I’ve noticed that different snuffs produce different amounts and even varying consistencies of mucous. The American Scotches, Molens A/P, and just about anything McC’s get blown out when the drip gets going as it’s usually very watery. Others produce a slightly thicker mucous that takes a while to build up. Often this glob mucous slides down my throat before I get a chance to hawk it up and spit it out. I’m wondering if there are any long-term implications of swallowing bits of snuff. I’m guessing about 1/3 of a pinch goes down w/ the mucous, but I haven’t a clue as to how to measure it. Otherwise I clean my hooters out a couple of times each day. I also use a Neti pot daily.

Well, someone mentioned once that Napoleon died of stomache cancer due to his snuff use. But they also said he was using 1-2 ounces daily, so I don’t think most of us have too much to worry about. It’s probably not good for you, but I’m not going to lose sleep over it.

Some more recent historical info posted a few months ago shows that Napoleon usually did not even snuff his snuff. He just smelled it and dropped it on the ground. I’m more worried about my throat than my stomach.

If you are NOT having bigger problems from things other than snuff. You should consider yourself fortunate.

Juxtaposer: I second that!

I would keep blowing it out. Snuff is pretty safe in comparison to smoking. But, we all have a choice.

This conversation makes me want a big ol’ toot of HDT!!!

One long term effect of snuff use that everyone will experience is being poorer as like it says on the tin it is addictive but as for health issues well i heard the other day on the news that kids should not eat ham sandwiches as it can cause bowel cancer. Also the rise in the occurence of COPD may be in part due to eating bacon, my point is that everything we do involves risk and its just not possible to avoid risk altogether. I do care about my health but i don’t smoke, don’t drink and i only eat healthy foods taking care to maintain a sensible weight but there comes a point where you have to draw a line in the sand and allow yourself a little pleasure or else life would not be worth living anyway. When i smoked i suffered from recurrent tonsillitis but despite swallowing copious amounts of snuff which runs quite horribly right over this area i have not had any problems at all and if you have regular dental check ups any signs of lesions or tissue change would be picked up early. I remember reading that worry and stress plays a part in triggering cancer if you are susceptible to developing it and i have a natural tendency to worry too much about things but snuff relaxes me so whilst i have some concerns for me anyways the benefits outweigh the small risks.

I’m with you Big Al.

I just did a night shift and out of stress and tiredness bought one of my very rare packs of cigarettes and smoked the lot. It took me right back to when I did it every single day and at the end of the shift a couple of hours ago my mouth felt like something had died in there, my sense of smell was shot and I had a sore throat. Now that crap is bad for you, on comparison snuff does’nt even read on the scale. Snuffs a pleasure and should not be worried about. The issue, as we all know, is the condensates and carbon monoxide, so snuff with abandon.

snuffster just touched on something really significant about cigs v. snuff. I’ve been puffing away like a chimney for the last two weeks, due to stress, personal problems, etc. Turning to the tin rather than another smoke should be what I do, but maybe there’s some common reaction in people that equates snuff with pleasurable times and cigarettes for the not so pleasant ones. It would sort of destroy the sense of calm associated with snuffing to reach for a pinch when things get truly awful. Just part of what makes smoking so insidious.

When I smoked regularly, I loved every minute of it. I guess I never smoked due to stress though, also I was never really a heavy smoker. It wasn’t until snuff that I started not liking it so much. Smoking was always for breaks or relaxation times.

Thats a very interesting observation Mr SP. I think even as I bought the pack I knew how I was going to feel afterwards but on reflection I felt something akin to what someone with drink dependency does when they obtain alcohol as an aid to get through something bad - also probably to an extent most non-dependent people, at some time, have taken some drink to cheer themselves up knowing all the while that it wouldn’t help the actual problem. I guess I used the cigarettes more as a drug than a pleasure, more of an escape. I run a large team in a pretty tough environment and the cigarettes were a rough and ready mental pain killer. Now, I love my job and don’t get stressed about it, but when a set of night shifts come around its the general tiredness and bio-rythm disruption that cause the stress. It seems that in the two years since I stopped regular smoking I have begun to see cigarettes as an unpleasant medication for the bad times, snuff as my pleasure.

I smoked 2 cigs at work tonight and felt like dirt! I only smoke enough to remind myself that I dislike it…and when I’m stressing.

My one year no smoking anniversary is coming up soon. Since I don’t remember the date, I’m using the day I joined snuffhouse, which is in October. So far I’ve smoked twice, both times while drinking. Both times I went back to not smoking, no problem. Gotta love snuff!!

i also agree about the cigs/stress thing. Lately my rotation goes as follows, i use dip when working on the farm because i like it and it seems to be more convenient and pleasurable when working in the garden. I snuff when I’m relaxing or wanting to sit and relax, snuff and coffee/tea/Internet/a good book just seem to go together. But when I’m stressed out nothing beats a good cigarette crutch to lean on. Also i can’t get past smoking when i occasionally drink although i snuff a lot too. and I’ll close this with one last statement; it seems cigarettes and cheap beer go together while good (or at least decent) bourbon and good snuff go together.

I think cigarettes have a place if you are a tobacco user. And as Ive said before, the thing that has helped me stay off, day to day, has been saying to myself that if I smoke it wont be a big deal and that further more I will smoke whenever I want. Now thats a big change in other attempts Ive made to quit; previously it would have been a big guilt trip and kind of ‘Oh my God, Ive smoked, Im so evil’ The accepting of my addiction has made it manageable. Now cigarettes are so rare for me that its an occasion when I buy a pack, and snuff has been 99.9% of my tobacco use for over 2 years. There is so little out there about addiction management; the millions that can’t stop get no advice or help in terms of bringing it down to a safer level - its all about you have to stop, period. Its the wrong approach and at least some sections of the health/cancer professional world are waking up it, belatedly, with the recognition that snuff can help with harm reduction.

Nothing beat the smell of a Lucky Strike when they were owned by American Tobacco Co. . When you opened a pack you could really smell the TOASTED aroma!! Not the same today owned by RJ . I agree with Snuffster, if you’ve layed off cigs for awhile and then get a pack and smoke em down, it almost has a hangover effect on me- snuff seems to clear my head and even give me a sense of health, if that’s possible(-I guess it is after Lucky’s) Anyway, I end up getting a pack once in a great while. L.S./M.F.T. Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco or Loose Straps Mean Floppy Teets, not sure which…

I will smoke a good cigar on occasion like a family pig roast or something. We’re all Italian so it would be almost wrong of me not to enjoy a cigar with the uncles once in a while. And I mostly only do it because my uncles one friend goes into the city and gets real cubans. And every once in a great while (usually while intoxicated) I’ll smoke one of my girlfriends Nat Shermans if I don’t have any er . . . um. . herbs around =) Doesn’t happen much though and everytime I smoke a cig I too remember why I quit. I just don’t like it anymore. Happy snuffing.

And do you should my friend, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise…

haha yeah cuban cigars are so tasty. It’s ashame our government doesn’t like communists =(

Can one be allergic to snuff? I’ve developed what is known as “Exfoliative Karatolysis” again. http://dermnetnz.org/dermatitis/exfoliative-keratolysis.html (Mine is like the middle picture) I experienced this condition before and I figured it out to be excessive use of antibacterial soaps/lotions/etc. They killed off the ‘good’ bacteria on my hands as well as the ‘bad’ ones therefore causing the skin to peel incessantly. In the past two weeks I’ve noticed this again but I have been careful about the soap thing for years now. The only thing different in my life is snuff. I’ve also been doing much more weightlifting which does exacerbate the condition. Ironically the last two fingers to be effected were the pinching fingers. I don’t rub the stuff on my palms so I can’t understand. I guess the next step would be to refrain from snuffing for a week or so to see if that’s the cause. That’s no fun though so I’ve ordered a cornucopia of snus in case this doesn’t clear up in two more weeks. Of course, I’ve ordered two new snuffs w/ that snus order and Xander just send me nearly a QP. Go figure. Anyone else experience anything like this, or even hear of it?

My guess is that its the weightlifting since your palms sweat while doing it. It may be a chemical reaction between said sweat and the material of your bar. Do you wear gloves? If so try it. If not, try without. I would also reccomend cleaning your hands thougroughly when you are finished. You are wise to avoid antibacterial soaps, etc. These do more harm than good, and also cause bacteria to more easily develop resistant strains. Also I’d recommend keeping your barbell, or anything your hands are gripping and sweating on meticulously clean. These should be wiped down with somethind antiseptic (not anti biotic or anti bacterial) when you are through. Alcohol might work well, or bleach or even white vinegar. It almost looks like athlete’s foot, which is fungus. Cleaning will help this too, also imperitive that moisture not be left there as these fungus grow in moist condtions (like where sweat is).

Yeah, I don’t wear gloves at the gym but probably should…AND I don’t disinfect the bar before use as the sprays that they provide at the gym are “antibacterial”. Gloves might be the solution but I’ve not had this happen in years. Maybe I just caught some kind of fungus from the gym? I’ve applied 2.5% hydrocortizone for three days to no avail and I think that would kill most pathogens. I am having luck with my wife’s Mary Kay hand cream. When I put it on I feel like such a girl though. Ugh.

Ahh, so its a gym. Yeah, that would tend to make me thing you caught something from some dirty handholds. If its fungal, get yourself some antifungal topical ointment and by all means keep those hands clean and DRY and try to avoid touching your feet, crotch, armits, etc with them if they are the least bit sweaty or wet. Do they itch? That would be a symptom of fungal infection.

No itch, and I can’t even feel it really. I’m aware of it, and sometimes the skin is a little tender but that stands to reason. Otherwise I wouldn’t notice it.

The condition is down to about 20% of what it was. I did use Eucerin which I liked. I only have a big tube of that so I don’t take it in the car. I’ve used this Mary Kay stuff (probably the same stuff in a fancy, expensive package with scents added) too and well it’s getting a little better…a little better all the time. I should’ve known it was related somewhat to psoriasis of which I also have but manage it well. I guess after all it wouldn’t be a bad idea to wear gloves at the gym.

It’s entirely possible to be allergic to snuff. My elder brother tried for years to get used to it but whenever he took a pinch he would be literally unable to breathe through his nose for 24 hours. Thankfully, a rare condition.