Loose Snus or Portion Snus?

Any new snuser will have the question “Should I get loose or portion snus?” I aim to solve this question here..

First of there are two main types of snus, Loose Snus and Portion Snus. Portion snus is the snus that comes in a little pouch not unlike a teabag. You put it in under your upper lip and enjoy. Portion snus usually comes in four types: Mini, Regular, White, and Maxi. Then there’s Loose snus, which just comes as tobacco in a snus can

Portion Snus

Mini: Just as the name says. This snus is smaller than the others. It is commonly used by people who either do not want to use as much snus, or those who want to conceal it. I have not used this snus myself, but it is common amongst office workers, women, and those wanting to cut back on their snus usage. If you’ve never snused or used other smokeless tobacco, you might try this. A number of my friends who have tried my regular or white portions have not been able to handle it for too long. A mini portion may be best for these types.

Regular: This is your standard snus portion. Nothing special about it. It’s about 1 gram of snus per pouch and it goes under your upper lip. I have used this and it’s pretty satisfying. It lasts from about 30 minutes up to 1.5 hours. I’d recommend this to new snus users. It’s not too strong but not too weak and it gives you a good idea of what snus is like. Another variant is the strong portion or sterk or stark portion. The sterk has an elevated level of nicotine so it really hits the spot. Some popular sterk portions are General Ekstra Sterk, General Onyx, and Skruf Stark. My first portion snus was General Portion and I liked it a lot. If you’ve never really used tobacco orally, I’d recommend this or the mini. If you have used smokeless tobacco before, I’d still recommend this. It is the standard portion and a good way to try snus for the first time.

White: This snus is about the same size as a regular portion pouch but it lasts a lot longer. I’ve used white portions for up to 2 or 3 hours. Somehow they’ve made this portion last a lot longer than the normal. I’d recommend getting a tin of this your first try. A couple of good brands to try for this are Göteborg’s Rapé, Göteborg’s Rapé no. 2, General Wintergreen, or Röda Lacket. This is the snus I normally use in class and at work. After trying this, I do not usually get the normal portions anymore. The only downside is that there is not as big of a selection for white portions. I think this is pretty standard among experienced snusers.

Maxi: These are the large pouches of snus. They’re about twice the size of a regular portion pouch. I’ve never used these, but judging by what I’ve read, they’re quite effective. If your looking for some extra kick, this might be the way to go. The maxi may be a little harder to conceal, but if that’s not a priority and you want some nicotine and flavor, this may be the portion for you.

Loose Snus

Loose: or Lös. This is the form of snus without the pouch. It’s just raw ground snus tobacco. I was reluctant to try this at first, but after I started using it, I would say it is the best form of snus. Most long term snusers and swedes use this variant. It does have it’s drawbacks though. I usually only use this in the privacy of my own home because it’s harder to conceal and because it gets all in your teeth. On the other hand, it is usually stronger than the portions and lasts longer. Plus, you control how much you want to use so you can use a lot or a little. This form also gives off the most flavor. It does give you what they call “elephant skin” in your gums, but that only lasts for a little while after you take it out. “Elephant skin” is when the skin where your snus was feels a little wrinkled after you take it out. You get the same thing with American dip or chew and even with portions. Now then, another part of loose snus is that you can’t just stick it in like you can a dip. You have to form it into a pris, which is like a little snus pellet. I usually make it into a little ball, but here’s a good video of how to make a pris.

If you’ve ever used American dip or chew, I’d recommend this for you. I would say that new snusers may want to use the portions at first and then gradually start with the loose. There’s also something they call an icetool that forms the loose snus into a pris for you. This are available for purchase at most snus websites.

As for me, my schedule revolves around a couple of things. I work a job that is hard to smoke at, I take university classes, I hang out and go out, and then, of course, I chill at home. I usually use the portions for school and work, but when I get home I use the loose. When I’m out at a bar I usually use the portions, but if I’m just watching the game at a buddy’s house, I might use the loose. When I’m at home by myself, loose snus is the king. I’d say test a couple and see what you like. A lot of people never even try the loose, but they don’t know what they’re missing. A can of portion snus usually gives you 24 grams of snus, whereas a can of loose snus usually gives you 45 grams of snus. Plus the loose snus’ flavor is stronger and lasts longer. If you’ve ever used dip or chew, the loose might be right for you. It’s not the same as dip though, so save yourself the trouble and don’t throw it in like it’s dip like I did. It’s much finer ground, so it will just get all over your mouth. You really need to make a pris and stick it under your top lip. Altogether, I’d say both are great, and a mix of both is probably the most feasible. Enjoy the snus!

The Snus Blogger.

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Welcome to the Snus Blog: Snus 101: An introduction to Snus

Types of Snus

snusshop.eu

Hello and welcome to the Snus Blog. As a relatively new Snus user(=snuser), I noticed the relative lack of snus blogging on the web and decided I would start one myself. I’m an American and in America (at least in my part of the country) there is little or no info about snus, so I’m here to fill the void and give English language reviews, advice, and recommendations about Swedish Snus.

What is Snus? Snus is a smokless tobacco product originating in Sweden. It is distinct for several reasons. The tradition of Snus originated in Sweden over 200 years ago when the working classes decided to grind up tobacco with their coffee grinders and use the product orally. Ever since, Snus has evolved into the fine products we have today. Snus is a ground tobacco product that contains, normally, only tobacco, salt, humectants, and sometimes some flavoring and/or herbs. Like American dipping tobacco, snus is used under the lip, but usually under top lip instead of the bottom. Unlike American dipping tobacco, snus is steam processed and free of chemicals, whereas dipping tobacco is fire treated, fermented, and contains chemicals and God knows what else. As a result, there is a drastic reduction in carcinogens (cancer causing compounds) and a richer more robust tobacco flavor. Wikipedia: Snus

Why use snus? I can think of three great reasons: Stealth, Health, and Wealth.

Stealth: This product can be used anywhere. Since it slides under the upper lip and is easy to conceal, no one can really tell just what you’re doing. Also, unlike cigarettes, there is no odor and you don’t have to go outside to use it. There are no “no-snusing” zones… at least in the USA. Unlike dipping tobacco or chew, there is no spitting so there is no stigma and no need to haul a spit cup or bottle around with you. Just think, you can use snus on airplanes, at work, in class, in the movies, in bars, in restaurants, etc…

Health: There have been many studies that show that snus is much less hazardous than cigarettes or American smokeless tobaccos. I read one study that concludes that whereas Cigarettes and dipping tobacco have about 170 carcinogens per use, snus had only 2.8. Also, while over half of the Swedish male population uses snus, Swedish men still have the lowest oral cancer rates in all of Europe. Although I cannot investigate the scientific authority of these studies, and cannot promote snus as completely harmless, I can say that when compared to the alternatives, it seems that it is the best option.

Wealth: Snus costs a little less than a can of premium American dip like Copenhagen or Skoal, and about the same as a pack of premium American cigarettes like Camel or Marlboro but… On average, you don’t need to use snus as often as these other products. Also, since you usually have to order snus from the internet, there are certain deals you can get when you order snus in bulk. Before I started using snus, I smoked about a pack of cigarettes a day. Now that I use snus, I go through about 2-3 cans in a two week period. I usually spend about $25-30 on snus per month, as compared to roughly $120/month on cigarettes when I smoked. Since you can use snus at your leisure and do not have to go outside for a snus break, or snus only when you get the chance to, or go outside of bars or restaurants to go to use it, you end up using snus less than cigarettes since you have the freedom to use it anywhere anytime. Altogether, you end up saving a good deal of money.

How does snus compare to American dip like Skoal or American Chew like Redman?

Well it looks a lot like American dip, but it is not so similar when it comes to taste or flavor. Whereas American dip has a strong, almost repugnant taste, smell, and flavor, snus has a more sublte and rich flavor. When you put a dip in, your mouth goes into immediate shock and you start spitting immediately. When you put in a snus, it takes a while for it to become moist in your mouth and the process is gradual but lasts longer and plus: no spitting! Also, you usually put a dip in in your bottom lip, but you put snus under your upper lip, usually a bit off-center but towards the front.

As compared to chew and dip, you don’t usually need as much. Since it is so finely ground, just a dab will do ya. You usually need a big wad of chew to be satisfied, or a pretty big pinch of dip. With snus, you don’t need as much.

Snus comes in two types portion (like pouches or bandits) or loose. The portions come in a little pouch made out of material like a tea bag. You just stick them in and there is no mess to worry about. They are the most easily hidden, and when you take them out, there is no mess or residue left behind.

Snus Portion/Pouch

Loose snus, on the other hand, comes ground in a tin very similar to that of American dipping tobacco. You have to pack a can of dip to get a good pinch, but with snus, you take a small amount and place it in the palm of your hand. You then use your other hand to form a little ball or pris of snus. This pris should be pretty compact. Then you just lift your upper lip and stick it under. The pris should stay together pretty well and give off flavor for a long time.

Snus Pris in progress

In my personal opinion, America is just waiting for snus to have a big impact on tobacco use. Camel and Marlboro have already started to test-market their own snus products in certain target regions within the USA. If you want to try the real good stuff though, you gotta go with the Swedish stuff. We have no idea what’s in Camel and Marlboro snus and, for many of us, the products are simply unavailable. I’ve tried the Camel snus and while it did taste good, it also contained fiberglass (so the Camel representative told me) and it scratched up my mouth and tongue. As I said, I smoked about a pack a day before I made the switch to snus. I had been smoking for about 5 or 6 years, but when I started doing snus, I was able to pretty much completely cut out cigarettes in about 1 or 2 weeks. Now I just use snus and it is great.

Now that you’ve got an idea about snus, stay tuned for the rest of my blogs. I will be reviewing various brands and types of snus and giving you the low down on them all. Happy snusing.

The Snus Blogger