All my family has gone down with the lurgie, my, mother, father, daughter, son and my wife but not me. As soon as i started to get the sweats and shivers i reached for my tin of Hedges L260 and the cold has progressed not one bit. Everyone else has been coughing and had a really sore throat for days but not me, nope i’m fine. I snuff 10g+ a day and whilst skeptical about any medicinal claims i do think perhaps this has helped me not to develop a full blown cold.
Its difficult to pick out all the variables and probably the only way it could be ascertained for certain would be by vigerous double blind testing as per a new medicine. Personally, I think it may provide some kind of barrier - however slight - in prevention, in the same way as some of the nasal sprays that are on the market (1st Defence I think is one)
It always helps me get the actualy gunk out of my sinuses and nose and even seems to help remove stuff from my breathing tubes (how scientific). Which is basicly what your body is trying to do anyways. Also as stated before nicotine kills germs. Which also might help with the colds and flus.
I’m in my mid sixties and I first start the day with a few sniffs of Hedges L260 before going on to other none menthol snuff. I usualy end the day with L260 too. I seldom get a cold. But if I do it is a big one lasting weeks, it has to be a big one, to get through my L260 barrier!
I know that there is a medication called “first defence” which is basically a germ killing nasel spray. Perhaps tobacco has similar disinfectant qualities?
Do a search on this forum under discussions for the word ‘cold’ and there are a few older discussions about colds & snuff that are pretty good.