Question for the Ex-Smokers

[BadAxe]

This question is for the people that quit long time cig use with snus. And more for those that have quit for a long time, like more than a year.

Basically, if you use snus, and were a long time smoker, but have not had any smokes for a year or more, if you were to stop the snus, when the nicotene craving hits, what do you actually crave, are you craving a snus, or is it still a cig you crave when craving hits?

[tom502]

Well, speaking for myself, I now never crave a cig. But I haven't stopped snus and other smokeless, so I don't know what type of nic I would crave if I did. But I don't think it'd be a cig, unless I was totally out of everything, and the environment was hangin' with buddies that smoke, esp if we were drinking, I'd probably bum a cig.

[KarlvB]

Snus!!

After more than 2 years I actually find the smell of cigarettes off putting. I tried to smoke a cigar on New Year's but I didn't enjoy it at all.

I think my brain has completely made the switch and if I should ever stop using snus I doubt that I would ever start smoking again.

[Monkey]

I've been smoke free since April and now I crave snus. I smoked for 14 years and it didn't take long to not want cigarettes. Sometimes when I haven't had nic in a while, I'll grab some snuff first and then grab a pris. I know snuff will hit immediately and distract the craving until the snus kicks in.

Mike

[lxskllr]

I'm not sure. I still like cigarettes, but for long term use I prefer snus. In other words, I may still want a cigarette, but if I were to use nicotine all day, I'd much rather it be snus.

[CoderGuy]

I do not miss cigs at all, as a matter of fact I hate them now. I am so happy not to smell like an ashtray, not to have holes in my cloths/furniture/car, not to have to find somewhere I can have a quick smoke, not to have to find a hotel I can stay in that allows smoking or car I can rent, etc. etc. As a smoker I would spend most of the time waiting until I could smoke, and when done I would start planning my next cig (I smoked 2 packs per day for 26 years, quit April 09, now I snus about 6 portions per day).

When I go without snus for an hour or so I get the same nic craving I had when I smoked. I pop a snus and after a few minutes the craving subsides. So it's definitely a nic craving and not a cig or snus craving.

With that said, as much as I hate smoking, if snus were to suddenly disappear, I suppose I would have no choice but to go back to smoking.

CG

[RobsanX]

Day to day I crave snus. When I'm drinking at the bar I crave a cig, and I usually have one. That's the only time I smoke or crave cigarettes, and that's only a couple times a month.

[sagedil]

I can probably answer that question best as I actually quit snus for about 6 weeks. Long time folks know the story, had girlfriend at time with heart condition, ANY nicotine in me would transfer to her.

So I quit. VERY hard and painful for a few days, and for next 6 weeks, all I did was think about snus. I had smoked for over 30 years, and yet, ALL I thought about after quitting snus was having another snus. When Trudi broke up with me, she asked if I still wanted to watch movie that night. I said sure, but I needed to run home for a minute. Immediately, I went and put a snus in and all was good again.

[Santafechestnutred]

Snus craving

Last Xmas ran out of snus....Tried to get by on snuff...Even smoked a couple of cigarettes...Was scraping los cans with a fork trying to get a pris together...I am now completely addicted to snus...I like the way it delivers nicotine....When I popped in that first snus 2 days later when snus order arrived it gave me the same feeling as I used to get from that first Marlboro after a couple of days off from smoking...Snus has got me now.....

[RRK]

I quit smoking years before I tried snus but I can remember what it was like to crave cigarettes and snus seems totally different. I remember when quitting cigarettes I really felt like I needed a cigarette or I would go crazy. Now with snus I don't have my first for about 3 hours after I get up in the morning and the feeling I get is more like, a snus would be nice. I think there are so many more actions and sensations related to smoking a cigarette that it makes it much more addicting. Now I'm sure if I didn't snus for a few days I would get grumpy but I'm not sure if I would even relate the grumpiness to snus without thinking about it first. While with cigarettes it was like every couple of minutes if anything bothered me I thought man I need a cigarette. Now, cigarettes disgust me and I will never smoke one again. With cigars, snus, snuff available why would anyone want to smoke those yucky things that kill you.

[chainsnuser]

After more than 3 years of snusing, and more than 2 years without even a single "once-in-a-while-smoke" (which BTW become more and more disgusting with time), cigarettes don't come to my mind anymore. A nic-craving is a rare thing for me as I've just replaced my former chainsmoking habit with a chainsnusing habit, but when it hits me, then it's a snus-craving.

It takes some time to get to that point and from time to time I still think that a fine cigar again would be nice, but overall smoking has become almost unnatural to me. Luckily I've mostly smoked crappy cigarettes, in the last years even those almost tax-free fake filter-cigarillos, which taste like burned garbage. Really no reason for me to look back.

Also, after about one year of snusing I noticed how my stamina improved rapidly and my overall wellbeing became much better (less heavy smokers might notice that earlier) which then for me ended any impulse to even smoke an occasional cigarette.

Cheers!

[BadAxe]

Awesome replies guys. Thanks.

[bottledwater]

i guess im gonna be an oddball. when i quit cigs (its happened several times, i quit and start again every year or so), its like hell. its terrible. that was until i found snus, and i didnt really smoke much unless i was partying, etc. over spring break, i ran out of snus, it was cold outside, and the store that sells snus is a good hour away from where i live. i didnt have a car so i had to take two trains, it was a huge hassle. plus i didnt want to do anything serious, i just wanted to relax and enjoy spring break and getting snus felt like an errand. so out of laziness i quit for a few weeks until school started and i *had* to do errands. i love snus, but for some reason the craving and the withdrawal was not too bad, certainly not nearly as bad as cigs, from snus. that is just my experience, i think snus is easier to come off of

[Old Frothingslosh]

I haven't really had any cravings since I began snusing over a year ago. But then, I haven't run out of snus either. However, when I was smoking, I had cravings all the time. The nic delivery with snus is much better. I don't have those peaks and valleys like I had with cigarettes.

[BadAxe]

i guess im gonna be an oddball. when i quit cigs (its happened several times, i quit and start again every year or so), its like hell. its terrible. that was until i found snus, and i didnt really smoke much unless i was partying, etc. over spring break, i ran out of snus, it was cold outside, and the store that sells snus is a good hour away from where i live. i didnt have a car so i had to take two trains, it was a huge hassle. plus i didnt want to do anything serious, i just wanted to relax and enjoy spring break and getting snus felt like an errand. so out of laziness i quit for a few weeks until school started and i *had* to do errands. i love snus, but for some reason the craving and the withdrawal was not too bad, certainly not nearly as bad as cigs, from snus. that is just my experience, i think snus is easier to come off of

Thats not being an oddball. In fact, most people that quit cigs with snus say its much easier to give up the snus then it is to give up cigs. I was just wondering if after quitting cigs for a year or 2, if the nic cravings you get it you stop snusing would be for a snus or a cig.