Snuss - dry pouches

[TropicalBob]

Big thumbs up for snus as part of a harm reduction or quit program. Last year, I used Swedish snus and Kahlua cigars to stay off cigarettes 85 days. Whoopee, huh. This year, snus have been part of a quit-cigarette plan that is now more than six months along. The e-Cig e-Pipe is the latest addition in my plan.

A few words of advice about snus: The standard, wet Swedish product is VERY yucky tasting. Anyone who likes that must have severely damaged taste buds. You'll spit just to get the taste out of your mouth. Move to the dry flavored pouches. I began with snus like Catch (now sold in my local tobacco store in the U.S.) and then moved down in nicotine hit to a product called XQs. XQs had a coffee flavor I found refreshing and the pouch was so small it was invisible under the lip. I liked it. So, naturally, the company went out of business and I can no longer get my favorite.

But American companies are testing snus now and I found Skoal Dry Cinnamon to be acceptable. I look forward to trying the Camel products .. just haven't seen them for sale yet. (Skoal wet pouches are dreadful, in my opinion, so I've stopped trying them. I've also chatted with too many toothless chewing tobacco addicts to even think of using that product). Not long ago, I tried dry Lucky Strike snus. Not good. Some snus products taste so bad they enduce nausea. I've had to throw some cans away after repeated tries.

I use snus daily, and they're about the only solution acceptable in, say, a movie theater. They do not draw ANY attention to the user. Can't say that for my e-Pipe, which makes me the focus of conversation.

Just search "snus" on the Internet and you'll find the outlets that ship snus worldwide. They're not expensive, so mistakes are not costly ones as with some electronic smoking purchases. Do NOT start with the oversize pouches or you'll most likely give up with the notion that only hard-core chewing tobacco freaks would enjoy such a product. Try several dry, mini portion snus. They can complement your e-smoking.

[grimmys cigs]

tropical bob, you are the man! Had you not mentioned snus on this forum i would have never discovered such a wonderful product. I just got my shipment from the northener.com . i ordered some wise mini dry pouches- 6mg nicotine they are great! indeed an excellent companion to e-smoking.

[grimmys cigs]

TB i forgot to ask you, how long should i keep a snuss pouch in my mouth? maximum time? thanks :?

[jamie]

I tried Camel SNUs and liked the Frost flavor (minty). The Camel portion seem to be a little larger than many Swedish minis so I've ordered some real minis after reading up on the SNUs users forum at http://www.snuson.com/

Also found some interesting articles on the Marlboro SNUs that are or will be on the market, speculating on why they have so little nicotine....
http://www.healthline.com/blogs/smoking ... eless.html
http://www.harmreductionjournal.com/content/5/1/9

[TropicalBob]

Grimmy, leave a snus in place as long as you want. I average an hour or so for most. The strong ones I might leave only 30 minutes. A CatchDry Peppermint can stay in place easily an hour or more and still have excellent taste. I'm due to place an order now, and Wise snus are always on my list. Always. The 6mg Wise tasteless snus is often the only snus that seems right -- good nicotine delivery without becoming the dominant taste. I like the Wise Citrus/Menthol also.

Jamie, I liked the Camel Spice and Frost, but they're not yet sold in my area. The Marlboro snus was very weak, but extremely sweet in use. I don't like the snus from P. Lorillard. Haven't yet tried the Tourney and Grand Prix snus from Vector. And Philip Morris has a new one just out in Sweden, called 1847. It will be on my next order. All U.S. Big Tobacco companies view snus as a very important part of their future.

P.S. Jamie: You might run across some of my posts on the snuson site. I've been there a long time. But I'm not one of those guys who thinks a person needs to tuck tobacco under their upper lip that will sprout hair on their shoulders. There's lot of posturing on that site. Big Man talk! That doesn't help the cause of quitting smoking. Use what you enjoy.

[bishybob]

This sounds really interesting... I'm going to put in an order from some snus today. You don't spit when you use them, right?
It seems like it would be a good back up for e-cigarettes.

I tried something called a "flavor pack" one time. I was cinnamon flavored. Don't remember the brand but I know it was a major one like Skoal. The same thing as dry snus probably. Bought it at a Circle-K or some other gas station. I haven't been able to find them since. Liked them a lot though.

I did buy a pack of Oliver Twist the other day.. I got a can of Sunberry (About $5 US), and a variety pack with 6 flavors, 2 bits of each flavor. ($0.50 US). I like them. All the flavors are good.. I want to try the Stonewalls too. I'm going to check Walgreens for them today.

Thanks Bob for introducing me to these things... I really want to stop smoking cigarettes and I think it will help a lot.

This is going to sound silly but I also bought some of those plastic cigarette filters that cut down tar and nicotine. I figured it would help break my routine a bit and get me used to plastic and lighter smoke in anticipation of my e-cigar arriving.

[bishybob]

Okay I put in an order at http://www.buysnus.com.
I got:

Mocca Anis Mini Portion 1 pack
Offroad Limited - Coffee Vanilla Portion 1 pack
Taboca Snus 1 pack
Vertigo Bahama Velvet Mini 1 pack

I didn't know what to get so I got what sounded tasty...
Under $13 for the order...
I'll let you know what I think of them.

[TropicalBob]

Please do. That's a pretty fine order. I'm a fan of Offroad Coffee/Vanilla and Vertigo Bahama Velvet. Just finished (yesterday) a first tin of Tobaca and can't say I liked it -- but it's very powerful. I haven't tried that Mocca, but just finished a tin of Mocca+Tobacco (super strong nicotine hit) and I like Mocca Pomegranate on a regular basis.

The tobacco pouches you mentioned were SkoalDry Cinnamon, one of my favorites. I order a roll of five online. Tastes like chewing gum, eh?

And Stonewalls (java or wintergreen) are regulars in my rotation -- first thing in the morning, after each meal. These all add variety to the quitting effort. And you won't go crazy when your e-cig dies on you and you're waiting for replacement parts.

Oh .. no, you don't spit. There's no need to. Just tuck the little pouch between cheek and gum and go about your business. I do NOT use my upper lip, as hard-core snusers of loose tobacco do. And I don't do loose. Nasty stuff, as far as I'm concerned.

Also keep in mind that if you don't immediately take to a flavor, put the tin in the refrigerator for a few days, use another brand, and then return. It's often better the next time around.

[trigger]

Originally Posted by TropicalBob

And Stonewalls (java or wintergreen) are regulars in my rotation -- first thing in the morning, after each meal. These all add variety to the quitting effort. And you won't go crazy when your e-cig dies on you and you're waiting for replacement parts.

Do these taste anything like root beer (my absolute favorite soft drink)? I've heard that root beer is flavoured with wintergreen so thats why I ask.

Thanks TB,

Phil.

[TropicalBob]

Can't say they taste like root beer (I, too, like that soda, along with Cream Soda). The Wintergreen is minty; the java does a fair coffee imitation. They are quite sweet, unlike the traditional Swedish snus, which are salty and bitter.