Ettan Lös Snus and Grov Lös Snus back in their classic 1967 tins

What’s Old is New Again (briefly): Ettan and Grov Loose Snus Cans circa 1967

1967 was a good year for nuclear weapons and Swedish snus. China exploded their first hydrogen bomb, the MIRV ballistic missile; a single missile carrying multiple nuclear warheads, was developed, and the USSR and USA proposed a nuclear nonproliferation treaty.

Dwarfing these trivial items in historic significance, the last government-owned Swedish tobacco monopoly, Svenska Tobaks AB (STA), introduced the round snus can with a metal lid.

Until then snus had been sold in plain brown cardboard packets. Svenska Tobaks AB added some color and created a different design for each type.

To put this achievement in perspective, in 1967 there was no EU, you would not be arrested for mailing snus from Sweden to any European country, and the pop group ABBA was still 5 years away from being formed! These truly were ancient times.

Since 1967, round cans quickly became the standard for all snus manufacturers.

The classic snus brands of STA are today owned and produced by a public company: Swedish Match AB. The Ettan snus and Grov loose snus is still packaged in cardboard cans; each formed, cut, and glued at the Swedish Match Gothenburg snus factory.

Sure, the can graphics have been modernized and the lids are plastic instead of tin. Production methods have improved with technology but the snus is still true to their classic 19th century roots.

Enjoy a non-LSD flash-back to that heady time of free love, long hair, the US national roll-out by 7-Eleven of the Slurpee, and the Båstad student riots at Stockholm University…..I’m not sure what Swedish Match is commemorating, to be honest. It doesn’t matter.

Limited Edition:  Grov and Ettan Loose Snus in 1967 cans with metal lids

On June 24th, 2013, Swedish Match will be releasing a very limited number of loose Ettan Snus and Grov loose snus in their 1967 cans, complete with the metal STA embossed lids, just like back when the hand-held calculator was just invented!

Ettan and Grov circa 1967 Edition will only be available at the Swedish Match Snus Store in Stockholm…and very elite internet snus stores like the SnusCentral.com Snus Shop!

Own a piece of snus history while you can. The Ettan and Grov circa 1967 Retro Edition snuses will sell out very quickly. Re-live the Summer of Love (if you were around in 1967) or create your own summer snus memories courtesy of Swedish Match.

Peace, Love, and Swedish Snus,

LARRY WATERS

Cold War Relic and Swedish Snus Ambassador to the United States
Reporting for SnusCENTRAL.org