Does snus help people quit cigs?

[darkwing]

http://health.ucsd.edu/news/2009/1-2...ss-tobacco.htm

[ponysoprano]

"The researchers looked for a similar effect among U.S. smokers, but didn’t find one. Like their counterparts in Sweden, U.S. men are much more likely than women to use smokeless tobacco. But it does not boost their rate of quitting smoking."

I must be the exception...they obviously didn't study anyone who posts here. I'm US born and raised. I haven't even craved a cigarette in the nearly 8 months I've been using snus. Good link darkwing.

8)

[sychodelix]

I don't think there has been a lot of actual research on it. The only way to do it would be to do a study with all smokers that want to quit and give them snus and see if it helps. I bet you anything at least half could quit, maybe more. I sure did, and my wife sure as heck cut down.

[clitten]

It certainly helped me! I quit smoking 3 weeks ago. After 2 weeks I decided to have a cigarette (I didn't NEED it), Hated every second of it, glad I switched.

[JBean]

It certainly helped me! I quit smoking 3 weeks ago. After 2 weeks I decided to have a cigarette (I didn't NEED it), Hated every second of it, glad I switched.

ya know, i experienced something similar as well! i was snusing and smoking cigs for a bit, but the cigarettes started to make me feel like crap.. I haven't smoked one for about a month now and rarely have a desire to.

[sychodelix]

Yeah, the more you use snus, the worse cigarettes taste and the worse they smell. And why would you want something so gross when snus tastes so good?

[rsuelzer]

It helps you quit for sure... I've been quit a month thanks to snus.

[b0xii]

Smoked a pack a day for 15 years.

I started Swedish snus three days ago...I haven't had a cig all day. Nor do I want one when there's that can of Onyx in the fridge!

The taste of cigarettes is already bad for me after only three days (I had two yesterday).

I'd say this is some miracle stop-smoking stuff. I've tried the gum, patches, and pills before...not even close! Not to mention it's cheaper.

[Starcadia]

My smoking has been down 90% since I started snus about 9 months ago, after a 20-year, pack-a-day habit. Those remaining cigarettes are for pleasure, not necessity.

I have seen, in the 9 months I've been here at SnusOn, that many people have come and gone, many, presumably, to smoke full-time again. They get here very excited, and when that wears off I assume they must have trouble dealing with other issues associated with quitting cigarettes, namely the behavioral, psychological or stress-related ones.

[Snusophile]

The majority of SnusOn users are former cigarette smokers who have successfully quit smoking with snus. I have been cig free for 7 1/2 months thanks to snus.

[meta]

It's definitely working for me. I haven't quit 100% yet, but after almost 2 weeks of snus-ing, I think I'm almost there.

However, regarding the article, I think I would prefer NOT to see any mass marketing of snus, even as a less-harmful alternative. I prefer that it remain a small niche.

My fear is that if the U.S. sees a mass conversion from cigarettes to snus (especially imported), it won't be long before states realize how much revenue they're missing in sales and cigarette taxes. Rest assured that restrictions would soon be placed on imports and snus would be taxed just like cigarettes.

[mbyrd624]

I agree, Meta. Widespread adoption would be disatrous, tax-wise. For now, this is a very cost-effective way to wean off cigs, and the longer Swedish snus remains off the radar, the better off we are here in the US.

I'm not posting much these days, but I'm still just as quit now as I was months ago. I think about smoking occasionally, but I wouldn't consider it a "craving", by any means. And after courting a 2-3 pack a day habit for 25 years...if I can do this, anyone can.

[Tankeryanker]

I have not smoked since July 08 however long that has been. Gosh, I have saved so much money. I buy one roll of snus a month and that is all.

[brysull]

This is in no way an endorsement for using snus to quit smoking, just a description of my own personal experience.

I've been a pack a day smoker for twenty years. After less than a week of using snus, I've already cut down to five or less cigarettes a day. Snus satisfies my nicotine cravings better than gum, lozenges, or the patch ever has. The only problem I'm having is with the ritualistic aspect of smoking. I still have a cigarette as soon as I wake up and still want one after meals. I also find myself wanting one when I have idle time on my hands or take a break at work. I imagine these "mental" cravings will subside over time.

I've tried to quit smoking many times in my life with no success but after trying snus, this is the first time I feel confident that I will quit. I will now be addicted to using snus, but at least my lungs will thank me for it.

[meta]

brysull,

I'll let sagedil tell you to not stress out over quitting. Smoke when you want, and you will probably see that the frequency of "when you want" will decrease with time. I doubted it at first, but I'm experiencing it first-hand.

But I am also noticing similar not-just-nicotine-cravings that make me want to smoke. For example, if I drink too much coffee and get the jitters, that's an immediate trigger to have a cigarette... even if I have a snus in my lip!

It happened today, and I knew, since I already had the snus, it wasn't a need for nicotine. So I took a minute to evaluate why I wanted the cig and figured out is was the caffeine-shakes. So I fixed a glass of water and had a sip between sips of coffee. After about 20 minutes, I was back to normal, back to work, still snusing and the smoking-urge was gone.

From reading this board, one might get the impression that the desire/crave to smoke just disappears once you start snus-ing. I have not had that experience. While it's been much easier, it has still taken some conscious effort to not give in to the urges and break those non-nicotine-related habits/feelings.