One in five professional footballers in England consumes snus

A new study has found that one in five professional footballers currently admit to using snus or tobacco-free nicotine patches. The investigation revealed that 18% of the 628 male players surveyed from the Premier League and the EFL currently use snus or nicotine patches. The number is even higher among players in the Women's Super League: 22% of the 51 athletes surveyed use one of the two products. Snus is a moist, smokeless tobacco pouch that is placed under the upper lip, and its proponents claim that the product can help with smoking cessation. However, these pouches also contain a high nicotine content, which has been shown to increase the risk of esophageal and pancreatic cancer. 29% of male players and more than half of female players stated that snus or nicotine patches can improve mental readiness. Two-fifths of male users and 64% of female users agreed that the products are particularly relaxing after a game or training session.