Three Years Without A Chew [Opinion]
I started dipping snuff in the summer of 1988 when I was 12 years old. My friend Steven would steal a can from the roll in his dad's truck and we would get ready for a major buzz. After a summer of doing this, I noticed that the buzz wasn't nearly as intense or fun, but for whatever reason I found myself craving more of it.
By 13, I was a full-fledged, daily chewer. Stores, especially in the south, were much more lax about selling to kids back in those days. Most of the time, they didn't ask any questions, but occasionally I'd get, "This isn't for you, is it?"
"Nope," I would reply. Also, a can of Copenhagen was super cheap by today's standards. I don't remember the exact amount, but I know that I would get some change back after handing over two bucks.
In high school, things really intensified since several of my teachers would allow chewing in their classrooms, provided that you didn't spit in their trash cans. I'm sure that is hard to believe for some, but this was 1991 in Bell County, Ky. The legal age for tobacco was 16 and students of legal age who had a note from their parents could smoke and chew outside on campus. It didn't take long before I added cigarettes to my daily tobacco routine.
Fast forward to 2012, I decided it was time to let go of one of the two. Since Copenhagen is, for most addicts, tougher to quit, I decided to start with that. It wasn't much of a victory because I probably smoked twice as much, but I was able to separate myself from it after a 24-year relationship. Eventually, the cigarettes went too.
At this point, I am certain that I will never purchase a can of chew for myself again. In fact, once you step back from it and don't have a life full of spit cups, you start to realize what the ladies in your life most likely told you all the time. It's gross.
If you haven't already looked, check out the video above that depicts adults trying snuff for the first time. This is what got me thinking about my chewing saga and how happy I am to be rid of it.