You Snus, you lose.

I don't know about where you live, but down here in Tucson, we just recently started seeing the new Snus smokeless tobacco pouches in our convenience stores. Here are my 2 cents about the stuff.

The pack above is what Marlboro has sent out, and it around $1.50 for 6 pouches, While the Camel packs are normal size, and a little more expensive than a normal can of dip. The marketing idea from Marlboro seems sound, since people may be reluctant to shell out 6 bucks for a pack of something they have never tried, and may not like. For around the same price a person could sample 3-4 flavors of the Marlboro.

On first inspection, the pouches are smaller than other pouch-style dip, and are pretty dry, but moisten up well. The flavor is added through a "flavor strip" inside the pouch, and is pretty potent. The Spearmint smelled and tasted exactly like Spearmint gum. It just screams, "Hey kids, this stuff tastes super great!"

Snus is made using "steamed" tobacco, and they claim that there is less carcinogens, so its healthier than other tobacco products. Like Russian Roulette, but this revolver holds 12 rounds instead of 6.

[Edit] - I forgot to put this part in when I first wrote this post and it is kinda the most important part: Snus is a non-spit pouch. The juice is meant to be swallowed, and I gatta tell you, it tastes like candy.

It seems that it does not have as much nicotine as regular pouches, and the small size feels a little inadequate, like if you are not paying attention you may end up choking on it.

If you are hopelessly addicted to chew and work somewhere that does not lend itself to a spitting environment Snus may help you kill your teeth more secretly. Unless you are one of those folks who can just gut the regular stuff, then you have bigger problems to worry about.

So, whats the final verdict....

I guess that my general feel about the whole nonsense is that Snus is just a less manly way to go about getting your nicotine fix, but there is probably a reason it is so popular in Sweeden. But who knows, thems folks and their clocks are nuts anyways. (oh wait, thats the swiss... whatever)

Sometimes you just want to throw in a huge pinch of Cope and play target practice at whatever happens to be floating by in the water. Just sayin'. Plus it can keep people away from you if you don't happen to be feeling sociable at the moment.

In a well-timed post over at Fishing Jones, Pete said it very well. Great minds....you know.

Chewing tobacco while fishing ditches, canals, and residential lakes in the exurbs keeps people from coming too close and asking questions. It allows you, without speaking, to declare that you do not wish to be socially engaged.

Total Clint Eastwood in Two Mules for Sister Sara style.

So anyways, that my opinion. Do with it what you will.

-Alex who doesn't advocate the use of any tobacco products, and is just doing his petty journalistic duty, and who also knows that the pun in the title is lame.