Keep out of reach of children

[olzeke]

Hello folks. Been a long while since I've posted here. But love the community and occasionally come back to trade suns or see what's going on. This site was huge in my process of transitioning from American spitting tobacco to Swedish suns. I want to give back to the community with this little piece of advice.

Keep out of reach of children.

Pretty obvious. And yet one careless move on my part led to my one year old going to the emergency room. He found an empty snus can in the garbage, and being the scrounger he is, he opened all lids and found the used portions in the top lid of the can. All of a sudden we find him with brown all around his mouth, and he's starting to vomit. I figure it out pretty quick what he's gotten into, and we call Poison Control. They don't give much help, but when they ask how much nicotine is in the snus, they suggest I take him to the emergency room to be monitored. I use General Extra Sterk portions - so - fairly high nic.

We have no idea how many portions he swallowed, but he vomited a few times before going to the hospital, and then at the hospital he vomited up a few portions. Docs said that it was better that he swallowed used portions and not fresh ones. Obviously. But I just now read on the Swedish Match site that less than half of the nic in a pinch of snus is uptaken during use. Anyway, we took him to the emergency room just to be absolutely safe. The docs said that even with the nic that was swallowed he would be absolutely fine. But it scared me to death, and they monitored him closely to be sure and safe.

I wanted to share my experience at the risk of being accused of being a horrible parent. Please don't be judgmental. I already feel bad enough. I just wanted to share this obvious advice because I don't want you to end up worried about a child who got hold of your snus. Just be careful, that's all.

[Zubenelgenubi]

I´m happy to hear he´s fine and I know it should scared you more than any other thing. I have two children of 3 years old, they are twins, and they are always asking me about my snus, it is the typical curiosity of the children, I try to have it out of their reach, but sometimes there are situations out of our control, who´s gonna thing he was goint to look at the garbage and take an empty can... Don´t beat yourself, it wasn´t your fault, even though I know you think it´s your responsability but don´t worry, the most important thing is that he´s fine.

[Skell18]

My dog ate a few used portions once. And a bag of pipe tobacco, that scared me as he was shaking (presumably with the nic) so I know what it's like. FYI I have no children and do not plan on ever having them so can't relate to the child scenario but I love my dog like he was a child so I know what you mean.

[Frosted]

I keep all medicines in a combination lock cash box but the kids have never been interested in my snus. They have absoloutely no intention of going anywhere near it. They've sniffed it and gone "poo" but that's all. I've got a 6 year old and a 3 year old.

[Andy105]

Glad your one year old is ok. There's probably worse things in your garbage, and you can't blame yourself. If my son decided to try one of my Generals, and swallowed it, I'd probably call him a dumbass, but he's 27.

[alopezg1]

if you fed him properly he wouldn't have to go rummaging through the garbage

[rickcharles606]

Glad to hear your child is okay. I'm surprised he went for the used portions...they stink like crazy, lol. My kids and wife ALL hate the smell of snus and only my dog likes it as much as I do :-)

[Premium Parrots]

glad you child is ok. Next time feed the portions to the worms....or any other suitable creature. For the last few years I've been feeding my portions to the chipmonks.

Unlike the worms they haven't turned blue yet. ;(

[Frankie Reloaded]

Fortunately nicotine is not absorbed in the digestive tract (or not much anyway). So if the kid just ate the portions weakened by previous use, they made him vomit and not much more.

What I am sort of worried is giving the kid an example. My parents smoked, I smoked. I started vaping e-cigs soon after they got to the world from China, my oldest son - who never smoked - is vaping. Developed a habit that will haunt him for the rest of his life ;(

[olzeke]

Thanks all. The kid is okay of course. Just a scary moment. I'm just A LOT more careful where used cans and portions go. Out of reach. Deep in the trash. Now I'm facing $500 emergency room visit costs! Haha - worth it though.

[Frosted]

I remember when I was about 9, when my Dad wasn't in I filled up his pipe and smoked it. I was as sick as a parrot.

[DanF]

I started stealing my dad's Camels when I was nine.

Then came Chesterfields and Old Golds and Lucky Strikes and Phillip Morris and Pall Malls and my mother's Herbert Tarringtons.

But when I tried a pack of regular size Kools my fate was doomed. Those were my heroin of choice.

Back then Reader's Digest came in the mail and there was always an article about how science proved beyond any doubt that cigarettes did not cause cancer or any diseases at all.

Doctors in white coats were all over the TV advertising how Camels were the best thing since sliced bread.

Dan

[Frankie Reloaded]

and now for something completely different

T Now I'm facing $500 emergency room visit costs! Haha - worth it though.

Last week I survived a close encounter with a couple of skinheads just a bit older than my oldest son. Never said a word but almost killed me, or at least tried very hard to kick my skull open. For the first time in my life I really lost consciousness. I spent the week in hospital. Now I am at home licking my wounds. The cost of paramedics, ambulance, ER, hospital, x-rays, CT brain scan, IV medication, etc. is a grand total of... 0. Zilch. None. I do pay the obligatory health insurance though. It costs me € 93 ($ 120) every month and it covers me, my wife and our three kids with no upper limits or whatever.

Now is the time to repeat the sermon: Socialism is bad, BAD, BAAAD!

[trebli]

That's terrible Frankie. I hope you are recovering quickly. What was their motivation? Robbery?

[Frankie Reloaded]

They did not take anything and they attacked another guy few streets after me, but the police were already on the way and caught them in the act so he did not need a stretcher. He was a 60-something guy. I guess they just wanted to beat up somebody and since there were no old ladies around at eight PM, untrained middle-aged men had to suffice. I never had a chance to defend myself or to hurt a skinhead pride in any way; we were just passing each other when the first fist landed.

They are both in custody, so I might learn something when my official sick period ends and I go to the police to give them papers proving its length (that is how seriousness of a bodily harm is decided by the local courts unless you are dead or crippled).

The officer who interrogated me in the hospital hinted they might have been inspired by a neo-nazi attack that hit the media some two days before, showing a bunch of steroid boneheads kicking some pubgoers in the head. They probably wanted to prove themselves they are as capable as their TV-savvy brothers.