Quit chewing tobacco

[FinsnFur]

How many of you chew tobacco, and how many of you used to?

I've been chewing since I was 16, I'm now 43. (27 years)
I started out with Kodiak, why? I have no idea. And as predicted by the University of Iowa Hospitals, I graduated to something more potent,  Copenhagen... at the age of 35.

When I was...oh I'm going to guess 30 and working at Cabelas, smokeless tobacco was banned from the premises for employees because of all the places they were finding spit. Which was understandable, but I wasn't going to be told I HAD TO QUIT for that.
So I kept chewin, I just hid the can and stopped spitting.

Here we are 27 years later, I've had no problems, no cancers, no mouth sores, no cardiovascular issues. Knock on wood

But I still get hounded by my parents to quit, the kids once in a while, and periodically my conscience.
So I, in partnership with a co-worker that chews decided to give quitting a whirl, How hard could it be?

I found a really cool substitute that really seems to help with the quitting process. Mint Snuff. It's nothing but ground up mint leaves. No nicotine, no tobacco, no tooth decaying sugar. Just a little something to pop in your yapper and make ya think your enjoying a dip. And it works!

The first day was a little rough, Monday 15th...walked around work thinking man I could sure use a chew.
I made it until Tuesday evening when me and some other co-workers went out after work. Which led to drinks, food,....and you guessed it, some sweet Copenhagen for dessert.

The funny part is, come Wednesday morning being half hung over, I couldnt fathom the thought of having a chew. Later in the day I had some of my Mint Snuff, but the urge just never came back.
Thursday was a cake walk, never had an urge and used some Mint Snuff just for something to do I guess.
Here we are Friday the 19th, still no urge, but now I'm getting bored with this routine, and start thinking to myself, why am I quitting?....What REALLY are the chances of getting cancer? I mean does everyone who chews develop cancer and tip over from it?
I had to know.
So I found this website tonight with some very interesting information on it.

When I was done reading all they had to offer I popped me in a nice big fat dip of Copenhagen and sat down to type this....out of guilt I guess.

The only thing I DID notice when I was on the wagon was that I seemed to be very very tired. I dont know if it had anything to do with any of it, or if it was just mentally induced.

[JohnP]

I gave up my Pall Malls about 26 years ago and my Red Man about 10 years ago.  I don't miss the smokes at all but even after 10 years I still have a strong desire for a chew.  I was smoking about 2 packs a day when I quit cold turkey.  After about the second day it was history.  I had a harder time with the Red Man, quit 4 or 5 times before it took hold.  I told the wife if I make it to 75 I'm buying a pack of Red Man for my birthday gift.  I really miss my chew when I'm on stand just sitting there by myself waiting for a coyote to show up.  I have a rather funny story about chewing tobaco in the "War Room" at he White House during the Carter regime, just not sure I can repeat it, at least in public,  without breaking some damn security classification. 

[coyotehunter_1]

I hunt coyotes, dip Copenhagen and drink a beer every now and then. At 54 years old, I don't have many vices but I surely enjoy the ones I do have.   

[KySongDog]

I have never smoked, don't do drugs, and quit drinking 4 1/2 years ago.  Putting down alcohol was the hardest thing I ever did.  I LOVE Budweiser beer.  But like the potato chip ad, I never drank just "one".   And then I went in to my "Hey Y'all, watch this" mode.      


I am glad I never got hooked on tobacco.  I've seen people die from lung cancer and it sure is a rough way to go out.   Like smoking, smokeless tobacco won't cause cancer in everyone.  But the odds of getting cancer sure go up.   Like shooting craps.  Sooner or later a 7 is going jump up and wipe the table.

[Dave]

I was hoping by the end of your post you were still kickin it, feeling better, etc.  I agree with SEMP, it's rollling the dice adn eventually you're going to seven out..  It caught up to my dad 6 yrs ago, and there's not a day goes by I don't think about him adn wish he had the strength to quit.
Tabacco use is a tough row to hoe.

[Palegroe]

I started smoking when I was 16 and always dipped in the tobacco and hay field growing up.  I quit smoking about 5 years ago and it was the hardest and best thing I ever did for myself.  I know all the whore stories about lips rooting off and people die of the cancer cause by dipping.  But every time I go to the dentist after he does his inspecting he looks at me and the chart and says "Tobacco use do you smoke?".  This is the man trained in looking at you mouth and telling YOU what’s going on and he has just poked and prodded around in there and asked if I smoke.  And I always say nope just dip then he asks where do I hold it and I have to show him then he says O yes I see, you need to quit that, I can now see where your lip is wrinkling and signs of gumgervidase?  So I never do and have to remind him the next time of my tobacco use.  My wife doesn’t like it and thinks it is disgusting and every time she asks me to quit I always say Baby No Body Like’s a Quitter.

[WldWldWest]

At least your thinking about it maybe that will help you quit if that's what ya wanna do....Either way Goodluck! it's a long hard road and only you can make that decision it doesnt matter how many people want you to stop.

As of tommorrow it will be 8 weeks since I put the dip down So I know exactly what your going through! I stopped cold turkey no nicotine gum no patch and man!!! It has kicked my A$$ cause nobody love's tabacco as much as I do......DID! I guess. It was really tough at the LBL cause we all know that a good dip and a good Yote hunt go hand in hand......And speaking of the Yotehntr he had some of that candy dip you were talking about at LBL and I thought it might make it a little better but to tell ya the truth it didnt do anything for me and I was afraid it might push me the back the other way so after the hunt I didnt chew it anymore.

Like JohnP said I really dont think you ever get over it completly it's like any other drug you get addicted to and only your willpower can dictate the outcome!

It's kinda funny the other day I called my wife on my way to work  and told her that's the first time in my life I've ever craved a piece of chewing gum when I first woke up instead of a big ole fat dip of copenhagen then I realized it was 4am when I called her and she doesnt have to be at work till 9.......So she told me that If I woke her up at 4 in the morning again to tell her about my craving's I wouldnt be able to dip or chew anything! (Doesnt spouse season follow turkey season? )

One thing I thought of that helped me quit was there's no way in hell that something I loved so much could possibly be good for me!            So I'm DONE!

Goodluck to you!

[Hawks Feather]

Jim,

I think you were tired because of this "Smokeless tobacco use can adversely affect sperm concentration, mobility, structure and formation."  Since you had cut it out the little soldiers, were starting to march again and using up all your energy.

Jerry

[slagmaker]

I quit smoking a year ago this month. Best thing I ever did.

[FinsnFur]

I never thought of that Jerry...

Interesting read WWW...if I may ask, since the mint snuff didnt do anything for you, what did you do to take your mind off the Cope, or deal with the urges?

[Yotehntr]

I'm 4 months quit now.... I'm using   http://www.smokeysnuff.com/  I like the peach flavored the best.   I can't stand chewing gum...end up chewing the inside of my mouth and making a pretty good scene with all the noise.      Like has already been said, you have to decide for yourself.  I did use Chantix... had some pretty cool dreams while taking it! lol  could even wake up and think... I want to finish that dream...go to sleep and take over where it left off!    I believe you just get addicted to the chantix though, it was kind of rough quitting it...  Good luck! 

[FinsnFur]

I did try the smokey mountain if thats what you mean. I made it through about 1 hour with that and then i had to burp so bad i felt like my stomach was going to explode.
When I finally did burp, I ended up puking in my throat a little bit 

It wasn't pretty.
I looked at the can to see what they had in it, and seen they used some kind of sorghum to give it substance I guess, and then cayan pepper. I think that concoction put me over the edge

[FozzyBear]

Quit smoking 1 mouth 11 days 10 houser ago  I still want a smoke now and then but know I am beater off with out it .It is not the best thing I ever done. But it is worth it. I am filling beater. Still want a smok . Loved my camels!   I wish you all the best in the future?

[JohnP]

What worked for me was that everytime I wanted a chew I thought to my myself.  I am stronger than that little piece of tobacco I'm about to put in my mouth, I can't believe I'm going to let it whip me. 

[WldWldWest]

Jim, I'll tell ya........Since I don't have a real job and all I do is run up and down the interstate all day long In a really nice Kenworth with all the bells and whistles pulling a really long trailer hauling a bunch of really heavy sh!t going really slow I seem to have an Incredible amount of time to think and put stuff in my mouth thats not really healthy for me Dip,Coke,Dip,Snackcakes,Dip,Chips,Dip and soforth since I'm not big on Truckstop food it makes it really easy to do the wrong thing so I just tried to switch to a healthier way to snack......Sunflower seeds, nuts and sugerless gum and a few raw vegetables and I really hate to admit it but When I got the urge....Or get the urge I pick up one of my treasured calls I got from the Yotehntr and practice a bit cause If it kills me I'm gonna learn to make one talk the way he does ! Now granted people that pass me and look up and see me blowing a call....I'm sure they think I smoking a crack pipe or something. With cancer kinda being a very big factor in my family I figure sooner or later I'll probably have my turn to play the game so I figure I wanna put that off as long as I can for my familys sake and their is still a bunch of critter's out there I wanna shoot at!

Goodluck!
WWW


Congrats Yotehntr on the 4 month's

[centerfire_223]

I started right out with Copenhagen at the ripe old age of 13. Dipped 23 years with 12 of those years smoking and dipping at the same time. Hung it up 7 years ago, nothing to quitting the smoking but I could still take a dip.

[Carolina Coyote]

I quit smoking this past Christmas for about the 4th or 5th time in my life, just quit cool turkey just as i did in the past . Never been able to chew but I sure did enjoy a smoke, this time quitting has been the hardest, got to quit now making me crave a CIG.    CC

[FinsnFur]

I'm totally off the wagon now, in fact I've been run over by it.
It's still in my mind that I should quit, but I need to recover from these wagon wheel tracks first.

[KySongDog]

I'm totally off the wagon now, in fact I've been run over by it.
It's still in my mind that I should quit, but I need to recover from these wagon wheel tracks first.

I hate to say it like this but........ You'll get the motivation to quit when the Doc gives you the bad news.     

[FinsnFur]

I've actually said that same thing to myself Semp. It's also going to come with a helluva price.