In the infected debate about harm reduction Professor Brad Rodu asked to see the research materials for the world's largest study on snus use made by Karolinska Institute among construction workers. The Karolinska Institute denied Rodu the materials in December, so now Rodu is taking the case to court in Sweden.

Commissioner Androulla Vassilou from Cyprus has given a very strict reply to Finland's Minister of European and Migration Affairs Astrid Thors (read more in Helsingin Sanomat's English edition). The discussion regarding the controversy between the European Commission and Finland was deepened when Helsingin Sanomat reported that Astrid Thors had also bought ten boxes of snus for friends and acquaintances when stopping in Sweden on her way back to Finland from Brussels, where she had been in an official capacity. Importation for personal use of snus is not forbidden, but it was seen as a provocation in order to re-introduce snus to Finland.

The Norwegian government has decided that stores are not allowed to display any tobacco products. This goes for cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, snus but also lighters, reports Aftonbladet.

The trial in Finland gave long sentences, one man received 2 years and 4 months of prison the other 2 years and a third 6 months of incarceration. The case has met with much attention, because of the Finnish ordering the sentenced to pay more than one milion euro in unpaid taxes, says Swedish radio.The lengthy prison sentences are of course remarkable, but the question of the unpaid taxes is also remarkable as the smokeless tobacco known as snus is banned in Finland since entering the European Union in 1995. How can you pay excise taxes on a good that is not allowed to be traded?

Ewa Björling, the minister for trade in the Swedish government, has recently written a letter to commissioner Charlie McCreevy protesting the EU's export ban on snus. When Sweden joined the European Union in 1995 a exemption was made for the sale of the smokeless tobacco, so snus is still sold in Sweden. But commercial export to other EU countries was banned. Now minister Björling writes that the ban is discriminatory against Swedish products and undermines free trade and demands that the commission revokes the ban.

After raising the excise tax on tobacco substantially for 2007 and 2008 the Swedish government indicates in its budget that 2009 will not see an increase of the tax. The government has increased its revenues; in 2007 earning 9.7 billion krona and 2008 10.6 billion krona. In 2009 the budgeted revenue will be 10.5 billion krona. The Swedish government earned more- but did it also achieve its goal of reduce tobacco use. 

A wireless doorbell does not take much time to be installed. The bell can be mounted at the front door. This can be done either with the help of a tape or you can also use some screws to keep it into place. The chime is then placed inside the house. The chimes are either battery operated or run on the electrical current. If you use the batteries, they need to be replaced periodically. But electric ones don't need such maintenance.

While Alberta has few private drug rehab centres, the government has adopted a rehab model known as ADAC (Alberta Drug and Alcohol Commission). ADAC offers treatment and rehab centres throughout the province.

A large trial on illegal sales of snus has started in Pietarsaari (Jakobstad in Swedish), reports Helsinki newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet today.

Many producers of the smokeless tobacco snus also produce brands where the nicotine has been removed. It is a way to help snus users to quit the smokeless tobacco easier and step down their consumption. This spring, a study made by three Swedish dentists, rose some concerns about nicotine-free snus; did it cause caries?