He Sells Snus at the EU Parliament

SNUS MISSIONARY Cristofer Kjellner wants the EU Commission to review the tobacco directive so that snus would get same treatment as other tobacco products.

The following is a translation of an article which appeared in HBL Strasbourg compliments of SnusCENTRAL’s SnusCIA Agent in Finland.  A link to the original article appears at the bottom for those of you who speak Finnish.

SnusCENTRAL.org applauds the efforts of Swedish EU-Parliamentarian Cristofer Fjellner and his blunt comments concerning the EU Snus Ban in general and Finland’s plans for a total ban on snus within Finland in particular.

From an American perspective, it is very refreshing to see such honest passion from a politico.  The choreography and vote pandering by today’s politically correct Washington politicians is an embarrassment when compared to young Fjellner’s crusade.  If this were an American movie, it would be entitled “Mr. Snus Goes to Washington”.

Bästa hälsningar, Mr. Fjellner!

Mr. UNZ and everyone at SnusCENTRAL

…………………………………………………………….

Strasbourg 12 March 2009

The Finnish government has gotten a brain removal. Swedish EU-Parliamentarian Cristofer Fjellner sees no other explanation to the planned banning of snus.

When young moderate Cristofer Fjellner became EU-Parliamentarian five years ago, he decided to take up a concrete question/issue in order to learn how the whole system works.

“It became snus because I use snus. I wanted to know why snus was banned in EU.”

Fjellner soon found out that the ban was totally unreasonable. “All other tobacco products are allowed, but not the least dangerous! Snus is not healthy, but if one starts to smoke because he has no access to snus, the politicians are responsible for lung cancer.”

Sweden has a permanent snus exception, but for Fjellner’s European sisters and brothers, snus is hard to get. Being a man of action, he started to take snus with him from home.

“I sell snus here in the Parliament and arrange snus tastings. Many Finns buy it from me, and not all of them are Finnish Swedes. One Polish parliamentarian is trying to quit smoking and because of that, buys snus from me. It’s not only the Nordic people who use snus.”

According to Fjellner, many became snus friendly after thinking about the snus issue for a day. He can’t understand the Finnish plans for a total ban.

“It outrageous if Finnish politicians are against snus because of a principle to just be against it. It’s hypocrisy.  The Finnish government seems to have gotten a brain removal.”

It’s fortunate and gratifying that there seem to be Finnish politicians who understand snus.

“I’ve gotten moral support from Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, who has used snus. Henrik Lax gets a special mention. Thanks to him, the Commission must do its job and re-examine the tobacco directive.”

By Marianne Lydén

Hufvustadsblade

http://www.hbl.fi/text/inrikes/2009/3/12/d24615.php

Picture by Peter Knutson