How did you get started using this stuff? When did you try it first? What were your influences? This is how it happened for me. Diary of a snuff newbie… I just thought I’d write this for people who were considering snuff for the first time as I am so very new to it myself. I’m 36, been smoking cigarettes since I was 10 or 11 and over the last 2 years I’ve spent more time contemplating quitting smoking or promising myself I’d quit than I did either being an ex or being a smoker. About 18 months ago, I thought I would try the eCigs, and they worked for a few days. They weren’t particularly good, they weren’t terribly bad. They just weren’t tobacco and they certainly weren’t satifying. As I told anyone who asked at the time, they kept me from going postal during the worst of times. I would have a pack of cigarettes on hand to get me through 4 or 5 days while I lit up my little green light and breathed in the bland or not close to the target tasting vapors. I hated fidgetting with the little cartdridges and the fluids, cleaning and fussing…back on the butts I was. About a month ago, I was reading online about the nicotene replacement therapies available…I’ve tried the gum…no joy there. And the gum was just disgusting tasting. I tried the patches. Sure I got my nicotene, but something was missing…oh yeah, the fisxation of doing something, lighting up, taking a drag. I missed the whole act. Imagine that, I was appreciating what eCigs were going for. I read about nicotene nasal spray. Yes, yes…very effective NRT. Ok, pricey, sure. Need a prescription…have to go to the doctor…Why not, I’ve tried everything else and none of them stopped me from pulling into my local corner shop and buying a pack. I did a google search for nasal nicotene and somewhere on page 2 or 3 or so, I came across a site for NicotineRush. Interesting, I never new that stuff that Tuco was sniffing in the Good, The Bad & The Ugly was tobacco. I was curious, knowing full well that it was still tobacco. I searched some Dr. Know-it-all medical sites and found a trend across the board…it’s still tobacco but there’s no firm link between nasal snuff and cancer. Ok, sounds intriguing. Why not, I started looking around, can’t buy it in the States, no good flavors to be had on the shelf, must buy online, must buy from overseas. Ok, no big deal. I made an uneducated order from Mr. Snuff. Just get some to try, I ordered about 16 tins or so. I started reading, and waiting, and reading, and checking my mailbox. I looked on eBay for a snuff box - $15.50 + $4.50 shipping - $20 for a little silver thing that fits great in the pocket. Ok…waiting…WHEN CAN I TRY SNUFF! Mind you, it’s been about 6 or 7 days since I placed the order…I’m impatient and imulsive at heart (know thyself). I went cruising around on a lunch break, stopping in all of the tobacco shops on the Delaware side of the DE/PA border (tax free shopping tends to do that to products like tobacco and fireworks). I just asked the proprietors, do you carry nasal snuff…“No, can’t get it” and “It doesn’t sell”. I hit one outlet that had 2 kinds…a dusty, dirty looking box of W.E. Garret something-or-other and a rather new looking box of Railroad Sweet Scotch. Ok, I’ll take one of those, $3.25, worth a shot. Now, I had read that scotches aren’t for beginners and that more would-be snuff people are never-will snuff people because of “American Scotches”…I’m not scared. Wow! Earthy, yes…where’s the sweet again? Sneezey…tingly. I can see the attraction, but the scent, that lingering - earth smell - hrm, can’t see doing this for very long. I tried another pinch later in the day, same effect. Now, trying the Sweet Scotch first was foolish and against people’s recommendations, but I needed to know. I got home that day, less excited about snuff that I had gotten myself worked up to be over the last week, to find not one, but TWO packages in the mail…One, my tiny silver snuff box and two, my randomized order from Mr. Snuff. I took it downstairs to my bar to examine properly. Pulled out a pint glass and filled it from the tap, pulled out a high-ball and added a few ounces of Crown Royal and got to opening. Wow, now THESE are proper tins of snuff…the just poor smelling remnants of the Railroad in my nose. I was just holding tins one my one to my nose, sniffing through the can. Which to try first, no idea…can’t decide. My excitment was reinvigorated. I read so much about High Dry Toast and Irish High Toast (did they say 21 or 22? Doesn’t matter, I have them both). I opened the Irish HT # 22 but was reminded of the Railroad, still too fresh in my mind, so I just closed the tin back. Looking, looking, I found a French Carotte that reminded my of a favorite incense that I used to burn back in the day when cigarettes weren’t the only thing burning in the tray. Ok, Sandalwood, worth trying. I must say, I didn’t notice the “carrot” smell at all that people said it had but it was actually nice. A world better than the railroad and now I know what all the fuss is about. I tried the McChrystal’s Clove later that night. That’s what’s going my my snuff box first. Really tasty, or is it smelly? However, I like it. When I got to work, all of my tins in a small purple felt bag, I started sniffing at them, trying to decide which to try next. Crumbs of Comfort - WoS - smelled really nice through the can so I opened it, heavenly. I dumped the clove from my silver box back into it’s proper tin and reloaded with WoS CoC. The next day I was sniffinf the Honey Menthol - more mediciney than the CoC, but interesting none-the-less. McChrystal’s Lemon was for the next day, very fresh, very different from the menthols that I was coming to appreciate more and more. Well, let me say, a the few days since I’ve started using this stuff-snuff I’m out of cigarettes, have been, didn’t care so much. Don’t get me wrong, I’m thinking about a cigaretted here and there, but not NEEDING one. This could be the end of that road for me. So, if you’re thinking about snuff - especially to get rid of cigarettes - I hope that this finds you well and helps you make up your mind.
Dude, excellent read! Your story is about like mine. of the ciggs for 6 days now, and doing good on snuff. You should be a writer 
I would buy the odd can of scotch snuff way before the internet, and didn’t know much about it. These are largely dipped as far as I can tell. But I didn’t know what to do with it, I probably snorted it, but I never used it regularly. Then much much later, I got interested in snus, and found snus online, and did an exchange with someone, and got a tin of nasal snuff. I was not so interested in it, and didn’t even try it. But at that time, I was not getting on well with the snus, being a total newby to it, and oral tobacco in general. So, I was thinking of quitting the snus, and decided to try this nasal snuff out that had been sitting in my snus container in the freezer for a while. And when I did, after learning more about snuff, I was very impressed, and greatly liked it. It was Jaxon’s Cherry menthol. I think was very interested in more snuff, and bought some from MrSnuff, the Rockit line, and liked thoese as well. I then later got back into snus, and that time it stuck. So, I use snus and snuff. I used to be a regular smoker, but had quit long before I got the urge to try these new to me tobacco items. I now will use snuff and snus all the time, and dip too, and chew. I also got an e-cig recently, though mine doesn’t have any messing with liquids and whatnot.
My first can of snuff I bought was by accident in 2004-seen a can of Bruton snuff on the shelf of a Myers store and since I’m a dipper and love trying new stuff, I bought it. I open the can and realize its nasal snuff (which Ive never seen b4) so I end up SNORTING a pinch and that was too much for me, I couldn’t understand at the time why people would enjoy that! Flash forward to November of last year, I’m tryn to kick a cigarette habit and think back to that can of Bruton. I do alot of research on snuff, how it’s taken, where to get it, and that all lead me to this fine site, which I frequently visit. I been snuffing ever since. Now Bruton is my favorite scotch. I still have maybe 2 cigarettes a week, but even that is slimming down. Thanks Snuff!!!
I’ve been snuffing full time since March and finally managed to give cigarettes the boot 10 days ago. I haven’t touched a cigarette since then and having a wide variety of snuffs to choose from everyday is what’s keeping me going.
When I was in college in 2006, I read briefly about snuff on the net, and crunched up some dry Bugler, made it into a line and railed it. That was my first, and painful, snuff experience. I found some Gletscherprise at the store in town, then this website, two years later, and its been great ever since.
@Micheltn - Thanks for the feedback. I’m still very new, moving through my flavors. Glad to see your off the cigs now! Stay strong…stay strong. I wish I had known about this stuff sooner…I’d probably be able to run from the door to the car on a rainy day without getting winded!
Nice post Chris. Good story. It took me a long time to figure out how to take the fine grinds properly, and to appreciate the American snuffs. Nowadays, I much prefer the finer, dryer grinds.
Ruthless, you’ll find in the US, scotch snuff has a popular history of being dipped. Try some Bruton in the mouth, it’s not bad. You can also add some water to scotch snuff and make loose snus, though it’s kinda bland upper lipped.
I’ll avoid putting it in my lips…I used to dip (Skoal/Copenhagen), it’s not for me. What do I do with this Taxi Red? I looks, smells like a Copenhagen.
Shove it in your nose. It can be dipped too(I did it).
Bleh…I have a friend that dips, he’ll be getting a present soon. Thanks anyway!
I used to only smoke, and I looked negatively at other tobacco uses. Then after I got used to snus, and then got into nasal snuff, I was open to try other methods. I’ve since gotten lots of dip, which would have disgusted me not long ago, chew, twist, plug, dipping scotch snuff, Indian spit tobacco, makla… you name it. I’m open now to try it all. Some I like more than others of course, but I am open to it, and like most of it.
@ChrisS74, Like other’s have mentioned, you should be a writer… I first tried snuff when I was about 10. My dad was using it and I wanted to try, of course. 22 years later… In my favorite cigar shop, I saw a dusty tub of Garrett’s scotch and remembered when I was younger. It was a little much at first, and I ended up giving most of that to my dad, but my curiosity instantly grew. I picked up little boxes of snuff from 3 shops. I found some Dean Swift in one shop. It wasn’t menthol so I couldhandle it easier as I’ve got sinus issue’s. From there I found this site, along with Nic Rush before P.A.C.T. and started ordering. A few orders from tom, (nic rush) and an order from Toque. I was hooked. In the matter of a week I went from the low nic of Dean Swift straight to Rooster and Dholakia White. I’ve since built a collection, messed with mixing, made my own, and re-introduced snuff to my father. I skipped a lot of the beginner snuff and went straight to the Rooster, Three Thistles, and Dholakia’s. Wow. I’ve got a $500 - $700 cigar collection that I barely touch anymore. Imagine all the snuff I could have ordered. Depending on my allergies, I smoke or chew only a few cigars a week, and have gone from 2 packs a day, to 1/2 pack. (again, depending on my allergies) Instant snuff advocate here. I’ve introduced my cigar friends to snuff and they are liking it. The problem is that they can’t handle the stronger scotch snuff’s or white snuff’s so they don’t get the nic hit, I’m still teaching them. Other than the fact that snuff is extremely dirty to the old nose, I’m now a snuff advocate. I’ve only been snuffing since last spring, but I use too much, but not enough. I can go through anywhere from 2 to 8g a day depending on the allergy’s. My bp is higher than ever and I would like to get my blood nic content. Whatever, I’ll die anyway. At least with snuff I can put more air into my lungs now, and am risking lung cancer less and less. That being said, my grandfather died of throat cancer before I was born. He chewed, and smoked cigars and pipes, rarely a cig. He also drank a quart of brandy a day. Snuff is good! I do mess around with the commercial snus time to time. Mostly when I’m partaking in activities in which I cannot smoke cigs or cigars. In three months I hope to never buy another cig again. I buy snuff for me and my dad now. Note: he’s a dentist like my grandfather, he smokes cigs in his clinic. He will actually tell people that he would rather see them chew or sniff snuff than smoke. For a man who’s been practicing dentistry for 40 some years, that has to say something. Chewing is by far more deadly than snuffing, but still less than smoking.
I tripped and fell nose first into a tin of snuff. I have been hooked ever since.
I was accosted one night by a group of naked young women who flew me to the Bahammas, installed me on a water bed overlooking the ocean and force fed me Best Sp inbetween Tequila Slammers. Thank God I can’t remember the rest, I can just about cope with the post stress trauma of what I do recall.
Nice, both of you. Need a laugh this early.
@McGuyver–Your cigars will only get better with age…keep the box @ 73% for 5-years and they’ll be some truly fine smokes. As for dear ol’ dad, I’d have to find another dentist - even as a smoker/soon to be ex - if he was reeking of smoke through the mask… @Snuffster - I feel so dirty knowing that you were there first! @Jerk - Wow, you should be more careful next time, you might fall and drink some Crown Royal Reserve…then you’d really be in trouble.
@Tom502 I’ve tried dipping bruton, as well as other scotches and sweets, but it’s just too messy for me. I’m too used to the taste and texture of regular dip.
Personally, I found that Scotches taste horrid and are unpleasant in the mouth, yet smell amazing. This justifies sniffing the product that no one, not even the manufacturers, really know what one is supposed to do with them.