Chew? or not to Chew that's my question! (NFR)

[Gone Fishin]

Roy and Scott brought up a good subject, do you chew while fishing? What brand? Have you quit? And for how long (Chewing or since you quit)? :shocked:

It seems to me fishing and chewing go hand-in-hand, being in the outdoors, spitting tobacco everywhere...yes, we're manly men!

I started chewing in the 8th grade of Yamhill Grade School, (I think it was an elective :rolleyes: ) got all the way through my senior year of High School before my parents found out when the school newspaper interviewed the senior class to determine "what improvements could be made for the future of the school?" My reply was, "put spittoons in the hallways!" Man, my mom sure didn't like that! :depressed:

I tried lot's of brands, and finally Copenhagen was my chew of choice ... up until July 24, 2000.
As I was coming home from Alaska I decided to quit, cold turkey. I have been chew free for a year and a half now! :grin:

Do I miss it? Yes at times, but I'm sure glad I quit! That crap is over five bucks a can now in most places!

I too Roy, could have probably purchased a new boat with all the money I put into spitting that stuff out!

[rags]

Marty,
Congrats on giving up the chew. Both my boys started chewing while playing college and professional baseball and still struggle to stop. I know it is harder to stop chewing than smoking.

[Ramstrong]

I played around with Red Man just after highschool, but thank god the habit didn't stick. Never messed with the "hard stuff".

[WheresMyBobber]

Feb. 5th will be my 1 year anniversary of quitting chewing. :grin: :grin:

I chewed wintergreen Skoal for 15 years, and loved to chew while fishing. It took me 3 attempts to finally quit but I told myself the 3rd time there would be no turning back. I took my last chew and my fishing pole and went down to the bank of the Clackamas to enjoy my last fishing/chewing trip. I've never looked back since!

If anybody reading this is thinking of starting chewing - DON'T DO IT!!

[ 01-29-2002: Message edited by: WheresMyBobber ]</p>

[Beer Waggin]

I had a beautiful 14 year relationship with Copenhagen Snuff. I broke it off when they started making the long cut a few years ago. It's something I wish I would have never started though. I can be thankful for the healthy, strong teeth in my bloodline. After 16 odd years of chewing my dentist just told me my teeth and gums are in great shape.
I quit a couple of times, but never for more than about 2 months. Old habits die hard I guess.
Have you tried Back Off yet? My buddy brought back a couple of cans from Texas about a month ago. It tasted great and I really thought my chewing days were going to be over for good. I ordered a roll from Back Off in Alabama, but the stuff tasted like dirt. Chewing gum helps, but nothing tastes like the real stuff.
Marty, your a bigger man than most for doing it cold turkey like that. I can still remember when my boss quit a couple of years ago. I can remember him pounding on his key board with his fists, screaming something about this slow #$&@ computer. One of the funniest things I ever saw.

[Bait O' Eggs]

I started right out of HS with Levi Garret, moved over to Redman, then a little stint with Skoal mint, then I just moved up to Copenhagen. There was never a day I didnt go thru at least a can, sometimes 2 :shocked: :shocked: It is such a natural thing to do when outside. I even had a spitter on my desk at work for years. 11 years after starting I decided it was time to quit. I had fear of getting mouth cancer as I was getting sores in my mouth.

I quit cold turkey Jan 1 1992. I kid you not my body shook for 3 days. I was having hallucinations and at times my vision got all blurred for minutes at a time as I cleansed my system. The first couple of nights I got out of bed in a cold sweat, you would think I was addicted to heroin or something stronger the way my body rejected not having nicotene. I have seen shows where people are doing anything to get that next fix, I can understand that pain. And all this from a legal drug.

Nicotene can really get its hooks in ya, and it is really hard to get them out. I never smoked, nor never had any desire to. I still crave a copenhagen and take a whiff when somebody around me opens a can up.

After a few days it is all mental, but it isnt easy to quit. I know what it took to quit, I dont want to start all over with a single dip.

My biggest regret is getting my hunting buddy hooked. He has not been able to quit and continues to enjoy the fine ground leaf. :depressed:

[Fishalot]

I started doing the evergreen a few years ago after getting a lot of free samples at the Sportsmen show. I never did use them up, one day I just wanted to stop and so I did. Well hunting season came around and it's nice to have a dip when waiting around for the ducks so I started back up. Most recently I stopped just after seeing the TV add with the kid with the father that died because of it. I have two boys and it just tore my heart out to think I might be around to hunt, Fish and see them grow up. I do have to say that it took a lot of prayer time to stop.


Fishalot :smile:

[24 on/ 48 off]

Wow! Talk about hittin' home.

I just quit last month.

I chewed since I was 14 years old. A few years of Kodiak, and then Copenhagen since. I was chewing about 5 cans a week. At $5.00/ can thats nearly $1200 a year! I decided to quit on New years eve. But, I ran out of a can at 3:00 PM on December 31st. I decided not to buy a can for 9 hours of chewing. I quit cold turkey. Been 29 days now and about 50 packs of gum,

I'm doing OK, but I must admit, a dip would be real fine when out on a winter steelhead trip. :smile: I'm not gonna do it though.

Weird thing about quitting. I have lost weight. Most of my friends who quit tobacco have gained weight. I guess i am lucky in that respect.

--spud-- :smile:

[ 01-29-2002: Message edited by: 24 on/ 48 off ]</p>

[birdsnest]

Started chewing in 1982. Kodiak was my first but moved to "Cope" with in a year. A couple years later after giving away more cope than I was using (worked @ a lumber mill) decided to change brands to Skoal classic to get rid of the free loaders..
Stayed with that until I quit 2 plus years ago(dec 3).

Did it cold turkey and still have the periodic urge to put in a "big fatty". Miss it most when I'm fishing, hunting, drinking or after whoopi... :wink:

Some day I'll die and I think the craving will go away. Do we get to chew in heaven?

[Tacklebuster]

Being born and raised in the south (Alabama and Georgia), I too was introduced to Copenhagen while waiting for the catfish to bite. Where I was from you chewed copenhagen and picked on the guys chewing skoal. I chewed for 10 years before I finally wised up and put it down. I do miss it dearly when I'm sturgeon fishing though.

I agree fully with previous posts on trying to put it away. It was easier for me to stop smoking than chewing. I chew gum or cough drops from time to time when I get the cravings and it seems to help. I do not like the idea of Back Off for one specific reason. You still have the habit of putting a fatty in your lip. I know nicotene is a hard habit to break but so is the chewing and spitting and everything else involved. I guess a lot of it is psychological and sometimes that is harder to break than the drug itself.

It's been 3 years for me and I strongly encourage the readers that still spit to think about stopping. You have to want to stop for it to work though. I think a guy that just wants to stop without dedicating himself to it may be in for an emotional let down. I remember when I stopped for about a month and broke down and took "one little chew," I had to "stop" again and I felt a little guilty. Double whammy :shocked:

[Flatfish]

And smoked 2-3 packs a day and 4 cans a week.Quit chew and smoked for a while.Then quit smokin too.Poor dog will never be the same.Had I known how much I missed it. I'd have never started.
Mark

[Damien]

I've been chewing for about 3 years now and wish that I could quit but I just like it too much. I chew Wintergreen Rooster. I've at times tried to chew less but I would still be chewing so I don't know if that is any better. Did any of you guys use a patch or nicotine gum. I think the biggest part is having something in your lip??? I've tried mint snuff, and it's ok, but I think that you really have to want to quit to do it. Hopefully it isn't when you get cancer.

[CATCH AND EAT]

Worst I have ever had to chew was 50# test. Lost my pliers and the knife was not handy. That and a few doughball boaters at bouy 10. :depressed:

Glad to hear you guys have kicked it. Nasty stuff and sure makes a mess. Stuff looks like Seagull crap anyway when it hits the ground.

[Pete]

Dang, that stuff sounds good! I'll have to give it a try! My only question; regular or long cut, and why?

[Mrdorkfish]

Now this is a different one....i have chewed since freshmen baseball....geeezzzz??? 78? I quit for 3 years some time between then and now...but do it today. Mostly copenhagen fer me....short/long cut...had to buy a back up of skoal the other day...not bad....used to do that...I know that most think it's the nicotine but it's also the **** fixation....try using some mint chew...they sell it in stores too...it's in a chew can and it's all mint, not bad :smile: I have to have a chew on the way to the river....and pack some more in when i'm there....mostly swallow....i'm addicted...

Good luck quitting,

Mrdorkfish
:grin: hey...why can't you use the word OooooRrrrAaaaLllll????

[ 01-29-2002: Message edited by: Mrdorkfish ]</p>

[Don Becker]

I never used tobacco at all until my 20th birthday. I started then with a pipe and smoked it for just about 10 years exactly, and quit "cold turkey" - - 'still have a pretty nice pipe collection . . . 'just don't smoke 'em. I've continued to smoke an occasional cigar - - - 'half dozen or so a year. Probably about 10 years ago, I started chewing (first Reddman, then mostly Skol and some others) mostly just during the hunting season. But, I found it developing into a habit. A tin would generally last me nearly a month, so, I guess that might not be so bad. But, I could see where it was going! Not that I might not, on a rare occasion, "bum" a pinch from a buddy . . . but, I have quit now for nearly a year. I never did like that mint stuff much. What I do chew is Smokey Mountain tobacco-free snuff. It's really not a bad substitute and, although I admit to missing the "real" stuff . . . for me, it does not seem to have drawn me back. I find it at Plaid Pantry and some 7-11's and it comes in regular and mint or wintergreen. I usually pick-up a tin of each. It's made from red clover, honey and molasses (or, is that mole ***** ).

[Sadie-Lynne]

I started chewing Copenhagen about the age of 16.
Tried stopping several time - it never worked.
my older bother also chewed. At age 38 he was diagnosed with throat cancer. After chewing for 21 years, I quit that day and have never touched it again. My bother died at age 39.

It's not worth it. As my mother use to tell me.
It's mind over matter.
When something matters enough You can do anything

[ 01-30-2002: Message edited by: look4elk ]</p>

[Williedrifter]

19 days and counting. 2 packs of gum and a couple of cans of Smokey Mountain tabacco free and the urge to chew is all but gone. I chewed for about eight years, easily a can of that crap a day. Someone already said it but the hardest part for me is fishing and not chewing although the smokey mt helps.

[Fishing freak]

Pete,

I hope your comment was in jest! I have been chewing since I was 16 ( 25 years) and am addicted.
I have tried my damndest to quit, but have just not been able to. It is many times more difficult to quit than smoking. I have quit twice for 6 months and everyday during the time I quit I wanted a pinch. The want for copenhagen never subsided.

[Idahobidcaller]

I stopped using Cope long cut a week befor halloween. can't hardly use the duck call without it, but worth it
Try buying Skoal natural in Jamaica, $13.00 US funds

[invader]

never did start!, never will, guess i must be on wrong side of the tracks!!..john

[THE REEL HEY_YALL]

I guess I could do a "what if" investment scenario for my life and the funds used for smokeless tobacco.

From the age 13 - 15 I dipped a total of 12 cans of dip, and not all by myself. We neighborhood kids would chip in and I'd go buy it at the store for $1.70 a can.

12 x $1.70 = $20.40

I turned 16 and went to a new high school and new football team, and dipping was nothing new so I got back into it because of my football buddies and also because of fishing.....fished 280 trips a year.

At this time, 1 can a day was the norm, but the price stayed constant at $2.25 a can.

365 x $2.25 = $821.25

From the age 17 - 22, I dipped more; fished more, plus started college. Dip was approx. $3 a can. A starving student can't afford tuition, rent, books, beer, and tobacco so luck turned my way and I started working with the Skoal/Cope distributor in my area, marketing the **** . :rolleyes: I got a 'log' or 'roll' or 'sleeve' every 4 days, sometimes 2. The dip would mysteriously disappear, so obviously I was only dipping more. We'll say 1.5 cans a day:

2,737.5 x $3 = $8,212.50

Ok, move to WA from age 22, soon 25. I've cut off considerably today, but we'll average it all out to be 1 can a day. I will say on average, I have paid $7 a can (not taking into effect the tax increases).

1,095 x $7 = $7,665


A rough grand total: $ 16,719.15 :shocked:

This is fairly accurate information, as this is pretty much my own testimony. I wish I had $16 K sitting off in a nest egg somewhere, but I don't. I wish I didn't get headaches when I dip. I wish I didn't get headaches when I don't dip. But I do. I have been "trying" to quit, but not whole-heartedly off and on my entire life. Spitting snuff, sunflower seeds, chew, etc. doesn't matter because the psychological aspect of having a "big fatty" there is tough to beat, and I don't take big snuffs. It's a boy's nature to spit and catch fish or spit and play ball.

I even had to go "under" some time last year to have a small chunk of flesh removed from my mouth and have it sent up to UW to have a biopsy performed. The tissue in my mouth isn't cancerous, yet (thank God), but the cells are slowly morphing with each dip.

I have tried the prescription Nicotrol. This is a ******** joke. First off, I'm a dipper, not a smoker. Secondly, the thing resembles the plastic applicator of a tampon and I don't want to whip that thing out whenever I just get a nicotine craving.

I have tried Zyban, and I am not a big fan of the 'dopey' feel from medications. The same active ingredient is used to fight depression. Lack of motivation and I felt numb. Nothing better to do than sit around watching tv with a big fat dip in since I wasn't motivated...lol

The Back Off stuff is gross. The taste isn't toooo bad, but look at it. There's another brand out there that's made by Smokey Mtn. and it's the closest to the real thing that I have found so far, as far as imitations go.

I would like to try the patch, but don't want to waste the money before I hear what some of you 'chewers' say about it, or other methods besides cold turkey.

Sorry for the long reply, but this touched me in a personal aspect, and I don't speak to the public about my private life. If you have wanted to dip, just bum it off of your friends. You will **** yourself once you start buying your own cans, and become addicted.

[Alligator]

I used Copen from age 25 to 30 and quit. Then got brave (yah right! NOT) and started with just a pinch between the cheek and gum and was hooked all over in 1992. I quit again 5 years ago this April. Here is some advice and some things that helped me quit.

1. If you don't chew don't start. Duh!

2. If you do, don't encourage others to start. You will regret it after you quit if others that you have encouraged to start simply can't!! Stay guilt free.

3. If you are in the process of quitting alert everyone around you, especially those you love. The ones that you love and those that love you are the ones that can push your anger buttons. This seemed to get me to a weak point that ended by me buying a new can of chew. Have your loved ones help you.

4. Chew 1/2 stick’s of gum to replace the mouthing habit. 1/2 stick’s won't give you such a sore jaw from chomping all day.

5. Don't drink any booze, none, zip, zilch. Chewing and drinking go together.

6. Sunflower seeds, low salt were a lifesaver.

7. Ask God to give you strength to quit.

That’s my .99 cents, Good luck.
les

3.

[Alligator]

P.S.

I used the patches for a couple of days and couldn't tell any difference in my craving. I quit the patches. Cold turkey was what worked for me.

Be afraid of the stuff. Chew that is.

[Phish_on]

http://images.clinicaltools.com/images/gumcancer.jpg

ewwwww ... chew is right next to heroin on my list - but then I'm a HIPPIE TREEHUGGER, often confused for a LIBERAL.

Good job on quitting that nasty stuff!