It’s true that snuff will clear my runny nose and stuffy head, but there is not a necessity for it either medically or socially.
At one time it was an inventive way to meet people, asking if an attractive stranger if they would “partake in a pinch of snuff” was an excellent ice breaker. It was also a must for people who liked a smoke, yet were unable to do so because of where they worked. The coal miners became a great consumer of snuff, probably due to the long hours between cigarettes whilst on a shift, plus the added advantage of clearing the head of the large amount of dust. So snuff became a happy alternative to the cigarette, and a lot safer than lighting a match to have a smoke. But alas the mines began to close and there was a noticeable drop in sales as industrial Britain changed forever. However, although the situation for snuff looks rather bleak in Britain, it is a different story in Europe, in particular Germany.
McChrystals, a manufacturer of snuff based in Leicester believe we are on the brink of a “big snuff comeback.” They have devised a new snuff for the recent demand from Europe which has escalated in the last four years. It is the first new brand in thirty years, and of course “S’nuff” as it is called “has a secret blend.”
Their sales are on the increase as “20 and 30-somethings are discovering the pleasure of tobacco in its original form of nasal snuff. As non smokers get shirtier about passive smoking, it's becoming more acceptable to have a pinch of snuff after dinner than to light up.”
So perhaps there is room for the social snuff taker. It’s a pleasant alternative for non smokers in public places - no smoke, no ash no butts, no passive snuffing. Could this please all those people like me that can’t stand the stinging eyes and stale smell gained from the passing smoker? Some are also advocating it as a good way to give up smoking, although you may find your craving for the cigarette has ceased and a new one for snuff may emerge. In any case, it is important to remember that snuff is a tobacco product derived from the same leaf that makes cigarettes, and it should be treated as such.