Any of you Zynners?

[Flatbrimmer]

I have said it in the past but never elaborated, or more importantly, have never updated the progress:

I smoked my first cigarette on 4th of July when I was 9 years old. I currently have a 9 year old son so that fact alone pains me indescribably. By the time I was 12, I was pulling “hey mister”s to get folks to buy my packs of cigarettes and eventually beer. Fast forward 19 years and I had been smoking over a pack a day since before I learned cursive. I felt ashamed at my new found love for hunting and hiking and wildlife and the fact that I couldn’t go without the foul odor of a cigarette every 30 minutes. I felt ashamed of being RJ Reynolds B1+<#….

I know a lot of folks that do the cottony zyn pouches and they seem to help them. I never did get too much into the zyn but I picked up something similar called “cottonmouth” where I can pick my own MG of nicotine. I’m extremely proud to say I haven’t smoked a single cigarette since Saturday April 29th. The nicotine-infused cotton balls really work! I know it isn’t a safe and/or permanent solution but there is no doubt in my mind I will have an easier time kicking the cotton balls. There is absolutely no doubt I feel a trillion times better, more energy, higher senses in smell and taste, and I can actually RUN to the mailbox and back without having to lay down. I don’t have to feel ashamed inviting non smokers to roll with me anywhere. I didn’t realize how much sacrifice my friends were making just taking me along somewhere when I needed a smoke in the truck- on the river- or in the field. I know I’m not the only hunter that smoked or tried or is trying to quit. Do you zyn or similar? Are/were you a long time smoker? What’s your feelings on having a smoking buddy when you do not smoke? I imagine it’s kept me from a lot of friends unknowingly…

Here’s to a new chapter of life!

 

[DFS]

I never smoked but a zyn is a delightful little treat. Nicotine is one of the most addictive drugs out there. A zyn is supposedly safer than smoking. Good luck!

 

[Nick87]

Used to smoke 2 packs a day that's on a weekday not going out. Threw em out one morning, never looked back. Admittedly I still dip Copenhagen but not all the time usually only strikes me if I'm working outside on an open station machine, splitting wood etc.

 

[mtmuley]

I have said it in the past but never elaborated, or more importantly, have never updated the progress:

I smoked my first cigarette on 4th of July when I was 9 years old. I currently have a 9 year old son so that fact alone pains me indescribably. By the time I was 12, I was pulling “hey mister”s to get folks to buy my packs of cigarettes and eventually beer. Fast forward 19 years and I had been smoking over a pack a day since before I learned cursive. I felt ashamed at my new found love for hunting and hiking and wildlife and the fact that I couldn’t go without the foul odor of a cigarette every 30 minutes. I felt ashamed of being RJ Reynolds B1+<#….

I know a lot of folks that do the cottony zyn pouches and they seem to help them. I never did get too much into the zyn but I picked up something similar called “cottonmouth” where I can pick my own MG of nicotine. I’m extremely proud to say I haven’t smoked a single cigarette since Saturday April 29th. The nicotine-infused cotton balls really work! I know it isn’t a safe and/or permanent solution but there is no doubt in my mind I will have an easier time kicking the cotton balls. There is absolutely no doubt I feel a trillion times better, more energy, higher senses in smell and taste, and I can actually RUN to the mailbox and back without having to lay down. I don’t have to feel ashamed inviting non smokers to roll with me anywhere. I didn’t realize how much sacrifice my friends were making just taking me along somewhere when I needed a smoke in the truck- on the river- or in the field. I know I’m not the only hunter that smoked or tried or is trying to quit. Do you zyn or similar? Are/were you a long time smoker? What’s your feelings on having a smoking buddy when you do not smoke? I imagine it’s kept me from a lot of friends unknowingly…

Here’s to a new chapter of life!

27 years ago I crumpled up the last empty box of Marlboro Reds I ever smoked and threw it in the trash. I was a 2 pack a day smoker. Cold turkey and have never looked back. mtmuley

 

[Shangobango]

I go through a few containers of the Zyn Coffee flavored 6mg pouches a week.

I dipped for 30 years prior to finding alternatives. Did the vape thing for awhile and then tried Black Buffalo. Finally settled on Zyn about 6 months ago I think. Haven't had much indigestion issues at all since getting off of the tobacco. I used to take Nexium and eat Tums like candy.

 

[Flatbrimmer]

That’s unreal. part of me says I don’t know that I could have done it without an alternative, the other part of me knows how set in my brain that I WANTED TO QUIT. I don’t mind the cotton ball things though.. Like stickney said, it really is a nice little treat to me… for now.
Lol I’d prolly still take a Copenhagen if someone had some Straight around the campfire. Can’t do the snuff, long-cut or minty chit

 

[BackofBeyond]

When you get ready to kick the zyn, call your state’s tobacco quit line. Idaho sent me free nicotine replacement meds. I did the nicorette lozenges and they helped a lot for me.

 

[Shangobango]

That’s unreal. part of me says I don’t know that I could have done it without an alternative, the other part of me knows how set in my brain that I WANTED TO QUIT. I don’t mind the cotton ball things though.. Like stickney said, it really is a nice little treat to me… for now.
Lol I’d prolly still take a Copenhagen if someone had some Straight around the campfire. Can’t do the snuff, long-cut or minty chit

Honestly, my reason for needing an alternative is more for the sake of those around me than myself lol.

When I do get ready to kick nicotine completely it will need to be at a time when I have a couple weeks off work and preferably will be far from civilization.

If I quit while having to deal with managing people and dealing with those above me in the chain of command it would probably be a career killer lol.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

I was a pretty hardcore Copenhagen chewer. Cold Turkey.

 

[Birdbander]

A pack+ a day of Marlboro Reds for nearly 20 years. Quit cold turkey over a decade ago and very thankful for that decision.

No close friends or family smoke, but many coworkers do. It has never bothered me but I can detect cigarette smoke like a bloodhound

Even after all of these years a craving will hit occasionally when I'm doing something that I smoked doing: sitting in the turkey woods, Darkhouse pike spearing. The cravings vanish just as quickly.

Congratulations and good luck moving forward.

 

[Straight Arrow]

They were cheap in Vietnam; smoked two packs a day while over there. Quit cold turkey over forty years ago. Also detect cigarette odor like a bloodhound ... and it makes me physically ill, with nausea. 'Best thing I ever did was to quit. Now still hike and hunt steep elk mountains with son and grandsons. 'Won the gold for my age group in the 5k Longest Dam Race across Ft Peck Dam this summer.
Strong advice to those who are still hooked on tobacco ... QUIT NOW!!! Then as my 100 yr old Mom would tell me, "Move it ... or lose it!"

 

[mtmuley]

It's hard to do no matter the method. When I quit my wife was still smoking. That was tough. She quit cold turkey about 6 months later when we found out she was pregnant. Neither one of us has gone back. It's interesting though that sometimes in the early morning if I smell a cigarette while having my coffee it triggers something. mtmuley

 

[Flatbrimmer]

That’s what worries me. Some days I smell it now and it almost chokes me out, other times I smell it and it’s oh so familiar. It’s been my whole life it seems, spent more of my lifetime smoking than not. I will never go back. It trapped me as a child and it has taken some serious power of will to finally kick it. This will be my first fall in the deer and elk woods without a freakin cigarette! That’s exciting! I feel I’ve done very well as a new, adult-onset, first generation hunter. I reckon the next five years will be better than the last 5!!

 

[Nick87]

Since I quit I can't stand the smell!

 

[Southern Elk]

When I played 7th grade football our coach let us dip/chew at practice. There’s was also a country store across the street from the middle school and the old man that owned it would sell cigarettes and tobacco to us. I had just seen my grandfather die from lung cancer, so I never started, but I have several friends that to this day are still using tobacco. It’s a damn shame those two men didn’t do anything to stop it.

 

[Birdbander]

I met a gentleman who was 78 years old who became my woodcock banding mentor and friend. I still smoked at the time and would light up while we were banding or grouse hunting. He remarked several times that it was the best smell in the woods. I asked how long ago he quit smoking, he said 40 years ago.
He had COPD but bird hunted up to his last fall at 85. Shortly after he could no longer hide his lung cancer that he'd hidden from everyone on purpose and passed just after turning 86. He was like the Grandfather that I never had the chance to know.

 

[jejack26]

Good luck, haven't had chew of Copenhagen in 5 years, off zyn for 1 years. I probably could afford a darn guided moose hunt in the Yukon for all the money spent on chewing or nicotine replacement in last 60 years.

Your smart to quit for your 9 yr old

 

[Keep on]

I quit 7 years ago after smoking a pack a day for 25+ years.
I used the e-cigs to get off the tobacco and then dropped it all together.
Good job quitting, you won't regret being done with them. Starting on them as a teenager is one of my few regrets.

 

[huntin24/7]

I basically quit dipping 5 years ago or so and would still buy a tin or bum one occasionally. I now buy a can or 2 of zyn when I go on a weekend fishing trip or doing things that might make me crave chew. I’m sure they aren’t healthy but certainly better than the alternative. I have not craved chew once since I started replacing with zyn when I feel like I might need them. Might need to start with 6 mg and work down to 3. Good luck!

 

[Beignet]

America runs on Zyn.

Or at least the Missoula area seems to. I’ve got one of them coffee flavored pups in pretty much all day.

I’m in my early 40’s now. Started smoking regularly at like 13 or so (bad boyz). Switched from smoking Reds to dipping Griz Straight full time about 8 years ago, then to Zyn about 4 years back.

Not smoking makes me smell better and makes hiking up hills easier. But I’m still hopelessly addicted to nicotine if I’m being honest.

Major downside to Big Zyn taking over the west is that I see them chits spat out in the woods all over the place. It’s like there’s a little Johnny Zyn Seed running around trying to plant Zyn bushes all over the state. Let’s all try and put ‘em in our pockets when we’re done, eh?