With an internet search it is pretty easy to find the bad things that happen to your body when you ingest nicotine through smokeless tobacco. I wanted to take a minute and focus on the good things that happen when you quit smokeless tobacco. Its easy to fall into the trap of “this sucks” when you first quit, so lets look at the other side which is “this doesn’t suck because I am doing something awesome”
One immediate benefit of stopping smokeless tobacco is the financial aspect. Tobacco cost per can will vary widely in cost depending on where you live. However, one thing we can all agree on, is that this has gotten to be one expensive habit. A cheap can of snuff is around $7 a can and that is going up quickly every year. In 1 week you can take your significant other to a movie and get a couple of snacks courtesy of your ex dipping habit. You will never be upset to see more money in your account since you do not dip anymore. That is over $200 a month and well over $2000 a year. And remember, that is for the really cheap stuff right now.
Your breath smells better and your teeth are whiter. Honestly, would you date someone like you if you were an active dipper? I had to be at hypocrite, but I would not. So smile, and look in the mirror while you do it.
Within a short period of time food starts to taste different, and by different I mean better. Not only will you like the taste better, but you will start discovering new things. Often, site members will start to comment about all the different kind of flavors of sunflower seeds, gum and other snacks that they were not aware of.
Your blood pressure will start to come down within a few days of no nicotine. Anyone on blood pressure meds out there?
Doing hard physical labor is much easier without a dip in your mouth. Your brain may tell you that you need a dip to get through hard labor, but, that is a bunch of nonsense. Without nicotine causing vasoconstriction of your veins and arteries, you will get additional needed blood flow to your heart and lungs. If you think this is not possible, have you ever dipped at a really high elevation? I guarantee you will start to run out of air quickly.
You will no longer have a dip can ring wearing a hole in your pants.
You do not have to have social anxiety anymore about when and where you will find time to dip when you are supposed to be hanging out with your friends or at a work event.
One of my personal favorites is that you do not have to worry if this is the day that you gave yourself mouth, tongue or throat cancer. Ever rub your tongue around in your mouth for a health check? Wait, is that a lump I feel?
It is a great feeling when you realize you can make it through something, such as the hard work listed above, without a big plug of tobacco in your cheek. Self-reliance is awesome. By the way, you can also still make it through hunting season, or a golf game, a poker game, and a movie without a dip. Here is a member that learned he didn’t have to dip every day to survive.
You will probably get some very good atta-boys from all your friends and family who wanted you to quit for many years.
If you have children, take a second and congratulate yourself that you are now setting a positive not a negative example for your kiddos.
Your car will smell cleaner. Every left a spitter in your car a few days during August? Yummy! You will not have to worry about that anymore.
There are times in times of great reasons to quit. Sometimes when you are feeling down on yourself, remember to keep it positive. Quitting is not easy, but it is definitely worth it.
There are also a whole bunch of long term quitting benefits that just keep getting better with time. More to come on this later.
Happy Quitting.
SplinterCell