Snus

A friend up the hill from me started swiping his mom's Kools when we were teenagers and we carelessly puffed our way into "rebel" status. It took me a long time to realize this: it's not that smoking is cool, it's that cool people smoke. Yes, I was cool. At least, I was cool for twenty years before the wheeze came knockin'.

But tobacco is Dreamweed, and I am a Dreamer, so I wanted to reduce the nascent effects on my health. Like many people, when I quit smoking cigarettes, I didn't quit using tobacco. I started using snus, a Swedish tobacco product similar to American "dipping" tobacco in that nicotine is absorbed through the tissues of the mouth. However, it differs in that snus is traditionally held in the upper lip and reduces the need to spit. It is said that the juices from snus may be "gutted" and that the risk of adverse health effects is many times less than that of smoking cigarettes. It is decidely uncool to "snus".

When I started, there were three brands available: Camel, Marlboro, and General. The two American tobacco companies make a terrible product that (in my experience) are oversweetened, and it has been speculated that they are intentionally weak (by nicotine content) to discourage people from quitting smoking. General is a Swedish brand and comes in a variety of flavors, of which my favorite is mint. All that matters is that it help me to discontinue smoking.

When I went to buy snus yesterday, i noticed a new brand called "Thunder Xtreme". Someone is trying to make snus cool. I have mixed feelings, as a grown man, of my tobacco bearing a name which makes it seem at home in Mountain Dew's family of beverage products, but the word "thunder" projects strength. (I like that.)

I asked the woman working the register for a can.

"You know I had a guy come in and buy 90 bucks worth of Copennagen? 90. Says he's going to Europe and they don't sell it over there," she said. "So he was stocking up for his trip."

"Makes plenty of sense to me," I replied.

I left the store and got in my car. Checking my rearview mirror, I noticed an old, fat homeless man crumpled up on the curb, surrounded by the garbage that was his life. He lifted a cigarette up to his lips and a moment later smoke leaked out of his face. I took a deep breath, popped a snus under my lip, and fired up my Hyundai. Huey Lewis & the News was playing on the radio.

It's hip to be square.

a reply to: DictionaryOfExcuses

Dipped since I was 14 and smoked for awhile as a young adult finally quit at 52 last November,vaping helped at first but have quit that too. food taste better mouth doesn't hurt, Still occasionally dream about dipping my Copenhagen pouches LOL. SERIOUSLY dream during the night while asleep LOL. THEY TASTED SO GOOD lol

originally posted by: putnam6
a reply to: DictionaryOfExcuses
SERIOUSLY dream during the night while asleep LOL.

I suspect this is the quality of tobacco which led the natives to hold it in such reverence.

Awesome story writing brother..

I vape, without a neckbeard, so I'm not kewl.. us unhipsters need a place too..

Don't tell xuen..

a reply to: gallop

Thanks for reading. ATS has been very slow and I'm laid up in bed with a rye neck so I thought I'd contribute something to pass the time.

I tried vaping for a bit and it just never took for me. I'm a sucker for the real thing.

originally posted by: DictionaryOfExcuses
a reply to: gallop

Thanks for reading. ATS has been very slow and I'm laid up in bed with a rye neck so I thought I'd contribute something to pass the time.

I tried vaping for a bit and it just never took for me. I'm a sucker for the real thing.

Oh gawd, I had a rye neck many years ago, of all things, drying my once long hair. I had to suffer more agony telling people I did myself an injustice drying my hair than I did being in severe pain trying to turn my head to speak it to them. I still have issues from falling on my head out of the back of a truck than I care to admit, but this is another story for another time..

Ahh you should try nicotine salts.. they are the thing to revisit the real thing. It's stronger because you can hit it up with lower temperatures, so you get more flavour, and the salt variety lingers in the system more, leading to a satisfying vape, unlike freebase nic, the usual stuff, that you find you're chain vaping with. I recently got 250ml 100mg salt... death stuff, you need safety glasses, gloves, pipettes, syringes, scales, thermometers, galvanised test tubes, thermonuclear fri... well I just eyeballed it and washed my hands after - didn't get any on me, or I probably might have died - and the result is a 1:1 mix of a doubler flavour and 50mg nic, which is strong for any vape, but certainly wakes your coffee up in the morning. people think it's waaayy too strong, but with salts, you only get 25, 30, 50 mg from most places. It's just a different form, more satisfying.

and cheap as rolly papers if you get it naked.

/sales pitch..

Anyway, I'm all about health these days.. gotta go for my obligatory walk and get 4 litres of wine, it's Sunday after all.. praise the gourd..

a reply to: DictionaryOfExcuses

I still smoke, don't judge too fast.. would like to quit so I read these.. need help I feel sometimes.

Has anyone tried that German powdered stuff that you actually snort? I think it's called snuff. Tried it once and sneezed for a minute straight like when a dog has a grass seed up their nose. Never again!

a reply to: harold223

I tried a bit of snuff and got the sneezes too. Plus it'd gunk up my nostrils....I got "boogery". Nobody ever said high society was easy and now I know why...

a reply to: harold223

When i was about eleven years old,my grandparents had a business selling socks and towels(high quality) at "flea markets".

I used to spend a few weeks with them in the summer, and weekends I went to the markets. Mainly south Jersey.chances are If you have been to a flea market and bought socks or towels in the 80's 90's in Jersey you know my grandparents...

But I digress...

Back on topic I went to one of these markets with my grandfather and in sight of the market was an adjacent base ball field where kids were playing a pick up game.

So I begged him, please gramp we are all setup, can I go play for a bit..

So I go over and see these kids using snuf.. my age..

And I'm like let me try that....

What a buzz.. for an eleven year old..

I didn't sneeze but it was like hitting a nitris balloon..

Wah wah wah wah wah wah wa wa wa wwww....


I have never seen it for sale in store ...

I don't know how much I just added to the conversation..but.

Thanks for stirring that fun memory..



Respectfully,
~meathead

a reply to: MarlbBlack

No real judgement from me. I'm glad I stopped with the cigs, though. Best luck to you.

a reply to: Mike Stivic

You made me miss my grandpa.

I have a special fondness for 'first encounters with tobacco' tales. Most people I can recall had theirs well before they could buy it, and before their first experiences with alcohol. It's one of the strongest 'highs' a person had experienced up to that age, which seems to result in vivid memories.

I dont want to be the first to make a death by snu snu joke.

originally posted by: DictionaryOfExcuses
a reply to: Mike Stivic

You made me miss my grandpa.

Mission accomplished!



Respectfully,
~meathead

originally posted by: DictionaryOfExcuses

originally posted by: putnam6
a reply to: DictionaryOfExcuses
SERIOUSLY dream during the night while asleep LOL.

I suspect this is the quality of tobacco which led the natives to hold it in such reverence.

I have no doubt its addicting as anything Ive ever used.

I was fortunate was laid up for 3-4 weeks and got a head start in the hospital. Doubt I could have done it driving and working