Camel Snus

[smokingclam]

I think TropicalBob may have said something about this already in his helpful informative posts, but I find these things deliver the nicotine in a more gradual way that tends to builds up over the course of an hour, unlike smoking which delivers it almost immediately in one quick chunk. So, you probably don't want to do that. Certainly not at first when you don't have intuitive experience with the different dosing curve from them.

I've been a two pack a day smoker for many years who has very recently started trying Snus (sampling domestic & Swedish) and I find them at first unsatisfying in the immediate way that a cigarette is, but with a little time the nicotine kicks in fully, and even with my high nicotine tolerance it'd be just too much for me to pop in another after only 20 minutes. Even the Camel Snus with only something like 6-8mg (the Swedish varieties I'm so far liking best have as much as 16mg) I find the nicotine effect gradually builds for as long as hour or so, and I'd suggest waiting at least that long before reaching for another. At least while first getting used to them. Even a heavy smoker like me.

I just got some Swedish snus in recently that came with some high nic stuff. The strongest I've tried so far was some 12mg Grov Black. I have to say I was expecting to get whalloped by this but that wasn't the case at all. It just seemed to last for quite a while longer than the regular 8mg stuff I was using. It works great for those bad after meal cravings or first thing in the morning. Don't think I'd be using it all day long though.

[radiokaos]

Radiokaos: I think Marlboro snus are now off the market. A major complaint was that they weren't nearly strong enough. Regular snus users pegged them at about 2mg each. Maybe these aren't for you if you reacted poorly to a Marlboro. All others are stronger.

Bob:

I was ready to go to the ER and had such a major reaction from the Marlboro one. I don't think I could handle a higher dose. Up until I started vaping I was a 2 pack a day of Full Flavor Marlboro Menthol 100's. I did not realize I was a light weight.

[TropicalBob]

I didn't mean to imply you're a light weight. Your cigarette consumption was not light weight. My guess is that you reacted to something besides nicotine in the Marlboro. It was a very strange snus, much disliked by most snusers.

[Jammi98]

I tried the Camel Frost the other day too. It did make me feel a little sick to my stomach at first, but that passed after a few minutes. I doubt that snus will ever be my main way of getting nicotine, but I can see where I could use them in places where I wouldn't want to vape.

I always hated menthol analogs, but I quite liked the Frost flavor. It seemed more spearminty to me than peppermint.

[Mohave]

My guess is that you reacted to something besides nicotine in the Marlboro. It was a very strange snus, much disliked by most snusers.

That sounds most likely to me as well. I doubt even someone who'd never smoked would get a big reaction just to the small nicotine content of those things.

...but I quite liked the Frost flavor. It seemed more spearminty to me than peppermint.

You're probably right; spearmint may be a more accurate description than the peppermint label I gave it. I really wouldn't know the difference. It happens to be too sweet for my personal taste preference, but I didn't hate it, it did have enough nicotine to mostly relieve me of a need to smoke for close to an hour, I would probably adjust to the sweetness of the flavoring, and I could use it if I had no other choice.

...The strongest I've tried so far was some 12mg Grov Black. I have to say I was expecting to get whalloped by this but that wasn't the case at all...

As you may already know if you've researched these products Thunder Extra Stark is probably the strongest snus for nicotine delivery (but not necessarily overpowering taste) at 16mg, and I'd use that as the high strength baseline for comparison. I tend to think of the 12mg Grovsnus Black as medium strength, though it may be described in some places as a “strong portion” or “stark” snus, as opposed to an “extra strong” or “extra stark.” But I'm still experimenting with them too.

I play poker, in sessions which can last for quite a few hours at casino poker rooms in which smoking is not allowed, missing hands while going to “the rail” for cigarette breaks has the effect of taking money out of my wallet, and losing concentration even a little bit during play of a hand because I'm overdue for a cigarette break can cost me even more. So far I've found that “stark” snus of around 12mg are about the minimum that I require to really eliminate that problem for more than an hour. Strangely, the Camel Mellow does seem to almost but not quite do the job. So far I prefer Thunder Extra Stark for both flavor and effect most of all among those I've tried, but I do still have others to sample. I imagine this or the other “extra stark” or “extra strong portion” varieties could be too much for some of those who are or were medium to light smokers, but it is just mildly pleasant for me.

[TropicalBob]

Tolerance will build. It's an insidious part of being a nicotine addict. Dependence and tolerance. Pretty soon, the starks won't bother you -- you might actually want more. But your use of strong snus is right on. The nicotine doesn't spike your blood level immediately, as a cigarette does, but raises it slowly to a very high level and holds that level for more than an hour. Smoke a cigarette, and you want another in 30 minutes. For your poker games, the stronger snus will give you the concentration benefits of nicotine without the need to leave the table periodically.

Good choice.

[Bub-n-J]

I was a market research guinea pig for the Camel Snus. Boy, some of the ones they had us try were absolutely disgusting and felt like they were going to burn a hole in your lip. I thought most had a saccharine-sweetness to them that was unappealing. It sounds like they went with the formulas that were the mildest. I still have most of my unused samples that I keep for emergencies.

[JeremyJames]

I am loving the Camel Snus, Can someone give me a recommendation of a sweedish snus to try that resembles the camel snus the most so I am not paying out my tush...

Thanks

[dEFinitionofEPIC]

Snus is an awesome alternative to smoking. I'm just worried that it will be banned if the FDA is allowed to regulate tobacco.

[TropicalBob]

Maybe not. Big Tobacco is buying every snus maker on the planet that can be had for big bucks. Unlike e-cigs, snus is a tobacco product - and that's Big Tobacco's bread and butter.

Snus could get hit with nicotine content restrictions, however. In Sweden, Oden is at 17mg per pouch! And Thunder is 16mg per pouch. Those are some powerful nicotine hits. We might foresee the FDA allowing no more than 4mg per pouch.

And expect taxes, of course, to rise on all smokeless products. The Florida Legislature has a bill that raises cigarettes $1 a pack, but ... adds $1 an ounce for all other tobacco products, including snus and snuff. Most importantly to me, a 14-ounce tin of Carter Hall pipe tobacco is now $17. It will be $31 after the tax hike.