home Audience 12 Snuff - what is it? How to sniff tobacco and what are the consequences. Why snuff is dangerous: consequences of use

Snuff - what is it? How to sniff tobacco and what are the consequences. Why snuff is dangerous: consequences of use

What is snuff? Tobacco leaves are collected from the fields, dried and ground into powder. After this, various essential oils to impart a certain aroma. The finished snuff tobacco product is stored in an airtight container so that the aromas are thoroughly saturated with the powdered particles. It is available in various forms: dry or wet, with large or small particles. Snuff is not a safe alternative to regular cigarettes. Snuff affects the body in exactly the same way as regular tobacco.

A little history

Snuff is a smokeless tobacco that has been known to mankind for a long time. Another indigenous people of the North and South America chewed this strange powder. Snorting and chewing it was also a popular activity in Europe and the Scandinavian countries (the word "tobacco" comes from the Scandinavian word "snus").

In the United States, chewing tobacco was associated with baseball. Players chewed it and also used it to soften their gloves. By the 1950s, it had fallen out of favor; instead of being chewed, most began to prefer to smoke it. In the 1970s, people became more aware of the dangers of smoking. Believing the chewing powder to be safer, baseball players began chewing it again. And some players even managed to mix it with chewing gum and use this nicotine gum.

Smokeless tobacco: snuff - what is it?

There are two forms of smokeless tobacco: chewing and snuff. The chewable one is placed between the cheek and gum. Snuff is a real snuff in powder form. Chemical substances, contained in it, are poisonous and addictive. Each time you use it, your body adjusts to the amount needed to get a sufficient dose of nicotine. Therefore, in next appointment the body will need a little more to get the same sensations.

Snuff is a form of crushed tobacco, which is considered to have originated in Norway and Sweden. Snuff and chewing tobacco are usually sold in small jars or bags under different trade names. Both species contain at least 28 causing cancer substances (carcinogens, tobacco-specific nitrosamines).

Snuff: benefit or harm?

Snuff is snuff, usually finely ground and flavored. With its growing popularity, many are beginning to wonder whether it is harmful to health? Any tobacco products harms the body, however, many experts believe that it is generally advisable not to smoke, but if you use tobacco, it is better to use smokeless snuff in kind. This cannot be called useful, but using snuff is more economically beneficial than smoking.

What is snuff? Manufacturers call their product the least expensive and in a simple way get pure powder without serious consequences for good health. Nasal tobacco comes in various flavors: cherry, apricot, lemon, sandalwood, rose, jasmine, chocolate, coffee, mint, orange and others. The most popular use of snuff is to take a pinch between a large and index fingers and inhale a small amount.

Smokeless does not mean harmless

What are the dangers of smokeless tobacco? There is no such thing as a safe poison, and along with smoking, inhalation and chewing of tobacco can cause cancer and lead to a number of other health problems. What is snuff? This is smokeless tobacco, which can even kill, but not immediately. At first he will gradually apply irreparable harm to the human body. Harmful substances have mainly local effects, smoking harms the lungs, chewing and snuffing types lead to diseases of the nasopharynx and throat. The consequences may be as follows:

cracking and bleeding of lips and gums;
weak gums and, as a result, tooth loss;
increased heart rate;
high blood pressure;
uneven heart rate;
increased risk of heart attacks and tumors;
oral cancer, damage to the tongue, palate, cheeks or gums;
Some of the carcinogens in tobacco can get into the lining of the stomach, esophagus and bladder.

What are the early signs of oral cancer?

Using snuff can cause diseases such as cancer. Listed below are some signs of this disease.

an ulcer that bleeds slightly and does not heal;
a lump or thickening anywhere in the mouth or neck;
soreness or swelling that does not go away;
red or white coating, which does not disappear;
discomfort when chewing, swallowing, moving the tongue or jaw.

Chewing tobacco and snuff contain nicotine, which is addictive.
And although nicotine is absorbed more slowly from chewing tobacco than from cigarettes, 3-4 times more nicotine is ultimately absorbed and remains in the bloodstream longer from snuff than from a cigarette. Despite its harmfulness, smokeless tobacco is used throughout the world in a number of different cultures and is aimed primarily at young consumers between 20 and 35 years of age.

The habit of snuffing tobacco in Russia was widespread in the 18th-19th centuries, but even today there are adherents of this particular method of using tobacco. There are entire fan clubs and communities of his fans.

In this article we will talk about snuff, or, as it is also called, snuff. You will learn interesting historical facts, about how to snuff tobacco, about the benefits and harms of snuff, and also about how to make it yourself.

History of snuff

The first mention of snuff can be found in the descriptions of the Indians. Monk Raymond Payne first wrote about snuff in 1493, after Christopher Columbus visited America again. Queen Catherine de' Medici of France received a box of snuff in 1561, which was intended as a cure for migraines. Later, Katerina began to use it constantly. Also famous fans of snuff are Napoleon and King Louis XIII of France.

This hobby came to Russia during the reign of Catherine the Great, when the first tobacco workshops began to open in St. Petersburg. Until the 1810s, snuff was extremely popular. Both men and women of high society sniffed snuff. It was called “dry drunkenness.”

Today snuff is slowly gaining popularity again. Some people try to quit smoking regular cigarettes this way, some consider it harmless fun, others just want to stand out from the crowd. Snuff is especially in demand in Europe.

Features of snuff

What is snuff? Essentially, it is ordinary tobacco ground into dust. Snuff, along with chewing tobacco, snus and nasvay, refers to smokeless tobacco. Most often, various flavorings are added to it. In stores you can find snuff, differing in brands and scents.

How to sniff tobacco correctly? This can be done in several ways:

You can feel the effect within a couple of minutes, and it will last up to half an hour. Mental activity improves and mood rises. A slight dizziness may begin, and the nasal mucosa will burn. An overdose is possible - if you overdo it with a portion, you can get unpleasant consequences in the form of nausea, vomiting, tremor.

Harm of snuff

Proponents of snuff often claim that this method is much healthier than smoking. Here are the arguments they give in defense of snuff:

This is a safe alternative to cigarettes, since there are no combustion processes and the nicotine content is much lower;
Snuff helps you quit smoking and is not addictive;
Helps with runny nose and nasal congestion.

But is this really so? Unfortunately, the usefulness of snuff is nothing more than fiction and tricky marketing ploy. This is not to say that snuff is less harmful than cigarettes. Yes, it contains less nicotine, but at the same time, manufacturers add a lot of toxic and carcinogenic impurities that are also harmful to health.

While smoking cigarettes can increase the risk of lung cancer, drinking snuff significantly increases the risk of getting cancer. oral cavity and larynx. Moreover, diseases occur 2-3 times faster than in smokers. In the long term, memory problems and dementia are possible.

In addition, snuff not only does not help you quit smoking, but also develops a new habit. There is nicotine in the powder, which means addiction can also occur.

Another disadvantage of snuff: those who constantly use it, their nose becomes red, their eyes begin to water and they want to sneeze all the time. According to statistics, snuff lovers live 5-7 years less than smokers. And also on average 20 years less than non-smokers.

Is there any benefit to snuff? In addition to the pleasure that this process brings, there is actually little benefit for good health. A person who sniffs snuff in small quantities with a runny nose can actually get short-term relief. However, the harm of snuff is still greater than the benefit, which is why doctors do not prescribe it to patients as a cure for the common cold.

How to choose snuff

Today on store shelves you can find a large number of snuff brands, such as Red Bull, Bernard Brothers, Poschl, Copenhagen, Black Rappee, Lotzbeck, Carett snuff, Ozona and many others. The cost also varies, for example, a can of Ozona President costs about 185 rubles per 5 grams, and a package of Red Bull of similar weight costs 260 rubles.

Our whole life flows in a circle - some traditions fade into oblivion, and old, previously fashionable trends return to replace them. This applies to everything – fashion for clothes and shoes, sports and, unfortunately, bad habits. In the last century, it was considered the height of chic to have a snuff of tobacco in a beautiful gilded snuff box. This custom is slowly returning, and today snuff can increasingly be seen in the hands of fairly young people who do not consider its use destructive to the body. Is it really?

Snuff

This is the American word young people use to call snuff. Snuff is ordinary tobacco, ground to the smallest dust particles. Such tobacco is not smoked, but is either sniffed (dry tobacco) or placed behind the lip (wet snuff).

Snuff is prepared in the same factories as regular cigarettes. For its production, the remains of tobacco leaves are used, which are considered defective and not suitable for production regular cigarettes.

The remains of the leaves are finely ground into dust, and flavorings are added to them for greater effect. The product is packaged in boxes and goes on sale. Snuff is officially approved for use in many countries, including the Russian Federation.

Today on the shelves you can find a huge number of varieties of snuff, with different fillers and under different brands - Bernard Brothers, Poschl, Copenhagen, Black Rappee, Lotzbeck, Carett snuff and others. Manufacturers of this type tobacco products claim that this method of nicotine consumption is the least harmful to human health.

The main contingent of snuff users are fairly young people aged 16 years and older. They may snort it through a straw, as cocaine users do, or they may place small pellets in their nostrils and inhale sharply. A completely logical question is: why is it needed? Some use snuff to gradually quit smoking regular cigarettes, while others simply enjoy the process.
The video describes the production process of snuff:

Kinds

There are many varieties of tobacco that are used in a smokeless manner. Let's look at the most popular ones.

Dry tobacco. This is an ordinary dry snuff, the method of consumption of which is inhalation through the nose. This type of tobacco is produced mainly in Germany, some types in the UK. That is why it is also called European tobacco. The most famous brands of dry snuff today are Gletscher prise and Gawith Apricot from the German manufacturer Pöschl tabak. Less widespread is the snuff produced by the English company Wilson under the brand name Medicated 99.

Wet snuff. It differs from dry tobacco in the way it is used - a small amount of tobacco is placed between the lip and gum. It causes the same euphoria as snuff, as it contains a large amount of nicotine. In Russia you can buy a large number of brands of wet snuff - Copenhagen, Husky, Hawken, Longhor.

Each brand has a different nicotine content - for example, Longhor and Husky are cheaper and contain less nicotine than Copenhagen brand tobacco. There are also flavored varieties of moist tobacco.

Swedish snus also falls into the category of moist tobacco. It is used in the same way as the previous row of tobacco products - placed behind the lip. Snus differs from wet snuff in the method of production - tobacco for snus is dried in air, and not using artificial heat. After drying, the tobacco mixture is heated with hot steam to kill any bacteria, and then packaged. Snus can be stored for a long time without fear of a significant increase in the amount of hazardous substances in it. Since 2015, it has been prohibited for sale in Russia.

Among the varieties of moist tobacco, one can distinguish Asian nasvay. In addition to tobacco, it contains either slaked lime or plant ash. This component enhances the absorption of nicotine through the mucous membranes of the mouth. In Russia, trafficking has been prohibited since 2011.

Photo of dry snuff

Effect

In general, the effect of snuff on human body no different from the effect of smoking regular cigarettes, except that the smoke does not enter the lungs. Otherwise, it is the same nicotine, which, when entering the blood, brings a feeling of euphoria and relaxation, improves mood and stimulates a person to take active action.

The difference between snuff and smoking regular cigarettes is that when inhaling tobacco through the nose, nicotine acts much faster, and the state of intoxication lasts immeasurably longer.

With all that, using snuff as a means to obtain nicotine euphoria, you can easily get an overdose. To avoid negative consequences You should try to reduce the dosage with each use.

The benefits and harms of snuff

It would seem, what could be the benefit of a bad habit? But inhaling tobacco cannot be called anything other than a bad habit. It turns out that regular use of snuff can help get rid of a runny nose quickly. This, of course, is a dubious medicine, but nevertheless, the effect of clearing the nasal cavity as a result of using snuff in small portions is clearly noticeable.

In addition, snuff helps improve the thinking process. This is most likely due to the increased blood circulation that occurs as a result of the effects of nicotine. So is it harmful or not?

Despite obvious positive points in the effect of snuff on the body, the proven harm of this habit is much stronger:

The use of snuff causes a strong nicotine addiction, since with this method of use, nicotine does not burn, as is the case with smoking cigarettes, but is completely absorbed into the body. Several sniffs of strong tobacco per day harmful effects equal to a pack of cigarettes!
Snuff is primarily nicotine, which provokes the development of oncological diseases. People who inhale tobacco powder sooner or later develop malignant tumors nasopharynx and oral cavity (when placing wet snuff behind the lip).
Prolonged inhalation of snuff leads to constant nasal congestion, deterioration of olfactory function and constant nasal flow.
Nicotine contained in a sniff of tobacco dust has a negative effect on the heart muscle, vascular and reproductive system in people of both sexes.
, which is not easy to recognize when using snuff, causes real intoxication of the body - a person experiences nausea, vomiting, and confusion. IN severe cases An overdose of snuff can provoke the development of coma and, as a consequence, the death of the patient.

The conclusion is obvious: the use of snorting mixtures does nothing better than smoking and cannot be positioned as adequate therapy nicotine addiction Moreover, snuff causes significantly more terrible health consequences than smoking. All this is the answer to the question - why is snuff so dangerous?

Consequences of use

In addition to the rapid formation malignant processes(and in those who inhale tobacco, oncology develops several times faster than in those who do not use nicotine at all), several years of constant use of snuff lead to a deterioration in cognitive functions and early development senile dementia. What can we say about chronic diseases nasopharynx: constant sinusitis and sinusitis become frequent companions for those who like to inhale tobacco dust. In addition, various impurities included in snuff can cause serious allergic manifestations, up to the development of Quincke's edema.

So, those who want to indulge in snuff tobacco should go back to smoking tobacco? Not really. Those trying to avoid dire consequences To stay healthy from the effects of nicotine, you should completely give up the bad habit and find ways to please yourself and your body using more harmless methods.

Tobacco is not only smoked, it can also be chewed and even snorted. It all depends on how and from what the tobacco mixture is produced.

It is not known exactly when people started taking snuff, but it was definitely a long time ago. With the discovery of this plant, human life changed dramatically. First they chewed tobacco. People began to use it in general because the substances contained in tobacco refresh the brain and thoughts. But what appeared first - smoking tobacco or snuff - is not known.

The inhabitants of America were the first to know all the delights of this plant. The Indians mixed it with medicinal herbs, smoked, chewed, sniffed, put it behind the lip, in general, used it to its fullest.

The exact date of the first mention of snuff is not known, but we know that it was mentioned in connection with the description of the same Indians in American literature. In general, in the West, snuff was very popular among both indigenous people and cowboys, for example.

Snuff was first described by Raymond Payne in 1493, during Columbus's second voyage to America. The popularity of this phenomenon was gaining momentum, but it reached Europe only in 1561. This happened thanks to the French ambassador from Portugal, who sent a box of tobacco to the Queen of France, wife of Henry II, Catherine de Medici. Mr. Jean Nicot in no way wanted to make Katerina addicted to his gift. bad habits On the contrary, he sent her this gift as a cure for the migraine that tormented the royal person.

Catherine not only liked tobacco, she became an avid “snuffer,” as snuff lovers were called. The fashion for this curiosity began to spread very quickly. In addition, the world is already tired of the smoky halls and the heavy smell of cigarettes and pipes. In high society, smoking was now considered indecent.

TO XVII century snuff reached Russia. The trick of this tobacco was not only that it did not cause inconvenience to others, but also in elegant snuff boxes. A tobacco boom began in high society. These tiny boxes depicted emperors, portraits of parents, beautiful landscapes, animals, famous people, they were encrusted with precious stones and collected. If a young man gave a lady a snuff box, it was a very serious sign of attention.

Yes, yes, lady. Women did not sniff tobacco fewer men, in some circles it was believed that snuff was only for women.

The fact is that it was and remains much lighter than smoking tobacco or, for example, shag. To obtain a snuff mixture, the tobacco leaf is ground into a fine dust; depending on the manufacturer, the tobacco is mixed with either herbs or flavorings, or left pure. This mixture is called “snuff”.

Snuff can be European, it is easy to find, it is available in almost every tobacco store. European snuff is mild, flavored and meant to be sniffed only. The second variety is American snuff, it is heavier and has no impurities. American is not only sniffed, it is mainly placed between the lip and gums. This type of snuff is especially for tough men who don’t have an inner cowboy.

There are three ways to sniff tobacco. The first is to pour a little snuff on the hand, where the bones of the index and thumb, and inhale. The second way is to inhale from a flat surface, and the third is to simply put a little in the nose, bringing a small pinch of snuff to it.

Whether this tobacco is harmful is still debated, because it is quite popular and is consumed in large quantities. For example, snuff is very popular in Germany; many companies produce it. There are always pros and cons, but it definitely has less nicotine than cigarettes or pipe tobacco, and snuff helps some with migraines or runny noses. True, if you abuse it, it will not lead to anything good.

Snuff is snuff that has been ground into a powder and intended for inhalation. The main target audience of the product is young people, since the process of use seems unusual and elitist to boys and girls. The consequences of using snuff, in addition to negative influence increased doses of nicotine are very unpleasant, especially when long-term use substances.

What is snuff?

The product is sold in small bright snuff boxes containing crushed tobacco. Before use, it is crushed even more using improvised means, after which it is inhaled through a straw or without it. Flavorings improve the taste of the product, but the process of cleansing the respiratory tract is poorly thought out. Nicotine is absorbed through the mucous membrane of the throat and nasopharynx, a condition resembling easy stage alcohol intoxication.

Harmful consequences of using snuff:

Diseases of the nasopharynx. Despite the fact that the tobacco is crushed to a powdery state, it fully retains its abrasive effect. Microtraumas appear on the mucous membrane, which can become inflamed, even leading to the formation of tumors.
Dry eyes and loose nose. They burst during the absorption of nicotine. blood vessels, which causes swelling and redness. There are also unpleasant sensations in the eye area - they become watery, and you have to use eye drops.
Nicotine addiction. The enzyme itself does not pose a particular threat to the body, because it is produced in small doses by every person. However, a large amount of nicotine leads to a kind of addiction, which significantly reduces the quality of life.
Memory loss. This effect noted only among active consumers and is caused by the accumulation of several factors. Dementia can develop against the background of early addiction to snuff in adolescents under the age of 16.

Do you want to help a loved one? Find out what to do and where to start

Why does snuff make you sleepy?

Immediately after taking crushed tobacco, a feeling of drowsiness and lethargy occurs, which is especially dangerous for drivers, builders, and production workers.

With an increased dose of the substance, it occurs headache, nausea, in people with a weak cardiovascular system - fainting, severe dizziness. This is due, firstly, to the entry into the body large quantity nicotine Secondly, due to blockage of the respiratory tract, oxygen enters in less quantity.

In addition, brain saturation with blood also worsens, especially with regular use of the substance. As a result, drowsiness appears, so it is highly undesirable for drivers going on a long journey to use snuff.

Is it true that snuff helps with nasopharyngeal diseases?

Another common myth is about the imaginary benefits of snuff for colds. Indeed, when inhaling the crushed substance with aromas, some improvement may occur, but it is short-term nature. In the future, tobacco clogs the respiratory channels even more, and the material itself is fertile ground for the growth of bacteria.

Summary

So, the use of snuff is another type of painful attraction to tobacco. Despite certain advantages over traditional smoking, the harm is very noticeable, and those who suffer first of all are: Airways. The danger of asphyxia due to the use of snuff cannot be ruled out, which, despite its rarity, still occurs.