Denmark Pushes Back Against EU Danish Snus Ban

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The government is to want to remain stuck in a case concerning everything from the EU bureaucracy to public health after it has just promised the European Commission to ban the sale of loose snus in Denmark, writes Berlingske.

The promise came after the Commission has sent a so-called letter of formal notice to the Government that it must meet EU tobacco directive and stop the sale of loose snus. If it does not, you risk Denmark proceedings before the ECJ. But it is to the Danish government, it will not be paid. According to a memo to the European Affairs Committee will be so by the end of March 2013 put forward a bill with a Danish ban on the sale of loose snus.

– The Commission is in breach of EU Tobacco Products Directive from 2001 to sell loose snus in the EU. This is also true for Denmark. That is why we now align so to speak and make a ban. EU Commission in June issued a so-called letter of formal notice. It is the first initial step in a European treaty against us. So if we want to avoid a case in court and we are likely to lose, we need to ban the sale of loose snus. There is no way around it, says Health Minister Astrid Krag (SF) Berlingske.

But the promise of a forbudslov trigger now nevertheless a debate on whether the EU should enable the civil service, threatening legal action and force parliament to new legislation to put an end to something as small as a few Danes snuff.

Danish People’s Party’s health spokesman, Liselott Blixt, refuse flatly to prohibit snus with reference to the opposite smoking tobacco does not harm other than the user.

– It is not a matter for the EU. The Danes can even figure out how to decide, she said.

Much also suggests that the government might be in a minority and thus will not be able to live up to his own promise to the EU to amend the Danish legislation. Supporting Party Unity will likewise does not help to introduce a total ban snuff-home.

– There is no objective reason. It is less harmful to take snuff than smoking tobacco, which is allowed today. So it would be very strange to make a specific ban on loose snus, says Green Alliance health spokesperson Stine Brix.

Liberal Alliance health spokesman Joachim B. Olsen, also reject a ban and attach to know that there are many rational arguments just not to ban snuff. Research in the Nordic countries have shown that even though there is a very high consumption of snuff, especially in Sweden, the number of cancers caused by tobacco considerably less than in Denmark.

– It is not healthy to snuff, but it is far less dangerous than smoking tobacco. There are no problems with passive smoking, as experience shows that people go from tobacco for snuff – and not the other way. Therefore, snuff a harm reduction product, says Joachim B. Olsen.

Same message is from the Left: “This is yet another example of how the EU has begun to meddle in areas that you should stay away from. This helps to create a guide to the EU, “said health spokesperson Sophie Løhde.

In Denmark, sales of loose snus limited, but interest is estimated to be increasing, especially among young people. At 7-Eleven says Purchasing Morten Vedel that sales are 32 percent higher this year than last year, and snuff are now sold in 119 of 7-Eleven 198 stores. Snus is only four per thousand of the chain’s total tobacco sales. EU crusade against snuff is also of resurrection among snuff-loving Norwegians and Swedes. In Norway, they fear that the government will do as Denmark to please the EU, and in Sweden they fear for their EU derogation that they would not sell as well as loose snus snuff in portions.