Tobacco Progression: Anyone Else Come from Cigars & Pipes?

Did a quick search on here and didn’t find an appropriate thread so figured I’d start one.

What has your tobacco progression/journey involved?

I know from reading, and I’m currently on page 154/190 (in general) reading from the oldest -> newest, that many have come to snuff as a way to get away from cigarettes. I’m just wondering if there are those who instead got involved in the enjoyment of tobacco in other forms and are now considering becoming a primary snuff user as this is where I’m at.

I started enjoying premium cigars back in 2013 and it quickly became quite a hobby for me. I still am sitting on a fairly large selection, in my mind, of premium non-Cuban as well as Cuban cigars. I enjoyed the history and craft involved in the growing and production of cigars as well as the depth of flavors one could experience. As the wife and I started growing our family, as well as responsibilities at work/home, I dabbled in pipes. Pipes presented an interesting opportunity in that they consumed less time to enjoy and required less funds to enjoy per session. I specifically found smoking a bowl of pipe tobacco to be much more conducive once kids arrived on our scene as if I was interrupted at most I’d be out fractions of a dollar compared to at best $3-10+ for a cigar. Naturally, this meant I went to the pipe more often than cigars.

If anyone else has made the transition from cigars to pipes you’ll probably know the only drawback is compared to simply cutting and lighting your cigar the pipe can be a bit fiddlier until you really get your technique down. Prior to snuff I’d probably consider myself interested in both cigars and pipes equally however used pipes more often due to the time factor.

Enter snuff. I learned of it from some fellow cigar/pipe enthusiasts and setup a trade with one who shipped me some samplings. That led to where I’m at today. I could see myself easily becoming a primarily snuff user due to the economic and time requirements to partake. One of the huge bonuses for me is that I can enjoy this hobby (I don’t view my relationship with tobacco as an addiction) while at work. Even now, as I type this, I’m at work in a position that would never lend itself to smoking a pipe or cigar and even if attempted it would be rushed at best. I’m sitting here with a decent sized pinch of Rosinski Nordwind with a huge smile on my face. It is simply awesome. Not to mention the variety of snuff available, the community, the nostalgia, price, and probably most appealing of all the ease of portability and time necessary to partake.

Did anyone else have this transition? Don’t get me wrong, I’m still quite fond of cigars and pipes but can see myself having made a complete reversal in my habits. It’d go 1) snuff, 2) pipes and 3) cigars. This isn’t even touching upon the health benefits of snuff compared to cigars/pipes.

actually when I started I pretty quickly tried all the methods available including snuff until my local tobacco store got sold. That was in 93. Started snuffing again in the 2000s when I found online retailers mostly because I could not smoke in my apartment (because of my girlfriend) and really started to just enjoy snus and snuff more then smoking.

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@bob not sure I’ll ever venture into snus. It seems, from my reading, though I could be entirely wrong, that snus is primarily used for nic delivery and not so much for flavor. I’m really enjoy snuff for the flavors – if I become reliant on the nic I’m ok with that but with cigars & pipes I’ve never experienced “needing” the nic. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve gone months without partaking and there were definitely moments of wanting a pipe or cigar but never experienced any withdrawals that you hear of from cigarette smokers.

Am I correct in my thinking? Or are there those who simply use snus for the flavor and take the nic delivery in stride with it. 

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Some people are chasing the nicotine dragon when it comes to snus. Siberia, thunder X and the like are for that. Lots of us stick with the regular strength and enjoy the variety of flavours available, much like with snuff

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@Codyg140 appreciate the insight!

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Great topic @jholen. I am also a fan of Rosinski snuffs. I have been through the gamut of tobacco products except for snus. Cigarettes, cigars, pipes, loose leaf & Copenhagen chewing tobaccos, even vaping, which I quickly grew tired of. Then it happened. I was reading the book Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep? by Philip K Dick. Towards the end of the novel, the central character partakes in some Dr Johnsons snuff. Something clicked in my head immediately, so I looked on the internet and found a whole new world! It was not very difficult to procure some WE Garrett and Silver Dollar tins locally, stale and dry as can be. However It was enough to instantly quit vaping and never look back. I read everything I could and watched lots of YouTube videos.Thank you Uncle Squinty! Soon a rather large Mr Snuff order was placed and the rest is history! I like everything about it. The fascinating history, the types, the endless varietys, the reasonable cost. And most of all the simplicity. All one needs is a tin and a handkerchief.

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oh snus certainly is a flavor experience, it just tends not to hit you over the head with the flavors. A few brands really have stronger flavors. But the traditional snus brands have more of a tobacco forward flavor. By the way I love the flavor of snus and wish that the los varieties where more expansive. 

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oh and if you in general have dug tobacco you really should try snus at least once. I’d suggest ordering at least a few different types to sample the varieties and if you just don’t like it you can always find someone willing to trade for snuffs.

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@bob any recommendations to try? What’s the best source for a small amount? Cheers!

Well, I started from snuff. It was my single source of nicotine for a first year or two. Then I introduced myself to tobacco smoke and thing started rolling fast. My full circle: snuff, cigarettes/RYO (occasional pipe, sheesha and cigar), snus, makla, snuff. I found snus and makla most enjoyable, but local unavailability kept my smoking habbit alive - still grabbed a cigarette or rolled my own when out of snus or makla, though I didn’t enjoy smoking anymore and only chain-smoking could satisfy my nicotine cravings (blame makla, which generates the urge of being permanently plugged).

I stopped smoking and using makla in the end of 2016. Few cans of Icelandic ATVR neftobak helped me to switch back to snuff.

Snus (loose regular) is all about taste. A word of warning - it is salty and alkaline, though, and cuts your gums like a razor for the first week. I could recommend just about any Swedish Match loose (los) snus (Roda Lacket, Ettan, Grove, both Goteborgs), Skruf Original Loose and Skruf Stark (Strong, but still tasty / not bitter) Loose. Avoid V2 products, they are inferior.

Portion snus is more convenient to use in public, but lacks the taste.

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@jholen there are only a couple different snus merchants online. They’re all roughly about the same price after shipping and such. Though if you want to see which is best fill up a few carts and see which costs the least after shipping is applied. As far as recommendations just go on your own personal taste including your preference for lower or higher nicotine levels (most of which are listed and seem relatively accurate.

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I did not come to snuff from pipes.

I brought snuff to pipes. I fully enjoy both.

Cigars are great as well but even great cigars do not bring me anywhere near the enjoyment I get from snuff and pipes and great pipe tobacco.

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I find that different types of tobacco have different pleasures. Pipes are more contemplative and slow and have more a mood evening effect. Snuff I find more stimulating and exciting. Pipes are to be savored where as snuff is more to be appreciated immediately. I enjoy that variety though. 

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Yah I’d agree they meet different needs. Probably why I’m enjoying snuff so much lately as it’s so convenient. Not often I’ve got time to sit down for a pipe let alone a cigar.

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I totally got into snuff through pipe tobacco. I kept seeing it on the pipe tobacco websites(pre PACT) got curious and ordered a few tins.

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i started on cigarettes and pipes but i destroyed my lungs so i switched to primarily chew and dip with a few cigs and a few pipes a day with the occasional cigar. then i got into snus. then i discovered snuff in 2016. it quickly became my primary nic source and it helped me quit cigarettes finally after 10 plus years of smoking almost 2 packs a day. i still enjoy chew, dip, snus, pipes and cigars. i think tobacco might be my one true passion in life. i am definitely an addict though

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@n9inchnails I knew I wasn’t alone!

I was a heavy pipe smoker for years and a member of a pipe forum. I saw a slightly off-topic thread on snuff, and laughed heartily at the idea that it could be an effective nicotine delivery system. A regular replied that I should try it before I dissed it, so I ordered a small tin of Toque Quit and another of Abraxas Premium Coarse. Love at first sniff. I alternated between pipe and snuff for years, with an occasional cigar thrown in. About a year ago, I had a bad persistent cough, so I decided to give the pipe a bit of a break – and I just haven’t got around to picking it up again. I think I’ll just stick to snuff for now. It’s the best way of doing tobacco that I’ve come across.

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@JakartaBoy I hear ya! Think I’ve had one cigar in 3 months and have just been sitting on my cellar of pipe tobacco. Been selling off samplers of cigars to fund my snuff habit, haha.

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I started about as soon as I got to high school with dip. Kodiak wintergreen it was…a sent that to this day makes me a little weak in the knees if I smell it. Lol! By the time I graduated high school It was a can a day of grizzly straight. Always loved the pure taste of tobacco. Around the age of 19 I picked up smoking camel lights and the rare pouch of either half and half or capitan black. Fast forward a few years and out came “fire safe” cigarettes. To this day they make me puke my brains out if I smoke them. So here I am fully addicted to a substance that makes me physically sick to use it. I don’t remember how, but somewhere along the line I found out about RYO cigs. No sickness and I could finally stop being sick all the time! I’ve been smoking RYO for about 10-12 years now. Maybe longer heck I forget. 30th B day I decide to dust off my old pipes and have a bowl. For some reason it stuck this time and I’ve been piping for a little over a year now regularly. Being Information hungry like I am I ended up on a pipe forum and found out people put tobacco in their nose! Holy shit can you believe that??? It took almost 6 months for me to read up on it and decide I had to try it. So this past December I went to food lion on my lunch break and picked up A can of tube rose. I have not missed a single day since then. I’m thinking about kicking the cigs soon, but I’m terrified to let go. You see my past and understand I love all things tobacco, even cigs. But my health…im a dad of two beautiful sons now. I want to be there for them for as long as I can be. I don’t have any health issues YET, but I’m over a decade in on smoking now…and it’s a lottery with damn good odds of winning ( or in this case losing). So maybe this bag of ryo will be my last. Maybe I will take next week’s cig allowance and buy snuff with it. Maybe…

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