Swedish Snus, a 200+ year old product is VERY DIFFERENT from American "Snus", which was first test-marketed in 2006 by Philip Morris USA as Taboka (which failed) and was replaced with Marlboro snus. RJR Tobacco was the first in the American line-up with Camel SNUS.
There is a lot of misinformation, especially in the United States where Snus has been virtually unknown of, and sadly, a good portion of it is intentional. Read my 3 part series on US Tobacco users being made FOOLS of my Big Tobacco.
My goal here is to provide the truth about REAL Snus. Swedish Snus is not "chew" or "dip". As you'll read, its also the "most-reduced-harm" tobacco product in the world with low to virtually NO TSNAs (carcinogins), multiple strengths of nicotine, there's a huge variety of tastes and flavors... for less money than American "snus"! AND NO SPITTING!
The articles and reviews below are in chronological order from oldest to most recent . I discovered more and more as I researched Snus and both the American market and political landscape is changing very rapidly.
TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR ARTICLES AND INFORMATION ON SNUS:
-Marlboro and Camel: When it Comes to Snus, you LOSE!
-Snus FAQ for Folks New to Swedish Snus
-Swedish Snus Review, Part 1
-Swedish Snus Review, Part 2
-Swedish Snus News/Swedish Snus Reviews, May 2008
-Camel SNUS ?? Dear Lord, Have We Got Work to Do!
-Swedish Snus News / Swedish Snus Reviews, June 2008
-NEW Swedish Snus from General: General Sterk (high-nicotine) White Portion!
-Camel SNUS and Marlboro Snus: U.S. Tobacco Users being made FOOLS of by Big Tobacco: Part 1 of 3
-Camel SNUS and Marlboro Snus: U.S. Tobacco Users being made FOOLS of by Big Tobacco: Part 2 of 3
-Swedish Match, the Giant of Swedish Snus, gives Mr. Unloadingzone the FACTS Combating the RUMORS
-Camel SNUS and Marlboro Snus: U.S. Tobacco Users being made FOOLS of by Big Tobacco: Part 3 of 3-Snus and even Camel SNUS Items on ebay! Act Quick!
-American Smokers Beware: You Soon May Have No Where to Live!
-Triumph Snus: Upsetting the American Snus Apple-Cart?
-LinkedIn.com Swedish Snus Enthusiasts Group Announcement
-Snus News and Reviews for August 2008
-Swedish Snus is on the Loose! Beats Bloomberg NYC Tobacco Ban!
-Swedish Snus: Banned in the USA???
-Camel Snus: An Open Letter to Reynolds America and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco
-Where can I get FREE Swedish Snus Samples?
-Triumph Snus Still a Go, According to Lorillard
-Triumph Snus Manufacturer Reveals Triumph Snus is LOW NICOTINE: Senior Lorillard Tobacco Official Refuses to Confirm or Deny!
-General Ekstra Snus: A Winner or will my Heart be Broken Again?
-Stores in Texas Selling Swedish Match Over the Counter
-A Fascinating American Snus Theory from Comments
-SnusCentral: SnusCENTRAL.org and SnusCENTRAL.com Beta Launch!
-ALL My Snus Articles, Reviews, and Everything Snus Written AFTER Dec. 6 2008
NOTE: Your Interest In Snus Has Outgrown This Humble Blog. We have created for you an Incredible Website and Snus Experience called SnusCENTRAL.org.
As of December 6, 2008, ALL NEW Snus and Tobacco Related Articles, Reviews, Information and more will ONLY be posted on SnusCENTRAL.org.
The ONLY PLACE you need to go for ANYTHING and EVERYTHING about SNUS! Learn all about Snus:
- History and FAQs
- Is all Snus “reduced harm”?
- Snus and Tobacco Industry NEWS
- Brilliant Commentary
- Research Studies and Resources
- Ask the Manufacturer!
- Snus Reviews (Member Reviews too!)
- Buy Snus and Related Products at Great Prices!
- Interact with other SnusCENTRAL Members
- Snus Videos
And MUCH MORE!
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21 comments:
I got the book and gave it this aunt who is always busting my chops over smoking. She almost fell over; it was great!
Hi there,
My name is Aaron. My musical co-conspirator Joel and I were curious about snus after he received a bunch of coupons in the mail from RJR. We went on a snus hunt and tried the Frost and Spice flavors. I'm a pack-a-day smoker of 'American Spirit Lights' they have been my smoke of choice for about 10 years, or since I was 20. Joel smokes only when drinking-but he's a daily drinker, so we were curious about 'spitless' tobacco. I found your Snus blogs on a google search and excitedly ordered 3 cans from buysnus.com after reading your plethora of info. Just wanted to say thanks and I'll post comments/updates or email you with my experiences when my snus arrives via Swiss post. I ordered an Elixyr Energy portion can, as I'm an energy drink/rockstar/redbull addict who suffers from sleep apnea. And I got an OffRoad Strong portion as well as the strong Nick and Johnny. I'm excited to try them as I live with my dad currently who has 1 lung from lung cancer (smoking and a lifetime hazardous waste industry work). Also, while in class, I can snus to my heart's content during tests without jonesing for a smoke. Joel and I found that even the weak Camel snus helps contribute to concentration and zero smoke breaks when we record our music! Thanks again for your wealth of info on snus and your unique view of politics etc. I think we'll see an interesting increase in the amount of smokeless tobacco import and advertising here in the next 5 years or so, as you may have noted, due to the anti-tobacco nazi gestapo here in the US.
take care
-Aaron in WA
Hi Aaron!
Thanks for the kind words. Wait to you read what I'm posting on snus today! Please let me know what you think of your first order of REAL Snus. If you like the high nicotine style and great tobacco taste, order a can of the new General Sterk next time. It's got 11mg of nicotine. It comes either portion or white-portion. I like white-portion overall because it lasts longer. skruf stark is also a good high-nicotine snus if you like tobacco taste.
Elixyr Energy portion I usually have with coffee in the morning. It's not a strong tobacco taste but WOW, it will wake you up. If you like energy drinks, combined with the Elixyr your head might explode! You WILL be awake. Offroad...well if you've read my Blog, you know I call it RoadKill. You might like the strong though. Let me know. On the Nick and Johnny, both the original portion and the new West are Strong snuses but the original gives you 24gr. of snus per portion while the West only gives you 20gr. and costs more. Buy the original.
Thanks for writing and stay in touch! And watch the sleep apnea: I have it too. I was falling asleep driving to work. When they finally figured out what I had, they said that if they hadn't put me on a CPAP, I would have been dead within 5 years: my body would have just stopped due to lack of real sleep. Be careful.
WOW! just cracked open the mailbox and found my snus package from buysnus.com!
I'm letting anticipation build before trying Nick and Johnny or Elixyr, but started with the OffRoad, sounded like it wasn't your first choice but I wanted to work my way up...compared to the Camel crap the Offroad is flavorful and strong!
Awesome stuff, I'm glad my search for snus truth led me to your blog and buysnus.com. I ordered it Sunday night and it arrived today-6 days from Europe is not bad at all. Next time I'll be ordering rolls, get them shipped ups (I'll have more $ in a week or so) and start accumulating those points on the site! Hope your weekend is a good one. Take care.
-Aaron
I just ordered a roll of General Onyx (now that I know it's a White Portion Stark), a can of General Sterk to taste it for myself and see if what everyone is saying versus the product description is true, and a roll of Gotlandssnus Gulsnus (Yellow) Portion because I keep hearing great thinks about it and the tobacco grown in Gotland.
I really liked the Jakobssons Ice-Fruit, which also has Alida, the tobacco grown on Gotland.
Figured I'd give it a try and besides, Long Live Gotland!
I like their attitude. Boo to the EU!
Man, you were not kidding when you said EVERYTHING SNUS!
Great site! I'll be a regular visitor.
Hey,
First off, I would like to say I love your blog. I went up to Los Angeles last weekend and found camel snus, which was easy to use at disneyland since smoking isn't really allowed there anymore (or people just continue to give you dirty looks). It wasn't until I got back in town that I started researching snus and began asking my swedish friend about it. I've honestly found your blog much more useful than any other resource for snus on the web. Keep up the good work, and please continue doing the reviews! They're helping me choose what flavors I want to try in the future. Thanks!
Thanks Sean, I appreciate that. If you like my blog now, wait until you see what I have planned!
I have a new review coming out shortly and it's great to have you here!
Sincerely,
Mr. Unloadingzone
Anonymous Tobacco Guy here:
Snus is a funny product. It's a round can with colors and logos, and the actual product is pasteurized tobacco waste loaded with flavor and preservatives.
I worked 10 years in tobacco, four of which were with snus for two companies, one large, one small.
Apart from the 90% share which Swedish Match enjoys in Scandinavia, and ignoring Taboca, Gotland, V2, Snusab, etc., it's now up to Philip Morris Int'l, BAT, Imperial and JTI to make up the remaining 10%.
From experience, none of the companies will turn a profit from their Scandinavian factories. They will always look to cigarettes to support their snus businesses. Non-cigarette companies will either turn to contract manufacturing (Snusab) or look to be bought (Gotland).
I also think the US "snus sensation" has come and gone. PMUSA and RJR have done a pretty good job of over-testing their products, which, honestly, no-one thinks are any good. The last hope is companies like Nordic American, who are secretly asking dippers to try snus without getting on a soapbox. Also, PMUSA now owns UST, so they'll probably just apply their new snus knowledge to Skoal and Cope and forget about snus.
The inertia of the markets in Sweden and Norway today is palpable. "Big Tobacco" needs the EU to open up to make snus important. It needs to compete effectively with "big pharma" to get the snus message out and allow consumers to understand that one can enjoy tobacco today with substantially less harm than with cigarettes.
My 2 cents.
Hi Anonymous Tobacco Guy!
The EU situation makes no sense to me but RJ Reynolds announced a couple of weeks ago the they are launching Camel SNUS Nationwide in the USA in about 8 weeks. Some new flavors and who knows what else.
Nordic looked promising but the taste reviews readers have sent me are not very complementary, Triumph's nicotine level apparently only 4-5 mg., Marlboro is still only in 2 markets and Skoal is flooding their test markets with free coupons.
A reader sent me three tins (different flavors) of Skoal. I'm afraid to open them: they're made like Marlboro Snus is.
Meanwhile, a half dozen new "Super Starks" just came out from Sweden with more to come.
I just got a huge delivery today and will be posting the review on the code name Uber-Snus once I'm through.
We're opening up that site this month.
So, while I agree the EU situation makes no sense to me, Swedish Match is preparing to open up even more us stores. The US is now their biggest market and growing.
And with the cigarette ban coming in the USA, this IS the time for Swedish Snus in the US.
So we agree on the EU, disagree on the US. The next 5 years are going to be very interesting.
Sincerely,
Mr.UNZ
From Anonymous Tobacco Guy
SM calls the US it's biggest market because it owns General Cigar and a brand called Red Man (chew, plug, dip) and several other dips. If they intend to do a mass launch of snus in the USA, it would be their second attempt after having failed to "go urban" in NYC and Chicago with General, Ettan and Catch Dry in the nineties.
The fact must be faced that most Americans outside of traditional dip markets (Southeast, primarily) will not be persuaded that snus is anything other than dip, with all the negative social connotations.
State excise taxes in the SE are incredibly low as well (a pack of Marlboro is $3.49 in Georgia, and $9 in NYC).
Snus gained popularity in Sweden on price. No excise changes in 10 years, as a deliberate way to get Swedes out of cigarettes. At the time, Swedish Match was a State monopoly for all tobacco products. Easy and controlled.
In the US, there will be no such advantage unless Philip Morris can successfully lobby for it. And under Obama, don't expect it.
That's why companies like Nordic American are focusing on traditional consumers who will pay $1 to $2 for a tin in the deep South.
There is also the massive undertaking of persuading corner shops in large American cities to carry the product, and properly display it.
Most Americans buy their smokes and dip at a small shop or a gas station. "Tobacconists" are so few and far between that they won't even show up in research. I used to dip Cope, and, living in NYC, had to walk 10 blocks just to find a shop that knew about expiration dates.
RJR recently changed the design of the "Camel" can to differentiate it from "round-can" dip. I saw it in a drug store in NYC 3 weeks ago, and the cashier didn't know what it was. A tradional 'corner shop' Pakistani retailer had the display behind him, almost invisible with everything else on the counter.
The current advertising situation only makes it more difficult. Nicorette can happily advertise as a lifestyle product (what happened to quitting smoking?), but snus cannot.
Tough road ahead for snus, IMHO
Hi Anonymous Tobacco Guy!
First of all, I hope you received my email on sleep apnea and are doing something about it.
Again, while I agree with your view on Snus in the EU; especially since Sweden has raised the snus tax 170% in the last year alone, I still believe you are 100% off base on the US.
Read my article "Snus on the loose in NY" It actually is my thoughts on a NY Observer article linked to it that says the exact opposite of what you say: that Swedish Snus is becoming the big thing among the "happening" people in NY.
Chewing gum in general is for children. Mints like Altoids or even Tick Tacks are more popular among adults.
Chopping away on a piece of gum is very unprofessional looking in the business world.
When the US bans cigarettes instead of just making them socially unacceptable and inconvenient, the nicotine-addicted are not going to switch to gum or patches. That's already been proven.
I have studies on the new website where DOCTORS are using Swedish Snus in their smoking cessation programs because their patients WON'T use nicotine gum or patches.
As to Klondike and Nordic Ice, I've been so busy getting ready to launch the "code-name Uber-Snus" website that I'm behind on new posts.
I made an exception on my exclusive that Triumph had cut their nicotine back to 4-5 mg.
First of all, the reviews I've read on Klondike are decidedly negative: much too sweet, poor consistency. They are taking Camel's marketing that Americans like "sweet" products to an extreme.
Nordic Ice I don't know enough about yet. When I have time, I'm going to try and set up another phone interview with Bill Eder, their VP of marketing.
It is nice they have a new website that looks like a professional website, but some of what it says was very disturbing; especially compared against their early press releases.
Nordic American USED to say they were pasteurizing their product and making them to the exact same standards as Swedish snus.
Now they say they use a process "like pasteurization". At this point, in my view, they are in the class of Marlboro and Skoal in only having pouches, spit-less, and nicotine at some level as close as they come to Swedish Snus.
The flavors further demonstrate that they have fallen for the Camel strategy of re-defining what snus is supposed to taste like so that the vast majority of Americans who never heard of snus before 3 years ago will think the sickly sweet flavors are normal.
When and if I get to speak with Mr. Eder (or you seem very knowledgeable on Nordic America...very knowledgeable), I'm going to ask him, in addition to marketing questions, what is the TSNA level of Klondike and Nordic Ice, how much nicotine do they have, what does "like pasteurization" mean, and NOW how close is their product to Swedish made snus: is it truly a reduced harm tobacco product or has the "plan" changed.
Since Swedish Match's sales of Chewing Tobacco in the US have been declining as their snus sales are dramatically increasing,(see their last annual report) if your opinions on nicorette being the preferred replacement when cigarettes are banned, why is Nordic America even in business?
Why did Tabaco AS go to the trouble of splitting them off, changing their name, enter into a legal battle just settled ( at great cost, I bet) over the Taboca/Taboka name battle with Phillip Morris US?
Why is Nordic American making either brand of their now-alleged snus? Why didn't they manufacture nicotine gum in those horrible new flavors instead if that's the wave of the future?
I was originally very pro-Nordic American and Lorillard BECAUSE they were producing snus as reduced harm as Swedish.
Lorillard pulling the same low nicotine stunt Marlboro did a few years back and feedback/Nordic's own website are changing that.
I have a VERY strong article on American versus Swedish Snus I'm holding for the new website...it will be live within weeks.
I hope you enjoy it. And I REALLY hope you took my email on apnea seriously...it WILL kill you.
Sincerely, Mr. UNZ
Anonymous Tobacco Guy Here:
Mr. UNZ: Thanks for your 'wake-up' call on apnea. I got it, and have to work on it ASAP.
I wouldn't get too excited about positive articles in the press on snus. Usually, there is someone behind them who is in Corporate Affairs of one of the tobacco companies. One major article in summer 2007 in WSJ Europe was set up by ESTOC, the European Smokeless Tobacco Council (all major manufacturers sans PM). Without that give-and-take, it would be quite difficult for a newspaper to go positive on a tobacco product.
What is interesting, is that all the US "sweet" snuses except Marlboro were developed in Sweden. Camel was created and originally produced at F&L in round 'Mocca' tins, and the Nordic American products were created in Gotland by Taboca. Triumph was developed by SM in Gothenburg for Lorillard.
PM had the expertise of the Rocker factory for dry snus, and then developed proprietary machine technology with GD Bologna for US production, and came up with the crap which is Taboka and Marlboro.
Any flavor differences between US and Swedish snus are from research amongst smokers in the US, and probably expensive and thorough research at that. American-blend cigarettes all contain a degree of flavors and resulting sweetness which are added into the production process. This could be a starting point for the sweet snuses. 45 million American Smokers are the desired demographic, and not Swedish snus lovers.
Putting on my paranoid Anti-Tobacco Detector hat, I can also predict how they will attack sweet snus as a way to attract kids to tobacco. Once hooked, they will seek the stronger nicotine delivery which comes with cigarettes. In the south, a buck buys you a nice round tin. And thus, the true harm reduction of the product will be lost in the dust.
As for the 'like pasteurization' claim of NAS's new website, don't forget that one cannot take creative license with the production process. Snus is pasteurized. Period. If is not produced according to Swedish Food Law standards, it cannot be called 'snus.' If it's not heat-pasteurized, it's not snus.
Waiting for the site!
Hi Anonymous Tobacco Guy!
You make a very interesting point about the American "sickly sweet" flavor snus's originally developed in Sweden.
RE Taboka and Marlboro snus; especially Taboka, is that the Phillip Morris 1847 is the exception but it was never designed for import into the USA. It was designed to compete with Swedish Match thus no sweet taste.
There are of course flavored, even sweet, Scandinavian snus's...V2's OffRoad brand coming the closest to American but while it's sweet, it's not sickly sweet.
The Toboka disaster that "Original and Menthol" were not the way to go in America and the focus groups may have pushed them towards sweet....but sickly sweet? Was that their own idea, or a Swedish "suggestion"?
You could almost put on your paranoid hat and suggest the Swedish deliberately encouraged the radical flavor difference so that "American Snus" would not become competition to them outside the US.
So which came first, the chicken or the egg? What an interesting new line of thought to consider.
The sweetness argument will come into play, I still believe that the primary FDA and Congressional objective is the banning of cigarettes.
Without the tax revenue from cigarettes the 46+ million American cigarette smokers generate, the State governments especially would collapse.
"For the sake of the children" is a long used, tired, yet still commonly used justification for a lot of bad legislation, particularly those that are "revenue enhancing" in the USA for decades if not longer.
Camel's new dissolvable products, nicotine "fat tooth-picks", and other seemingly low adoption products which they're preparing to launch along with SNUS nationwide in the first quarter 2009 is more than a just a coincidence.
The States NEED tax revenue to replace cigarettes. I am a firm believer in "follow the money".
I have a great deal of respect for Susan Ivey of Reynolds. These new (other than SNUS) products make no sense: not with the years, money, and effort they have put into Camel SNUS.
And for the same reason chewing tobacco could never substitute because of the spitting, walking around the office with a Camel nicotine stick poking out of your mouth is a non-starter.
Discreet is the key. Dissolvable products will go over with smokers like nicotine pills and patches...badly.
In fact, it's almost as if these products were DESIGNED to appeal to children more than SNUS....
Until I actually see them, try them, and see if I'm wrong on smoker reaction, I think the silly new products Camel is introducing simultaneously with SNUS going national have two purposes:
1. By their silliness, encourage sales of Camel SNUS among adult smokers by giving them a less-acceptable comparison point.
2. And since your "for the children" argument has already arisen, I think Reynolds quickly designed these senseless products to be the trade-off in keeping SNUS legal: they will "reluctantly" agree to take these product off the market, let Congress and the FDA appear hero's, and establish SNUS as an adult product in the minds of the public.
Sort of like some of the valueless "concessions" Big Tobacco made in the 1998 Master Settlement agreement. The key for the Government was the cash settlement and for Big Tobacco, to be able to still sell cigarettes.
I don't like they're product or marketing, but I have a great deal of respect for Susan Ivey in terms of strategic planning.
Camel SNUS and it's competitors will survive Congress: nicotine lollipops and candy won't.
It's a win/win plan for Reynolds, for the American snus industry, and even the Swedish Snus industry.
It's a win for the Government because they can allow (and highly tax) snus while pointing to how they "saved" America's youth from the nicotine candy products RJRT tried to introduce...Congress can say they "stood up" to Big Tobacco.
It's all about follow the money.
As to Nordic American, Amen.
And the site is coming...if I can stop blogging :-).
Sincerely, Mr. UNZ
Anonymous Tobacco Guy here...
I think we should ratchet down the conspiracy theories and look at tobacco companies simply as consumer goods companies.
Philip Morris USA has not created their American products to fail. The industry knows it has purchased huge amounts of machines for US-based production.
Their snus product, in my opinion, is simply the result of a chain of incompetence. It's the "New Coke" or "Ishtar" of Big Tobacco. This happens when corporate marketeers rely solely on data and focus groups, but lack instinct.
RJR is taking a more pragmatic approach and throwing things at the wall to see what sticks. They've also taken the risk of pulling Camel out of test, and doing the full launch. This gets the factory working, and if it fails, we learn and move on to the next thing.
Swedish Match will bide its time and watch as RJR and PMUSA spend millions educating smokers about snus. Their disadvantage is brands. General, Ettan and Catch are culty non-starters for the US. They've done well on the dip side, and need a US snus brand which is appealing and doesn't suck.
Also, don't forget: snus in the USA is not a smoking cessation or harm reducing product, but a complementary product to cigarettes "when you can't smoke." That may be why the nic levels are low. So you go back to your smokes when you can. In Sweden and Norway, snus provides the nic "spike" at a level comparable to cigarettes, so it can replace them.
Hi Anonymous Tobacco Guy!
This is where we part company on American snus. The reason the Extra Strong nicotine snus's are coming out is not because of Swedish users: they prefer the 8mg/nicotine. It's because focus groups in Norway AND the USA want more nicotine.
Big US Tobacco WANTS smokers to use both their snus and their cigarettes for profit reasons. Same reason American Snus is not reduced harm: cheaper to make, more profit.
Your statement "Also, don't forget: snus in the USA is not a smoking cessation or harm reducing product, but a complementary product to cigarettes "when you can't smoke." That may be why the nic levels are low. So you go back to your smokes when you can. In Sweden and Norway, snus provides the nic "spike" at a level comparable to cigarettes, so it can replace them."....WHY and says WHO? Big American Tobacco?
Why should Sweden and Norway be able to replace cigarettes with snus and not Americans? You're starting to sound like a shill for Big US Tobacco.
The whole "complementary product" argument is just an American Tobacco marketing ploy until cigarettes are banned in the US.
THEN they'll up the nicotine. In the meantime, they want to get smokers used to snus, but still smoking their obscenely profitable cigarettes.
I smoked Camels for over 30 years and since switching to Swedish Snus, haven't had a cigarette since.
American Tobacco is only concerned about profits: not corporate responsibility. They lied about light cigarettes having less tar than regular cigarettes: a new product to market while pretending to care about the health concerns of US smokers.
The nicotine manipulation, intentionally high sugar levels, and complete lack of concern about reduced harm are wrong. It's what was wrong with Enron and that whole crew too.
Especially since RJRT with Camel SNUS goes out of it's way to ASSOCIATE it's product with Reduced Harm Swedish Snus.
The health differences between Swedish Snus and "American" snus are night and day.
If big US Tobacco wants to come out and say, like Marlboro and Skoal did, that their product is spit-less and discreet and leave it at that, fine. But don't even IMPLY that that it's anywhere CLOSE to Reduced Harm.
And as already has been called for, they should stop calling their product "snus". An informed consumer has the right to personal choice but they have to know the truth first.
But when Marlboro says "Invented in Sweden, perfected in Marlboro Country", that is so outrageously untrue.....and Camel with the Olga Site Pal holding up a can a Camel Frost in what is obviously more Sweden than North Carolina...and giving Swedish travel tips?
Wrong, Evil, False; period.
Marlboro, Camel, Skoal....NONE of them should be allowed to call their product "snus". Because it's NOT....not REAL snus the way the Swedish make it.
And when 46+ million Americans are forced off of cigarettes, those that chose "American Snus" as it is today versus Swedish Snus will DIE unnecessarily because of it.
If they are educated consumers and CHOOSE American snus, that's their right. Again, I smoked for 30 years, it was after the Surgeon Generals report came out, and I knew it was dangerous.
I didn't know until recently that "Light" cigarettes were a scam....I would have stuck with Regulars had I known: I liked the "taste" better.
If we were talking about the difference between French cigarettes and American cigarettes, that's one thing: to compare Swedish Snus to American Snus?
Ridiculous, wrong, and potentially deadly....all in the name of the almighty (or it used to be) dollar.
Sincerely,
Mr. UNZ
Howdy Mr. UNZ,
I haven't posted in a while because I haven't had to buy any snus in months. For some reason Camel has been sending me about 2 coupons a week for few snus. This has been going on for about 6 months. To add to that Camel has this promotion going on with the ice snus. They are just literally giving it away. I mean I don't even have to buy a Camel product. I just tell the cashier I want a tin of the Camel Ice and he gives it to me. He says he has no way of ringing it up. The free tins are in cartons that has "Trial Offer" on them. This has been going on for several months now and the store I go to still has a glass display case full of the free ice snus. So anyhow I use the coupons I receive to get the spice and pick up a free can of ice at the same time. Right now I have 9 tins of Camel snus in my fridge and haven't paid a penny for any. I do live in Georgia by the way and finally tried the Triumph Mint. It's pretty good. It's the 1st non Camel snus I found that like. However I don't use the Triumph on the same days I use the Camel. That Camel is so sweet, it almost taste like pure sugar, that if you put any other snus in your mouth after having had the Camel it's going to taste way too strong and bitter. These give away promotions could tie in with the post that Camel has a marketing campaign going to get the young people hooked. I realize the Camel isn't as safe as the Swedish but as long as they keep giving it away I will take it. Once they stop I will switch strictly to the Triumph.
Sincerely,
Alex
Hi Alex, Welcome Back!
I'm in the process of moving the snus topic off this blog (it's too little) and onto SnusCENTRAL.org.
(see top story...click on SnusCENTRAL logo and it should take you there.) It's still in beta testing but I think you'll see the "difference".
As well as finishing the site and the Snus Store (yes, it even has a store), all my new articles are posted over there.
The one about "there is an American Taste" or something like that explains why the American Tobacco Companies make their snus so sweet. I finally found the answer in an obscure report. It's evil. Go read it.
As to Camel, they are going national in January with new flavors so they may be giving away/creating excitement with the coupons. Check the expiration dates on the cans, though.
I checked out a few 7/Elevens around here that have at least 2 camel snus refrigerators and 98% of it was expired: the other 2% was within 2 weeks of expiring. So be careful.
There's also an expose I did on Triumph only having 4-5gr. of nicotine, if you didn't read that.
Read the top article, SnusCENTRAL; a premature birth; and join us over there!
Good to hear from you again!!
UNZ
Hi. Don't have an account. You can delete this after the fact if you wish. Nice blog by the way very informative. I was wondering if you know anything about useing Camel snus by takeing it out of the pouch. I was mainly wondering if it would be bad at all. Any info would be helpfull. E-mail me at lozard24@hotmail.com please. Thanks for your time and help.
Hi!
Great question! I never even thought about doing that with Camel SNUS, let alone have someone ask me. Thanks!
I’ve never tried it: I have enough trouble tolerating Camel in pouches when I review the new flavors, let alone trying it loose. I don’t think your idea would work though. Here’s why:
Take a piece of white paper. Draw two circles next to each other. Take a portion of any Swedish Snus, tear it open, and dump the contents in Circle #1. Then do the same with any flavor of Camel SNUS, dumping the contents into the second circle. You will note the two look very different. The Swedish snus, for lack of a better phrase, is “moist and fluffy”. If you opened a can of Swedish Loose Snus, you would notice that the snus you poured into Circle #1 looks just like the Swedish Loose Snus. That’s because it is! Swedish Portion Snus is basically Swedish Loose Snus in a tea bag. I’m oversimplifying a little as the portion snus goes through additional steps in the manufacturing process, but the snus is the same.
Now look at the Camel SNUS you poured into the second Circle and compare the two. There is a large visible difference. The Camel SNUS is dry and the appearance is compact. Depending on the lighting, it looks like either gunpowder or dirt.
Now take the Swedish snus and compress it between your fingers. It is moldable just like Swedish Loose Snus. Try the same with the Camel SNUS and it will trickle down your fingers like dry dirt. I can’t see any way you could make a pris (a pinch) of Camel SNUS which would hold together. I suppose you could tear off the end of the Camel’s pouch, tilt your head back, and pour it under your lip. But since you can’t form it, it will just fall down into your mouth and you’ll be spitting SNUS almost immediately.
That’s from a practical standpoint. From a health standpoint, I have no idea what effect using Camel SNUS as a Loose snus would have on your gums. Camel doesn’t discuss it on camelsnus.com and I have no idea what is really in Camel SNUS, so I really don’t know. I do know Camel Frost in the pouch gave me a painful burning sensation on my gums for the first few portions. I’ve read other comments where people say that Camel SNUS burns…..and that’s in their pouch. SNUS in direct contact with your gums? I’d be afraid to try it since with Camel SNUS in general, you really have no idea what you are putting in your mouth since they won’t tell us.
You could join camelsnus.com and ask them. If you get an answer, let me know. I’d be interested to hear what they say.
And then of course, there is the financial aspect. Camel SNUS pouches come 15 to a can; each with a total weight of 0.6 grams or 9 grams of total weight per can. Swedish Loose Snus generally has a total content weight of 62-66 grams. And it costs less that Camel SNUS per can. Since a pris is usually 1-2 grams, using Camel SNUS as a loose snus would cost you a fortune compared to the real thing. It really just doesn’t make sense to do across the board.
I wish you would become a Member at SnusCENTRAL.org. It’s free and you have access to a whole host of things (like the Member Forum) that visitors to SnusCENTRAL don’t. Many of us, myself included, started with Camel SNUS so you will find yourself warmly welcomed. I’m proud of the Members we have in the fact that they don’t attack people who have different tastes and are eager to share experiences and offer advise.
Not only am I not deleting your post, I’m posting my above response on both The Unloadingzone and SnusCENTRAL.org. Yours was a unique and very good question which had never even occurred to me before you asked it. Thanks again, hope my answer was helpful to you, do please let me know if you receive a response from camelsnus.com, and you are always welcome at SnusCENTRAL.org.
Sincerely,
Mr. Unloadingzone on The Unloading Zone
Mr. UNZ at SnusCENTRAL.org
...please where can I buy a unicorn?
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