Scorn Poured on Teabag Tobacco

British American Tobacco plunged itself into yet another controversy yesterday, unveiling what it claims is an almost entirely risk-free form of chewing tobacco.

Under its Lucky Strike and Peter Stuyvesant brands, the group has launched a refined form of oral tobacco, known as snus, which has been on sale in Sweden since the 1970s. BAT's version will be tested for a year in South Africa and Sweden.

Three years ago, a report from the Royal College of Physicians noted this strain of oral tobacco "may offer substantial reductions in harm compared to smoking". The report said: "Regulators cannot afford to ignore such developments - which are both public health threats and opportunities."

Campaigners have argued it would be pragmatic to allow regulated use of snus to give addicted smokers a less harmful alternative to cigarettes. Others oppose such a move.

Last night the Department of Health said: "We would not want to see oral tobacco products such as snus being made widely available in this country as there is the possibility that its use could lead to a nicotine addiction and trigger a smoking habit."

All oral tobacco was banned in the UK by the DoH in the early 1990s after a high-profile campaign highlighting the products' perceived appeal to children. Esther Rantzen's That's Life programme was central in raising public concern, in particular around the Skol Bandit brand. A Europe-wide ban followed shortly after, though Sweden won an exemption.

Snus comes in 0.4g and 0.8g portions of concentrated tobacco within a small, teabag-style perforated bag which is placed between the gum and cheek for about 15 minutes. It offers users a gradual nicotine release, similar to that from nicotine patches, but at a stronger dose.

The reduced health risk is thought to be linked to a pasteurising process which reduces carcinogens. Campaign group Action on Smoking and Health was last night furious that BAT had cited it as an exponent of snus. "They're an egregious bunch of liars," a spokesman said. "There is no way in hell the EU will overturn this ban and they are whistling in the wind if they think the Department of Health will be any different."