Interesting. I started snuffing a few months ago, and enjoy it very much, but I don’t seem to be addicted. Maybe I’m not using enough? But I’ve gone for 24 hours without it and have no ill effects, none of the intense craving and irritability that quitting smokers report. Maybe a little less energetic, but that’s all. Maybe it’s because I’m in my 40’s and never used tobacco before. Most smokers start in their teens when the brain is still developing. It would be a fascinating thing to research if nicotine only becomes addictive if you start it too young. The research seems to be coming in that it is completely beneficial for older people.

You have growing nicotine receptors as you go along, their needs will start to show and it doesn’t really matter what product you use.

I find acquiring snuff and every thing about it Addicting .not so much the nicotine I have many other sources to top off my nicotine levels with.Alas I been a nicotine user 42 + years

For me it’s not so much the nicotine that is addicting… it is the darn TAD… and I have been bit by it…

addiction is a funny thing. First drugs don’t act uniformily from one person to the next. People who are very prone to nicotine addiction for example tend to have more effects from nicotine then people who are less likeily to get addicted to nicotine. On that note snuff withdraw doesn’t seem as dire as cig withdraw. Or more accuratily for whatever reason it takes longer for me to feel really badily then when I was a smoker.

I started smoking at 12, and was probably not addicted until I was in my late mid 20s. I have seen people become addicted in as little as 2 months, but that’s smoking upwards of 10 a day. I never reached that level until my early twenties. I never felt a craving until my late 20s (I’m in my early 40s now). Before physical cravings developed, and even after they did, I could force myself go indefinitely without one, but I couldn’t conceive of my life without them, the addiction was psychological. As Matthefox says, the nicotine receptors need time and quantity to develop. These are actually neural receptors that acclimate the dopamine release and began to build around it. Now, snuff is quite a different experience than smoking. With most snuffs the release of nicotine is quick (usually) and brief. So it would probably take much longer to develop addiction from scratch. Also nicotine is actually hard to notice if for someone who is new to it, except in the cases of overdose. Most new users at some point feel overpowered by it and end up feeling nauseous and need to lay down for a half hour or so. The addiction side of things is largely over-hyped by media/propaganda. In ages past when smoking was commonplace, people just did it so frequently that it seemed normal that it was a near continuous ritual, but people do not become instantly addicted as they would have you believe. My wife has smoked on and off since her teens, and goes months without smoking. She’s never seemed to develop an addiction, and even in her times on, never smoked more than 3-5 in a day. She also does not take pleasure in nicotine that I do and is quite envious of the euphoric looks of ecstasy that I give when I take a pinch of snuff. Her loss. The addiction actually allows the true pleasure to be felt.

I don’t feel addicted to snuff either. Snus and makla on the other hand…

addiction is a funny thing. First drugs don’t act uniformily from one person to the next. People who are very prone to nicotine addiction for example tend to have more effects from nicotine then people who are less likeily to get addicted to nicotine. On that note snuff withdraw doesn’t seem as dire as cig withdraw. Or more accuratily for whatever reason it takes longer for me to feel really badily then when I was a smoker.

I think this is a really accurate statement. I smoked cigs for approximately 10 years in my late teens to late 20’s. I never thought I was addicted. ONe day I decided to quit and I never picked up a cig again. I suffered absolutely no effects from quitting. I did not feel better or worse. I feel the same way with snuff. I’m not addicted. I just enjoy the crap out of this new hobby. I’m a big “smell” person. It is my favorite of my 6 senses. It is just natural that I want to smell tobacco up close and personal.

I have never felt physical addiction symptoms from quitting a tobacco product. I have felt like I missed something I enjoyed doing but that was it. I’ve quit cigarettes and snus cold turkey before. I think it is just that different genetics act in different ways and a host of other things like metabolism.

You Willl. >:) From my experice snuff gets more addicting the more you do it. But I was like you “after a few months …” but then my intake was still growing after 4 months. And now I’d say the nic plays a role in it But I get so much enjoyment from the experince as a whole. There are really no words when you enjoy something.

with out nicotine I want to kill everyone because everything about everything is like nails on a chalkboard. I can’t focus my head hurts, and worse then that my thoughts become unfocused and muddled. And there is no joy only annoyance and dullness.

There is plenty research done on nicotine addiction. Basically the younger you are when exposed the more easily you can become addicted as an adult. Other research suggests that newer snuffers do not absorb as much nicotine as seasoned snuffers.

@bob Have some snuff and calm down lol I’ll have some with you

I thought that I would throw this out there http://www.ct.gov/dph/lib/dph/hems/tobacco/tobacco\\_products.pdf

my wife is smoker for ten years but she is not addicted she smokes only 1 to 5 cigarattes a day. I learnt that some lucky people can not be addicted due to a genetic problem which doesn’t decrease the nicotine level in their blood.

I went 3 months without taking a pinch. @linguist I think I heard somewhere that nicotine addiction is genetic or something. Like, if your parents were smokers, you are more likely to be addicted to nicotine than a kid from non-smoker or something. But, I’m no scientist haha.

Understanding that there is a difference in “addiction” & “indulging” (not to be confused with indulgence- laughing) I can honestly say that I am addicted to tobacco products (in my life daily & happy to have them) I am also addicted to alcohol (I enjoy a drink daily and even though I could change this to once a week or month, The need at some point to have one would prove the point of the addiction)

this thread is puzzling. and i may ruffle some feathers here … but honestly, why does any one person want to be addicted to anything. for f*ck’s sake, i have been addicted to cigarettes since I was 17, now going on 45, and i would give any thing under the sun to not want to be addicted to snus, snuff, cigs, etc. luckily i did find snus and snuff, and accept my lot in life, with pleasure and more safety, but lordy lordy, to not smoke, not snuff, not put tobacco of any sort in the mouth or nose, hobby or not, would be the greatest pleasure in life. nicotine is ball and chain to me. nicotine assists in my depression. certainly, i believe as many have stated, some can go days, etc. and feel no ill effects of not having nicotine. i can’t go an hour without the little demon creeping up on me. and like bob, i hate and want to bash in anyone and everything when i am trying to quit nicotine. it is very clear that whether it is alcohol, cocaine, cigarettes, etc. that some are gravely addicted and others, they can walk away at any time. i am jealous of them. i get that as a hobby, snuff is lovely, a work of art, etc. but as a curious test about becoming addicted to it … i say run. just my two cents … and apologies for insulting anyone indirectly.

@snuffbrant I agree with you entirely. If I could put down all of my tobacco products and just walk away, I’d do it in a heartbeat. I started at 14 and just hit the 22 year mark. I’m not trying to get to my silver anniversary with nicotine, but even harm reduction is a hell of a challenge. I’m still not off the cigs, and that’s one of the reasons I started snuffing/snusing/dipping. Before harm reduction, I was just trying to find a way to get away with nicotine on an airplane because a 4 hour flight was simply too long to go without. Hell, I missed a plance once on a short layover because I just had to have a smoke. Snuff/snus/dip have just given me the ability to have nicotine all day and has reduced my cig use. BUT, it has built my nicotine tolerance up so high that only things like Thunder RAW and huge piles of dip or loose actually do it for me. With that much tolerance I don’t even feel it unless it’s in massive quantities. All it does is stop the craving. It’s a sad, sad way to live life imho. I wish I could give the above post a double agree.

thanks @Dogwalla … i wasn’t trying to offend or say that this thread about addiction isn’t fun … i was more trying to say that for those of us who know this addiction too well for our own good, to hear anyone wonder why they are not becoming addicted, well, is puzzling. i wouldn’t wish it on anyone. you sound exactly like me on a 4 hour flight … and yup, i thank the stars for snus and snuff … absolutely. but if i could go back in time, i would kick the sh*t out of my little 17 year old self upon that first puff of cigarette and say “what the f*ck! stop it!”

not me I’am glad I’am addicted to nicotine. Like I said certain people are more prone to nicotine addiction, they’re the same people nicotine helps the most. I’am already a scatter brained person who’s mind moves a little to fast to follow, nicotine helps with that. I imagine most of us have some similar factor in our biologies. Think about this it explain your friends that only use nicotine when drinking. That the one time it helps them, ever notice they act like they’re addicted when drunk. Just some food for thought. To me being addicted to nicotine isn’t a sad thing, it’s part of my make up and nature. I feel to be upset about it would be like a man with one leg wishing he never tried a prothesis, cause he can’t get on without it.

nicotine also good for digestive system. I know some people who go to WC after a few breath from their cigarettes SupremeCOJP maybe you are right. My father has smoked since my babyhood and i remember i took a breath from his cigarette when i was 4 years old but i officially start smoking when i was 17.

@snuffbrant I am glad that you posted it the way you did. Those of us that are addicted can convince ourselves of anything that we want but I don’t think that I would feel good if someone read this thread and thought “Gee, I can do snuff and not have an addiction from it” There is no age verification on this site and guests frequent it often As for nicotine itself, it has been used in many forms to be helpful but I have never heard of long term exposure as non-addicting. Just my side of the road

@bob but I wonder what you would have been if you never started. What you might have done to release the energy or what hyper thinking could achieve. The world will never know. I am like you in the respect that once hooked, I understand the need and wish to go on feeding it but thanks to this forum, without cigarettes

@MattheFox - bob is funny, i attributed his comment to his sunny side up perspective … but your point made about not knowing if he had never tried it is what i thought as well. but yeah, now that we are hooked, there are many ways we can turn the negative into a positive and rationalize the addiction.

@bob is cool

probably not as awesome that’s for sure

No, I went into smoking knowing full well the dangers, risks and consequences. I expected addiction and even looked forward to it. I was actually surprised when it didn’t happen right away, and more surprised when it took years to settle in. In fact when I first started smoking kept thinking “what’s the big deal with this, I don’t seem to be getting anything out of it.” I began taking snuff not to escape from smoking, but simply out of curiosity. When I saw that it could replace smoking with a modicum of effort from myself, my rational sense kicked in and convinced me that I should do so for the health benefits. I still love the addiction, because its what allows me to enjoy it. No feathers ruffled, just a different outlook.

@snuffbrant addiction per se, doesn’t scare me and I don’t think it is necessarily a bad thing. It depends what I’m addicted to and the negative effects its having on my body that matter. I’m an ex cocaine addict and that addiction scared the hell out of me and cost my health dearly. I’m also an alcoholic and that scares me too. However I’m really proud of myself for giving up smoking and consider the potential harmful effects of snuff and snus to be worth the enjoyment I get from them and am not scared by these addictions. I’m also addicted to curry. Another addiction I don’t mind at all as its not really doing me any harm. I’m also addicted, psychologically, to cannabis and again am perfectly happy with that because I believe the risk to health does not outweigh the pleasure. My point is addiction is not necessarily harmful or in some cases the risk from an addiction is low enough for me not to worry about it. I’m still fighting my alcoholism. Managed five months last year off the booze but I’m drinking again at the moment. I’m going to try and get back on the wagon very soon though because the health dangers of alcohol are very real and potentially very serious. You only live once. I want to enjoy my life but not needlessly put myself in harms way so some addictions I will fight and others I am totally happy with. Snuff is one ‘addiction’ that I don’t lose any sleep over. I love it and see it as relatively safe and have no desire to get smokeless nicotine out of my life. If I could press a button and turn off my nicotine addiction, I would not do it.

@SnuffySnuff I wish you all the goodwill on fighting your addictions and winning

Thank you.

i “sort of” get your position @SnuffySnuff … still cloudy to me, but no matter. I wish you all the best in your battle(s). I do have to comment on being “addicted” to curry … funny. but … really … not an addiction. that is love - and i would debate any physical or psychological withdrawal symptoms from curry. you are well aware of your addictions … and they are tough indeed. in the end, yeah, being addicted to nicotine over cocaine or alcohol is a very rational trade-off. i’d take that. … reminder, this is not a referendum on snuff(or nicotine for that matter), i love snuff, i am grateful snuff and snus are reasonable forms of getting my nic-fix… it is more a commentary on how the thread began, i.e. one is not addicted … and is curious whether he/she will become addicted to nicotine. and for my money, i wish i wasn’t addicted to cigs/nicotine. i am not giving up snuff or snus, now that i have found myself in this predicament, but … if i never would have had to rely on them in the first place, would i have been happy? … to this i answer emphatically, hell yes!

I agree the curry thing is more love than addiction. But I eat curry nearly every day. I couldn’t imagine life without it and it would cause me mental anguish if I had to go without it, so in a sense it is a kind of addiction. Not unlike chocolate addiction or coco-cola addiction. Just because it’s a food/drink doesn’t mean you can’t be psychologically addicted to it, iykwim.

I have a little different take on the benefits of nicotine than what I’ve seen expressed here: For me it is beneficial. I was born with ADHD and took Ritalin until I was twelve, and as much as I hated that stuff, it did improve my concentration. Well, when I was pulled off the Ritalin, my life fell apart; I didn’t do well in school, and I was so unpleasant it was no fun to be around me. Nicotine made all the difference in the world; it not only improved my concentration, but made me much less moody. In a word, nicotine allows me to be functional. As far as “addiction” goes, I must admit I miss the stuff when I’ve tried to quit, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. What I can’t handle is feeling just like I did when I was twelve, which is exactly what happens. For me, tobacco is an unmitigated blessing. I’m guessing I’ve found the reason some Indian tribes considered the stuff a gift from the gods.

Dunnyveg for me it’s a blessing for my bi-polarness. Doesn’t stop it but keeps it out of the stupid range.

@bob I hear you there. I’m saddled just about every label they can throw at me, and the problem is the nic really does help. The amount of people with psychiatric issues that use nicotine is staggering. It’s a self-administered anxiety drug that you can use while operating heavy machinery. Some of the prescription stuff is a nightmare. Nic withdrawal is nothing compared to the brain shivers from SSRI/SNRI changes in my opinion. I just have a choice about smoking. I guess I shouldn’t be so down about the addiction part. Everyone thinks it’s ok that I’m ‘hooked’ on 7 different prescribed drugs, but since it’s under doctor’s supervision it’s ok. Smoking isn’t ok because it wangs my lungs, but one of my meds can cause brain shrinkage which is somehow better for me. Health risk vs side-effect I guess. If I didn’t work for a place that does heavy drug testing (and I love my job more than I ever thought possible) I would abuse just about everything I could get my hands on. The only good news is that all of my drugs enhance the effects of alcohol, so one shot of bourbon and I have to be helped to the bedroom. Hahahaha

i am in the same camp as you all - diagnosed with bipolar 2 and depression - and yes, nicotine has helped. as my son is ADD/ADHD, i can see where i could be as well - hence my heavy nicotine dependence. and yeah, i feel gratitude towards tobacco and nicotine, better living through chemistry … and this is where addiction, brain chemistry, genetics, etc. come into play … this is why some get addicted and feel great and why others don’t really need it in the same way.

So far I’m pleased with the physical effects. It makes me less likely to overeat, and I find I’ve been sleeping better, probably because it raises my energy during the day. Eating too much and not getting enough sleep are major health concerns, while snuff and everything in it does not appear to be one. Also the protective effect of nicotine against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are all but confirmed, and I’d rather have nicotine addiction than either of those. Scientifically I’m convinced that humans have evolved to benefit from small amounts of nicotine, as well as salicylate. Early humans were always chewing bark and leaves, something modern man no longer does. The salicylate (found in bark) is used in many important processes in the body, and the proven benefits of a daily aspirin seem hard to beat. And many tropical leaves contain nicotine. Salicylate may possibly be reclassified as a vitamin, and when you guys say “Vitamin N” you might not be joking! The only question- what is the ideal dose? I suspect we’re getting a bit less nicotine than a smoker does, unless we’re snuffing non-stop.

Who doesn’t still chew leaves and bark?

Don’t just think about nicotine… How much time do you spend on this board? How often do you peruse Mr. Snuff’s site? How much snuff do you have in the house? There’s more than one type of snuff addiction!

I am addicted on all counts!

I agree with the sentiment that it out weighs any negatives. And I’am with dogwalla about it being less problematic to the sideeffects of psychiatiric drugs.

I started smoking as a teen then switched to dipping in the USMC because we ran so much. Over the many many years that I have fought to quit, I realized that I am addicted and love nicotine. I think finding snuff and snus was the best thing that happened to me. After trying every prescription on the market known to man to quit smoking and dipping and all the relapses I finally realize that I will be using nicotine the rest of my life. And honestly I am happy and love it since I have found snuff. I know the main reasons I was so concerned with my love of nicotine was because of the health risks, especially being so into working out and fitness. With snuff I get my beloved nicotine plus so much more and I know that it doesn’t affect my health. Umm Yea Snuffer For Life!

I am 110 percent addicted.Not to snuff or dip or cigarettes[although I have immensely enjoyed each] but to nicotine.Cigs were my first true addiction,after 20 plus years they started to bother my breathing and stamina so I went to dip which after only a few years started to show signs of eating up my gums.Now Im on almost exclusively snuff.You know what? If tomorrow I woke up and for some reason all my snuff was gone and it was impossible to buy any more Id go rite back to dip,even knowing the consequences.if I woke up again and the same thing happened with dip Id go rite out and buy a carton of Marlboros also knowing the consequences full well no joke.My nicotine addiction is so intense Im lucky I can go 10/15 minutes after a snuff/dip/smoke without craving another.When I smoked I was in the 2 plus pack per day crowd.If I try to go even a few hours without a hit of nicotine my attitude turns to $hit and I cant concentrate…because my mind is so busy worrying when my next hit is coming. I have resigned myself to the fact that this is just a fact of life for me.There is absolutely nothing that is going to change it…I have tried it all.Now its more about risk managment than anything else for me.Dont get me wrong Im not trying to be a bummer either about this but the truth is…what a beautiful day it would be if I woke up with no addiction or craving for nicotine,and if that happened I would never touch a tobacco product again so long as I live as I would never want to start the viscious cycle over again.

Yeah I can get through work without snuff but I went to Washington the other day and left my snuff at home, 24 hours without a pinch and it took all my damn willpower to avoid bumming a cigarette or buying a pack, I was very much craving. I’m glad I was craving snuff and not cigarettes though, I just wanted a cigarette because I knew it’d tide me over. At the same time though, if I could push a magic button that would eliminate all craving for nicotine, I wouldn’t press it. I really do enjoy snuff. The scents and stimulation are worth the addiction for me. Tobacco is addictive for a reason: it’s extremely pleasurable.

if I could push a magic button that would eliminate all craving for nicotine, I wouldn’t press it. I really do enjoy snuff. The scents and stimulation are worth the addiction for me. Tobacco is addictive for a reason: it’s extremely pleasurable.

I agree

I would be okay with giving up nicotine. I do not want to give up tobacco. If I could enjoy tobacco without the nicotine I likely would. I prefer lower nicotine pipe tobaccos, I try to limit my extra strong snus intake, but snuff for me is all about the same. I get a bigger hit with bigger pinches, but I don’t find any major difference in nic levels of all the snuffs I’ve tried. Although I do notice the lack of nicotine in my home grinds.

Many of us are using tobacco because it improves our ability to cope with life. I have high-functioning autism; nicotine is very definitely medicinal for me. With it I have enough ability to make plans and carry them out, without it I would be a basket case capable of little more than sitting under a tree contemplating my navel. Don’t ask me how I know this, lol.

I do find tobacco and particularly snuff to be the best treatment for anxiety in myself. I don’t normally get much anxiety but if things start going wrong then the anxiety ramps up for me pretty quickly. Tobacco has always been an instant cure for that kind of anxiety in me and allows me to relax even under pressure, without it my mind tends to worry about a problem ad infinitum.

I stopped smoking with snuff, but if I have to go without snuff I don’t get any of the withdrawal that I got with cigs. Leads me to believe there is a more complicated and malign addiction chemistry going on with smoked tobacco. Thank God I’m off the damned things now.

delivery method can certainily cause diffrent effects upon addiction. Injecting an opiate for instance does lead to addiction faster (just as bad when you get there, but the trips faster). So it’s very possible snuffing would have a diffrent withdraw patern.

I would almost say that the snuff ‘addiction’ is mostly psychological - when going without you are missing a pleasant experience, but not climbing the walls. I think it has more to do than simple speed of delivery or uptake into the bloodstream, there are hundreds of chemicals in cigarette smoke, probably a handful in a pinch of snuff?

I was reading a article about “Free Nicotine” in smokeless tobacco and wonder if it has something to do with the amount needed to form a withdraw feeling from snuff. It was determined by the product and some that had high nicotine levels only had a modest amount of free nicotine. Still learning about it

I read something about that earlier today. The chart said that Skoal STOMPED every other brand for bound nicotine, but only a small part of it was free nicotine, so Copenhagen has less bound nicotine, but it was actually quite a bit stronger. I found it fascinating.

Might be the same chart. Bruton had a higher nicotine level than Railroad Mills but a smaller free nicotine level I agree it is something that is interesting

Yep snuff and dip are the only reason I was able to get off opiates and Kukaine. Pretty gross things to mention on this board but its only the truth, and it’s a good one. Love you snuff, love you dip.

And I think it’s bruton that has higher free nicotine and less overall nicotine. Railroad mills has an idiotic ph of 6.35 (slightly acidic, what were they thinking?!) and bruton has a ph of around 8 As for dip the highest freebase nicotine you’ll find is copenhagen snuff and kodiak wintergreen. Of course these are the only ones I’ll spend money on! “Bound” nicotine is worthless trash!

(dont know how to delete this comment, it was an accident, sorry julios)

Thank goodness, I have never been addicted to smoking. From what I understand, American tobacco companies add all kinds of addictive chemicals to cigarettes and dip. When you try to quit, it is much more than breaking a mere addiction to nicotine. I got into snus because it was about as harmful as a cup of coffee, and I greatly enjoy tobacco. I tried stopping for a few days and that was definitely hard, but very doable. I went back on my merry snusing way. Until I got invisalign braces. Those have made snusing impossible for me, because the tobacco gets trapped under the braces and they turn brown, which then stays next to my teeth. I have since switched to snuff. Snuff is interesting, in that I take less snuff than I did snus, but never get any cravings. Stressful day at work, I could go through 14 snus portions, easy. I got the craving for more when it had been too long. Contrast this with snuff. I’ll have maybe six or seven bumps a day, but I never crave nicotine. It’s always because I enjoy the flavor, nothing else. My only question is how long this will continue…

I honestly find the internet as the catalyst for most of tobacco usage. I may log on to youtube and see a pipe review, then I need to have a pipe. Or see one of my pipes and get the craving for it. But I have gone days without it and sometimes dont really feel the need. It is something to do to keep my mind occupied. When I am out and about, working, or just doing something, I do not feel the constant craving for a pipe. Snuff is a little different for me considering I dont need to go outside, or deal with the smell (I am a big fan of Latakia) on me for a while afterwards. So the fact that it is discreet probably adds to the fact that I use it more often. I have some snuffs for enjoyment, and others to just get a jolt of the blessed Vitamin N. It calms me, but I dont think I have ever gotten the “stimulant” or concentration affects from it that some people talk of. I actually feel lethargic when it is a big dose, and have to pick myself up to get work done. I love the blessed tobacco leaf and do not wish it to leave my life. I am conscious of the affects on my body, but I try and regulate it. I have yet to feel personally any negative health affects from my tobacco usage. But that may change with time. Just my two cents…