CHEWING TOBACCO

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17 Comments

Comment by Mark on October 18, 2009 at 5:28pm

I have been smoke and chewing tobacco free for 18 months now after maintaining both habits heavily for 13 years. A pack a day and a can of Copenhagen every 2-3 days. Do I miss it? From time to time, but it is a faint memory of who I used to be. I would not go back to that way of life after all the hard work I have put in to excommunicate myself from the nicotine addiction that was largely in control of my life. Plus, after all that I have learned during the most difficult times of quitting, I am too educated now to make that decision to give in to nicotine when I feel like I need help. I can do it on my own without a crutch like a smoke or chew.

Here is some advice. If you start your quit date and you have all your best intentions in quitting despite the nervousness, you have begun quitting. It is common to give in during the first couple months. THIS DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE A SMOKER AGAIN OR CHEWER! It means you got knocked down. SO GET BACK UP ON YOUR OWN! I will not lie, you will be tested by every situation in your life that causes stress, even things that are not stressful will test you. One of the lies that your mind will tell you is that during your main quitting period, the first three months, is that when you do give in, that YOU HAVE TO START ALL OVER AGAIN. THIS IS A LIE! Do not believe it. keep moving forward toward your goal. Quitting at times will take everything out of you, rest may be needed or a break. One thing that helped at times was not chewing gum, but some soda or anything with some sugar in it. Remember though, the sugar thing will have to come to an end as well in order not to replace one habit to another. The sugar helps in giving a boost when needed to get through this difficult time.

Keep moving forward and do not dwell on guilt that you gave in. Guilt. It is the uppercut to the jaw when you least expect. But, once you realize that you are laying face down on the canvas because of the guilt (depressed), GET UP! You can and will stand up to it again, this time with the knowledge that guilt can sneak up on you at any time, which is preparation for your next bout that will soon take place. As long as you keep getting back up on your own, you will win the fight in the end. The beauty is, the fight ends when you no longer have the feeling to fight or the need to fight the habit. You will have gained control over your life the way it was meant to be, more aware and conscious of who you are at your deepest level.

I know this is a long post, but I wanted to pass what I have learned over the past 18 months because I know exactly what all of you are going through and know there are a lot of questions in the beginning. Some of you are probably seeking advice from non smokers, and feel that it does not help. Furthest from the truth, since those who are listening to you are supporting you, just the answers are not at the level you are hoping to hear. This is why you are in here trying to find others who hear you and can relate. I did the same thing on another website for a brief time just to read what others had to say about quitting. It helped.

I hope I did as well.

Comment by Sam S. on October 17, 2009 at 10:11pm

hello,

im 20, have been dipping around a tin/2 days for 3 years now. very few people know about it (only my brothers and a couple of close friends). went through a long relationship with a girl without her ever knowing. the reason that i don't let people know is because i can't justify it and i feel weak for not being able to quit. managed to stay off it for the summer after high school, but got right back into it once college started.

Comment by Dave on October 17, 2009 at 7:56pm

Hello,

I've chewed Redman and Beechnut for 27 years! We got a new tax on tobbacco in Texas and it went up $3.00 a pouch last September!

Any of you had luck quitting? I'd appreciate any advice.

Comment by Dave Stoffer on October 17, 2009 at 5:12pm

Been dipping 17 years but just cant get the monkey off my back. any sucess stories?

Comment by Jay on June 6, 2009 at 7:49pm

27 year-old, 7 year one tin/day dipper. No one knows (except old college buddies). Somehow I've even been able to keep it hidden from the GF, family, and most friends. I think that's going to make it tougher to quit. Maybe that's one thing that makes us different from smokers, the scent isn't seeping from our skin. It's really the one thing I don't like about myself.

Comment by Demando on June 4, 2009 at 9:04am

I'm only 21, I had started chewing when I was 17. It got to the point where I was chewing a tin a day easily...I quit cold turkey, and it was hell for a month or so...but it's possible! And if you're going to chew...Chew Skoal or Copenhagen, that cheap shit will rip apart your mouth. a.k.a Grizzley is all I used to chew haha

Comment by Neil Russell on May 20, 2009 at 5:05pm

I chew about 5 cans a week I started when I was 10 (I am 42)and switched to smoking when I was 16 smoked for about 8 years and went back to chewing. I made the decision today to stop being a slave to my habit, it's gonna be the hardest thing I have ever done but I hope that I hope that I can do it

Comment by Jeffrey on April 5, 2009 at 10:06pm

Big Al I chew when its inconvienient to smoke, I have nicotine all day long, I am an addict, I hope to quit on Good Friday,

Comment by Big Al on February 22, 2009 at 5:53pm

I chew, (dip), whenever I cannot smoke. A nicotine addict for sure. I'm confident that a large pinch of wintergreen long cut tobacco settled between cheek and gum delivers much more nicotine to the blood stream than cigarettes. Especially when it rests there absorbing into my bloodstream for a couple of hours. Glad to see that there are some other smokers here that also get their nicotine through chewing and dipping. I'm sure that there are circumstances, triggers and obstacles that non chewers just can't relate to. Hope to give and get support here when needed.

Comment by DOCmarkC on February 18, 2009 at 9:24am

When I was smoking I always carried a can with me. I used to chew whenever smoking was inconvienient. Primarily I was a smoker, but nicotine is nicotine.

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