Have you ever seen a Premier League footballer placing something under their top lip before a game? 

If you have, it is most likely to be snus, which has reportedly been used by many top-flight players in recent years.

talkSPORT’s Danny Murphy, Jamie Vardy, and Victor Lindelof are among the stars who have admitted to using the substance.

However, many will not know what snus is, so talkSPORT.com takes a look into where it comes from and why it is used…

What is ‘snus’? 

Snus is an oral tobacco product which is made up of ground tobacco, salt and sometimes flavouring such as citrus. 

It is usually placed behind the upper lip either in loose form or in sachets that resemble mini tea bags. 

The product is seen as an alternative to smoking and vaping as it is less harmful to the body, however, it still contains nicotine.

Users take snus to calm themselves down, with it being known for having that effect as well as creating a sense of well-being. 

There are also negative effects though, as it has been linked to heart conditions and oral diseases. 

Snus is banned for sale in the UK but is mainly found in Scandinavia and now the USA has seen the substance introduced too. 

Why are so many Premier League footballers using it?

Premier League footballers use snus as they see advantages in its effects. 

The calming impact is important for professional athletes and if a stronger variant is taken, snus is shown to cause a physical spark. 

This is, of course, beneficial for elite players who have to compete amongst the best in the world at their sport. 

An investigation by Loughborough University, commissioned by the Professional Footballers’ Association, found that one in five male and female footballers across the divisions use snus.

The report revealed that the true number is likely to be a lot higher, with many unwilling to disclose if they used it or not.

18 per cent of top-flight footballers admitted to using snus, with improved mental readiness cited as the reason for the majority of those surveyed.

Many other players simply use it because those around them are doing so.

The addictive traits that nicotine and snus have, plus the negative health impacts, have led to calls for the product to be banned from football.

Speaking on talkSPORT’s White & Jordan Show, former Fulham midfielder Murphy said: “Do you know what it boils down to?

“All of these things boil down to self-care, self-discipline, resilience, desire to get to the top, and making your choices along the way to do it.

“I am all for being educated and having some help along the way, whether that be even the basic stuff like nutrition that we didn’t have until later.

“If you have got doctors, medical teams and academy directors speaking to lads who might not have the support network or people around them to give them the knowledge, I am all for that.

“But ultimately, the cream will rise to the top because you make the best decisions.

“Yeah [I have used snus]. They are quite strong. I wasn’t a fan. I was a smoker for years. I hate to admit it and I don’t now thankfully.

“I didn’t need them but I know loads of lads… because it was more accepted, socially, to have that in your mouth than to be sitting there smoking a fag.

“I actually think clubs should ban it because as soon as a player knows that something is banned, they start thinking why and automatically have a desire to understand it.

“While it is accepted, though some clubs don’t accept it, some have banned it, but I think all clubs should ban it.”