Tips for quitting smoking using snus?

[DaveInPA]

A little background. I'm 27 years old and started smoking when I was 16. I currently smoke at least a pack a day. Snus has been a big help in getting me through work days (up to 14 hours some days) without having to go out to my car to smoke. However, I have not been able to totally quit smoking using snus. I still cave in to the urge to smoke when I'm at home, in my car, when I wake up, after meals, etc.

So, for those of you who have totally ditched cigarettes in favor of snus, any tips you can give me?

Thanks!

[Ansel]

do you use starks? i think the trick is to get more nicotine from your snus than a cigarette could give you. for me it's skruf stark that's the answer.

[LincolnSnuff]

Put a snus in instead of smoking at those times. Eventually, the snus will win. Also, get rid of the cigarettes. I didn't make a complete transition either until I stopped having cigarettes around. No cigs = use snus instead. Your brain will retrain itself to snus.

[DaveInPA]

do you use starks? i think the trick is to get more nicotine from your snus than a cigarette could give you. for me it's skruf stark that's the answer.

Yes, I use Thunder Frosted and Nick & Johnny

[heders]

It's just to quit smoking and start using snus. Ignore the cigarette cravings as those will eventually disappear once your lung capacity, throat etc. get restored by not smoking. Then it will seem much dumber to smoke that cigarette and let the body start all over with the recovering process.

You can still go out if you feel like you need a break - but do not smoke. Pop in a strong snus and sit there a bit in silence and enjoy the feeling of not being poisoned by smoke.

I never thought I would be able to quit smoking; I loved it to death, and did not worry about the health consequences at all, and did not experience any side effects what so ever. But I still started using snus, and now smoking (cigarettes, not pipes and cigars) feels like such a stupid idea to do. I'm really glad I quit.

You get a whole other perspective of it once you're off of it for a while.

Now I'm a bit of a snus freak with a pretty major nicotine addiction, but I'd rather be addicted to nicotine than having lung cancer and suffocating to death with lungs looking like pieces of coal.

Good luck, you can do it for sure!

[devilock76]

You could always try the e-cig in addition to snus. The combo was what it took me to completely do away with cigs.

Ken

[lxskllr]

I'm pretty flexible with the whole thing. Don't worry about quitting smoking. You've smoked for a decade, what's another year or so? If you treat snus like Nicorette, it'll just feel like a diet, and you could become resentful of the snus. Keep smoking, and keep snusing. Replace some of your smoke times with snus times, and eventually all you'll have is snus times.

[Mawdryn]

When I decided to quit smoking, I made a major effort NOT to make a big deal out of it. I walked into this snus thing with the understanding that I was simply trading one addiction for a better one. I didn't go through all the quit smoking rituals like starting one morning with no cigs, etc....just threw in a snus at about 3 in the afternoon and never looked back.

Started with General Long Sterks, then found Nick & Johnny Strong Portions. Now that I think about it, I don't know if I could have quit completely if I hadn't discovered Los. I think I bought the first can thinking it would be cheaper, then I discovered how much more pleasurable it was. Also, los gives me something to look forward to...I use portions in public situations, so just like I once thought "Man, I can't wait to get out of here so I can have a cigarette", now I think the same way about getting a nice prilla.

Also, snus isn't like cigarettes. I think variety is key. Right now I'm on a Knox kick...next week it might be Granit or Gellivare or whatever. I have an obnoxious collection of brands in the freezer. Still only use N&J for portions, though...

[G_Jones]

The combination of snus and e-cigs is awesome, and covers all your bases as far as getting real tobacco into your system (snus) and the desire to take a big long flavorful drag from a cigarette (e-cig). Armed with both, quitting cigarettes is actually pleasurable instead of some painful struggle, as you may find these "alternatives" to be superior experiences. Also, in the last year, there are many much more powerful and less expensive models.

[spinyeel]

I smoked heavily for 40 years.Tried every method of quitting and none even came close to being successful. Snus was the answer for me.(sterks) Gods gift for those of us that wish to banish cigarettes into oblivion.

[shag1952]

Put a snus in instead of smoking at those times. Eventually, the snus will win. Also, get rid of the cigarettes. I didn't make a complete transition either until I stopped having cigarettes around. No cigs = use snus instead. Your brain will retrain itself to snus.

I have to second this one, not having cigarettes around is the only way it's gonna work. I was foolish enough at first to try and "quit" smoking with snus and still kept smokes at home. No way. I finally stopped keeping them around and now am only using snus.

[Mongrul]

I used to get up at around 3 in the morning to drain, smoke, then back to bed. Now I drain, pop in an Ettan portion, then go back to sleep. On top of having wicked cool dreams, I don't have an urge to smoke when I wake up because I'm already loaded up. When I make coffee, (another huge trigger for me) I do a monster hillbilly pinch of Goteborgs Rape or Skruf Los. That allows for a rapid release of nicotine and flavor with the coffee. You'll be flying so high you won't want a smoke...trust me.

[Ainkor]

The only way you will quit is if you really want to. In reality, it doesn't matter if its with snus, a patch or any other tool in the toolbox. If you really want to quit, you can. The human brain is an incredible thing that can do some really amazing things. Snus sure does make it easier but the bottom line is that you have to want to quit in order to have a shot at it.

Once you reach that critical mass of motivation, anything is possible.

Good luck man!

[Ansel]

Using both los and portions makes it more interesting for me and i think got me off the cigarettes - that and using starks/sterks.

[jaysalti]

Take your time and don't beat your self up if you slip. I was maybe a pack a day, probably less, but also addicted to going through the motions. I used Gen Ekstra Sterk when tough cravings came along, and started by using a portion in place of a typical smoke time. First thing in the morning smoke replaced by a portion. Jumping in the car... Pop a portion before you drive off. It took me a week using both, but eventually replaced all my typical smokes with portions.

Again, I suggest weening off the smokes and just do the best you can. The snus forums are FILLED with reformed smokers, so just know that it's possible and keep with it. You can do it!