want to start with snus, please help.

[jaypow]

hello all,
i saw the 60 minutes thing and I'd want to switch from cigs to snus. I'm a 30 year plus smoker. I'm a male, 49 yrs' old. I smoke menthols about 2 packs per day. I've found the buysnus.com site.
I don't know what to order or how much I'll need to a month supply.
ANY help would be greatly appraicated!!!!
I live in Upstate New York.
Thanks,
jaypow

[Snusdog]

Jay I would start with 10 brands- some flavored, some plain, some regular strength and some stark (ie strong).

That way you will have a good sampling of what is out there and you will better be able to gage your needs and how many cans a month's supply will take.

Your list might look like this

General regular portions
Thunder Frosted Extra Stark
Ettan white
Göteborgs Rapé White Portion
Grov Regular portions
Nick and Johnny Black Portion (Stark)
Gotlandssnus Gulsnus (Yellow) Portion
LD Portion
Röda Lacket White Portion
Skruf Strong White Portion

Others might have suggestions to make but this list with whatever amendment you decide will at least get you started and give you a good idea of what is out there. The Starks (strongs) will help with the cravings. The regulars will help you maintain.

Give it time. Don't throw anything away. Your taste will change. So if you do not like it at first put it in the freezer and revisit it later. Also, some really notice the salt at first. In two weeks almost to a T the salt is no longer an issue (for most it never is an issue).

Keep us posted on how you are doing and read the forum. There is a lot of good advice here and a lot of very knowledgeable people who will be glad to help in any way they can.

Welcome to the forum mate...........you are going to love snus.

dog 8)

.

[sagedil]

Yeah, best way to start is browse Northerner.com, buysnus.com, or getsnus.com, and choose one of the sample packages they have available for new folks. My favorite of the bunch has been the Top 10 box from Northerner.

Most important advice coming from smoking. Be patient, it dopes not have to be all or nothing. Just start using the snus, smoke when you want, the snus eventually wins, but took me over 4 months to fully make that transition 3+ years ago

[Roo]

Welcome jaypow. I second the advice of snusdog and sage and in fact if their posts were combined, it would reflect the very first steps I took with snus. I heard about it, ordered a sampler box from Northerner, then when that was almost gone I went to buysnus and chose a variety of single cans based on what I hadn't tried yet, and what I liked from the try-out box. You're gonna love it, and you sound like you're ready for it. If you're anything like me and a lot of others here, you might be amazed at how easy it is to quit smoking, whether you go all out like I did, or whether you take sage's great advice and just smoke a cig when you want to, snus when you want to, and see how the cig cravings eventually die out altogether. Cheers.

[sheilalynn]

Hi, and welcome to our warped little corner of the world. 8)

Was a 2 pack a day smoker myself till last May, when I started with an e-cig. Then I found snus and it was the only thing that actually did get me off of the cigs comfortably. I say that because I was still craving more nicotine with the e-cig even though it did help with that whole hand to mouth thing. Now it's a rare day that I even think of that stick of plastic. :wink:

As Sage says, don't push it, just start using snus and you'll find yourself actually preferring snus. I also agree with the suggestion to get a few different strengths. For me, I seem to want a strong snus after eating, which is when I reach for the Thunder Frosted. I'm also more into the flavored/minty snus which I still say is because I was a menthol smoker in the past.

As for suggestions as to what kinds, my choices would be:
Thunder Frosted (a necessity in my opinion) :P
Roda Lacket
Offroad Frosted (same taste as Thunder Frosted but lower nicotine)
Oden's Kanel
General Mini Mint
Discreet Peach and/or Strawberry (for those times when you crave something sweet)
Good ole' General for an "unflavored" snus
Goteborg's Rape 2 (interesting flavor)

Edit: Almost forgot to mention getsnus.com as another place to buy snus. You also get a "mystery can" when you order 5 cans from them and you get to sample something you might not have thought of with those mystery cans that they include. Northerner.com also has an increasing inventory in the US warehouse so I've actually placed a few recent orders with them.

[Santafechestnutred]

If you smoke menthols get some General mint...or something frosted..Also I love General wintergreen.....Snus is actually the easiest way to quit smoking..You will not lack for nicotine....It takes a month or two to make the transition....Smoking does not hold any temptation for me any more..I never thought I would be able to say that...Quitting snus on the other hand.....That is not a pleasant scenario......

[Nightfirez]

i would defiantly agree with sage in getting the top 10 tryout pack from northerner / swedish-snus.com

im still in my first week myself haven’t felt the need to go and smoke I also got some skruf Starks to help quash any cravings i might get although even in the first days it wasn’t the nic i was craving more the habitual ritual of smoking which is relatively easy to keep up with snus

personally i have found the transition pleasantly easy compared to quitting with NRT .

[Frosted]

You'll enjoy Thunder Frosted. They are very very good.

I had no difficulty whatsoever giving up the cigarettes with snus. Nothing else worked and I tried everything.
Everybody is different though - but there is something you'll have to bear in mind. Snus is good - very very good and very very effective.

Congratulations - snus was an epiphany for me and I'm pleased for anybody that finds it.

[justintempler]

Welcome jaypow,

I smoked for 38 years and was a 2-3 pack a day smoker when I made the switch.

Since you're a menthol smoker, I'd recommend. General Wintergreen, General Mint, Thunder Frosted and if you like licorice LD Black and then add in some others for variety.

I didn't need the sterks when I quit, I just made sure I always had a snus in my mouth at all times so I never had any nicotine cravings. I also allowed myself one weekend pack of smokes until I no longer wanted them to overcome the psychological addiction. (Took about 2-3 months)

Goodluck and welcome. 8)

[oarenj]

I smoked for 16 years, quit in January and have had 1 cigarette since, and even that I didn't smoke all the way and the enjoyment was gone, I knew I was done.

I enjoy my Snus (usually Generals mint/Mini Mint) and its more convenient, i smell better, feel better and I can even go out mountain biking with one. More convenient and no social or family pressure to go along with it.

I don't feel I am an ex-smoker or recovering smoke, I simply don't smoke anymore and I feel excellent.

The way I found to quit was to replace Snus with the habitual side of smoking, like if you always had a smoke the instant you got into a car have a Snus instead but keep smoking when you wanted to basically you remove the habit and once that's gone you just don't want to smoke.

Like many US'ers I started with Camel - knock them all you want but it got me into it, the same way my first Miller High Life got me into Arrogant Bastard 8)

[Owens187]

...And so the "60 minutes" snus rush begins. This forums membership is about to double.

[olzeke]

Jaypow, welcome. All of the suggestions above are great. I would just add that with snus, you can really experiment with alot of different flavors. Obviously, something like General Wintergreen, General Mint or Thunder Frosted will suit your menthol preference. But like someone else said, browse the Northerner site. I found their site the best to browse. I also did not find their 10 trial pack very worth while for me. I preferred to read the flavor profiles of each snus, and just get one can of each one that sounded good to me.

People have mentioned the salt taste. Yep, that will be there for awhile, and it takes a little getting used to. Also, I found that white portions really hurt my gums for awhile. That went away after a few weeks.

Let snus take over your nic cravings, and you will experience a whole bunch of new and great flavors (yes, you'll be able to taste things again), and you'll fell a lot healthier, especially in the lungs.

Best Regards, and have fun!

[sagedil]

...And so the "60 minutes" snus rush begins. This forums membership is about to double.

You woulda thought 60 minutes would have at least checked with me about my wedding plans before airing that segment now, :lol: :lol:

[MojoQuestor]

Hi jaypow. Catch Eucalyptus might be another snus to try for a menthol smoker. Buysnus has a special on that right now, but I don't know if their price beats Getsnus. I'd check, but I'm feeling lazy Just shop around. Actually, it would probably be better to buy just one can of it, anyway, until you decide if you like it. It's not really for me, but I might buy one more can of it one day.

[jaypow]

THANK YOU!!!! all

Thank you to all these great responses!!!! I went for broke and ordered 4 10 can packs and I'm jumping in with two feet. I have a love/hate relationship with smoking that is totally disfunctional. My 10year old son HATES my smoking and I hate the example I'm setting by lighting up. today is friday and I ordered 2 days ago (buysnus,com) and i'm looking forward to getting my package!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Again, thank you to all that replied.
Jaypow