I just wanted to start this thread to a) congratulate myself 
and b) let any newbie on the forum know just how great snus is as a way of stopping smoking.
So to recap my story:
I smoked from about the age of 16 to 32 - originally with straight cigarettes and then on to roll-ups and approximately 15-20 a day. I had been feeling increasingly frustrated with my addiction to the cigs even though I loved doing it because of the obvious health risks but also because I was now looking after a baby daughter and the ban on smoking in public places had just come in ... it was becoming more of a chore than enjoyment.
I first encountered snus in September 2007 when my band played in Norway - I saw it for sale in a petrol station on the trip from the airport and gave it a go as I wanted a cigarette but it was a long drive - it was Catch Eucalyptus white portions by the way. I also bought some General mini portions and once I realised it should go in the upper lip I actually enjoyed it.
When I got back I still had some left and had bought some Mocca mint minis from the duty-free. When I was staying in a no smoking hotel I decided to try it again rather than go out in the rain ... and it worked - I didn't need a cigarette!
So I decided that on 1st January 2008 I would start to give up and placed an order from Schweden-Snus.com of a variety of different snuses. I started using them first thing in the morning and only had a roll-up cigarette when I felt I really needed one which quickly became at about 7pm after dinner. Within 2 weeks I was down to 2 cigs a day and by the second week in February having got some strong portions and lös (Skruf Stark & Nick & Johnny was all that was available over 8mg then) - I decided to replace those last two cigarettes with starks - and I haven't really been a smoker ever since.
I say that - but I have smoked since - but only on my own terms! I keep a pipe and enjoy the occasional bowl of some of the Dunhill blends - I have also had the odd cigarette while out. But I don't need to and in fact it's probably been less than once every month over the whole of the past 5 years. The great thing about snus is that if you do smoke again once you've made the transition you can just stop again. It's very liberating!
Much has happened in the past 5 years. Northerner has rocketed to position where it bought up almost all the other online shops and then self-destructed. The PACT act has come in to US law and there was a period where we in Europe could get everything and people in the US were hoarding snus like there was no tomorrow. Now the roles are reversed and here in the EU we can hardly get the stuff and most things are available again in the US.
I joined SnusOn on 18th January 2008 and it has been here for me ever since - and that too has changed a lot! I got cross and left when it looked like Northerner had taken it over ... but I came back to the mixture of banter and gourmet-snus talk that has always been here.
So thank you Snus for making my life better and healthier. And here's a health to SnusOn the place where we can all come and learn how to do the same. Let's always welcome newbies and never forget to tell them how to make a pris of lös or that it's OK that snus tastes salty and that they'll get used to it! Because real Swedish Snus is a real improver of quality of life and an extender of life expectancy for all smokers.
Cheers
Squeezy
and b) let any newbie on the forum know just how great snus is as a way of stopping smoking.So to recap my story:
I smoked from about the age of 16 to 32 - originally with straight cigarettes and then on to roll-ups and approximately 15-20 a day. I had been feeling increasingly frustrated with my addiction to the cigs even though I loved doing it because of the obvious health risks but also because I was now looking after a baby daughter and the ban on smoking in public places had just come in ... it was becoming more of a chore than enjoyment.
I first encountered snus in September 2007 when my band played in Norway - I saw it for sale in a petrol station on the trip from the airport and gave it a go as I wanted a cigarette but it was a long drive - it was Catch Eucalyptus white portions by the way. I also bought some General mini portions and once I realised it should go in the upper lip I actually enjoyed it.
When I got back I still had some left and had bought some Mocca mint minis from the duty-free. When I was staying in a no smoking hotel I decided to try it again rather than go out in the rain ... and it worked - I didn't need a cigarette!
So I decided that on 1st January 2008 I would start to give up and placed an order from Schweden-Snus.com of a variety of different snuses. I started using them first thing in the morning and only had a roll-up cigarette when I felt I really needed one which quickly became at about 7pm after dinner. Within 2 weeks I was down to 2 cigs a day and by the second week in February having got some strong portions and lös (Skruf Stark & Nick & Johnny was all that was available over 8mg then) - I decided to replace those last two cigarettes with starks - and I haven't really been a smoker ever since.
I say that - but I have smoked since - but only on my own terms! I keep a pipe and enjoy the occasional bowl of some of the Dunhill blends - I have also had the odd cigarette while out. But I don't need to and in fact it's probably been less than once every month over the whole of the past 5 years. The great thing about snus is that if you do smoke again once you've made the transition you can just stop again. It's very liberating!
Much has happened in the past 5 years. Northerner has rocketed to position where it bought up almost all the other online shops and then self-destructed. The PACT act has come in to US law and there was a period where we in Europe could get everything and people in the US were hoarding snus like there was no tomorrow. Now the roles are reversed and here in the EU we can hardly get the stuff and most things are available again in the US.
I joined SnusOn on 18th January 2008 and it has been here for me ever since - and that too has changed a lot! I got cross and left when it looked like Northerner had taken it over ... but I came back to the mixture of banter and gourmet-snus talk that has always been here.
So thank you Snus for making my life better and healthier. And here's a health to SnusOn the place where we can all come and learn how to do the same. Let's always welcome newbies and never forget to tell them how to make a pris of lös or that it's OK that snus tastes salty and that they'll get used to it! Because real Swedish Snus is a real improver of quality of life and an extender of life expectancy for all smokers.
Cheers
Squeezy
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