Hi all, I’m sure I’m not alone here in being a parent-I have a 19mth old daughter, an absolute joy but a real handful at the moment! I’m a songwriter by trade and, as such, work largely from home-I’m not a ‘stay-at-home Dad’ as such, my wife works part-time but I’m usually around during the day and am lucky enough to be able to spend a lot of time with my daughter. My question to fellow parents is thus:what is your approach to snuffing around children? I’ve yet to use snuff in front of my daughter, as she’s a real little copycat at the moment and I’m sure she’d end up with a nose full of curry powder or similar trying to be “like Daddy” (everything is “Daddy Daddy Daddy” at the moment!), but I do like a pinch of something pungent in another room prior to tackling an offensive nappy…takes the edge off a bit! What are your thoughts? When she’s (a lot) older, I want to have a frank chat with her about tobacco etc, and explain to her how much safer and more enjoyable-not to mention cheaper-Snuff is than cigarettes, and if she’s tempted to smoke (which, let’s face it, all teenagers are and do), she should say no, but if really curious about tobacco, ask Dad for a pinch. I’ll never encourage her to use tobacco apropos of nothing, but if she’s determined she wants to, I’d far rather she use snuff than smoke cigarettes. I’d love to hear other parents’ thoughts on this.
as a parent of 3 … ages 12, 11 and 9 … i am firm that i would say no to all tobacco for them … like some of these folks i see who say “never been a smoker or used tobacco but wanted to try snuff or snus …” it just doesn’t seem sane to volunteer for this addiction to nicotine. just my opinion … and to the question of smoking or snuffing in front of my kids … my answer is i still sneak around … keep hiding it, because, as you said, they will copy you or think it gives them license to smoke, etc. … while i love snuff and snus, if i never became addicted to nicotine, i would gladly never snuff or snus. unfortunately i did, like others, and luckily, snuff is a perfect and elegant alternative … and yes, safer … than smoking. now, if they took up smoking … and couldn’t relent, then hell yeah, i would break out both the snus and snuff and try like hell to get them on snuff. but … in my mind, while i have come to accept my weaknesses, there is no virtue in addiction … it has been a battle for 25+ years … YMMV … cheers! 
I try not to snuff or smoke around children. For the same reason I try not to swear around children.
I can’t say I worry about it. My 5 year old granddaughter is intrigued by my snuff boxes (and my pipes - she finally decided that they were like her daddy’s roll ups but last for ever!) but she’s never shown any inclination to try any. She just accepts that it’s a grown up thing. Just as my own kids did way back when. I certainly wouldn’t want to make a big deal of it.
Yes, I also think, my daughters accept my snuff-taking as a grown-up-thing. I do snuff when they are around. They also somethimes see me drink a glass of beer.
My three year old used to ask me all the time, “What’s that you’re putting in your nose, Daddy?” I would tell her that it was something I did so I wouldn’t have to smoke around her. “That’s for your nose, Daddy?” Yes, I would tell her. This is for Daddy’s nose. No more questions, no more curiosity about it. I think children will be far less inclined to take up snuff if their parents use it as opposed to smoking. There isn’t the same allure of blowing smoke. Only dirty noses and blowing black snot. Besides, when kids get to the age when they start imitating the more grown up habits of their parents, they are also starting to be interested in the opposite sex. Seems to me they would figure out that a dirty nose is no way to get dates. I say snuff around your kids and take pride that you’re not smoking around them.
Ricky Gervais reminisced about his grandmother’s snuff habit in one of his XFM radio shows. He thought it was pretty gross. Perhaps most kids feel the same way.
I have 2 and while I smoke cigars and a pipe around them outside I have yet to snuff in front of them. I’m not planning to at this time.
I have 3 girls, 7, 5 and nearly 10 months. I snuff in front of them and like some others have said, once the initial curiousity of what it is had been quenched there was little interest in it. My older 2 hardly comment on it at all, and if they do its something like ‘are you having some snuff Daddy?’, or ‘is this your snuff box’ etc. They’ve never asked why I snuff, and now they’re used to it and largely ignore it I doubt they ever will.
I have three boys and a girl (Ages 10,8,6, and 4). I believe it’s best in the long run not to hide things from your children, or others for that matter. The older ones were so happy when I quit smoking and started snuff. I told them snuff was just a safer form of using tobacco and there wouldn’t be smoke around them any more. I started tobacco plants with them, and kept them involved all through the process. I explained where smoke goes when you inhale it and where snuff goes. Isn’t that a Father’s job…to answer your own children’s questions and be able to look anyone in the face because you are not ashamed of anything you do? I keep much of my snuff on the buffet in the dining room, on my nightstand, and in the root cellar in the basement. They don’t say too much about it anymore . I’ve heard some European countries serve wine and such to all the members of a young family when they eat together. There is no mystery to it…it’s another type of drink and probably turns some of the little fellers away from the stuff when they try it so young. I’m not saying let your children have a snuff or two, but being around something day in and day out (and understanding it )makes it ordinary for them and 99% time lose interest in it. All my opinion, though…luck to you!
Great comment, Bart. I agree 100 %.
Agreed. If you feel like you have to hide what you are doing, you probably shouldn’t be doing it. Seriously people, snuffing is nothing to be ashamed of. And if you really think that snuffing is a harmful or bad activity that you wouldn’t want your children to engage in when they grow up, then why do it yourself?
If I had children I’d let them know about my snuffing and see me snuffing too.
my childrens curiosity with my snuff ended with my tin of sp100 emptied on their grandfathers carpet and a very cross dad and grandad!
My kids were curious about it but pretty much think its gross. They would never do it. They are so used to seeing me doing it or with a bit of brown stuff on my nose that they dont even notice it anymore. For real young little ones just keep it out of reach.
it’s much grosser for children because when they look at your face they can see up your nose.
Just keep that tin away from prying, quick little fingers, or you’ll be using your vacuum more frequently, speaking from experience. Otherwise, my 2 year old could care less what I do, and knows its “not for little people.”
Fascinating input, thanks all. I don’t feel the need to be secretive about my snuffery around my daughter, I just wondered what everyone’s take on the appropriety of me snuffing around her was. My wife has no hesitation in snuffing in front of our daughter, and I think she’s probably got the right approach. Being secretive about something, as was said, is probably a good indicator that one shouldn’t be doing it in the first place! I have no problem with snuffing in public, so why should I hide it at home? Thanks again, all!
I think if you’re concerned about her trying it with any powder, you have two options: 1) Explain what you are doing and why she can’t do it and can hurt herself if she tries (your judgment). 2) Continue to avoid it as you have been, in theory until you feel she is old enough to understand 1. I don’t think it’s inappropriate, myself. $.02.
I wish that I had grown up watching my parents taking snuff instead of chainsmoking cigarettes.