The New International Snuff-Takers' Association

I am the official spokesperson for the ISTA and authorized to answer any questions and comments regarding these two items. ISTA mission statement: The ISTA aims to promote the understanding of nasal snuff and encourage the study of its history and traditions. ISTA members seek to achieve these aims by making available their collective knowledge, skills and experience Membership criteria: The International Snuff-Takers’ Association is an inclusive society open to anyone who has been an active, contributing member of Snuffhouse.org for not less than two years or who has demonstrated service to the promotion of snuff in another venue. These include but are not limited to: publishing a book or magazine about snuff; maintaining a blog or website about snuff; maintaining or progressing the skills of snuff blending and manufacturing snuff; moderating a snuff forum; proficiency in a craft that promotes snuff taking such as making snuff boxes; or any other demonstrable activity that promotes snuff taking.

Well that about knocks me out of the running but I suppose i’ll talk to you further in 2 years :))

@general_desaix - yes you can apply in 22 months, unless you fall into the second category. Then you can be considered for membership . We need driven enthusiastically knowledgeable talented and diplomatical individuals to work together ,united to achieve ISTA goals.

Well it’s probably better that way— as most of you can see, the only knowledge I have is what ones I like and what ones I don’t and I don’t think that does anyone else much good :))

@general_desaix - This is the reasoning behind the two year commitment to snuffhouse .org .A plethora of knowledge and experience can be achieved in that period; depending on the zeal you express on this snuff lifestyle

@basement_shaman agreed— will leave it to the experts-- I’m just a “user” :smiley: EDIT: meaning this seriously— I wouldn’t belong in ISTA anymore so than I’d belong in a pipe tobacco blending firm-- I just like the finished product(s); meaning I hope you all get on well enough with it and keep snuff culture going. good luck with it :slight_smile:

Shouldn’t there be different levels of membership, rather than excluding people from this “inclusive” association?

Shouldn’t there be different levels of membership, rather than excluding people from this “inclusive” association?

Hmm, sounds rather “exclusive”. I understand the thinking, but perhaps there could be Jr. Members or an Auxillary or some such. Just a thought. Any org that is actively working towards forwarding the snuff cause is A-OK with me.

Affiliate, Associate, Member and Fellow would be a good format. Strength in numbers.

@TomAD I wish there was. We are new and just growing, in the future the may change and be more relaxed. How can ISTA evaluate a member with a one month record to examine? It this possible. The criteria is in place and shows the prospective members dedication to the forum . If you desire , just go to the introduce yourself thread page 72 one year past, or pick any page on any thread at the same time period; Look at the people who had joined and are they active now? There is a lot of new members that are like candles burning on both ends, they are on fire at first and have seriously added good content to the forum and then they are gone. This is why 2 years was employed. The ISTA is not for Camaraderie: it is for the business aspect complying with the ISTA mission statement. The forum is where all the fun is! If you have any other questions about the criteria or mission statement I am here for you. Thank you for your suggestion this may come to fruition in time .

^ @basement_shaman "There is a lot of new members that are like candles burning on both ends, they are on fire at first and have seriously added good content to the forum and then they are gone. This is why 2 years was employed. " makes sense-- I’d interest at first, but truly I already get what I need here — I just need to know what snuff(s) suck and what ones are alright— so no need for the ones like myself to apply really. wouldn’t make good sense— I don’t see the reasoning behind a “tiered” org either as being discussed above-- too, if camaraderie meant to be then it is-- it cannot be “joined” or purchased… Further, I’m more a candle-burner myself, ha! Proves my lack of worthwhile input in regard to something like what ISTA is about-- again, no “expert” here and no need to be-- like many, I just enjoy tobacco… and quite decidedly happy as a pig in shit with regular membership now that I’ve a firmer grip on the purpose of ISTA.

Surely the mission statement would be better served in an open and inclusive forum such as snuffhouse? Rather than having an exclusive club that only certain people can view, if you want to promote snuff then keep it as is on an open forum rather than hidden away. What the mission statement says is what I thought this forum did anyway, so it makes this whole ISTA redundant, as all you’re doing is hiding away in a corner basically telling the people who you want to appeal to and educate, they aren’t good enough to be a member of your exclusive club. In the snus world we keep it open and available to all regardless of length of membership or role in the community, that way everyone feels involved and able to contribute, it’s worked for us from when snus was relatively unknown outside Sweden to what it is now. The mission statement appears to me to say, if you’re not in our special club we don’t care about you. So how do you propose to promote snuff to those not in the club? Does it not make sense to just keep it all out in the open on this forum like it was? Why the need for the exclusivity and criteria?

@Skell18 I love your zeal ,and I hope you consider membership come November .It’s not that we are hiding anything and we do care for all whom enjoy snuff, also those whom never knew it existed. Right now this ISTA is just getting started, we have yet any proposed plans. Committees need to be established and the wrinkles need ironing out. All this takes time and time at the ISTA runs very slowly. it was conceived and hopefully can grow into a working association. I am sorry for the non transparency ,I am sure all information will be fully disclosed when available. If the ISTA wanted to be a secret club then no one here would know of it’s existence. And I certainly would not want to be involved. The criteria is in place because we need a few elder statesman . I feel there will come a day when the public won’t look at me sideways, when I use snuff and I hope the ISTA is the reasoning that makes it happen.

I’ve been waiting for the ISTA to come about before anyone in this thread was even a member of Snuffhouse, and while it would seem special to be a part of, honestly, I don’t feel like its as big of a deal as everyone is treating it, whether in the ISTA or otherwise… I think every one should just calm down about it, I mean, its been years for it to even get where it is now, still seems like a long time coming before anything drastic happens… -Kidnapper

Update: Who really wants a united acceptable friendly free-info Snuff community? :-?

Guys and Gals, I feel the need to speak up here. Many forums have a “moderators board” a area where a few respected ( or not so much) people can discuss issues, opportunities or problems out of sight of the full forum before taking action. ISTA is NOT a elites club where members can discuss stuff that the non members will never hear about. ISTA is about taking new ideas from long time enthusiasts and shooting them down or promoting them to the larger community IF it would be beneficial. The only truly secret thing ITSA would do is conceal the existence of a new snuff, if asked, until the manufacturer allows it to be revealed. We in the snus blogger community do it all the time. We hear stuff from our sources and are told to keep it quiet for whatever amount of time they desire, usually until right before it’s ready for market. Right now ITSA is merely trying to feel out what they should be doing and how to proceed. That, rightly, is being done out of the public eye. I have a feeling that once the kinks are worked out ITSA membership requirements will be adjusted and loosened. Every club out there started with a few “special” members. All still have a guiding group that sits in their ivory towers and makes sure the gears are greased properly. Sorry if I overstepped any lines here @basement_shaman .

Well have at it then :)) If it’s already chosen, let’s all drop it move on and then if you all are interested, then drop the chosen party a line :). I don’t care if it’s “secret” or not-- I’m already a member of a “secret” type deal and know full well that there is nothing “secret” about it-- lol-- excepting maybe that we’d NEVER get any new membership minus the intrigue of ages past---- SO, let’s all let the ISTA do its thing unabated— :slight_smile:

The goals of the ISTA are important to me. I would love for snuff to be accepted and popular enough to be found here locally. But I think any “official” steps would best be carried out by our more experienced members. We can all do our part by continuing to take snuff in public, and by presenting our ideas to the ISTA members here on the forum. But I’m concerned that we gain the advantages of being well accepted, without losing some of the advantages of being “under the radar”. For instance; the e-cigarette craze has grown so big so fast that now the anti-tobacco people, the tobacco companies, and the people that make the patches, gum, and locenges are all trying to get them regulated or out right outlawed in the U.S. (unsafe for the children, etc.). While I have no personal problem with people who delight in taking snuff using cocane paraphernalia, or college kids posting you tube videos of themselves snuffing “lines” or sniffing an entire box of Gawith Apricot all at once, I don’t think they would best represent us. Long story short is; I agree with the proposed membership restrictions.

I try to understand where I’m wrong… At the end, Member or No Member of ISTA i want to help Snuff Community wherever i can. Good luck! I’m sure that something good may be grow in the future.

“I wouldn’t want to be a member of a club that would have me as a member” (Groucho). Haha. I’m fine with it. None of it changes the flavor of the snuff in my nose. My elder sifus, go out and do battle for your younger brothers and sisters!