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.
I grew up watching both my granddads taking snuff. My late dad came to it rather later. In fact I introduced him to snuff. I suppose I may have been influenced by them when I first bought myself some snuff 40 years ago. I still have the last snuff tin my maternal granddad had (J&H Wilsons Medicated No. 99), empty now of course, and I have my paternal granddad’s wooden snuff box, a French made plain one. Unfortunately the hinge is damaged. No doubt I’ll pass it on to one of my grandchildren in due course.
@snuffpub AMEN TO THAT. Good comment. I HATE to say it but it’s true- seeing my dad’s smokes and whatnot made me want to try them. He didn’t get me hooked or pressure me into it, but my little inquisitive mind was definitely interested… and impressionable…
The reason children should not use tobacco is because they are more susceptible to becoming addicted than adult first timers. While tobacco may not always be harmful, addiction in itself can be very dangerous. Please keep this in mind when dealing with children.
I think the anti-tobacco fanatics have enough negative messages about tobacco use aimed at children already. Most parents who smoke have children steadfastly begging them to quit. I see no reason why snuffing around children would change the fact that we already live in a culture that vilifies tobacco. So the question is, are children more influenced by their parents, or by the society at large? I’m not sure I can answer that. I have observed, however, that if I’m outside smoking a pipe, young children who see me are usually fascinated. I assume it’s because they’ve never seen anyone smoking a pipe before, unless they’ve seen a pipe smoker in a book or movie. But I think it’s more of a quaint curiosity to them. I can’t imagine they would want to take up the briar simply based on seeing some old fart with a pipe.
My girlfriend’s older children have expressed nothing short of disgust and horror when they see myself or her taking some snuff. I don’t think they are going to take it up anytime soon, but everyone is different I suppose.
I now take snuff without hesitation around the house when my daughter is about. She’s just starting to string sentences together, and earlier today I took a hearty pinch of Best Dark, whilst she was eating her dinner in her high chair. She watched me intently, and when I put the lid back on the tin she applauded loudly and said “Yay! There!”. It was such an enjoyable pinch that I was tempted to do the same!
They should be introduced to tobacco as soon as possible. I recommend starting them off on Marlboro light, and then - properly into flavour country - Reds at about 10. Add dip, chew and snus by no later than 13, rounding off with traditional Scotch (the snuff and the drink) by 15. I had mine mainlined on smack, all before they were 16!
i agree with snuffster …
If you really love your children, why would you want to deny them the wondrous pleasures of tobacco?
Well, I have now had this talk with my children. Both thought it was gross as some had suggested. Thank you for inspiring me to do it. I’m pretty new to snuff and was a little afraid they would confuse it with something illegal. They did at first, but after a short talk they said that is gross and lost interest.
I think it is important for children to see bad examples as well as good. They do have minds and an adequate parent can help steer them to healthy decisions more easily if youngsters have seen both sides of an issue… There is too much over-protection in modern society with the future result being either a loss of freedom and closed minds or rebelliousness, neither of which is good for anyone.
snuffing childern thats just foolish they are way to big and coarse to fit up your nose plus some of them smell fairly bad as well…
PMSL@ Nigel, and Thank You for not banning my pissed up messages, this being one anf taking me 67666324316597 minutes to type! Thank you Nigel for not banning a pissed up poster. Mwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh, (that will probably do it lolololol). Stefan
See you later, I’m off a-kip now, am, fucked. No offence meant but I can’t stop awake anymore even though I have a dozen threads to read. Am Knackered, see you tomorrow some time. Mwwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, to everybody! Stefan
@ walrus1985 remember snuffsters pissed up like a curates egg thread ??
Don’t worry about it Stefan, we all fall down now and again - in fact strong cider always makes me fall down:) @jpsks - I do vaguely remember that!
@jpsks lolol yes I do remember. I got back home last night,after a very rough crossing and after getting lost in Liverpool. I assure you my pissed comments will remain few and far between lol. A week on the piss is enough for now I think lol. Stefan
The thing is, it all makes such wonderful sense as you are writing it - actually if feels as though you have turned into a latter day Zola, then you read it next day and to your great dismay its utter bollox! Ah well…
I would not allow my children to use any tobacco product until they are of legal age. After that time I would respect their wishes. I would neither promote nor chastise them for their choices as adults. I believe doing so would be morally presumptuous.
Agreed…to loosely quote Thank You For Smoking (been some time since I’ve seen it), “If my kid reaches 18 and still wants to try smoking, I’ll buy him his first pack.”