Snus - A Second Newbies Perspective

[Cruiscin90]

Originally Posted by BostonMark

There is a good portion of the swedish population (especially in my town, because it is mostly industrial factory workers) that uses a can a day, two portions at a time sometimes. 4-5 a month is nothin. I use four to five a month, and I wouldn't even call myself

-Mark

In the world of snus, there are two factions.

Swedes and Everyone else.

Maybe the Norwegians are similar to the Swedes in snus usage, although I've never talked to any Norweigan about their snus habit (the only ones I've known were women, and they never mentioned snus.)

Anyway, my point is Swedes invented snus, and they'll always be the ones to use it way more than anyone else. In Sweden, the tobacco-related mortality is much less than any other European nation. Snus is what they do.

From waht I've seen down here, a lot of people don't like, or can't handle snus. It's an accomplishment if a non-Swede can get in a pack or two a day, instead of a can. cigarettes, cigars, and pipes have a huge lead over snus in the US, which is largely unnoticed and unused by the majority of people.

So I think, for something that's basically new in the US, 4-5 packs a month represents a considerable growth in usage for Americans.

[BigFrankMD]

Mark whats the best way to pick some of this stuff up? Is it safe to order online?

[Mad Hatter]

As a semi-reformed heavy dipper, smoker, pipe and cigar smoker and snuffer I might want to try some of this. Thanks guys

[Will_S]

Originally Posted by BigFrankMD

Mark whats the best way to pick some of this stuff up? Is it safe to order online?

I'm not Mark, but the vendor I usually use is northerner.com. A lot of folks use buysnus.com. Both take about 5-6 days from shipping to arrival, providing what you order is in stock. The last time I ordered from northerner I got half my order in about 5-6 business days. The rest came about 3 days later, no extra shipping charge for the order split.

Check out the vendor and snus opinions at www.snuson.com

[brianwalden]

The latest issue of Sports Illustrated, the one with the UNC championship on the cover, had a coupon for a free tin of Camel SNUS with any Camel (or maybe it's any R.J. Reynolds) tobacco purchase. I don't know if everyone's SI has it, I might have just gotten it because I'm in the D.C. metro area. I didn't really feel like buying a pack of cigs because lately I've fallen in love with my pipes and cigarettes just won't cut it anymore unless maybe I'm in the midst of a long night of drinking with the boys or something. So anyway I bought a pack of frost (mint flavored) - I think it was 4.99 after taxes in VA - and used that to get a free pack mellow (I assume it's more natural tobacco flavored).

I know from reading this that the Camel or Marlboro stuff can't compare with real swedish snus. But hey, my first cigar was the cheap drugstore kind and so was my first pipe tobacco. I figured at least this will let me get the feel of it and I can't go wrong with two tins for 5 bucks. So my wife and I were out running errands and we stopped to fill up on gas. After pumping I ran into the station to get the tins. When I got back into the car I showed my wife what I got and explained to her that it's not chewing tobacco - it's Swedish and there's no spitting (I figured with all the IKEA furniture we have that would have some merit) - and popped one into my upper lip while she was still dazed and confused. She promptly slapped me across the face and told me I was going to die of mouth cancer and refused to talk to me the rest of the night. You can see the re-enactment here:

I've never been a regular smoker - even now I smoke at most a two or three pipes a week - and at most I smoked 2 or 3 cigarettes a day for a few months in college. My few experiences with dip I ended with me hacking and spitting it out after a few seconds, which was incredibly entertaining for my friends. So knowing that, I tried the mint flavor first hoping it would be easier on my apparently sensitive gums. The little pouch it's in is great, I had no problems keeping it in my upper lip with just a mild tingling sensation (I'm sure liking the pouch makes me a girly man but that's ok with me ). It delivered a pretty good nicotine hit - I was lightheaded after 15 minutes. I really didn't taste much because it stays in your upper lip, after it was in while and some juices started to run down it kinda tasted like toothpaste.

All said, it wasn't a bad experience but it also wasn't particularly enjoyable from a tobacco perspective. If what you're looking for is nicotine I'm sure it's the perfect solution for when you can't smoke or if you're sick of what cigarettes do to your lungs. But just like you don't drink a microbrew or a fine wine directly for the alcohol, I don't smoke directly for the nicotine. I'll enjoy my two tins, but I don't think I'll be buying anymore. I get the total experience out of a pipe, snus seems to be just about the nicotine.

[tx_tuff]

After reading all of the threads in this post I think I will stick with my cigars. I tried dipping snuff for a while when my good buddy was into it, thats was years ago and he can't stop to this day. Just doesn't sound like anything I want to get hooked on.

But they do sell it at my local B&M which is also has a online store. They have the Swedish Snus General in 5 different kinds. All sell for $4.49 and they keep it in a fridg. Here is a link for anybody that wants to give it a try and doesn't have it locally Swedish Snus Snus from SeriousCigars.com

[cp478]

i used to dip snuff, then went to cigarettes, and now am a pipe smoker.
yesterday i bought my wife her cigarettes and the lady working there gave me a package of snuss, told me it was a promotion thing and to enjoy.
i had never heard of the stuff, i have to admit this stuff is pretty good.
im afraid that i may now be a pipe smoker/ snus user.

its definitely worth a try and you have none of the spitting like with snuff.

[brianwalden]

Oh man, Sports Illustrated had another add for a free tin of Camel Snus with the purchase of a Camel tobacco product. So I got two tins again (both frost this time). I've already gone through 10 packets in 24 hours. I've seen the better quality stuff in tobacco shops but I don't dare buy it - I know if I let myself start I'll be mainlining it after a week. I'm naturally limited with pipes because I don't have a lot of opportunities to sit down and spend an hour smoking, but I could snus all day with hardly any restrictions - and willpower is not one of my finer attributes.

I hope Camel stops putting those coupons in Sports Illustrated - at least I'm able to restrict myself to only buying it when I get a coupon.