figity cigarette fingers

[thatguyjeff]

Been on the camel snus for a couple days now. I'm waiting for my first shipment to arrive. I find that I still want a cigarette sometimes even with a snus in. I think its the hand to mouth thing. Nervous habit I suppose. Wondering from those who quit smoking who may have had the same problem and what you did to overcome it. What did you do with your hands?

[Umran]

I personally do not intend to give up smoking, i both smoke and snus, i suppose things like lollipops or ice pops would help.When my dad quit (using patches) he found having a rolled piece of paper, which he slowly cut down with scissors worked. Use this substitute in your normal smoking habits like going outside or putting it into an ashtray etc

Thought it might help

[sagedil]

I think the bigger problem is just that the Camel isn't giving you a significant enough nicotine kick. It is almost like you are teasing yourself. Wait until you try the real stuff. I suspect that when you are getting a real nicotine kick, you won't notice your hands.

I occasionally missed the physicality of smoking, or the social aspect. But with real snus, I never noticed my hands being frigidity. I just didn't generally think about cigarettes at all. My girl friend now smokes, and I smoke a bunch with her. I wish she would try snus but she is a stubborn goat and just won't consider it. We saw a movie together tonight and I was laughing at her as she jonesed for a cigarette. I took my snus tin out and just laughed at her. Yeah, I can be evil sometimes. :twisted:

[Shrewd]

I was surprised that I didn't have the fidgety hand thingy when I first switched to snus. As sagedil mentioned it's probably the lack of good 'ol vitamin N in the camel snus. I did have the hand problem with every other method of quitting that I tried (patches, gum, cold turkey, etc...). This has been nearly the most successful method I've tried for quitting (give it another two months and it will be the most successful method).

I think for me since something was in my mouth I didn't feel a need for a smoke (I wouldn't dare smoke and snus at the same time - although there are a few here who do). Wait until you get the "real" stuff.

The hardest thing for me during my quit was being around other smokers. I would find myself bumming from others, then hating the flavor of a cig, snus do really taste a lot better.

Keep it up and you'll soon find yourself off the smokes. Good Luck!

[Jason]

A customer at my last job told me he quit smoking by cutting a straw in half, shoving cotton in it (sprinkled with peppermint oil or other strong vaporous extracts), and puffing on it whenever he had the urge. I never tried it, but I thought that was a unique and clever way to quit. :wink: I personally have had a few cigarettes since I quit last December, but I can now honestly say that I do not HAVE to have one anymore...

[jamesstew]

I successfully quit smoking using snus but recently ran out and purchased a couple of tins of Camel snus. To be totally honest I feel that using the Camel product actually increased my desire for a cigarette. Even with two portions in I didn't feel as if I was getting nicotine. Not only that but it tastes more like sweetened iced-tea than tobacco, sweetened with artificial sweetener not sugar. It's much more expensive than the good stuff I get online also.

[chainsnuser]

I think the bigger problem is just that the Camel isn't giving you a significant enough nicotine kick. It is almost like you are teasing yourself. Wait until you try the real stuff. I suspect that when you are getting a real nicotine kick, you won't notice your hands.

I totally second that. Everytime someone posts in a smokeless-tobacco-forum about some habit, that needs to be overcome, it always turns out, that the fellow member just is trying some low-nicotine product, like American pseudo-snus or nasal snuff.

thatguyjeff, don't torture yourself with Camel snus. Just smoke on till you get the real deal from Sweden. To kick the cigarettes is not that easy. You will have to adjust to snus, which may take a month or two, you even will sometimes get appetite for a cigarette, but you absolutely won't waste a single thought on the "cigarette-holding-habit" again, as soon as you've tried Swedish snus.

The whole IMHO pseudo-psychological "habit-thing" is invented by the anti-tobacco workers, who try to make us look like idiots, who have to hold a burning and stinking stick between the fingers or have to hold a lump of tobacco between the cheek and gums for no reason. That's nonsense, we're just addicted to the nicotine!

Cheers!

[jamesstew]

Get a Rubix Cube.

[TropicalBob]

Oh boy do I disagree with much of what's posted above!

Smoking is addiction; smoking is habit. Smoking appeals to the physical side; smoking appeals to the psychological side. Many smokers -- and I'm one -- cannot satisfy just one and leave the other to fend for itself.

I could be falling down drunk from nicotine and still want a cigarette!

He misses the habit. Lots of ex-smokers do. It's not an easy thing for many to give up, after years and years of conditioned, repetitive actions. Yes, use nicotine-appropriate snus. I happen to like the sweet Camels but can't buy them in my area. Their nicotine content is not a problem for me. But nicotine only takes a smoker so far, no matter the NRT strategy.

I strongly suggest electronic cigarettes. In addition to sometimes contributing here, I also do at www.e-cigarette-forum.com Read about these new devices (they still have startup problems and aren't perfect yet). I've been using them daily since January, non-stop and in addition to non-stop snusing. My "hand fixation" is more than satisfied. I inhale and exhale what appears to be smoke, but is harmless vapor. If you're as hardcore on cigarettes as I am (50 years of 30 a day), then do yourself a favor and check out e-cigs.

Using snus and e-smoking, I will have been cig-free a year as of next month. I'm usually floating on a nicotine cloud. And I want a cigarette every single day!

[sagedil]

I have read about them, and even found that forum a few months ago. It is definitely on my to-do list, as soon as I am out of my long term money woes. Still probably a few months away.

But I am grateful to find someone here that can vouch for them. It makes me sure now that I want to try it. As I get close, I want to quiz you on what flavors you have tried, and what strength nicotine works best for you. We seem to both be hard core nic fans. I can smoke a cigarette with a portion in with no problems. And I chain snus from morning till night.

[TropicalBob]

I'd be happy to offer advice from experience. It's funny to have done something since January -- and be considered a pioneer and veteran. But that's the case with e-smoking. Happy to help in any way.

[sagedil]

I may have a chunk of $ coming in soon. I held off last time cause I wasn't so sure on some of the choices that I had to make. So yeah, I'm happy to have a "veteran" to help guide me...LOL

[DraculaViktor]

A pack and a half a day for 50 years Bob, wow, quite a task. Fantastic that you were able to quit. Good job. Out of curiousity, what cigarettes did you smoke? I always preferred Camels, but had to occasionally suck down a Marlboro red for some reason. Anyways, my Wise snus and Kocksnus are what keep me cigarette free. Peace.

[jamesstew]

Thatguy, Just wondering if you have gotten your shipment yet and was wondering what brands you ordered. If you haven't gotten it yet I would recommend picking up some Tourney Snus, which are available at most Super America locations. They are a dry white version of Roots, a real Swedish brand, not the greatest but more nicotine than Camel and the taste IMO is pretty good. Since they are very dry I have to moisten them a little with my tongue first or take a sip of water after putting them in my lip. Good luck quitting smoking, I've gone two months now and no cravings at all. As Tropical Bob said it doesn't work for everyone and there are other alternatives but there are a significant amount of posters on this site that quit with snus. I'll occasionally use an Oliver Twist, I don't like the flavor all that much but they give a good nicotine hit and are not noticeable. True with snus you don't get an instant nicotine hit, it's more like a cup of coffee. Actually I've got a portion of Nick and Johnny in right now and am enjoying it with my first cup of coffee, pure bliss.

[TropicalBob]

Funny you should mention Oliver Twist. That's what I'm using at this moment.

As for cigs, I began as a teen with Kent (with the miracle Micronite filter made of asbestos for the first five years). Many years later, I went "safer" but stuck with P. Lorillard and smoked True for a couple of decades. After the lawsuit settlement, P. Lorillard became a "premium" product, so I began with USA Gold. Finally moved to Dean's 'Lil Cigars before kicking it all 11 months ago.

Snus has been my mainstay throughout this quitting. E-cigs back up snus and let me have "smoke" and hand movement. But rest assured there's a snus in place unless I'm eating at a buffet place.

I'm a Wise fan, too, but will try anything.