Newbie question: Snus container?

[TVisdoG]

First, an introduction... I'm a new snus user. I quit smoking two months ago, cold turkey. After about a month, my girlfriend and I both agreed that my nicotine withdrawal was unbearable, and I went on the gum. I found the gum unsatisfying and unreasonably expensive (around $100/mo at the rate I was consuming it), but the girlfriend really didn't want me to start smoking again. So I arrived at snus, and two days into it I'm enjoying it quite a bit, though I've had a few stomach problems and I'm concerned about reports of gum disease associated with using it. I'm continuing cautiously at this point but hope it works out.

Now, to my question. I bought a roll of Ettan original portions. The plastic container has a lid on top, in the middle of the part that actually opens, which comes off, but does not provide access to the snus inside. Is that supposed to open, or is it for some other purpose?

Just curious. Thanks in advance for a response.

[lxskllr]

Welcome aboard I'm glad the snus has been working out for you as a replacement for smoking. That extra lid on top of the can is an "ashtray" to put your used snus. Tbh I don't find it all that useful, but I could foresee circumstances where it would come in handy. The nice thing about snus is there isn't a definitive point where it's finished Unlike cigarettes, you can always keep it in your mouth a bit a bit longer until you get to a trash can or something.

[alex]

It is (to my knowledge) a place to keep your used portions until you have access to a trash can. That way your not throwing tiny-slimy-tobacco-bags all over the place :lol: I sometimes use it to keep a few portions of a different variety around, so throughout the day I can mix it up a bit.

Welcome to the wonderfull world of snus! I too am new to snus and have been very warmly welcomed by this community, enjoy the stay!


edit : lxskllr! you beat me to it! :evil:

[Zero]

Re: Newbie question: Snus container?

I'm concerned about reports of gum disease associated with using it.

For portion snus, the numbers are something like a 2% incidence of some gum recession from snus use (from a recent medical study). I think that just taking care of your teeth is really enough to keep your gums healthy - snus may contribute, but it may be compounded simply by bad dental hygiene.

[Soft Morning, City!]

Yeah man, as long as you brush your teeth regularly you should be fine. I also softly brush my gums and I haven't noticed any oral problems so far. No sores, no recession, no nothing.

[Craig de Tering]

I guessed that since the Swedes are such a nice and concerned people (especially with the environment) they consider it a big no-no to throw away the acetate bags/pouches.
Just like the cigarette filters (stubs) which are made of acetate, these things seem to biodegrade very, very, very slowly.
So right off the bat they built-in a "portion tray".

[think]

I use it pretty regularly at work or on the plane and the like. I most often use it when I put a portion in then decide to eat something relatively soon after (while the portion is still pretty "fresh"). Also, the portions I have tried often become bitter after a while, like tea that has been steeped too long. I just don't want to keep them in after that. When a trash can isn't handy, that little compartment sure is.

[Subtilo]

I think the inbuilt portion tray is brilliant. Only problem is the fact that my pen-clicker-tendencies sometimes seem to find much relief in popping the lid on and off, which of course is somewhat disturbing to the people around me.

:wink:

[Craig de Tering]

I think the inbuilt portion tray is brilliant. Only problem is the fact that my pen-clicker-tendencies sometimes seem to find much relief in popping the lid on and off, which of course is somewhat disturbing to the people around me.

:wink:

Very true, that!
Although eventually I learned to refrain from doing that constant popping off and on after the 50th time the goddamn lid popped off violently, fell on the ground and rolled under and behind my desk/computer, causing me to have to crawl under the table to fish it out of a tangle of wires and dust. :evil:

[Soft Morning, City!]

Luckily I've been thus far able to resist popping that nifty lid on and off while in class and out in public. However, when I'm at home, I click that lid like there's no tomorrow.

Also, every friend I show my snus to does the same thing. My friend Dan doesn't use snus, but every time he comes over he'll wind up grabbing my tin off of the coffee table and clicking it non stop, especially when he's been drinking or is otherwise intoxicated.

It's quite funny really. Most of my friends don't use snus and would never even consider doing so (they don't smoke either), but when we're all together and smoking pot or having a couple of beers, everybody wants to play with that astray lid.

Oh well. At least it's an easy way to get my friends familiar and comfortable with my favorite means of tobacco consumption. I don't even have to explain all of the complexities to them. They just play with the packaging and are immediately okay with it.

[Subtilo]

... that reminds me. People (who don't know anything about it) often ask me if they can look'n'smell my snus, and every single one of them always start by carefully, very carefully, opening the top lid - and then put on the funniest faces, when they discover the tiny empty space. Always gives me good laugh. :lol:

[Soft Morning, City!]

Subtilo:

A lot of my friends have done that too. Even funnier was the time a friend of mine opened the ashtray lid (he, too, wanted to smell the snus) and found a used portion in there, still slimy with saliva. He reacted with a look of horror on his face and very loudly (in public) said, "you're gonna put that ****ing thing in your mouth?!" :lol: Greatest reaction ever.

[Subtilo]

Soft Morning:

Ha ha ha! Simply hilarious!

While we're at it - Here's another little anecdote about a curious non-snuser:

One of my fellow students at the university use General white portions, and he's not afraid to praise the concept in public (often with help from yours truly). Last Friday was no exception, and after a couple of beers this fella - let's call him Chris - decides to try what the hell this snus-thing is all about. He asks for a portion, and no problem, my friend gladly gave him one. And BIG was our surprise, when Chris immediately ripped it open and poured the snus into his hand - and then tries to put the pile in his mouth commando-style! We stop him (laughing) and he was completely stunned by the fact that the 'wrapper' is suppose to be inside your mouth as well

:wink:

[Soft Morning, City!]

Subtilo:

Oh man, that's amazing. Poor guy... good thing you stopped him. He would have been in for an awful surprise if he just threw it all in and started chewing. :lol:

Here's an interesting one. Not hilarious, but mildly amusing.

When I quit smoking and broke the news to all of my friends, I also explained the snus to them. They all seemed a bit grossed out at first, because they thought it was essentially the same thing as dip. My friend Michelle was especially opposed to the idea and said she wouldn't sit with me while I snussed. When I told her that she wouldn't even be able to notice me doing it, she didn't believe me at all.

Fast forward about a half hour. I pop in a portion and go sit down with her and we start talking. We carry on a conversation as usual and after about a half hour, I say to her, "Michelle, do you notice anything different about me?"

"No," she said. "What are you talking about?"

"I've been snussing this whole time we've been talking."

You should have seen the look on her face. She made me spit it out in front of her to prove that I had had it in the whole time.

Ever since then, she hasn't said even one disparaging thing about the snus.

[Craig de Tering]

ROFL! :lol:
I tried that once with a pouch of Göteborgs Rapé No.2. Boy was that snus ever difficult to form. It was a real pain in the ass to keep it from constantly falling apart while baking it.