Girlfriend advice

[sagedil]

Ok, so my new girlfriend has been mostly hostile towards my snus since day one. She made it clear immediately that she had no interest in even trying it. Last week, as she was getting irritated at the movies cause she couldn't smoke, I just laughed at her as I was happily using my snus.

But last night, she mentioned that she was stressed about getting a new job since she has been smoking so much lately. She is smoking between 1 1/2 - 2 packs a day right now, and works in restaurant management, just not something that allows her to go out and puff every hour. I asked her why she is so resistant to even trying snus, and she acknowledged that it is just something in her head, She grew up in Northern Georgia, and her entire family dipped. She just has a real gut negative reaction to the juices always spilling out of people. She knows that snus is different, but finally acknowledged that she can just be closed minded. Bingo!!! An important relationship moment, cause it shows up is a few areas...LOL

Anyways, looks like she is now open to at least giving it a try. First, she is going to spend some time reading here. She told me last night that she was already thinking of checking it out, and I told her that was a very smart first step. I think if she reads here for a bit, it will at least make her much more open to the possibility.

I'm trying to come up with a game plan for introducing her to snus. First requirement, there has to be a strong nic hit. She is just smoking so much lately, that she will need a good kick to make it work. My current game plan is to try her out on Nick and Johnny first. Good taste, mostly traditional, not an extreme burn. If she finds the pouches to be an annoyance, I figured I would have her try Mocca + next. Mini pouches, but still a good nicotine fix. If she doesn't like the flavor or burn of the snus, I just ordered both the Wise 6mg, and the
Wine & Chef White Mini Portion. I have been curious to try both myself. I didn't know that the Wine and Chef were 6 mg of nicotine as well.

She isn't much into frou frou stuff, and I know the mocca flavors just won't have enough nicotine. If she is interested in trying some flavored snus, I have LD Black, probe, and Skruff Cranberry as well.

Any other ideas as to the best route to introduce her to snus?? It would be wonderful if she could make the transition. We are spending too much money on cigarettes, I am now smoking about 6 a day, and my place smells like an ashtray again. I hate that part more than I will ever tell her.

[Latina]

Re: Girlfriend advice

I'm trying to come up with a game plan for introducing her to snus. First requirement, there has to be a strong nic hit. She is just smoking so much lately, that she will need a good kick to make it work. My current game plan is to try her out on Nick and Johnny first. Good taste, mostly traditional, not an extreme burn. If she finds the pouches to be an annoyance, I figured I would have her try Mocca + next. Mini pouches, but still a good nicotine fix. If she doesn't like the flavor or burn of the snus, I just ordered both the Wise 6mg, and the
Wine & Chef White Mini Portion. I have been curious to try both myself. I didn't know that the Wine and Chef were 6 mg of nicotine as well.

She isn't much into frou frou stuff, and I know the mocca flavors just won't have enough nicotine. If she is interested in trying some flavored snus, I have LD Black, probe, and Skruff Cranberry as well.

I ordered some N&J but haven't try them yet. But seems like a good idea to look for anything strong in nic. If not, missing the act of smoking plus craving for nic makes it too hard. Mocca + are GREAT! But.. maybe white is better than regular if she has that negative reaction "to the juices always spilling out of people", as you said before. But I still think those are great minis for former smokers. The wise and wine & chef should do also.
But about the moccas (the regulars) I disagree with you. If I'm not wrong I think they are 5 mg of nic (1 more that the rest of the usual mini snus). Besides, in my experience, mocca has more narrow and long mini pouches that make them more comfortable for girls than other mini snus. Finally, I think those cute metal tins are appealing for us, the ladies.
Last, but not least, don't forget the Romeo y Julieta señorita. The only other minis that I've tried that are also narrow pouches as the moccas. IMHO the best looking tin in the snus world. The flavor is very particular. Me, I feel in peppery paradise with them. But I know my taste can be different than others (e.g I don't love chocolate, not very fond of sweet stuff except maple syrup, and love spices).
I hope everything works fine, the change to snus is great, I love that I’m not "cig smelly" all the time anymore!. But one last advice.. try not to be too pushy, as sometimes that can lead to the opposite reaction (yeah.. we girls can be complicated! :wink.

[sagedil]

LOL, complicated... I know this.

I won't be pushy. Although I have laughed at her for her anti reaction, I have been totally supporting and accepting of her cigarette smoking. I would never push her for me, but I do know how much better it could make her work situation. And just want her to at least try it. But I had to wait for her to broach the subject and let down her guard a bit. The way I am, I am VERY patient, but will run with it as soon as she allows me the opportunity.

As for the Moccas, I am just going on my reaction, when I first started using snus. I got the Northern try out box, and I liked most, and the nicotine was enough so that I wasn't smoking. But I thought the portions were a bit big, so I ordered a roll of Mocca anise next. That was a hard couple of weeks, as I started to jones again for cigarettes. I do have a mocca pomegranate, so I will let her try one of those, just to get an idea of the format

I would love to try the Romeo y Julieta señorita, but alas, I am in the US with their stupid Cuba embargo, and have not been able to get Northerner to send them to me.

[Latina]

I would love to try the Romeo y Julieta señorita, but alas, I am in the US with their stupid Cuba embargo, and have not been able to get Northerner to send them to me.

oh yes, el maldito embargo.. I better don't get started on that. Anyway, I'll be in Montreal 'till end of july, where small packages from buysnus arrive in no more than 3 days, usually. So if you want you can send them to my montreal adress and I'll re-send them to you.
I don't know how fast the mailing between Canada and the US is (as a book that I ordered from there is taking longer to get here than the snus from sweden!) but I might be better than nothing.

[sagedil]

I appreciate the offer, but will pass. Don't want to like a snus that is that hard to get. There is enough good things for me as it is. I expect that if Obama wins, we might finally ditch this pathetic embargo thing anyways. I will patiently wait.

[Latina]

^ditto on that! let's hope that

[Xobeloot]

God knows that she will not have any lack of selection to choose from if she decides to dip into your stash out of curiosity.

The main thing that people tend to forget is how numb our sense of taste was when we quit smoking. Might want her on something more candy-like right off the bat. Mocca, Offroad, heck... maybe even something from Camel (would be a more familiar name, and definately sweet).

[sagedil]

God knows that she will not have any lack of selection to choose from if she decides to dip into your stash out of curiosity.

The main thing that people tend to forget is how numb our sense of taste was when we quit smoking. Might want her on something more candy-like right off the bat. Mocca, Offroad, heck... maybe even something from Camel (would be a more familiar name, and definately sweet).

Yeah, but efficient nicotine delivery will be the most important aspect. Why I am getting the unflavored chief and wine version just in case she doesn't like the flavor at all. But if she doesn't get a kick sufficient to replace her cigarettes, she will have no reason to go on

If she isn't turned off right away, yes, you are correct kind sir, I have a wide assortment in my freezer for her to try. Even Phantom Blue :P

My concern is that she has such an attitude already built up against any oral tobacco, that she will find a reason to not like it. But she is very concerned about starting a job soon and her inability to smoke while she works. So she does have some reason to want to make snus work. But she is a stubborn one. And at the same time, she really wants to please me, and she knows that I am being tolerant, if not exactly happy about the cigarette smoke at home. So we shall see what direction she takes

[Xobeloot]

Good point. When I was first getting off the smokes. I would make my head spin intentionally just to prove that I didnt need a cig. the Vin&koksnus could be the best option. Offroad Cran Strong, N&J and skruf los portions were my poisons for a good while at first. These days i actually steer clear of anything stark for the very reason that I initially used it.

[Zero]

Get her to read the "what do you snusers do" thread here - let it sink in that we're all not a bunch of hicks :lol: Just on page one alone we've got :

Computer Scientist (postgrad)
Political Scientist
Mathematician
Linguistics PhD
Medical Researcher (Genetics/Human Pathology, PhD)
Voice Network Engineer
Systems Architect
VoIP Network Engineer
Personal Financier
Health Psychologist
Med-school student
Metrology Lab Director

...and a few layabouts and starving artists (albeit educated and well-spoken ones :lol: )

Clearly, becoming a snuser has a high probability of actually making her smarter :lol: :lol:

[Zeno]

My recommendation is to try the Wise Citrus Menthol 6mg and/or the Mocca+ Mint. Both are minis with a fresh taste and have a decent nicotine kick.

[sandstorm]

My wife is a strong willed individual, but she is an open minded person on learning different cultures. After giving her the facts about snus and how it’s much safer than cigarettes, she had me order a can of Vertigo Bahama Velvet Mini today for her. Plus the fact after learning that her Great Uncle from Denmark was snusing from the age of 10 and lived to be 102, mind you a very active 102! I did not prod or pressure her. I pointed out facts about cigarettes, like the price, how long a tin would last, the discreteness and the fact that her senses would return. Our adult son and I both snus, so I think she was not having fun smoking outside by herself.

My decision to leave cigarettes and snus was based on several factors.

1. My health. Got tired of wheezing and gasping for breath.
2. Cost was a factor.
3. Watching my father-in-law on Oxygen for the last three years of his life.
4. I just lost an aunt due to lung cancer and my uncle (her brother) has been diagnosed with it also. He is now on morphine with little time left.

Zero is correct, there can be a stigma at viewing snusing. Education and patience is key. It does not matter what you do for a living as long as it’s not illegal, and it’s honorable and moral. Just educate and show them a much safer alternative and continue to be patient. Having yet another family member who snuses can be fun, you get to try their snus and compare!!! Good luck brother.

[sagedil]

Well, I think she has somewhat of an open mind right now. She was planning on spending some time on this site tonight, but got called to go home to Georgia at the last second.

We talked last night as read her what I had written up until now, and I emphasized that I am NOT trying to get her to quit smoking. I just want her to know the alternatives to cigarettes, especially when she starts working. She is scared about how much she is smoking right now, and knows she will go crazy if she suddenly has to work and can't get any nicotine in her for 8 - 10 hours. But if she wants to smoke every other minute she is not working, that is fine with me.

Now I do secretly hope that if she tries snus, that she will realize for herself that it is a better route than cigarettes. When I first started snusing, I too didn't really plan on quitting cigarettes. I too started for work reasons. I was supervising in a fund raising call center, and was concerned how often I was leaving the floor to grab a smoke. My boss was cool with it, but he took grief from my old regional manager the one time he found me smoking, and I didn't know how our new regional manager would handle it. So I was just looking for something to tide me over while working, but fell in love with snus, and soon didn't want the cigarettes.

So if she goes that route too, that would be very cool. But I am making sure she knows that I don't expect it. Her choice, always.

[Dead Rabbit]

This may seem a little illogical, but I’d wait until she actually starts working before she tries out snus. First of all, despite being completely addicted to nicotine, she WILL be able to function. She won’t have any choice. It just won’t be fun. While she is starving for nic and smoking an actual impossibility, sweet snus will arrive as a white knight in shiny armor. Until then, snus will play second fiddle to the abusive pack of 20 friends and she will underestimate the power of a portion...or two

[sagedil]

I think the plan is just to try it out, see if she can tolerate it. And figure what she likes and doesn't like now so we can be prepared. I don't expect her to start using until she has to. But she is stressing about it now, so I figure if she tries it and doesn't hate it, it will be one less thing she has to stress about.

I am NOT trying to get her to switch to snus <yet>. But I figure if she starts to use it as a replacement while working, maybe, just maybe, she might take a liking to it, or decide that the cigarettes really are gross. But she is NOT one to be pushed. At this point, I just want her to "consider" snus as a work replacement. We will go from there.