Snuff

[BriarWolf]

As in the older and more refined definition of the word. Its an exceptionally exotic habit these days, however it seems to be undergoing a small resurgence in light of recent vicious anti-smoking action. The Viscount Downtown's snuff box collection was an interesting recent return of the old habit to the public eye. Anyone here a taker of snuff, or at the least possessed of an interest in its paraphernalia and history?

 

[BobHufford]

I went through a phase in the 1980s. Probably won't start back up, but will watch the thread.

 

[MisterCairo]

I've used snuff in the traditional (nasal inhalation) way occasionally, and exclusively in military settings. I've considered having some on hand, in an antique snuff box of course. Researching sources recently, I was shocked to come across websites declaring "snuff" to be as addictive and cancer-causing as cigarettes and chewing tobacco.

Closer examination demonstrated that many in the US use snuff, usually in a "moist form" (which I'd never heard of and would have considered an oxymoron) as a form of "dip" in the mouth, which I assumed was similar to chewing tobacco. I also learned about "snus" (snoos), a form of moist snuff in a tea bag-like pouch, also kept in the mouth.

There is no conclusive evidence that nasally inhaled (dry) snuff causes or raises the risk of any form of cancer, though the hit of nicotine may increase the chances of wanting other forms of tobacco. I suppose like anything, moderation is the key!

 

[HeyMoe]

Stupid question. What exactly is snuff? Tobacco?

 

[Renault]

When I was a really small kid lots of the older women dipped Garrett's snuff. I can remember two older ladies in particular. One was the spitting ( no pun!) image of Granny on the Beverly Hillbillies. She was the mother of old friends and was a Native American from Oklahoma. She passed away about 1959-60. And she was ancient then!!! The other was an older lady that her and her husband lived in a little 3 room batt and board house next to my aunt and uncle in south Texas.

She dipped snuff ( some of it was known a dental snuff as it was used to brush teeth with on occasion). And it came in a drinking glass with a snap on tin lid or in a neck less brown bottle with a cork top. I bet many of you have drank out of a snuff glass and didn't know it!

Another method was the user cut a small cedar stick and whittled the end so it resembled a little brush. Folks would wet it it and dip in the snuff and either chew on it or use it as a tooth brush.

 

[Renault]

Stupid question. What exactly is snuff? Tobacco?

Yes. In the old days it was ground in a mill just like flour. Looks kinda like brown flour.

 

[Renault]

Here's the only snuff glass I could find in the house. Belonged to my grandmother. Most of the glasses were straight and not curved on the bottom. And they sometimes had a kinda of small square fish scale in appearance design on the glass.


Looks a lot like a jelly glass. But my grandmother never used store bought jelly or preserves. Not with peach and plum trees in the yard!

 

[HudsonHawk]

When I was a really small kid lots of the older women dipped Garrett's snuff. I can remember two older ladies in particular. One was the spitting ( no pun!) image of Granny on the Beverly Hillbillies. She was the mother of old friends and was a Native American from Oklahoma. She passed away about 1959-60. And she was ancient then!!! The other was an older lady that her and her husband lived in a little 3 room batt and board house next to my aunt and uncle in south Texas.

You just described my great-grandmother. She dipped Navy brand snuff. She always wore a sun dress with two big pockets in the front, one for her can of snuff and one for an aspirin bottle to spit in. She'd pour it into her mouth, and keep it there for hours, spitting occasionally.

It came in a container like this, and I learned once that while it may look similar, it did not taste like Nestle Quik.

 

[Renault]

SLOL! I bet it didn't. The old worman I described always spit in a tomato purée can. Buffalo brand of I remember! Somewhere here I still have one of the small cans of Garrett's snuff.

This may belong in the old terms thread but everyone here used to say about someone who was in a bad mood that they were "out of snuff"! I bet you've heard that a time or two HH!
Like;

"what's the matter with him?"

"Oh he just out of snuff!"

And another old sayin here was if something was good or someone was sick or better, there were either "up to snuff" or "not up to snuff".

 

[Edward]

Up to snuff I've heard on this side of the pond too. It was popular in England in, if memory serves, the Regency period, but it's been well off-mainstream since then. There has been something of a revival in recent years with the smoking ban. In particular, I know of one West End cocktail bar I rather like which sells it (laid out in lines, complete with a little straw through which you can snort it as if it were.... something much naughtier) - they have no outside space, so it's a good way of keeping the addicts in, especially on a wet and/or cold night.

I've tried it once or twice. Honestly, I wasn't impressed. I guess if you needed a nicoteen fix in a place where you can'tg smoke, it has a purpose (I can see it becoming even more widely used for that if the threatened extension of the UK smoking ban to cover 'vaping' goes ahead), but otherwise.... I've known folks get a kick out of snorting it as if they're doing harder drugs, but it did nothing for me. I found none of the pleasure I used to get from a cigar or get now from the pipe, and, much like alcohol, I have no interst in consuming nicoteen as a drug for its own sake, with no enjoyment in the process. The only snuff I liked - and would buy again, actually - was a glucose-based, nicoteen-and-tobacco-free variety. Really cleared the sinuses! Only drawback, if you care about such things, is that it's a white powder and can leave a residue on your nose, so it's open to misinterpretation by other folks as to what you've been up to. It's the only one of the snuffs I tried that I can recommend, though.

I've used snuff in the traditional (nasal inhalation) way occasionally, and exclusively in military settings. I've considered having some on hand, in an antique snuff box of course. Researching sources recently, I was shocked to come across websites declaring "snuff" to be as addictive and cancer-causing as cigarettes and chewing tobacco.

The addiction point doesn't surprise me. It's nicoteen. I'm informed by medical folks I've known that nicoteen takes hold of the human body faster than opiates when it comes to addiction. The harm side I don't know anything about when it comes to snuff. I believe nicoteen addiction isn't in and of itself harmful, but, like cigarettes, if there are other properties in it that the nicoteen keeps bringing you back to, it could do significant damage. Seems to be hard to find conclusive information on this, though I've seen studies reported in the press over here that it can lead to an increased risk of heart disease or strokes. I wouldn't make any asumptions that it's safer than cigarettes or other options. A while back, I toyed with the idea of a hookah for using at home, until I looked into it and discovered that smoking a hookah for an hour is the same as consuming twenty cigarettes.

Closer examination demonstrated that many in the US use snuff, usually in a "moist form" (which I'd never heard of and would have considered an oxymoron) as a form of "dip" in the mouth, which I assumed was similar to chewing tobacco. I also learned about "snus" (snoos), a form of moist snuff in a tea bag-like pouch, also kept in the mouth.

I vaguely remember 'Skoal Bandits' back in the eighties being a product of that 'tea-bag' variety. There was a lot of coverage in the UK of people ending up with all sorts of terrible gum disease and such as a result of using those.

Stupid question. What exactly is snuff? Tobacco?

It's a sort of powdered tobacco product that was traditionally consumed by inhaling it through the nose. Wkipedia has a good article on it:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snuff_(tobacco)

Looks like this:

 

[HudsonHawk]

In particular, I know of one West End cocktail bar I rather like which sells it (laid out in lines, complete with a little straw through which you can snort it as if it were.... something much naughtier)

This sounds particularly harsh, as you don't "snort" snuff to get it deep into your throat and lungs. You gently "sniff" it, so that it dissolves within your nostrils. Snorting it would be the equivalent of chewing up and swallowing chewing tobacco.

At any rate, as a baseball player, I did my share of chew and "dip", as it was everywhere. Now, I just stick to premium cigars.

 

[Renault]

S

At any rate, as a baseball player, I did my share of chew and "dip", as it was everywhere. Now, I just stick to premium cigars.

Oh yeah! When I quit dipping snuff I was doing a can of Skoal a day! Remember the first can I bought was only 35 cents. Now I hear it's over $5 a can!!!! I chewed plug tobacco for years. Cannonball, Days Work, and Brown Mule. Quit a little over 20 years ago. Now I may still Smoke my beloved pipes while in the woods or on the hunt!!

 

[Bamaboots]

This was my maternal grandfather's favorite tea glass. A very large Bruton snuff jar. He had several of these over the years but this is the only known survivor.

 

[BriarWolf]

Having grown up thick among many a proud self-described redneck, I've been long familiar with 'dip', and its really the only tobacco habit I have a prejudice against. Even as far cigarettes, which I care little for as far as the odour goes, I posses at least sympathy for conscientious cigarette smokers. I have, unfortunately, never been acquainted with a contentious partaker of 'chaw'. To me, it holds none of the potential elegance of any form of smoking or the taking of dry snuff. On the opposite tack, I suppose we should be grateful in a way, as dipping snuff (baffling) is likely the only reason it survives with any accessibility in America at all. I've been giving consideration to dabbling in dry snuff, if nothing else to say I've done it and add yet another eccentricity to my repertoire. A man should channel The Scarlet Pimpernel once and awhile.

 

[BriarWolf]

Right, well after several weeks of research and pondering, I took the plunge and picked up a small container of Railroad Mills Sweet Scotch snuff from my local purveyor (Food Lion grocery, whom in my area carries a decent variety of American snuffs, but only, I'm quite sure, because of the potential and preferred oral use 'round these parts). Long story short, I think I've found a new tobacco habit. Being half the household is borderline asthmatic my pipes don't get the exercise I like and cigars are right out, but I can take a pinch whenever I please. My first snuffbox is on the way. I'm sure I'll be picking up samples of the other locally available brands. At this rate I'll probably be dressing like Beau Brummell before long.