So what is the problem with dual use? I cut a 40+ years, 2 pack-per-day smoking habit to 1 pack-per-week with my first puff on an electronic cigarette. That's over a 90% reduction in smoke intake into my lungs, and I noticed a significant improvement in my breathing and stamina within 24-48 hours. That's a huge win in anybody's book and I would have been quite happy to continue at that level into the indefinite future. But it got even better - 6 months into it and I haven't smoked a tobacco cigarette in over 4 months
Justin's snus use is cutting his smoking and reducing the harm the smoke is causing to his body.
It's the -smoke- that does the damage, not the nicotine (or even the tobacco).
Nothing really, other than exactly what you said "it's the smoke that does the damage". I agree that we as Americans should be able to use whatever type of tobacco we want, after all it's legal, for now. My only position is this; Swedish snus is the safest form of tobacco that a person can use. If a person's goal is to quit smoking, then snus is the way to accomplish it.
I think E cigs are a promising technology and hope that they become more commonplace in the U.S.
find it interesting that 60 minutes decided to air this "free advertisement for the tobacco industry" and the fighting hiv/aids in Uganda on the same night. These topics have highly debated during my 25 years in this world. Growing up in a middle class family, in the "bible belt" of America. I was taught abstinence in school and Chruch. My mom knew better. She understood the reality. I was in the peak of my sexual curiosity. It wasn't a question of weather or not I was going to have sex, but more of a question of when. I remember when I was 17, my mom had asked me if I needed anything for the grocery store. "condoms" I replied with a smile. To my surprise, she returned with a box of Trojan condoms. Needless to say I was a lil embarrassed, but it worked. I now felt comfortable talking to my parents, and have never contracted a STD.
I think its obvious that just teaching abstinence is not enough. We need to educate people on safer alternatives. I have been chewing tobacco for 8 years. During that time, I quit for 2 years. But over the last 5 years I have increasingly more concerned about the long term effects of my habit. Skoal Straight Long Cut is my tin of choice. "Deliciousness in your mouth" I say to disgusted co-workers, when they ask me how it taste. I make fun of, what I know is a nasty habit. I am delighted to know of a product that I can use, that will reduce the side effects of smokeless tobacco. I have seen Snus in the stores, but have never even considered purchasing it. Next time I go to pick up a can of chew, I'll buy Snus instead. This might not be the "right choice" but it is the better choice, the healthier choice. It's the same thing they are doing with fast food. We are requiring this industry to reduce the amount of trans fat in their foods. This doesn't mean this food is good for you, but it's better for you then it was. To me, that's a step in the right direction.
I would like to thank 60 minutes for educating me on this topic. A side of journalism that has been lacking in main stream media. To those of you that will still be upset that I will be giving my hard earned money to the evil tobacco companies. I pay an average of $7 for a tin of Skoal, Snus is only $3.50 where I live ;-)
**on a side note: Why are there no preventative commercials or campaigns against smokeless tobacco?
First, I would like to thank CBS for airing this segment tonight. While I may have chosen another Swedish snus user to represent the snus using community on whole, at least he was using Swedish snus.
I smoked 2.5 packs/day of Camel Light Wides for 20 years, and for the last 10 years of my smoking life...I was trying to quit. I've tried it all, nicotine gum, the patch, hypnosis, herbal supplements, you name it and I've tried it. None of them worked. One day I walked into a store to purchase a pack of smokes, and I saw an advertisement for Camel SNUS. Not knowing what it was, I asked the cashier and he wasn't much help, so of course I went home and looked it up on the net. Much to my amazement, there was this entire world of snus out there.
I read for hours and hours about how this product was 98% safer than smoking, and how it was far superior to any of the American snus brands. I mean, hey the Swedes invented this stuff over 200 yrs ago, they know how to do it. I read clinical study after clinical study and the result was always the same. Swedish snus has the lowest levels of TSNA's (tobacco specific nitrosamines), which are the carcinogens found in tobacco. There are more TSNA's in bacon than in pasteurized Swedish snus and I eat bacon, so why not try this to quit smoking.
Swedish snus is steam pasteurized, which kills the TSNA's, while American dip and most other moist tobaccos and even cigarette tobacco isn't. American tobacco, dip, chew and cigarette tobacco is fermented which does NOT kill the TSNA's. Which is the reason American smokeless companies rotate their stock so quickly in the the stores...the TSNA levels continue to grow to unhealthy levels after a certain amount of time. Remember, TSNA's are what cause cancer in tobacco users.
I made an order from Sweden, and from the very first portion (pouch)of Swedish snus until now I haven't smoked. That was over a year ago too, and for you smokers out there...I can't tell you how easy it was to put the smokes down. The real story here is why haven't the American companies come out with something like this sooner?? MONEY, and money is also the reason they make an inferior snus. It has far too little nicotine in it to keep one from craving. Side note, the kid in the show tonight was using Swedish snus, BUT he was using mini portions which are much smaller and have less nicotine in them. For someone to quit smoking, they have to use regular sized portions and extra strong Swedish snus to quell the cravings. The fact that Swedish snus comes in different strengths and over 100 flavors and styles is yet another point of it's superiority. You can even buy Swedish snus with NO nicotine or tobacco at all. Someone that wanted to get off nicotine altogether, could use a step down program.
There are 45 million smokers in the U.S, and how many of them would like to quit...I'll bet at least a third, easily. This is a product that can and will help them become healthier Americans. The FDA needs to grant this product MRT (Modified Risk Tobacco) status so that Swedish snus manufacturers, importers and distributors can advertise the fact that it IS in fact 98% safer than smoking! Talk about reducing health care costs....can you imagine half of America quitting smoking??
Surely we can find better proponants for the harm reduction movement than the poor fellow in this story. The Swededish interviews gave far more credability to the smoke-free alternative lifestyle of most Americans. I have to wonder, why didn't you interview groups like the ECF or CASAA or the various forums like ECF and the Vapers Forum?
Giving a smoking alternative to those who can't just accept today's "Quit or Die" mentality is exactly how millions of Americans are going to be here to see their grandchildren grow up. Whether they quit, or find ways to delay the inevitable until they quit - alternatives like electronis cigarettes, Snus, meditation and self-help groups will continue to thrive.
If someone is addicted to any other drug on this planet, they are coddled through clinic and public understanding. Nictine addicts are treated like lepers in today's society.
Remove smoking alternatives like e-cigarettes and Snus - and continue to ban smoking and tax cigarette users ad infinitum? I don't think the nonsmoking public realizes just how bad it would be to make smokers quit cold turkey, just because they think they should.
Michal "Webby" Douglas
Chairman - CASAA
http://CASAA.ORG
Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association
Main: 251.285.0834
Fax 251.455.1043
How sad that unsubstantiated fears have been driving policy and laws. As was pointed out, snus was outlawed in the European union before the research was completed that showed that the health risks of snus are a small fraction of the risks of smoking. The fear of "dual use" was one of the driving forces, and as this show illustrated, the fear persists despite the fact that research has shown that dual users make up a tiny fraction of the total number of snus users. That "dual use" fear is also being put forth as justification for outlawing the electronic cigarette. The University of Alberta study shows that dual users make up only 4% of users. 79% have completely replaced all their smoked cigarettes and 17% have reduced the number of cigarettes smoked. See: http://www.tobaccoharmreduction.org/wpapers/011v1.pdf
Why don't they do a program on e-cigarettes? I guess they are still kowtowing to the tobacco companies. The featured guy is a perfect candidate for e-cigarettes.
Do you really want that? With the exception of two brands of e-cigs, none deliver any measurable nicotine when inhaled. Of the two brands that do, 98% fail do to shoddy workmanship.
Why is this? China Tobacco, the Chinese tobacco monopoly, has stated privately that they don't care how much nicotine is in the cartridges if any. They don't care that the taste is designed for what the Chinese like; not American smokers. They want to sell sticks. And they have: over 100MM last year.
Add to that poor quality control and shoddy manufacturing of e-cigs made in China plus the high retail cost to Americans....it's no wonder FDA Banned the importation of all e-cigs into the United States yesterday.
I tried an e-cig. I hadn't had a cigarette in two years at the time since I upgraded to Swedish Snus.
All the e-cig made me do was crave a real cigarette. Since I was at a Tobacco Show at the time, it was by sheer determination and two high-nicotine portions of snus that I didn't grab one of the thousands of free cigarette packs and light up.
The e-cig I tried was made by Runyon who is now out of business. In fact e-cig manufacturers appear and disappear all the time.
Smokers need TRUE and WORKING reduced harm alternatives to cigarettes. I stress alternative as opposed to complementary which is all Big American Tobacco seems interested in.
I just finished watching the Leslie Stahl segment on Snus usage for smokers and am totally appalled at the way she interviewed people
as well as addressed interviewees regarding the product.
Being a smoker ofor several years, more than half of my life, I found the product, one I had no idea existed, not only a viable alternative, but a much better idea to "lighting up". Who cares if you're trading one addiction for another, in this case. What is better - risking serious heath concerns, smelling like smoke, exiling yourself from others, facing the scorn of those who have never been in our shoes and listening to their sermons on why we should stop or a trade off for a quick "tea bag" in the mouth to satisify a craving. Unless you've been there, you have no idea what it's like. Quitting - not so easy - put the shoe on the other foot; I've been there many times.
Stop preaching, and start embracing a better option, not only for the smoker, but everyone. I would rather be addicted to a smokeless alteranative, with less apparent negative consequences than one with the obvious.
Andy Rooney would probably agree with me that science should develop some way to reprocess coffee grounds into a decaffeinated smokeless tobacco. Snus? Snusing? Snussed? If there is no chance of getting cancer, what is the point?
This show gave a fairly balanced view of the potential pros and cons of snus. If you would like to find out more about snus you can access blog articles, with links to authoritative research papers via the following link:
And considering this was a TV show that faced a ruinous multi-million dollar lawsuit in the early 90s over revealing more "Conclusive" research that proved smoking was dangerous.
But, actually I'm for personal freedom. I loathe that "Blue Nose" lady who thinks she can tell people how to live more than any danger from the tobacco products. I simply do not use tobacco because I don't want to become addicted to it. The Tobacco companies aren't going to force me to use their stuff, so it's live and let live. Also, when laws aren't in their way, they can make lots of other cool stuff, from "Non-tobacco" smokes to all sorts of resin and oil extracts, both for recreation and industrial use.
Matter of fact, if we legalize a lot of other stuff, like Marijuana we can save the USA a revenue loss equivalent to the Iraq war. One it's been paying since Dubya's daddy waved that bag of crack he'd paid at least 10x street to get it delivered to him on the White House lawn. And, with all the laws, surveillance, jails...Hardly anyone wanting any drugs have been deterred.
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Justin's snus use is cutting his smoking and reducing the harm the smoke is causing to his body.
It's the -smoke- that does the damage, not the nicotine (or even the tobacco).
I think E cigs are a promising technology and hope that they become more commonplace in the U.S.
I think its obvious that just teaching abstinence is not enough. We need to educate people on safer alternatives. I have been chewing tobacco for 8 years. During that time, I quit for 2 years. But over the last 5 years I have increasingly more concerned about the long term effects of my habit. Skoal Straight Long Cut is my tin of choice. "Deliciousness in your mouth" I say to disgusted co-workers, when they ask me how it taste. I make fun of, what I know is a nasty habit. I am delighted to know of a product that I can use, that will reduce the side effects of smokeless tobacco. I have seen Snus in the stores, but have never even considered purchasing it. Next time I go to pick up a can of chew, I'll buy Snus instead. This might not be the "right choice" but it is the better choice, the healthier choice. It's the same thing they are doing with fast food. We are requiring this industry to reduce the amount of trans fat in their foods. This doesn't mean this food is good for you, but it's better for you then it was. To me, that's a step in the right direction.
I would like to thank 60 minutes for educating me on this topic. A side of journalism that has been lacking in main stream media. To those of you that will still be upset that I will be giving my hard earned money to the evil tobacco companies. I pay an average of $7 for a tin of Skoal, Snus is only $3.50 where I live ;-)
**on a side note:
Why are there no preventative commercials or campaigns against smokeless tobacco?
I smoked 2.5 packs/day of Camel Light Wides for 20 years, and for the last 10 years of my smoking life...I was trying to quit. I've tried it all, nicotine gum, the patch, hypnosis, herbal supplements, you name it and I've tried it. None of them worked. One day I walked into a store to purchase a pack of smokes, and I saw an advertisement for Camel SNUS. Not knowing what it was, I asked the cashier and he wasn't much help, so of course I went home and looked it up on the net. Much to my amazement, there was this entire world of snus out there.
I read for hours and hours about how this product was 98% safer than smoking, and how it was far superior to any of the American snus brands. I mean, hey the Swedes invented this stuff over 200 yrs ago, they know how to do it. I read clinical study after clinical study and the result was always the same. Swedish snus has the lowest levels of TSNA's (tobacco specific nitrosamines), which are the carcinogens found in tobacco. There are more TSNA's in bacon than in pasteurized Swedish snus and I eat bacon, so why not try this to quit smoking.
Swedish snus is steam pasteurized, which kills the TSNA's, while American dip and most other moist tobaccos and even cigarette tobacco isn't. American tobacco, dip, chew and cigarette tobacco is fermented which does NOT kill the TSNA's. Which is the reason American smokeless companies rotate their stock so quickly in the the stores...the TSNA levels continue to grow to unhealthy levels after a certain amount of time. Remember, TSNA's are what cause cancer in tobacco users.
I made an order from Sweden, and from the very first portion (pouch)of Swedish snus until now I haven't smoked. That was over a year ago too, and for you smokers out there...I can't tell you how easy it was to put the smokes down. The real story here is why haven't the American companies come out with something like this sooner?? MONEY, and money is also the reason they make an inferior snus. It has far too little nicotine in it to keep one from craving. Side note, the kid in the show tonight was using Swedish snus, BUT he was using mini portions which are much smaller and have less nicotine in them. For someone to quit smoking, they have to use regular sized portions and extra strong Swedish snus to quell the cravings. The fact that Swedish snus comes in different strengths and over 100 flavors and styles is yet another point of it's superiority. You can even buy Swedish snus with NO nicotine or tobacco at all. Someone that wanted to get off nicotine altogether, could use a step down program.
There are 45 million smokers in the U.S, and how many of them would like to quit...I'll bet at least a third, easily. This is a product that can and will help them become healthier Americans. The FDA needs to grant this product MRT (Modified Risk Tobacco) status so that Swedish snus manufacturers, importers and distributors can advertise the fact that it IS in fact 98% safer than smoking! Talk about reducing health care costs....can you imagine half of America quitting smoking??
Giving a smoking alternative to those who can't just accept today's "Quit or Die" mentality is exactly how millions of Americans are going to be here to see their grandchildren grow up. Whether they quit, or find ways to delay the inevitable until they quit - alternatives like electronis cigarettes, Snus, meditation and self-help groups will continue to thrive.
If someone is addicted to any other drug on this planet, they are coddled through clinic and public understanding. Nictine addicts are treated like lepers in today's society.
Remove smoking alternatives like e-cigarettes and Snus - and continue to ban smoking and tax cigarette users ad infinitum? I don't think the nonsmoking public realizes just how bad it would be to make smokers quit cold turkey, just because they think they should.
Michal "Webby" Douglas
Chairman - CASAA
http://CASAA.ORG
Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association
Main: 251.285.0834
Fax 251.455.1043
http://www.tobaccoharmreduction.org/wpapers/011v1.pdf
The featured guy is a perfect candidate for e-cigarettes.
Why is this? China Tobacco, the Chinese tobacco monopoly, has stated privately that they don't care how much nicotine is in the cartridges if any. They don't care that the taste is designed for what the Chinese like; not American smokers. They want to sell sticks. And they have: over 100MM last year.
Add to that poor quality control and shoddy manufacturing of e-cigs made in China plus the high retail cost to Americans....it's no wonder FDA Banned the importation of all e-cigs into the United States yesterday.
I tried an e-cig. I hadn't had a cigarette in two years at the time since I upgraded to Swedish Snus.
All the e-cig made me do was crave a real cigarette. Since I was at a Tobacco Show at the time, it was by sheer determination and two high-nicotine portions of snus that I didn't grab one of the thousands of free cigarette packs and light up.
The e-cig I tried was made by Runyon who is now out of business. In fact e-cig manufacturers appear and disappear all the time.
Smokers need TRUE and WORKING reduced harm alternatives to cigarettes. I stress alternative as opposed to complementary which is all Big American Tobacco seems interested in.
45MM lives are at stake.
as well as addressed interviewees regarding the product.
Being a smoker ofor several years, more than half of my life, I found the product, one I had no idea existed, not only a viable alternative, but a much better idea to "lighting up". Who cares if you're trading one addiction for another, in this case. What is better - risking serious heath concerns, smelling like smoke, exiling yourself from others, facing the scorn of those who have never been in our shoes and listening to their sermons on why we should stop or a trade off for a quick "tea bag" in the mouth to satisify a craving. Unless you've been there, you have no idea what it's like. Quitting - not so easy - put the shoe on the other foot; I've been there many times.
Stop preaching, and start embracing a better option, not only for the smoker, but everyone.
I would rather be addicted to a smokeless alteranative, with less apparent negative consequences than one with the obvious.
http://www.healthline.com/blogs/smoking_cessation/2009/01/2009-will-see-further-expansion-of-new.html
And considering this was a TV show that faced a ruinous multi-million dollar lawsuit in the early 90s over revealing more "Conclusive" research that proved smoking was dangerous.
But, actually I'm for personal freedom. I loathe that "Blue Nose" lady who thinks she can tell people how to live more than any danger from the tobacco products. I simply do not use tobacco because I don't want to become addicted to it. The Tobacco companies aren't going to force me to use their stuff, so it's live and let live. Also, when laws aren't in their way, they can make lots of other cool stuff, from "Non-tobacco" smokes to all sorts of resin and oil extracts, both for recreation and industrial use.
Matter of fact, if we legalize a lot of other stuff, like Marijuana we can save the USA a revenue loss equivalent to the Iraq war. One it's been paying since Dubya's daddy waved that bag of crack he'd paid at least 10x street to get it delivered to him on the White House lawn. And, with all the laws, surveillance, jails...Hardly anyone wanting any drugs have been deterred.