Using snus but still want to smoke - help.

[DaveInPA]

So, I have a dilemma. I got into using snus in an attempt to cut back or completely stop smoking. I got a few different brands from getsnus.com and I like them all. Here's the problem. A couple of them are definitely giving me enough nicotine (General White and Skruf Stark). The Stark actually gives me such a nic hit that I get a little bit lightheaded. So, the problem isn't that I'm not getting my nicotine.

I think the problem is that I can't break the hand to mouth habit of smoking. Basically, I think the snus covers the nicotine addiction aspect of smoking, but not the physical habit. Any hints for how to overcome this and put down the smokes and stick to snus full time?

[lxskllr]

Keep your cigarettes in the car. That way you won't grab one out of habit. That'll force you to go outside to get a smoke, and that's too much work :^D

[Snusdog]

This may sound silly but chew on a straw or even better try some nasal snuff. There is more ritual to snuff than there is to snus (though snuff will not replace snus as far as nic goes). However snuff might provide a repetition and movement for those need to fidget moments.

[lxskllr]

Snuff is a nice addition to snus. In addition to the benefits Snusdog gave, it's whole whole other huge world to explore. There's so many different kinds, it'll take awhile before you get bored :^)

[sagedil]

Just give it time.


I have posted here over and over the same thing. Don't even worry about "quitting" smoking. For now, snus if you want, smoke if you want. Over time, I promise, you will snus more and more, and smoke less and less. And finally, one day, you just won't want to smoke any more. Took me at least a month to *mostly* stop smoking. even then, I had about 1 or 2 cigarettes a week. Eventually, that was cut down to one or two a month.


I still have a cigarette every blue moon. But now, it is about one every 3 months. What makes snus so magical is that occasional cigarette doesn't change anything. NOT like when I quit cold turkey, and that first cigarette led me to suddenly be buying packs again.

[HK11]

I think about cigarettes when I first wake up sometimes but Ive thrown out the ones I had and the thought goes away pretty quick with the coffee/N&J.

The only tip I can think of is to throw out the cigarettes that you have if you are really concerned with quitting. It only takes two weeks to make a habit and without them you should start noticing the triggers going away after that time. At least that's how it has worked for me in the past when I quit smoking (like 5 times).

I threw mine out because I just wasnt enjoying them. My nicotine level is always so jacked up that smoking kinda made me ill so it wasn't too long before I started to associate them with feeling gross. I kept the packs around for couple of weeks but finally just threw em out when I was cleaning. Sort of liberating to feel like I didnt need em.

I still love to smell other people smoke though

[jamesstew]

Patience, it takes a little while. Los snus really helped my also even though I use portions a little more throughout the day. There's a ritual with los, baking and such that I don't get with portions.

[chainsnuser]

I haven't bought cigarettes or cigarette tobacco since November 2006. I smoked 9 Gauloises-cigarettes (the last from a package bought in October 2006) and 2 RYO-cigarettes made from the German "HB"-blend (Virginia mixed with Burley and Oriental tobacco, very similar to Camel) between November 2006 and November 2007. None of them got me hooked again, so I second Sagedil's and lxskllr's postings. I still have enough RYO tobacco for around 60 cigarettes left and ready, if I'd like to smoke again one day. I guess I could throw that tobacco away as well. It's probably dried out anyway.

Snus will win you over in the long run and there's no reason to stress anything.

I'm partly religious nowaday about non-smoking, because I know how good is is to be off the smokes, but I wouldn't see ist as a "deadly sin" to smoke a single cigarette or cigar again. I'm just not interested anymore.

BTW, if someone around me wants to smoke a cigarette, I'm still totally fine with that. I still HATE psychotic anti-smokers. Smoking is bad, but there are much worse things people can get exposed to, so I just think that anti-smoking activists are nothing but moronic assholes and I'm happy that snuson.com is a snus-site without being an anti-smoking site.

Cheers!

[justintempler]

DaveInPA,

One way to do it is not have the cigarettes around. Allow yourself one weekend pack, and when they're gone that's it till next weekend. This way you don't feel you can not never ever have another cigarette. The safety blanket of knowing you can smoke come the weekend is enough to stop you from smoking during the week. Once you get used to snusing during the week without cigarettes, then at some point, you will start choosing snus over cigarettes on the weekends too.

[Lucky Striker]

I smoked off and on for about six months when I first started snusing. Then it started to where I only smoked occasionally. Then one day I realized it had been over a week since I had a cigarette, and I made the decision to completely stop smoking altogether. I still enjoy the odd cigar, but my fifteen year, two pack a day habit is gone, and I wasn't even really trying to quit.

[Badfish74]

IMHO everbody is different...but the funnt thing is I've used a combo of what every one here has said without even realizing it! I started smoking outside when our baby was born and that made me cut down a lot. I didn't start snusing to quit, I basically said I'm going to start using snus and see what happens. Also I like to keep a variety of snus on hand. For some reason having different things to try keeps my mind off of smoking. Hell, don't forget to reward yourself! When you place an order, throw in a couple extra cans to try...I end up wanting to try everything as fast as possible and get too much nic, and I definately don't what a cig then! And as Sage says don't beat yourself up! If you want a cig, then have one.

[pangloss]

If you've smoked hard cigarettes like marlboro reds, consider purchasing nicotine free cigarettes (from a headshop) or ultra low nicotine cigarettes. Ex. Carlton (1 mg tar/0.1mg nicotine) while using snus.

The Physical Addiction: Will be taken care of by the snus.

The Psychological Addiction: You may have previously associated smoking or having a cigarette in your hand with relaxation, extra concentration, etc. Using an ultra low nic product will give you something to do with your hands while you are making the switch to snus. Over time the conditioning pattern/reward circuitry in your brain should start to break down as you are no longer getting a nic hit from these cigarettes, while the association between snus and "relief" will build up.

[harpdog]

I got to a stage after many years of trying to quit by coughing up a about an ounce of dark brown phlegm every morning sometimes with blood in it.

Every smoke initially made me dry heave and gag.

So the incentive to stop was strong.

I started using snus but could not let go of the morning cigarette I had with my coffee.

I went all day without another just using the Snus. Then after about 2 weeks I just stopped having that morning cigarette. I would take snus immediately after waking, by the time I get out bed and make the coffee the snus was working and I had no nicotine craving.


After a few months I can get of bed and its sometimes an hour before i use the snus. I have now it down to using about 4 portions of snus a day.

I no longer cough up in the morning infact I dont really cough anymore.

I can now occasionally smoke in a social situation, for example out having dinner with friends on friday night, I had 2 cigarettes. But probably wont have anymore for weeks.

I am no longer thinking about cigarettes they dont come into my mind anymore.

[snupy]

Find the cheapest, nastiest, most disgusting tasting cigarettes you can find and buy ONLY those whenever you are jonesing for a cig. I highly recommend Tucson, GT One or Goldcrest cigarettes for this application.

[DaveInPA]

Thanks for the tips everyone. Today has been good so far.

I decided I was going to let myself smoke ONE cigarette today, in two sessions. I smoked 1/2 of one this morning when I woke up to give me my initial nic spike. I've been using a General White portion snus every few hours throughout the day, with one Skruf Stark thrown in after lunch today (after a meal is my second biggest nic trigger, after waking up). I've been satisfied all day long with the snus. The second part of my experiment is going to be lighting up the other half of that cigarette before bed tonight. I'm hoping that I won't enjoy it, and will be on my way to putting down the coffin nails and sticking to snus.

On a side note, I really enjoy Skruf Stark for a nice strong nic hit! I also have an unopened can of Nick & Johnny. How does it compare to the Stark?