How to convert the masses? That is the question. This is how I have brought it up. I am in school for a second career in law as a paralegal. Most of my classmates are female. It is against the rules to use tobacco on the campus. I give a finger to them and dip and snuff openly. I have read the rules and have many legal loopholes to take advantage of if ever taken to task about it. When my classmates have wanted to have a smoke I offered them some stuff. The response is mixed some say sure and one said no way that’s got to be illegal. I only offer vary mild things like afterglow, taxi rock or bernard 275. What are your experiences?
Usually the same old things; what is it, what does it do for you, is it legal and the one I love best - its more dangerous than cigarettes you know. I do get quite a lot try it and have even given a couple of cans away to guys in my office. I was in a bar the other week and the two guys I was with, after a few drinks, ended up asking for pinches all night long. Ive never had a female try any.
I’ve had similar experiences Jarhog. I work with and around animals and many of the people I work with are women. Younger ladies in the 18-30 range are usually open to try it, with some hesitation. Older women, older people in general that are diehard smokers refuse it and tell me my nose will fall off LOL. I think education is the key, look how far Swedish snus has come, with many big American Tobacco companies test-marketing versions of pseudo-snus. I think with companies like Toque at the helm of snuff, that wider acceptance is coming, it just takes people like me and you to be open and unashamed about snuffing. I tell people “it’s gross to sniff small amounts of flavored tobacco, but burning the sh!t out of your lungs with chemicals isn’t nasty?” I also inform them that the only documented case of snuff causing nasal cancer in the last 200 some odd years was proven to be a revenge-hoax by a poet playing doctor[the John Hill case].
anyway, the medical benefits of lots of people switching to snuff would be huge.
Most people I know think i’m mad using snuff. They seem to associate it with negative things such as drug use. The very idea of sniffing it up their nose tends to freak them out…sad but true
I find explaining the way everything smells so nice really hooks some people into trying it. One day at work the compactor was extra nasty I got a few non tobacco users to try a sniff just to handle the orodious evil that day.
Lazarus, I know what you mean. Most people are like that. I keep trying to get my smoking buddies to just TRY it, and they look at me like - I’m Mad. lol On the other hand I was at a jam a few weeks ago, and this dude was there, I’ve seen him before he always bums smokes from people, a real heavy smoker. I offered him some snuff, expecting the usual looks and comments, but he said “snuff?” and held out the back of his hand. He said that, many years ago, he used to work at a shop that sold snuff, and he used it back then. I had some Tom Buck and some Dholakia Swiss choc. He liked the Dholakia very much, and claimed he felt the nicotine real good. Although he sneezed 'til he wheezed. lol.
I’m actually finding that more and more people I know in the pub(s) are willing to give snuff a try these days, including a 69 year old lady who had never tried it in her life until Saturday evening. She did seem to enjoy the JR Justice. It might help that my local has a snuff box on the bar of course!
Yes, I use the same pub as ermtony and one never feels out of place taking snuff in there. Last Friday there where two couples that I had never seen in the bar before, they showed interest in my snuffs. Funny the two women seemed to take to it more then their men.
I agree snuff head…of the people I have offered snuff to, by and large the more willing ones were young women who smoke. [no, I’m not stalking pretty young things with snuff!] Here in the US, nasal snuff is either unheard of alltogether, or carries with it a stigma of only being used by crusty old immigrant men, though some of us have uncles and grandpas who were known to enjoy snuff. Even here in the Northern states, American “dip” ie longcut moist snuff is frowned upon as “white trash” or low-class in large urban areas, and put in the same humorous category as sterotype Americana like NASCAR, trucker caps and beef jerky. Though I live in a semi-isolated rural area where things like that are quite popular!
I’ve gotten two (smoker) friends to try it. They both liked it but I don’t think they will ever switch. It’s too hard to get here in Florida and they don’t have the time i have to research it, order online etc. Being in Miami, even I hide my snuff taking in public. It seems so dumb, since it’s legal. I use an aluminum bullet and people would think i was crazy if i started snuffing at a bar. I would probably end up explaining to the police, no fun after a couple beers. EVERYONE I’ve mentioned it to thinks I’m crazy and has never heard about it.
Thanks ya’ll for all your input. Keep up the good work.
Hehe, yeah. I’ve been using the swedish variety of tobacco for a while. A friend of mine and his brother seem to enjoy that, and they seemed pretty interested in trying the snuff once it gets here. A few other people have been interested by the other product as well. The few times that I have used snuff in this area, I get a few odd looks. That’s about it, though. No cops, lol.
As I think about it, someone will probably make a fortune with a bar top snuff vending machine. At first buzzed people would buy it as a lark, watching their friends sneeze like crazy, but the more enlightened ones would take to it. As I mentioned elswhere, I would like to have a “snuff sampling party” at a local bar. At this point the bar owners would think I was crazy if I suggested it and I don’t have the the means to advertise it properly. Perhaps a sponsorship deal…
I can remember a time when pubs here in the UK often used to have snuff for sale behind the bar. That’s quite a lot of years ago though. Maybe it will happen again.
My local still sells snuff behind the bar Tony. This is an ex mining area and a lot of folks still take snuff. Stefan
Good to hear, Stefan. They seem to have stopped doing so in Hull now. More’s the pity.
I think alot of people don’t bother with snuff because cigarettes exist, are readily available and give you a bigger nicotine hit faster. They don’t see the need to try snuff…I even had a smoker once say they thought sniffing tobacco up your nose was ‘disgusting’ I responded that I thought inhaling toxic smoke into their lungs then breathing it all over people who don’t smoke was pretty disgusting…they couldn’t really respond to that! LOL If smoking was banned tommorow every single one of them would be using snuff I promise you! LOL Thinking about it I would go as far as to say I have never had a positive response to snuff. Once people find out that you sniff it up your nose they immediately look at me in horror and disgust. If snuff was taken orally they probably wouldn’t blink. Two days ago a work colleague saw me taking some snuff. He asked what I was doing so I told him. I had with me some Fribourg & Treyer ‘Old Paris’ he asked to smell it and recoiled in horror exclaiming the smell was ‘horrible’ about 4-5 people ended up sniffing it and they all complained that it smelt vile…has anyone here ever felt that they are the only sane person left in the world? Why do human beings always seem to be overly hostile or wary around things they aren’t familiar with? Everyone on the planet seems to suffer from mass paranoia! LOL
yep, my various tins are regular feature at my local. can’t say anyone has been out and started collecting wildly, but there is always a clamour for it when i get tin out. much cheaper than giving cigs away! also, more ladies take a pinch, including 2 non smokers. faves for them are fruit and menthol varieties especially poschl.
Overall I get the impression that people tend to be more receptive to snuff in Europe than in North America, though I’m not sure why that should be the case. Certainly nobody bats an eyelid when I take a pinch, where ever I am. I think the only time I see a raised eyebrow is when Snuff Head and I cover a table at the pub with assorted tins and boxes, but that’s down to the sheer quantity!