For everyone quitting cigarettes with snus...

[DaFlash]

Hi all, new member and so forth.
I started snus about eighteen months ago. Quit smoking last May (6 months ago). I've smoked on two occasions since then, but haven't been tempted to resume smoking regularly, even though my wife still smokes. Snus, in my book, is a real wonder. I smoked heavily for 35 years, and it enabled me to just stop one day. Good stuff, indeed.
Plus, I've always loved tobacco. Started smoking when I was 11. I was delighted to find a tobacco product that was relatively benign, healthwise.
Hope you have similarly good luck.
Gordon

[holnrew]

I still smoke now and again, I go through phases. Now I've discovered strong snus and snuff I'm smoking less and less and can see myself stopping very soon. I'll just be sure to constantly have strong portions in stock when I get needy.

[Ainkor]

I feel like part of my persona has been stripped of me. IDK.

You hit on a very interesting thing there MN. As a restaurateur, smoking is almost as important as interpersonal skills IMO. Many of the best discussions I have had with people I lead is over a smoke or two. Damn, I really miss smoking, not the side effects, but smoking.

Could it be that is was all marketing bullshit ? Tobacco companies are great advertisers.

Quite possible! After smoking for so long though it is impossible to decide if it's a learned response to stress (smoking that is) or if it's an actual releaver of stress. I am leaning towards a learned response. It took me about a month to adjust after quiting but I do just fine now. In fact, I haven't reached for my ghost pack of smokes on my desk for a month :P

[jamesstew]

I've been smoke free since June of this year, it was by far the easiest time I have had trying to quit. I'm in the same boat as Sagedil in that I have adult ADHD, the nicotine really does help. I'm on stimulants and while that have helped immensely they tend to wear off towards the end of the day. Snus helps sharpen things up immensely.

[snusjus]

I quit smoking in August, 2008. I first used American "snus" but shortly after ordered the real (Swedish) thing. Unlike my previous attempts of quitting cigarettes, there were no cravings for nicotine. Health wise, I feel wonderful since quitting cigarettes; I can run everyday, lift weights again, and no longer have a feeling of charred lungs (symptoms of developing COPD). I never plan on quitting snus! It's one of those vices (nicotine) that can never be dropped.

My advice: use snus exclusively for a month and don't smoke a single cigarette, not even a puff. It took me about 30 days for the hand-to-mouth habit/urge to diminish. Just stick with snus exclusively and the cigarette "habit" will eventually become something you will forget about. Honestly, I don't even remember 99% of the cigarettes I smoked over the years! It's funny how smokers don't even think about the cigarettes they smoke; have you ever witnessed someone say "Oh my, this is such a great cigarette! It's giving me immense pleasure!" I promise, if you quit cigarettes cold turkey and replace it with snus, you will eventually forget about cancer-sticks eventually.

[spirit72]

Re: For everyone quitting cigarettes with snus...

1. How long it has been since your last smoke (or dip).

About 2 months, although I haven't been a habitual smoker(pack a day) for a year.

2. How you are feeling in regards to no longer smoking.

Awesome. Each one I smoke is nastier than the one before it. Last time I grabbed a pack for giggles, in early November, it took me over a week to get through, and I had to force myself through the last 10.

My general health has done a complete 180, with significant drops in blood pressure, heart rate, and bad choleterol. I've only had one small cold this year, and was over it in 48 hours. Normally, a cold or the flu would hold on for a week, and the cough would linger for a month.

3. What your plan is (i.e. is your plan to stop tobacco use all-together with snus, keep using snus, use it for a while to let your lungs heal up a bit, etc.)

Right now, I'm happy where I'm at. Maybe someday I'll decide to stop tobacco altogether. More than likely, I won't.

But I certainly will never be a habitual smoker again, and at this point I don't think I'll ever touch a Camel again. I can see myself smoking a cigar or pipe on occasion, though my pipe collection has lain dormant for a couple of years now.

4. Anything and everything else you want to add, or subtract out any of the above points.

Snus Is The Shit.

[Jason]

I made up my mind to quit smoking a year ago; I found out about snus through Camel's website (although, ironically, I've never even tried their snus) and decided that I would just switch methods instead of quitting tobacco completely. I initially had a smoke every once in a while, but as it stands, I haven't had a single cigarette in at least 5 months. I think I'd like to keep it that way; I just don't enjoy smoking anymore.

Still love the smell, though! :wink:

[spirit72]

Re: For everyone quitting cigarettes with snus...

I can see myself smoking a cigar or pipe on occasion, though my pipe collection has lain dormant for a couple of years.

This reminds me. Are there any pipers around here? I have one can each of McClelland Christmas Cheer from 2000 and 2001, both still sealed, and I *might*, **maybe**, *possibly*be willing to sell them.

I've said that I might open them in 2010 and 2011 and smoke them once they each have 10 years under them, but anymore I'm not sure if I actually will.

So if you're a piper and you find yourself interested, send me a PM.

[Talneharus]

The Goal

1. last smoke/dip?
Currently in my mouth :lol: mmmm skoal citrus

2. Goal
quit smoking and snuff altogether, though use snus reguarly. Im at a 2+ pack a day smoke with additional chew trown in from time to time. 3.feelings of quitting cigarettes
A much needed change so i dont have to drag an oxygen tank behind me for the rest of my life, and save my self money on resuce inhalors.
I feel kinda dumb for starting in the first place
4. Micellenious
Only one more day till my first snus can arrives!

[jackolantern]

Congratulations to everyone posting here! Glad to see so many people are having success with snus. I actually used to have a bad heroin problem, from age 15 to 21, and finally was able to kick it with methadone. I kind of see snus as the same type of thing. There are a FEW negatives with snus (ie its not as safe as doing no tobacco products), but it is much better and much safer than the alternative, and is just as satisfying to me. It almost mirrors my thoughts and feelings of methadone vs. heroin.

What really scared me a while back into looking into some alternative to cigarettes was a thought I had. I imagined how scared I would be if i went to the doctor and they told me I had cancer. At that point, there would be nothing else I could do except try some treatments and get the estimate on how long I had left. I also thought about how incredibly frustrating it would be to think back to when I was 27 (my age now) and my "I'll quit one day" attitude and how I basically threw away years of my life for a simple little habit. Getting cancer and dying is a pretty abstract idea that not many smokers think about, but it really puts it into perspective when you actually think about how you would feel, what you would think and knowing you have a clock over your head.

Scary stuff. I think I will keep snusing.

[justintempler]

Im 52 years old, started smoking at 14 and was up to 3 packs a day.

Nov 13th I started snusing full time.

I allow myself a "weekend pack" of cigarettes but other than that I'm smoke free. Those weekend cigarettes are less enjoyable so at some point I'll probably give those up too.

The theory of allowing myself a weekend pack is so I don't feel deprived of something I can not have. Kind of like the more you can't have something, the more you want it.

Anyway from 3 packs a day to one pack a week, I can live with that.

[Wazzy]

I have been smoke free for about a month now. It was weird my brother told me about the stuff I orders a hand full of cans when they arrived I tried them liked them. I still had a half a pack of smokes left. i finished them off and have not had one since. I still have a 1/2 a carton sitting on top of my frige. What is even more crazy I had no intention on quiting. I was addicted to cocaine for a while and when I quit there was a big hole that needed to be filled along with going to meetings I think i just smoked more cig's "about 2+packs a day" now with quiting smoking I have a much safer alternative it is much easier to do. I do miss the routine of smoking. And if you ask me smokers are much livelier than non-smokers, but hey that is just me. Now I am not willing to say that i will never smoke again, but like the program says Just For Today.

[sychodelix]

I haven't had a cigarette or dip in several months. I "officially" quit smoking about a year ago, but there's been situations where I've ran out of snus and had to smoke to get my fix or just because once in a while. Honestly, I haven't had a craving for cigarettes at all white using snus. I've grown to love snus and don't think I'll ever give it up. I've always have ADHD and anxiety/depression, and my nicotine helps me deal with things and I can actually enjoy it without stinking of cigarettes and without feeling guilty.

[holnrew]

I haven't smoked for over a week, I just haven't wanted to.

[Talneharus]

What really scared me a while back into looking into some alternative to cigarettes was a thought I had. I imagined how scared I would be if i went to the doctor and they told me I had cancer. At that point, there would be nothing else I could do except try some treatments and get the estimate on how long I had left.

I know the feeling exactly i had awoke in the middle of the night after a long hard day of work in which i smoked 3+ packs that day. After being frightend that i could not breath. I scrambled for my inhaler and after having to use like 3 pumps so i could breath. I sat there thinking one of these days that inhaler isnt going to save me from aggravating my asthmatic lungs with smoking. So i sought out dipping tobacco, and saw a camel snus advertisment on the window of the convience store, and now here i am awaiting 13 cans of snus to arrive, hopefully saving me from growing old and needing to carry an oxygen tank with me every where.