I don’t mean this to discourage anyone, we’re all adults (or should be!) who make our own decisions. I’ve recently decided to quit oral tobacco (chew, dip, snus, chaw) both to save money ($40-$60 a month) and help my mouth recover (weak teeth as it is). Below is my “journal”, thoughts, experiences etc that I am running into as I go along. I started this last night (after realizing I had no more snus left)

10/27/16 11:00AM

I’ve chewed since I was 16, moved from Copenhagen, to Hawkens, to Camel, to Red Man, To General. Starting out at a can a week to a can every 3 days.

It’s been about 14 hours since I had my last chew.

I’m not sure if it’s coincidence or not, but I slept horrible last night, woke up all over the house, sleep walking, confused, disoriented.

Every 5-10 minutes I’m having a craving for a chew. My mind will be on something completely unrelated to tobacco, but I have the thought pop up in my mind of how I want a chew. I want it really bad. It’s almost agonizing.
I’ve been chewing on tooth picks like crazy for the physical aspect, and using strictly my homemade nasal snuff for the very much needed nicotine hit. I don’t plan to stop the Snuff as it’s the safest tobacco product, and does help me.
Both emotionally and physically.

I’m doing my absolute best to not become irritable. Try to stay kind, respectful of others, and focused on family, work, the farm etc.

I decided I would quit about a month ago, and broke down 3 times and continued. I finished my last one last night (on accident) and decided against continuing today.

Lord help me this is incredibly difficult.

3:39 PM

The cravings have been terrible. I’ve gotten to the point of being worked up, that I’ve smelled scents that weren’t there. Such as Pine, Ammonia etc. Very strong distinct scents that weren’t actually there.

I’ve gone through 45 tooth picks.

I took a very large hit of Snuff just now, about one thumb nail per nostril, and the cravings are more manageable.

I know this is the best for me, and for my wallet but this is just incredibly difficult.

Lord, I pray you guide me through this, and give me the strength to carry on.

4:04pm.
After feeling the immense nicotine rush from the snuff, I’m feeling quite relaxed, not craving chew at all and am quite eager to get home and rest.

I feel oddly enough like Sherlock Holmes, testing what different “feelings” feel like by taking massive amount of input, and suddenly stopping them.

I’m keeping this record just to guide others on what they might expect if they decide to do the same thing.

Good luck to you, sir. I hear oral tobacco is the hardest method to quit because of the sustained release of nicotine.

Best of luck. it not so much the nicotine but the habit that is hard to quit .

Thanks everyone I appreciate the support! I’ve maid it 24 hours and 37 minutes. Just took my second to last snuff before bed, I’m feeling pretty decent considering. Like @basement_shaman said; the habit is hard to break. It is doable tho!

I eased myself off the stokers dip and onto the snuff, took a couple weeks, but i was able to get down to 1 or 2 chews a day w/ a ton of snuff in between. Been completely dip free since May and now only go through 2-5 grams of snuff/day. It will get easier sooner rather than later, I promise. Hang in @michibacy and enjoy your wondedful snuff!

Dip was very hard to stop for me also. I will admit that I do keep a can of cope in my work truck for when I cant sniff for awhile, but the can will last 4 weeks and dry out before I would use it all. When I do take a dip, it is not much bigger than a pinch of snuff for my nose.

I’ll try that @Roderick thank you!

@illini_mac8504
Thank you! This morning has been more manageable, a good night’s rest helps everything.

@Llo I wish I had that self control, if I had a can, especially now, I’d probably finish it in a day.

It was easier to stop smoking than dipping. I chew alot of gum also, but try not to do that because it messes with the smells of some snuffs. I stuff toast’s and scotch up my nose all day and then some schmalzler. Sorry if everyone is getting tired of me talking about my favorite three. I work by myself all day, so I have the privilege of shoveling snuff. You just need to stick with it. It will get easier and you will find you like snuff more. Try different ones until you find your favorite three! I knew a guy that used to dip three cans a day. One more thing. I have found that after snuffing that cope is an SP to snuff. You should try Tom Buck.

I like SP quite a bit, the Cope got to the point I couldn’t stand the “cardboard” taste to it, or the fake chemically taste on the mint flavors.

I’m still (admittedly so) addicted to General Original Snus. Truly good stuff I could chew on for 20 hours a day and not get sick of.

Oh well, maybe I should flavor some tooth picks with Bergamot…

I cant get general around here anymore. That was a good one. Don’t you make snuff? I wouldn’t have self control around that. That’s why I could never be a drug dealer or a pimp.

I do make snuff, which in some messed up way is easy to control myself around. I’ve never had good luck making snus, so I always had to buy it.

This won’t solve your expense problems. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2047675.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.TRS0&_nkw=Nicotine+Tooth+Picks&_sacat=0

Here a simple recipe for cooking your own snus. http://www.snuson.com/entry.php?332-Home-made-snus-an-instruction-manual. If it financing that concern you? You can certainly make your own snus. I be interested in trying yours . You can get bags at northerner http://us.northerner.com/xtool-portion-bags-120-empty-pouches. Or just use it Los.

Good luck with quitting. Try not to give into the temptation.

10/28/16
4:08pm
43 hours and 9 minutes in. Cravings have been less today, but I’m been snuffing up a storm. I know they say to cut soda, coffee etc but I need some kind of regularity to my life. I’ve increased my coffee intake 2 fold today, which is okay considering the weather is quite chilly out. I’ve Used a little bit of WE Garrett’s scotch snuff today as well (apparently as a self-punishment). I love the scent of this stuff but it hits SO HARD it’s not even funny.

According to my Snuff-o-meter (AKA the tin I decant snuff into on a daily basis) I’ve gone through about 5 grams today.

First thing this morning on my way to work, took a pinch, once in the mid morning, once after lunch, 2 here in the afternoon.

Stress - Stress definitely reminds me of how much I depend(ed) on chew. Oh well. Maybe I can invest in some new flavor oils with this money saved.

Oven dried tomatoes seasoned with oregano, sea salt & garlic powder. I should had put some cheese on them. taste like pizza. Tomatoes have some nicotine in them. May take the edge off and they are good for you!

Keep at it man you’ll get through it brother. I found the trick is to get through the first few days and then it will start to mellow out a bit. You’ll still crave chew or cigarettes for me anyway for quite awhile and after awhile your brain will start to trick you into thinking you can just do it just once and get away with it, this is never the case I learnt this the hard way after many relapse of quitting cigarettes and my drinking. When you’re addicted you cant trust those impulses. As suggested before load up on tomatoes, chilies, capsicums or any of the plants from the Solanaceae family since these contain a lot of alkaloids and very small amounts of nicotine. I highly suggest picking up some of Rodericks Rustica if you haven’t already, It contains a hell of a lot more nicotine and the alkaloid levels are in proportion to the Nicotine. Rustica really helped me with those terrible cravings. Good work so far man just keep strong on your Will and think outside the box, and you’ll get over this habit in no time.

As for the stress you should take up pipe smoking, if your worried about the cost of pipesmoking just get yourself a cob and some Five Brothers pipe tobacco, both are cheap and effective.   Nothing kills stress and calms the mind back to rational thought like smoking a pipe IMHO.

I scoff that many chillis I’ll end up smoking cigs again to come off the buggers lol. But seriously… snuff’s great for the nic but it’s all over in seconds. I’m thinking about taking up a pipe but no idea where to start so some research is in order. As a kid I have fond memories of my ol’ man, long since gone, sat in his armchair for many contemplative hours chomping on a pipe and the magical, intoxicating aroma that poured forth.

I do smoke pipe and cigars very infrequently, more so a seasonal hobby and it does help. My go to pipe tobacco is SWR in a large bow briar pipe.

Cool hand luke pipe tobacco gives a good nicotine punch too.

@fj1988  For a pipe tobacco that smokes cool try English Blends that are heavy with  Latakia  , Frog Morton’s cellar is a popular tasty blend. Dunhill makes some good ones too; Early Morning Pipe, The Royal Yacht, Night Cap. There are plenty of bargain tobacco also. Taste change and there are many blends to try. Main thing to remember is a pipe should be savored. Smoking is never a race to the bottom of the bowl rather a journey of calm thought provoking moments.    

Plenty of people who try pipe smoking buy OTC tobacco with flavors. These are loaded with sugars and burn hot also gum up a pipe with gooey resins fast. Usually resulting in a scorched tongue. And they never get to experience the pleasures of fine tobacco. Best to start with English then eventually all roads lead to Virginia’s. Once you have profected smoking a pipe you can explore aromatics. Peterson and Dan Tobaccos make some good ones.

Most people think how hard is it to smoke a pipe  ,you put the tobacco in the big hole and drawl  smoke through the mouth piece. Well there are some factors you need to work at, Like loading a pipe ,There are several methods of packing a bowl and the right amount of pressure to insure a slow tasty smoke. Lighting a pipe twice the false light and the second. keeping the bowl burning and using the tamper to make contact with the unlit tobacco without compacting what is left. You can master this in a short time. 

@basement shaman, thanks for that advice! I know there’s a lot more to pipe smoking than meets the eye, and that’s part of the appeal. Looking forward to starting the journey. I remember my ol’ man used to smoke Condor and St.Bruno. Where do these figure in the grand scheme of pipe tobaccos? I ask because they are all I’m familiar with and they smelled great to me as a kid.

@fj1988, condor and St. Bruno are UK common drugstore blends. Last I knew they weren’t available stateside. That being said, I do have a stash of St Bruno flake. That’s some tasty stuff. St bruno flake does have Virginia leaf in it, which can bite if smoked too fast.

I agree with @basement_shaman, most of the Dunhill blends are good beginners tobaccos. If the first pipe you smoke is OTC, I don’t blame you if you never try a pipe again. Some of them seem to be wilfully bad, like they are doing it on purpose.

@JakartaBoy, what is ‘OTC’? Forgive my ignorance - I’m clueless.

Over the counter, or drug store blends. The ones you’re most likely to see in a corner store.

@fj1988. Otc stands for over the counter, meaning you can buy it at other places than a tobacco store like a drugstore or news stand. St bruno flake is a pretty good one, but probably not to start with due to tongue burn.