What's a dream? The sachet Karol Nawrocki utilized during the debate

The behaviour of Karol Nawrocki during the presidential debate on May 23 caused confusion. At 1 point, the candidate reached into his sleeve, pulled something out of him, and covered his mouth. At first glance it looked as if it was snorting something, which was suggested by Krzysztof Stanowski. Social media has suggested drugs.

In fact, it was a legal nicotine sachet, alleged white sleep, rather popular in Poland and available in many stores. It does not contain tobacco, does not make smoke, and the main ingredient is pure nicotine in pharmaceutical form – identical to that in pharmacy nicotine gums.

Such products are commonly utilized in Sweden where they replaced cigarettes as a little harmful alternative. According to data from the Swedish National Institute of Public Health, in the 1980s 36% of the population smoked cigarettes there. present it is only 5.4 percent. At the same time, 15.7% usage nicotine bags – conventional or modern. Sweden has the lowest percent of smokers in the EU and at the same time the lowest rate of smoking-related cancers. The hazard of smoking cancer is 41% lower than in another EU countries.

USA. Political importance of snows

In the United States, nicotine sachets have besides become part of political dispute. According to a December 2024 survey by Cygnal, as many as 56% of users of nicotine products – including snow, e-cigarettes and brands specified as ZYN – voted in the presidential election for Donald Trump. ZYN sachet users – 62%. Among cigaret smokers – 57% and among e-cigarette users – 54%.

Increased support for Republicans was besides visible among minorities. As many as 47% of Latin nicotine users voted for Trump, compared to 37% of overall support in this group. Among black users of nicotine – 31 percent, with overall GOP support of around 18 percent.

One of the reasons for this change is the ban policy – especially the ban on menthol cigarettes planned by the Biden administration. He criticized him, among others, politician Don Davis, arguing that the ban has no support in his district. Chuck Schumer, on the another hand, accused the ZYN brand of directing advertising to youth and called on the FTC and FDA to act.

Sweden has been applying a harm simplification strategy for years: it does not fight nicotine as specified but promotes little harmful forms of its adoption. According to the study of the Snus Commission, this approach can save up to 3.5 million Europeans in a decade - if another EU countries follow the same path.

Nawrocki's behaviour could be perceived as strange, disrespectful and provocative. But possibly that's what it was all about. Was this gesture, made live during the authoritative debate, not expected to straight communicate: "I make the rules"? In a planet where nicotine has become a political, wellness and identity topic, specified a decision may be more intentional than it seems. Look at the video that Robert Kennedy Jr., who was the secretary of health, took during the hearing. Who knows, possibly specified a motion will become the mark of the right hand around the world.