweets and chewing gums. The agency checked 564 sales points, 56 of which sold tobacco-free nicotine-containing products without documents. 2,300 snus units with a total weight of more than 35 kilograms have been removed from sale. All identified products were withdrawn from circulation, and traders have been brought to administrative responsibility.