Trying Snus for the First Time

If you are reading this article, you surely want to try snus but aren’t sure how to go about it.  You’re probably asking yourself what snus you should choose, how to use it, how much of it, and how often.

If you are asking yourself all these questions, this guide will help you figure out all you need to know before taking snus for the first time.

Read on to make your first snus experience a success!

Different Types of Snus

First and foremost, it is important to distinguish between 2 categories of snus:

• Traditional Swedish snus: Made with tobacco and, in some cases, nicotine additives.
• Nicotine Pouches: Tobacco-free pouches filled with natural resins such as cellulose and nicotine salts, flavorings, and other ingredients.

Snus is often flavored with mint or licorice but always has a strong tobacco taste since the main ingredient is ground tobacco.  Also, the color of the snus is brown, just like dried tobacco leaves, and it has a distinct tobacco smell.

Nicotine pouches do not contain tobacco and taste like the flavorings added to the natural fibers in the pouch. In addition, their color is white, not brown like tobacco, due to their white fillers.

Does All Snus Come in Portions?

Today’s snus is mostly available in portion pouches that are prefabricated by the manufacturer and ready for use.  However, before the creation of the snus pouch in the modern era, snus was only available in loose form and had to be formed into a ball by hand.

However, snus connoisseurs still enjoy traditional loose snus, and the most popular snus brands still offer loose snus varieties of some of their products.

If you are discovering Snus for the first time, my advice is to go with ready-made portions rather than loose ones.

Portions are available in many different formats or sizes:

• Large (aka regular): This is the largest portion containing up to 1.1 g of snus per portion.
• Slim: Slim portions are longer and narrower than regular-size portions. They have a more comfortable fit and are less discernible than their large counterparts. They often also weigh slightly less than large portions, with the heaviest slim portion weighing 0.9g.
• Mini: The smallest portion weighing between 0.3 and 0.5g per portion.

When buying snus, whether traditional Swedish snus or nicotine pouches, it is important to know just how much nicotine you’re really getting in a hit.

Manufacturers advertise the nicotine concentration of their products as “mg/g”.

It is therefore important to know how much a portion weighs to be able to know how much nicotine you’ve really absorbed in a single hit.

For Example, if a snus portion weighs 0.9g and has a nicotine strength of 10 mg/g, then it is weaker than a snus than weighs 1.1g and has the same nicotine concentration of 10mg/g.

With the first portion, you are really only getting 9mg of nicotine as opposed to 11mg of nicotine in the second portion.

Why Should I Use Snus or Nicotine Pouches?

Many reasons can motivate someone to use snus.

Smoking Cessation

If you are a smoker and would like to quit, snus can be the way to go.

Cigarette smoke contains more than 20 toxic substances and additives in addition to nicotine.  When you smoke, you inhale burnt tobacco in addition to tar and other substances that can cause severe lung damage.

Snus is much less dangerous for your health than cigarette smoke and will not affect your lungs at all.  It is possible to get your nicotine dose with snus and get rid of your smoking habit.

You’re an Athlete

Being an athlete requires stamina, but good lung health is also required.  We all know that smoking can, in the least, cause shortness of breath and affect your performance.

If you play sports and want the kick you can get from nicotine but do not want to smoke, snus is the way to go.  Unlike cigarettes, snus will not hinder your physical performance and can be used any place at any time.

You’ve Never Used Nicotine but Want to Try Snus

If you’re curious about snus, have friends who use it, or want a new experience, why not try snus?

This guide has been created with you in mind.  The effects you will feel as a first-time user of both nicotine and snus will be stronger than for those who have already grown accustomed to nicotine by way of smoking cigarettes or vaping.

Based on your first experience, you will either continue using snus or never touch it again, depending on whether you enjoyed it.

The Effects of Snus and Nicotine Pouches

The nicotine in both cigarettes and electronic cigarettes, also known as vape, is absorbed into the bloodstream through inhalation. In cigarettes, the nicotine concentration comes from a natural source. In contrast, vape nicotine concentration is controlled and varies from 7-14 mg/g of tobacco.

When smoking or vaping, nicotine is first inhaled into the lungs. Then, the air and nicotine enter the lungs and are absorbed into the bloodstream. Snus or nicotine pouches, however, are not inhaled. Instead, they are placed between the lips and gums in the mouth.

Therefore, the process of nicotine reaching the bloodstream is very different. The lungs are not involved in this process. Instead, the nicotine is directly absorbed into the blood through the gums. Curious about what does snus feel like? Snus provides a steady release of nicotine, offering a different experience from smoking or vaping.

You are a nicotine consumer

Are you a smoker or vaper and would like to try snus?

If you take the proper precautions and use snus properly, you can have a pleasant snus experience.

Since your body is already used to nicotine’s effects, the only thing you may have to get used to is the stinging and slight burning sensation on the gums and in the throat.

Depending on the type of snus portion you choose, the nicotine delivery can be slow or fast-paced.  Either way, the nicotine kick and relaxed feeling you will feel once the nicotine is released is immediate.

You’ve never consumed nicotine.

If you are new to nicotine, you should take the proper measures and precautions to minimize the side effects related to your first-time use, regardless of whether you choose vaping, smoking, or snus.

Everyone is familiar with the effects felt by a teenager smoking his/her first cigarette, like nausea and headaches.  A first-time snus experience can resemble that of a first-time smoker, with, in addition, an increase in palpitations and heart rhythm due to the brutal influx of nicotine into the blood, as well as a stinging and slight burning sensation in the throat.

Making the Right Choice

Making the right choice for you is something that depends on whether you’ve experienced nicotine in the past or not.

For newbies who have never used nicotine, we recommend starting with nicotine pouches. You can choose a flavor you will enjoy, like mint, licorice, lemon, berry, coffee, and many more.

If you decide to go with snus instead, keep in mind that snus is essentially tobacco in a pouch. The tobacco flavor in snus is prominent and aggressive, even if it has a melon, mint, lemon, or any other flavor. For this reason, we suggest using nicotine pouches first. Test snus once you are familiar with the effects of oral nicotine use.

If you are already used to the effects of nicotine, try a nicotine pouch like Velo Crispy Peppermint. This product is very popular among nicotine pouch users. It has a strong mentholated mint flavor and a nicotine strength of 10 mg/g, which is a nice concentration.

You can also try the Skruf Super Slim line, which is a little stronger with a nicotine strength of 12 mg/g. Get the Fresh Strong variety for a minty fresh flavor or the Polar Strong variety if you enjoy the taste of herbs and eucalyptus.

On the other hand, if you are a first-time nicotine user, we recommend you use softer products with a lower concentration of nicotine, like Lyft nicotine pouches.  As such, Lyft Mint White or Lyft Topic Breeze can be a good choice, with 6 mg/g of nicotine.

If you are curious about what makes Lyft brand products so popular, look at Lyft nicotine pouches ingredients.  For starters, Lyft nicotine pouches are made with 100% natural plant fibers, mainly pine and eucalyptus.  However, the high quality natural fibers are not where it ends when using natural elements in their nicotine pouches.  The nicotine in Lyft is not an artificial chemical. Rather, it is extracted from the tobacco plant to keep Lyft nicotine pouches as real as they come, and so you know you are getting the most natural alternative to tobacco you can get.  That said, it’s no wonder that in the USA, Lyft nicotine pouches is one of the most popular brands.

In Conclusion, to start using snus successfully………

We at Snusline created this guide to assist you in your introduction to the world of snus.

We can help you make the best and most suitable choice when starting to use snus for the first time so your first snus experience is a success.

First Step

First and foremost, snus and nicotine pouches are both placed in the mouth, under the upper lip, somewhere between the front teeth and the back teeth (normally closer tho the front than the back of the mouth). It’s that simple. 

Each portion is specially designed to start releasing nicotine and flavor once a light pressure is applied, and there is contact with moisture from ingredients within the pouch and/or outside the pouch (saliva).  Since we used Lyft nicotine pouches as an example earlier, let’s use it in this case as well.

How to use Lyft nicotine pouches

Lyft nicotine pouches contain moist ingredients and are therefore, fast acting.  In the case of dryer ingredients in nicotine pouches or unmoistened tobacco in snus, the release of nicotine and flavor can take a little longer, since the only moisture in this case is the saliva in your mouth.

Firstly, the wetness moistens the fibers on the outside of the pouch and then slowly seeps in, symbiotically releasing the nicotine and flavor outward.

Follow Your Senses

We strongly believe that in order to make your first experience with snus an enjoyable one, it is important to pay attention to your sensations.  If you feel a burning sensation coming on, it is a good idea to move the portion to another area in your mouth and to drink some water.  Moving the portion will allow the burning sensation to pass and drinking water will soothe your throat.

These tips will help you at the beginning of your journey with snus when these effects can be somewhat bothersome.

Take Your Time

Give yourself time to get to know the product and feel comfortable with it.  Choose flavors and aromas that you enjoy and start with a low nicotine dosage.  If you follow this advice, you will surely have a positive experience and enjoy the moment.

You can start introducing new flavors and stronger products once you are acquainted with nicotine pouches and feel comfortable using them.  You may eventually want to try tobacco snus, with its strong tobacco flavor.

Feel the Pleasure

Using nicotine orally can be very pleasurable and satisfying. It leads to high levels of dopamine, the pleasure hormone, being released into the brain. This contributes to an overall feeling of wellness and relaxation.

At Snusline, we are always here to help. We can answer any questions or concerns you may have. We can guide you in making the most suitable choices for you, whether you are new to nicotine or snus.

If you are interested in knowing how to use Velo nicotine pouches or any other snus or nicotine pouches, you can read our guides and resources.

Come see what Snusline has to offer and start your snus journey today!