any advice on using that hooch or anything else that can give you something to do on those long drives? is it a good idea to try that stuff while quitting? what about after meals? im glad im quitting but i do miss that sweet salty.

That is a topic on which there are differing opinions on this site. For some people, they feel that using the fake dip is a cop-out and that you need to break not only the addiction to the nicotine, but the oral fixation of dipping as well. Plus, there's some thought that the fake snuff also causes irritation to your gums, and may in some ways also be harmful to you. But many (including myself) feel that it's OK to use the fake dip, especially early in your quit, if that's what it takes to help you quit smokeless tobacco. Try not to use it too much, if you can help it. I see you're already on day 3, so you may consider trying to stick it out without any fake snuff since you made it this far. However, it's obviously better to use the fake snuff like Hooch or Smokey Mountain or Bacc-Off or whatever as opposed to caving to smokeless tobacco.

You might conside other alternatives, such as sugarfree chewing gum, hard candies, beef jerky, toothpicks, or even balls of cotton (I know...sounds weird). Cut back on caffeinated products (nicotine used to dull the effects of caffeine by about half....without nicotine, the same amount of caffeine we're used to now affects us twice as much and can lead to lack of sleep or the jitters, which can seem like a bad craving).

Congrats on making through day three though...it should get better physically from here on out, though the mental battles can last a long time. But you'll do fine as long as you take it one day at a time, stick close to this site and post/read a lot, and JUST SAY NO to tobacco!

thanks for the info. its day 4 and i feel really good. i think i can do it.

Glad you're feeling good, dloc21. A little advice, though...eliminate the wishy-washy language from your quit vocabulary. Instead of "thinking" you "can" do it, try this: "I KNOW that I WILL do it. I am QUIT and there is no turning back. Caving is NOT an option for me."

I know i will quit, i am quitting, i'm done with that gross habit, i feel better, i enjoy being a quitter, i'm proud of myself for quitting. Im thankful for this group and this network.

dloc -

I used a brand of fake chew, can not remember the name of it, when I first quit. I used it regularly the first week and then without even thinking about it I started using less and less. After about a month I using it once or twice a week. I threw out a tin about a year ago I found in my old car, 3 1/2 years after I started. Bottom line, don't put any form of tobacco in your mouth, but feel free to put other stuff in there.

I am on day 45 and use fake chew. I am currently using bacc-off straight and my useage is getting less. I feel there is nothing wrong with it as long as there is no tobacco or nicotine used.

Fake snuff only intensified the cravings for me.

Stay away from it. It may be tougher for a few days, but not using it makes things easier to deal with faster.

If you need it, use it.
If you can get by without it, do so.
I wish I had never started the herbal chew
Then again... it was very instrumental in helping me maintain my quit

I think it saved me early on, my weakness was times "out with the boys" when beer was involved. Bottom line is, if it keeps you from caving, then do it.

Oh Please! (Finger down my throat) Personally, I'd rather kick my dog and tear the screen door off the back porch. Jump on my Harley and do burn outs in the street!

There! (my wife says) you got that out of your system? Maybe. (I sez) All depends, you want to do a little breeding? NO! sez she. Well then, Where's my lawn mower? I'm gonna go out and kill some grass! and, while I'm at it, I'm gonna drink some beer! I'll fix you!

Quitting Tobacco will get you closer to freedom. Changing behaviors will set you free.
It may help your quit to stop putting stuff in your mouth that replaces tobacco.
Changing behaviors is more powerful than just abstaining.

By all means "BURN EVERY BOAT," Just Don't forget - Fake Chew or Real, You don't need either one to live.

Well said...
Just like the son I never had (DNM wipes tear from eye)

i have been 85 days without a chew- real or fake- until today. stressed beyond belief and the c-store is right next to my office.... i broke down and bought some SMC today. i got a fake fatty in right now. Sucks.

Chin up!
You did not fail
and...
It i s not nicotine
You may not feel it now... But you did win
You kept your promise
The DNM is proud of you... What more do you need?
Lets do it again tomorrow.

thanks DNM. Doing much better now. I said to hell with work, decided my firm was not qualified to respond to the proposal I was working on, spit out the fake dip, got some exercise and am going to bed here shortly- still quit.

see you at roll call!

My $0.02---

I started the fake stuff at day 11 ( I am at day 107 now! ) Day 11=the 2nd or 3rd longest quit. It was my first attempt at quitting using this site for support. Quite honestly, I had never heard of the fake stuff. I tried to refrain from trying it, but I really missed that wad in my mouth. I wanted to continue my quit, so I caved, and bought some Smokey Mountain Chew. I am so glad I stayed off of the Tobacco, but, I wish I would have refrained from SMC. SMC, although has nothing harmful in it, or anything addicting, it still irritates your lip. Especially if you use it often. I actually used it more than I dipped regularly at first.

Anyway, I digress a bit. The fake stuff has no nicotine, and that is the main reason we all quit. Nicotine is harmful, and dangerous. It is a poison in any form. Theoretically it will be a lot easier to get off the SMC than it was Skoal. But, I haven't come to that official point yet. I am getting close, and using a lot less, but alas, I still use it.

Bottom line....It can save a quit, but it still is something you want to get away from as soon as you can...You still have the disgusting stit cups and mess in your car, on your hands, on your clothes, etc....ANd the spit is a lot thicker...Its really gross....but actually you dont have to spit, you can swallow the SMC, I just prefer to spit. Please no comments TruckerRick:P!

Anyway, good luck to all you potential quitters and newbies. I hope my words of wisdom, or lack there of help you out.

-Brian

I'll chime in and state that for me ‘Fake Snuff’ is simply another tool to assist you in your quit. I was a 24-7 dipper. I had a dip in my mouth from the time I woke up in the morning until the time I went to bed as long as I was awake and not eating. Early into my quit, and even before I quit, I was having a lot of trouble with guilt deciding if I should use and continue to use fake snuff. Whenever I asked for advice, I'd receive conflicting answers as to whether to continue to use it or to give it up all together. The best advice I got was not to worry about it. I finally came to my own decision as to what was right for me in my quit.
I decided that for me fake snuff was simply another tool like gum, sunflower seeds, tooth picks, exercise, praying or anything else that would keep me from returning to regular usage of a tin of cope. I was told by several fellow-quitters to do whatever it took and use whatever tools it took to stay quit.
After a few weeks of using it on a regular basis the guilt of 'cheating' left me and I came to appreciate SMC as simply another tool to assist me in my quit. I went from using 5 or 7 cans of Smokey Mountain Classic the first few weeks to 3 cans a week and continued to use it on a regular using it for 4 more months. Sometimes I'd mentally 'need' a dip and fake snuff was a safe alternative to the real thing.
Some time about the 5th month after quitting nicotine, I lost the desire to use anything, but kept an unopened can close for 2 or 3 more months just in case the desire/need arose. Most days now I don't even think of snuff except when I post up here daily.
Next week I will have a year of being nicotine free under my belt. Could I have done it without fake snuff? I don't know, but I doubt it. I am glad it was there me this time and I for one encourage you to use it if you want to as a simply a tool to your quit.

I recommend Smokey Mountain Chew for the really bad craves. I use wintergreen, it gives a good burn and gets me through the roughest cravings.


Big Red

Well, I have made it to Day 6. Been so sick with withdrawals day 1 through 4 that i have not had many cravings but yesterday they began with a vengence. I did good with my cravings yesterday but today has been tough. i decided to try the fake chew to get me through my rough cravings. I found some stuff called Bacc-Off that is being sold in my area. I bought 6 cans of the straight flavor. I find that it actually takes my mind off my cravings. See, I am to the point now where I have to keep reminding myself that I don't have tobacco around to be my crutch anymore when things get stressful. I am dealing with my triggers. It is nice to have the fake chew around when my mind tells me to reach for tobacco I can just reach for the fake. It taste pretty good too. Well, I am holding strong although caving has crossed my mind a few times. I just fight it off and remind myself that I do not want to be under nicotenes control any longer. It was controling my life. Well, it is over and I refuse to cave. Everyone keep me in there prayers.
djchris71

This really stuck out when I read this post. It has been weighing on my mind. Does the urge ever quit? Can you ever truly be over the dip demon if you constantly remind yourself by posting here every day? I'd like to here from some of the long time quitters on this.

Thanks.

Its better to post here every day than risk falling back into the habit by not posting.

Sirveyr,

I asked the same question about a year ago..

The urge quits bro!! Just Keep On!! Sure from time to time it comes into my mind, but at this point it seems like an awful option that is only going to make matters worse. So when the thought pops into my mind it gets shot down rather quickly and the urge usually lasts less that 30 seconds.. Sure throw in some work stress, an asshole neighbor and a wedding then the crave may last a little longer than 30 seconds but it sure takes alot to get to that point and I see it disappearing more and more everyday.. When i first quit I didn't need any stress I was already craving without pressure, just a little bit of stress and I may cave.. those days are gone bro.. All that being said, once we quit tobacco: We should never let our guard down.. Sure we can totally forget about it when relaxed and by all means we deserve to enjoy our freedom after all that slavery, but in times of stress or craves it wouldn't hurt to remember your struggle getting over it.. Basically the longer you stay quit the less it comes to mind and at times you may forget about it.... Just never forget how hard it was to get off the snuff.. its sucks and you never want to do it again.. Well I don't.. still posting is a way to keep yourself in check.. a line of self-defense that has worked from the start.. Plus I dipped for 17 years and I have been quit for only one, in comparison my quit is not solid enough.. This site was a major tool used during my quit.. I have tried to quit tobacco many times and its gonna be a while before I abandon this site.. Posting up everyday is saying that I am still committed to the friends I have made on here and I am still committed to staying quit, otherwise dipping may seem like an option again and I am so tired of trying to quit.. Its time to just do it...

Everyone is different.. Quits, life, stresses, addictive personalities, faces you name it.. in a year from now you may not be at the point I am at... but if you stay quit I am willing to bet you will start forgetting about something you no longer need and realize you never really did, Who knows you may still be posting too..

Barn is a hell of a quitter, He is in my group, his quit style (SMC) was totally different than mine (SunFlower Seeds).. at this point in time our quits are both equally solid.. just like barn I no longer use the seeds and they actually are kind of nasty to me now.. “Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach.” if something is not working then do whatever works just stay true to your quit.. Burn every Boat..

Keep on bro!!
Wolik 377

I am in my 25th day of no nicotine, and i have been using Original Mint Snuff , wintergreen and mint flavors, and i can honestly say that i wouldn't be able to have gotten this far without using it
bdel

Im on day 8 and I started using fake chew on day 6. Technicaly Im still clean, but Im wondering If I now am going to have to go through the same quit process with the fake stuff. Anybody have trouble weaning themselves off of the fake chew?

You can make a habit of most anything. But a habit is quite different than an addiction.

During my early quit, I tried any and everything to deal with withdrawal and cravings, but over time I discarded most of them. However, I chew Trident sugarless bubblegum almost constantly at work, especially when I'm concentrating intently. But I rarely chew any gum when I leave for lunch and none at night, weekends, or holidays - without any craving remotely compared to going a few hours or a day dip-free when I was still a slave to the can.

Short answer: Don't sweat it, just keep tobacco out of your system now.

I used the Fake chew when I quit and now I dont even use it. It was cool at first helping me keep my mind off it, but over time I lost the care for it stop that too. Thats not even hard to stop so dont worry about that.

I used SMC. I tried to use the wintergreen since it was not at all similar to Cope. In my mind it was like having a piece of candy that did not melt. I got the pouches and would put it in for a while, take it out and save it, and then put it back in when I had issues. I know it saved me several times.

For me, there comes a time when you get tired of each oral substitute. I did it with gum, seeds, candy etc. I got to the point I did not want it anymore. I still have some stashed away, and it is a crutch, but it is NOT cheating and can save your bacon!

I have used fake or herbal dips to quit a few times and had no trouble quitting the herbal stuff cause never really liked it, but I always over time ended up going back to the real stuff.

I think what you may want to watch is developing a habit of using the fake stuff. The additction to the real stuff is two fold physical and physiological.

Physically you are addicted to the nicotine.

Physiologically you have a habit of having stuff in your mouth.

My personal opinion is if you can get away from the nicotine and you get in a habit of using the herbal stuff so beit at least you are not killing yourself with every mouthfull.

I do doubt you will have any problems putting down the herbal or fake stuff though once you get past the hardcore withdrawal symptoms.

The fake stuff sucks and is gross. It always led me back to the real thing.

Now jerky chew is good stuff. That helps a ton. Tastes good too!

Personally, I use SMC--and I use the "classic". It's the closest I've found to Cope or Grizzly. Honestly, I don't think I could do it without it.

In my last quit (3 months), I used SMC too, and after a month or so, I noticed that I would go hours/days without SMC. So I wouldn't be concerned about using it myself. But then again, I'm sure there are other opinions.

Thank you for serving our Nation, Trucker!

Were you in World War I or II?

I have tried "Mint Snuff" and that stuff never really did anything for me. I have seen the hoochsnuff links on this site and heard about the Smokey Mountain Chew. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? What tastes most like wintergreen? (Kodiak/Grizzley)

Also.. what is a floor date.. I have seen 1st - 5th floor, I figured out that HOF is hall of fame (go me)

I used Copenhagen, nothing wintergreen, so I can't answer that. But when I quit, I used and preferred the wintergreen SMC over the "classic" flavor. Not sure why. Keep in mind that nothing is going to completely replace wintergreen tobacco. But you may give the SMC a try.

What we refer to as the Hall of Fame (HOF) is just the first 100 days of your quit. It's not a magic number or anything, but it's a reasonable goal to shoot for early in your quit. Then every 100 days is a new "floor" (i.e. 200 days is 2nd floor, 300 days is 3rd floor, and so on). You may hear some advanced quitters talking about "getting their comma" or "the comma club". This means hitting 1,000 days quit (with 4 digits, you now post roll with a comma after the first digit). But for now, just keep taking it one day at a time.

Thank you. Right now I feel like I could rip the head off a lion if he had just swallowed a can of any bear product. I have only seen the "Mint Snuff" in stores around me. I'll keep looking

Does anyone living in SW Ohio area know where I can buy some Fake dip at a store? (Other than "Mint Snuff" at Meijer) SMC or backoff (or whatever has a good genuine flavor)

Many Wal-Marts carry the Smokey Mountain snuff. Unfortunately, they sell it in the tobacco aisle (even though it's not tobacco and has no nicotine...they don't want kids to be able to buy it and get started dipping). There's other places that sell it, too. Smokey Mountain has a list of stores that sell it on their website. Some other brands of fake dip may only be sold online. My advice would be to just do some research on the web.

I just got some a Walley world and it calmed me way down, I was not having a good afternoon.

I want people's opinion on Hooch...? Smokey is okay, I've had BaccOff and it's okay...I guess when it boils down to it, none of it's tobacco so what's the point?

Done some research - checked my area and the places listed look at me like my 2 year old daughter looks at me when I try to explain cold fusion to her. Was just looking for specific Wal-Mart locations, or specific Speedway locations.. etc... at this point, distance is becomming less and less important

I had a fat girl laugh and say "Herbal?--huh" I told her thanks anyway and maybe she should look into it for the snack bar...

I finally found a Wally world that carries SMC. The look, packing, texture, and all around feel is incredible. The taste is not what I expected. I may need to get some dirt and cayenne pepper to make it a little more authentic. All being said, the effect was desireable. It helped trick a small part of my brain into thinking I was actually dipping.

I looked everywhere in town for fake chew. Nobody, not even Wal-mart carries it here. They all carry about 40 different kinds of snuff and chew. I guess not enough profit.

Donnie

Casey's General Stores seem to carry SMC pretty consistently around here (Illinois).

I finally found some in a town about 50 miles away from home. I tried it and found I like sunflower seeds better. Nothing wrong with it but that it is too close to the real thing without delivering. I'll save it and see how it works the next time I get a particularly intense craving and see if it helps.

Donnie

On day 75 and the SMC is helping still!

The craves are so much more managable, a pinch of SMokey in the morning and maybe 1 or 2 throughout the day and the craves are satisfied. I am going to wean down to 1 a day then pitch the fake stuff and stick only to gum.

Nicotine free for 75 days

I am only on day 11, but I can say that it has become quite easy. On about day 9 I "caved" and bought some SMC. That completely took care of the craves for me. I use some after lunch and dinner (giant crave times) and sometimes after I run in the evening. I feel a bit guilty, but dang...it's herbal and suppose to be good for me. I don't want it near as often. We will see how this goes.

You have nothing to feel guilty about. You did not put an addictive drug into your system. That is not a "cave". That is a victory, something to feel PROUD of!
If you would have used nic gum or lozenges, that would have been a different story. You didn't You used a healthy alternative. Same as chewing sugarless gum.
Be proud you have not had a dip today.

Can someone recommend to me a fake chew? Is Hooch snuff any good? I play baseball in college so i really need something fake to ease my mind when everyone else is using.

I've tried both SMC and Hooch Snuff. IMHO, Hooch Snuff is quite a bit better than SMC, mainly because of the texture, and the taste is a bit better. My $.02

Alright, thanks a lot. I'm gonna give it a try. I appreciate your opinion.