Question about strength and my experience of mini vs normal size General white

[simplesmoke]

Wonder what others experience has been related to personal preference to size/strength.

It has been several years since I successfully quit smoking with snus. My go to snus has been General mini mint. I use it 99% of the time. And I love it, I get that nicotine hit shortly after eating when I pop a portion in that I always always associated with smoking in the past. I even get it throughout the day, (not as often0 but use for like 45 minutes, spit out, and repeat throughout the day.

Lately I have become a little concerned that my constant use of this coupled with the artificial sweetener they use might not be so good for me. I did gain around 20 lbs in the years since I quit smoking (with only better changes to my diet) and want to just see if there is some correlation to the daily intake of artificial sweetener. So I figured I would find a non sweetened snus and switch to that 100% for several months.

So I picked up a can of General white (regular size) from the local 7 eleven. I have been using it 50% of the time for the last couple of days and I am really surprised, I assumed I would have to remove a portion after a period of time because I would get overwhelmed with nicotine.

That has NOT been the case. I don't understand why, is the mint in the General mini mint opening a pipeline through my gums to deliver the nicotine more efficiently?

Like this morning, each day I normally do not use and snus till like 2 hours after I am up. So I have had a full 9+ hours of no nicotine

I pop the general white (8mg nicotine supposedly) in and 30 minutes later I am not craving nicotine, but I can't say I "feel" it.

So after 50 minutes give up and spit it out, and pop a General Mini mint in (4mg nicotine supposedly) and 10+ minutes later, have that nice feel I associate with nicotine. It is not in my head.

Makes no sense to me. They are both dry portions, I am assuming it has something to do with the mint.

[simplesmoke]

So I have been using General White large portion for almost a week now. Gone through about 2.5 cans of it at this point. I am surprised to be actually getting used to the taste, used to be kind of bitter to me.

Never get that nicotine feeling (even after eating) from the large portions though. Even bought a couple of cans somewhere else with a later expiration date.

But if I put a General Mini Mint in, get that feeling even more so now since I am not using them as often I would guess.

Today decided to cut up a mini mint portion and large portion to compare them. The general mini mint portion is like dry small particles of tobacco that do not clump together at all. Where as the particles of tobacco for the general white are spongy and thicker and clump together easily. When you try to move them around with your finger they actually smear and get stuck to your fingertip.

I am wondering if that has something to do with how quickly the nicotine gets into my bloodstream. The dry finer particles of the mini mint might cause a quicker rise than the larger already moisture filled general white large portion. I have no idea really..

Has anyone else experienced the same? I want to find my new sweetener free main snus and was hoping it would continue to be general, but at this point I am guessing it will have to be something else.

Thanks

[N1THC]

So I have been using General White large portion for almost a week now. Gone through about 2.5 cans of it at this point. I am surprised to be actually getting used to the taste, used to be kind of bitter to me.

Never get that nicotine feeling (even after eating) from the large portions though. Even bought a couple of cans somewhere else with a later expiration date.

But if I put a General Mini Mint in, get that feeling even more so now since I am not using them as often I would guess.

Today decided to cut up a mini mint portion and large portion to compare them. The general mini mint portion is like dry small particles of tobacco that do not clump together at all. Where as the particles of tobacco for the general white are spongy and thicker and clump together easily. When you try to move them around with your finger they actually smear and get stuck to your fingertip.

I am wondering if that has something to do with how quickly the nicotine gets into my bloodstream. The dry finer particles of the mini mint might cause a quicker rise than the larger already moisture filled general white large portion. I have no idea really..

Has anyone else experienced the same? I want to find my new sweetener free main snus and was hoping it would continue to be general, but at this point I am guessing it will have to be something else.

Thanks

The bolded portion of your response is really the only thing I could think of. Maybe the uptake is faster from the fine particles. Although this may not be right as I have found that brown portions (Wet and brown) deliver nicotine rather quickly.

Maybe the menthol/peppermint in the mint is an uptake supporter for nicotine? Not sure..

Not really sure man, Hopefully someone here can help you.

[simplesmoke]

The bolded portion of your response is really the only thing I could think of. Maybe the uptake is faster from the fine particles. Although this may not be right as I have found that brown portions (Wet and brown) deliver nicotine rather quickly.

Maybe the menthol/peppermint in the mint is an uptake supporter for nicotine? Not sure..

Not really sure man, Hopefully someone here can help you.

Thanks, I don't get it, that's for sure.. Was curious if any other mini mint users experienced the same.

Just placed an order for numerous unsweetened brands of 8mg large white portions that I have never tried before, guess I will see what I find.

While I used Snus to quit smoking, and want to continue using it.. I did not really feel like increasing my nicotine tolerance. I assumed a 4mg portion would deliver nicotine at a slower rate over a shorter period of time then an 8mg portion. I also ordered a few containers of 4mg other brand white portions. Maybe general does something special with the mini mint.

Only other comparison I have is Northerner has this ZynNT snus, (contains artificial sweetener though) and I have had the 6mg portions and I have to spit them out after 20-30 minutes because it is too much nicotine for me. It is also completely dry and has a sugar granular like feel to what is in the pouch. I can even use the 3 mg version of them and feel it.

One thing I just thought of after I posted this, is I wonder if artificial sweetener can cause nicotine absorption to be quicker/more? Well I guess I will see, have at least 5 different brands coming with no added sweeteners.

[N1THC]

Thanks, I don't get it, that's for sure.. Was curious if any other mini mint users experienced the same.

Unfortunately I don't use mini mint but...

Looking up a white paper on nicotine absorption they claim the below:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4271311/

"These results indicate that pH is a primary determinant of buccal nicotine absorption."

Maybe the pH of the mint portions is higher and allows for higher nicotine absorption.

=]

[Snusdog]

The pH and with it free Nicotine will be indicated in the nicotine levels of each snus. Thus if the flavoring/sweetener raised the pH and thus increased the nicotine free for absorption the snus would not be 4mg it would have to be listed as 6 or 9 or whatever.

I see two possibilities:
(1) an ingredient (likely a flavoring) is effecting you. Probe used to do this to me. Something in it gave me a "nicotine like" head ache, though I was accustomed to using much stronger snus without a problem
(2) the white portions are using a lower grade leaf that either do not have the delivery power or cannot maintain it over time (it dissipates much more quickly).

I have found that a lot of SM products turn bitter much quicker than they did a few years back which seems to indicate a drop in the quality of the leaf they are using. I also find snus in general to be more paste like in consistency.......

All of this has to do with keeping prices down given the current tax scale (e.g. snus is taxed based on the amount of dry leaf that is used......therefore by increasing the water % I can sell you a 42 g can that has 1/4 less actual tobacco in it than it did a few years back.....and therefore my company can cut the taxes that I am charged for the product)

[simplesmoke]

Thanks for the replies.

I tried for the heck of it to see what the PH difference was compared to Mini mint vs General white. I know it probably far from being accurate, but one is different then the other.

Using distilled water (with PH of 6.4) I compared the change after 2 minutes of mixing with the same amount of each.

The cup with general mini mint mixture was 5.5 and the cup with the general white was 6.8.

That one article says the more alkaline Snus is the more uptake of Nicotine will occur I believe. So it must not be that. The mini mint is more acidic from my test.

Well have some other brands coming today or tomorrow, guess I will just see what I find with other brands.

[N1THC]

Thanks for the replies.

I tried for the heck of it to see what the PH difference was compared to Mini mint vs General white. I know it probably far from being accurate, but one is different then the other.

Using distilled water (with PH of 6.4) I compared the change after 2 minutes of mixing with the same amount of each.

The cup with general mini mint mixture was 5.5 and the cup with the general white was 6.8.

That one article says the more alkaline Snus is the more uptake of Nicotine will occur I believe. So it must not be that. The mini mint is more acidic from my test.

Well have some other brands coming today or tomorrow, guess I will just see what I find with other brands.

Very interesting results!!!

interesting to see that the mini is actually more acidic!

[Snusdog]

Very interesting results!!!

interesting to see that the mini is actually more acidic!

Probably due to the flavoring in the mini

[tattooer601]

Probably due to the flavoring in the mini

I agree with you, probably the flavorings kicking up the PH .

I use the General mini's mint and can feel the effects of the nicotine in them quicker and overall "effect" is stronger,compared to the General regular mint aswell it isn't just you.

Im trying to give up smoking still and it was all they had on hand local.

They're stronger in free nicotine,from my experience...like right now.

[simplesmoke]

So I received an assortment of Snus last week or the week before.

Believe it or not I have not found any that compare to the nicotine hit/feeling I get from General Mini mint. One other thing I have noticed which I forgot about before, is occasionally I will get the hiccups from general mini mint. I have always assumed it had something to do with the nicotine in what I swallow. I have found when this occurs, if I drink something the hiccups will go away very quickly. None of what I have tried so far ever gives me those hiccups.

So I have tried so far:

Catch Licorice dry mini - 75%
Catch Licorice dry large - 75%
Epok Lime slim large portion - 50% - These have artificial sweetener so they are not ideal, but wanted to see how they compared.
Offroad White LIQ+ (Licorice) - 75%
Skruf slim white large portion mint mynta - 50%
Offroad white large portion Coola - 75%
Offroad white mini Smooth M (mint) - 85%
General Classic white mini - 50%
Odens large portion double mint - 50%

The percent is how close of feeling I get compared to the General Mini mint. I know I am getting nicotine from the above because each morning after a full 10+ hours of no nicotine, after I get to work I will try a different one each day, and I can go a good hour and not feel the need for nicotine. But at some point will have to have a mini mint.

I am starting to wonder if my body is so conditioned to getting its nicotine with that sweetness (lots of artificial sweetener) tied with the mint + and i assume menthol. Only then does certain endorphins or whatever you call them release in my brain. When that specific itch it expects, is scratched so to speak.

Maybe that is why the Offroad white mini Smooth M (mint) comes close. It is very similar to mini mint, just like 99% less sweet.

I vaguely recall back when I quit smoking years ago with Snus, that for awhile when I was fully loaded with nicotine with Snus I would still get cig cravings, but those disappeared at some point because whenever I would light up, if anything it was disgusting and did not scratch the itch I thought I had.

Anyhow, I am only using like 4-5 portions of the mini mint a day at this point and will at some point try to switch entirely to non sweetened snus, maybe by then my body/mind will adjust.

[tattooer601]

So I received an assortment of Snus last week or the week before.

Believe it or not I have not found any that compare to the nicotine hit/feeling I get from General Mini mint. One other thing I have noticed which I forgot about before, is occasionally I will get the hiccups from general mini mint. I have always assumed it had something to do with the nicotine in what I swallow. I have found when this occurs, if I drink something the hiccups will go away very quickly. None of what I have tried so far ever gives me those hiccups.

So I have tried so far:

Catch Licorice dry mini - 75%
Catch Licorice dry large - 75%
Epok Lime slim large portion - 50% - These have artificial sweetener so they are not ideal, but wanted to see how they compared.
Offroad White LIQ+ (Licorice) - 75%
Skruf slim white large portion mint mynta - 50%
Offroad white large portion Coola - 75%
Offroad white mini Smooth M (mint) - 85%
General Classic white mini - 50%
Odens large portion double mint - 50%

The percent is how close of feeling I get compared to the General Mini mint. I know I am getting nicotine from the above because each morning after a full 10+ hours of no nicotine, after I get to work I will try a different one each day, and I can go a good hour and not feel the need for nicotine. But at some point will have to have a mini mint.

I am starting to wonder if my body is so conditioned to getting its nicotine with that sweetness (lots of artificial sweetener) tied with the mint + and i assume menthol. Only then does certain endorphins or whatever you call them release in my brain. When that specific itch it expects, is scratched so to speak.

Maybe that is why the Offroad white mini Smooth M (mint) comes close. It is very similar to mini mint, just like 99% less sweet.

I vaguely recall back when I quit smoking years ago with Snus, that for awhile when I was fully loaded with nicotine with Snus I would still get cig cravings, but those disappeared at some point because whenever I would light up, if anything it was disgusting and did not scratch the itch I thought I had.

Anyhow, I am only using like 4-5 portions of the mini mint a day at this point and will at some point try to switch entirely to non sweetened snus, maybe by then my body/mind will adjust.

I think your onto something here with mint mini portions, if it isn't simply that the get moist faster and kick in faster.
I suspect there's more to it.... because:
I smoked 2 pks of Marlboro blacks a day since they came out,reds before that 2 1/2 pks a day for roughly two years, so my tolerance isn't a lil one.
I started back thinking snus will win ,go easy on myself with it and keep at it.
So I'm getting a snuscentral order together...
I'm open to pointer, but man I'm getting chest colds too easy these days...time to try harder.

[simplesmoke]

I think your onto something here with mint mini portions, if it isn't simply that the get moist faster and kick in faster.
I suspect there's more to it.... because:
I smoked 2 pks of Marlboro blacks a day since they came out,reds before that 2 1/2 pks a day for roughly two years, so my tolerance isn't a lil one.
I started back thinking snus will win ,go easy on myself with it and keep at it.
So I'm getting a snuscentral order together...
I'm open to pointer, but man I'm getting chest colds too easy these days...time to try harder.

I was only smoking a pack a day when I finally quit for good 5 years ago.

Snus will win, good luck.. my attitude at the time was I would ALWAYS keep a snus in and if I wanted to smoke I would. Sure I wanted to smoke during those weeks but usually it was 4 or 5 puffs and getting no satisfaction so I would put it out.. then it became less and less as the weeks went by. I think I was down to 1 smoke a day ( a few puffs) after 3 weeks and honestly I think it was more my body getting over the habit.. Hell I even would get triggers for smokes 1-2 years after when I would get stress, etc.. but never would be satisfied. I wondered if that would ever completely go away, and I think it has. Last time I had one of those moments was probably a couple years ago. It's weird to feel repulsed by cigarette smoke now. It's pretty nasty.

Not sure if I would have had the same success with these other ones, something with the mini mint it gets it into the blood stream much quicker. Might try one of these starks people talk about, always thought that would be too much for me.

I am just trying to get away from the artificial sweetener now. I have noticed with myself with the decrease in use my appetite is much lower now which has already contributed to me loosing 3-4 lbs in the last month. Still using snus as often, just 80% of the time it is unsweetened snus.

[tattooer601]

Thanks for your help..
On topic I use 2 mini's in the morning, because they kick in faster and fairly strong.

Ok.. cigarette wise I've danced this dance way to long honestly.
Recovered from full cervical fusion with hardware and been through hell.
In a effort to get back in my feet, man I'm rebuilding my body I got attrophy from being stuck in a bed for to Long.
Life's better now, somewhat and I keep getting sinus and chest colds.
Then girlfriend goes to hospital, I buy general mint..
Ive smoked full flavor cigarettes for 30 years, up til last week I thought I'd "try again".

So, I was halted each time by a few factors the PACT act & online ordering..
So I'm ****ing done man, I'm putting out smokes when 1/2 done because they make my chest feel like it's burning.
But I've cut down to under a pack of blacks per 24 hours, I'd normally smoke 2 & 1/2 pks a day..
So they're seeming less appealing at the moment.

I stressed myself out other times, this time I'm simply gonna chain snus until cigarettes SUCK and I give em up.
Until then I'll just smoke part of one if I wanna, it's still healthier than Smoking so much.
Sorry I didn't mean to rob your thread just to chat...slow board these days
..

[Burnsey]

I smoked nearly as much and longer than you do/did tattooer. I got down to a couple cigs a day by doing some serious chain snusing, fresh regular strength portion nearly every 30-40 minutes....was not into starks in the beginning. The first week without cigs was crazy, but it passed. Nicotine is nicotine, but he psycho dependence was the hardest to overcome for me......I still romantacize about cigs!

Good luck with your recovery and quitting!