Cigarettes and Smoking vs Smokeless Products
The other day, I wrote an article about snus alternatives. In the past, I’ve written one about the differences between snus and American Dipping Tobacco. I realized that I haven’t done one about the differences between cigarettes and nicotine pouches. Obviously, with cigarettes you are smoking. With smokeless products you aren’t smoking, hence the name. But, there’s more to it than that. I personally am an ex-smoker, thanks to snus, so I’ve noticed a wide array of changes in my life over the years since I decided to use snus for nicotine consumption instead of cigarettes. Many people are interested in switching over from cigarettes and smoking to smokeless products. Today, we’re going to talk about all of that, and do a deep dive into the differences between cigarettes and smokeless products!
I am a completist, and I am also one who is very throughout. In this article, I will cover cigarettes, what they do, what is in them, all of that. I don’t want to seem like I’m pro-smoking, because I definitely am not. I think everyone is generally aware by now, in 2023/2024, of the risks of smoking. I noticed the other day I don’t come across many smokers anymore, which is interesting where I live, because everyone here used to smoke back in the day. But it seems more people are quitting, or switching to other forms of nicotine consumption. So while I will discuss cigarettes, I just want to be clear before we get into it that I am not one who encourages smoking, nor do I smoke cigarettes myself.
To do a little of my background, I smoked from my teenage years into my 20’s. I discovered snus in 2009 thanks to American “snus”, and shortly thereafter switched to the real stuff: authentic Swedish Snus. I’ve now been smoke free ever since, and enjoying a much better lifestyle thanks to kicking cigarettes to the curb. This is a big part of what is called the “Swedish Experience”, as it can be observed in Sweden that they have the lowest smoking rates in the world, but still high tobacco usage rates. This is thanks to Swedish Snus, which is used all across Sweden, and now spreading across the world!
Cigarette History
Smoking is a very old practice, going back to the Native Americans before European colonization in the Americas. Smoking tobacco was often used for religious ceremonies, however some would use it for cleansing and “healing”. In the 1500’s, the Spanish brought smoking back to Europe. In the early days, smoking was done by pipe, but it would often be done via a plant wrapper, like with cigars. Cigarettes began being made by machine as early as the mid 1800’s. In the US, this would occur in the later 1800’s. Cigarette sales peaked mostly from 1970 to 1980, and would gradually decline from there.
Cigarette Nicotine Release
When you smoke a cigarette, the nicotine releases really quickly, then has a fast fall. This is why there are so many “chain-smokers” out there. Of which, I used to be one. Because you would get your nicotine “hit”, then it would quickly fall and you’d crave another. This is one of the drawbacks when looking at nicotine consumption, as it makes smoking expensive due to the amount of cigarettes you have to consume to sustain nicotine satisfaction. When I was a smoker, I’d go through 1-1.5 packs a day, and this was a very costly habit.
Cigarette Health Effects
I’ll share the CDC’s description, as it covers it thoroughly: “Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking also increases risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis”. Not only that, but secondhand smoke is also dangerous so when you smoke you’re not only harming yourself, you are harming those around you.
Smokeless History
There are a lot of ways to look at this, so I’ll generally breeze over this a bit so I can encapsulate this topic pretty well, but without filling pages on the history of snus and other similar products. The story goes like this. In the 1500’s, Jean Nicot, a diplomat from France, brought nasal snuff (tobacco inhaled through the nose) over to France. Catherine de’ Medici, Queen of France, would use it as a headache remedy. It would spread throughout the French court. Eventually, the Swedes would discover it and begin adding water to it and putting it into the upper lip which would become, as we know it today, snus. The first main snus brand was Ettan, which originated in 1822. Over the past decade, other smokeless products have come around, including nicotine pouches. Nicotine pouches are products similar to snus, but they contain plant fiber and nicotine instead of tobacco.
Nicotine Pouches and Nicotine Release
With these products, the nicotine release is much more satisfactory. The nicotine gradually releases, but doesn’t have a fast fall like cigarettes do. You have a prolonged release of nicotine that you can enjoy for up to an hour, sometimes more!. Nicotine Pouches tend to have a faster release of nicotine, but not as prolonged as snus. It’s still longer than smoking, however, which is why these are also a considerable option to smoking.
Health Effects
This is a generally debated topic. Manufacturers and e-stores are required to label these products as potentially causing cancer, however no long term studies have definitively proven that link yet. The main thing that is agreed on, however, is that nicotine is addictive. That is no mystery to anyone. Dr. Karl Fagerström once said: ”Addiction is regarded as unnatural state, so addiction is a problem, but it's less of a problem than lung cancer.” So while it isn’t generally considered to be “good” to have an addiction, it is less of a problem than cancer.
The Bottom Line
So, what does all this mean? Well, in regards to nicotine consumption, cigarettes are not satisfactory. They give you a quick, short release, that doesn’t last long. You’re needing another cigarettes within 20-30 minutes, and this repeated use of cigarettes is something that costs. With the prolonged release of nicotine with nicotine pouches you have a longer release that leads to less usage. This is a major cost saving mechanism, but also a more satisfying mechanism because it lasts longer. When looking at health effects, it is no secret and no mystery that smoking is bad for you. It is now generally known across the world. Snus and similar products are addictive, because they contain nicotine, but as I mentioned before, addiction is less of a problem than lung cancer and the other effects you get from smoking. Another main thing that I wanted to mention is variety. With cigarettes, you have a lot of brands, but they generally come down to menthol or non-menthol. With snus, nicotine pouches you have a wide array of flavors and variety. You also have a wide array of strengths. Meaning, if you want something light, moderate, or very strong, you can find a product that fits what you're looking for in terms of flavor, and strength. That is a nice benefit of smokeless products, for sure. I have a mix of 3-4 products I use, because I like variety. Some that use snus stick to one brand. That part is really up to you. But that variety helps a lot of for folks who are looking to switch from cigarettes to smokeless products such as Swedish Snus or nicotine pouches.
At the end of the day, I consider snus to be a superior product. I enjoy it over nicotine pouches, as well as smoking. Not that nicotine pouches aren’t good, I just prefer snus. I know some people who prefer nicotine pouches. That part is really going to come down to you. You can browse around here on SnusExpress.com and find a mix of these products, and you can do an order right to your door of snus, and/or nicotine pouches, depending on what you’re interested in. If you’re new, I’d suggest trying both, because you may like one over the other. I prefer snus, but I can’t tell you what you’re going to enjoy. That part is up to you, and your exploration into the wide world of smokeless products. But the bottom line is this: snus and nicotine pouches are more satisfying than smoking. Also, there is less risk with snus and smoking. In fact, the US FDA gave a modified risk label to General Snus due to that fact. One thing the FDA said was “FDA recognizes that tobacco products exist on a continuum of risk, with combustible cigarettes being the deadliest”. The even allowed Swedish Match to make this claim: “this product presents substantially lower risks to health than cigarettes”. So in regard to risk, it’s clear to see that smoking and cigarettes pose a much higher risk to your health!
