Snuff is a type of smokeless tobacco product made from finely ground or pulverized tobacco leaves. It is snorted or "sniffed" (alternatively sometimes written as "snuffed") into the nasal cavity, delivering nicotine and a flavored scent to the user (especially if flavoring has been blended with the tobacco). Traditionally, it is sniffed or inhaled lightly after a pinch of snuff is either placed onto the back surface of the hand, held pinched between thumb and index finger, or held by a specially made "snuffing" device. Snuff originated in the Americas, and was commonly used in Europe by the 17th century. Traditional snuff production consists of a lengthy, multi-step process, in tobacco snuff mills. The selected tobacco leaves are first subject to special tobacco curing or fermentation processes, where they will later provide the individual characteristics and flavor for each type of snuff blend. Snuff is usually scented or flavored, with many blends of snuff requiring months to years of special storage to reach the required maturity. Typical traditional flavors are varieties of blended tobacco leaves considered original "fine snuff" without any addition of scents or essences. Varieties of spice, piquant, fruit, floral, and mentholated (also called "medicated") soon followed, either pure or in blends. Each snuff manufacturer usually has a variety of unique recipes and blends, as well as special recipes for individual customers. Common flavors also include coffee, chocolate, bordeaux, honey, vanilla, cherry, orange, apricot, plum, camphor, cinnamon, rose and spearmint. Modern flavors include bourbon, cola and whisky. Traditional classic German snuff blends are the pungent and sharp Schmalzler and Brasil blends. Snuff comes in a range of texture and moistness, from very fine to coarse, and from toast (very dry) to very moist. Often drier snuffs are ground more finely. There is also a range of tobacco-free snuffs, such as Pöschl's Weiss (White), made from glucose powder or herbs. While strictly speaking, these are not snuffs because they contain no tobacco, they are an alternative for those who wish to avoid nicotine, or for "cutting" a strong snuff to an acceptable strength.
Accessories
When snuff-taking was fashionable, the manufacture of snuff accessories was a lucrative industry in several cultures. In Europe, snuff boxes ranged from those made in very basic materials, such as horn, to highly ornate designs featuring precious materials made using state-of-the-art techniques. Since prolonged exposure to air causes snuff to dry out and lose its quality, pocket snuff boxes were designed to be airtight containers with strong hinges, generally with enough space for a day's worth of snuff only. Large snuff containers, called mulls (made from a variety of materials, notably including rams' horns decorated with silver), were usually kept on the table. An accessory often carried with the snuff box was the snuff spoon, a small spoon used for snuff-taking, that was used to avoid staining the fingers with powder. A floral-scented snuff called "English Rose" is provided for members of the British House of Commons. Recent practice has been for this tradition to be maintained at the principal doorkeeper's personal expense due to smoking in the House being banned since 1693. A famous silver communal snuff box kept at the entrance of the House was destroyed in an air raid during World War II with a replacement being subsequently presented to the House by Winston Churchill. Very few members are said to take snuff nowadays. In China, elaborately decorated snuff bottles became a status symbol among the elite of the Qing dynasty. These were usually available in two forms, both made of glass. In one type, glass bottles were painted on the inside to protect the design. Another type used layered multi-colored glass to create an image in relief. Besides glass, materials such as porcelain, agate, jade, coral, and lacquer were also used. Another common accessory is the snuff bullet, which is designed to make snuff use easier and more discreet in public situations. These are small, bullet shaped devices that you would use to store a small amount of snuff for use throughout the day. The self-applicator pipe is known as 'Kuripe', and the blow pipe is known as a 'Tepi' in the Brazilian tradition.
Health effects Various national and international health organizations including the World Health Organization, the US National Cancer Institute, and the UK Royal College of Physicians stated that, even if it is less dangerous than smoking, using snuff is addictive, represents a major health risk, has no safe level use, and is not a safe substitute for smoking. Smokeless tobacco globally contributes to 650,000 deaths each year with a significant proportion of them in Southeast Asia. Quitting snuff use is as challenging as smoking cessation. There is no scientific evidence that using snuff can help a person quit smoking.
Cancer
Snuff is a cause of oral, oesophageal, and pancreatic cancer. All tobacco products, including smokeless tobacco, contain cancer-causing chemicals. These carcinogenic compounds occurring in snuff vary widely, and depend upon the kind of product and how it was manufactured. There are 28 known cancer-causing substances in snuff products.
Cardiovascular disease Using snuff increases the risk of fatal coronary heart disease and stroke. In 2010 more than 200,000 people died from coronary heart disease due to smokeless tobacco use.
Effects during pregnancy Snuff can cause adverse reproductive effects including stillbirth, premature birth, low birth weight. Nicotine in snuff products that are used during pregnancy can affect how a baby's brain develops before birth.
Sneezing When sniffed, snuff often causes a sneeze, though this is often seen by snuff-takers as the sign of a beginner or amateur. This is not uncommon; however, the tendency to sneeze varies with the person and the particular snuff. Generally, drier snuffs are more likely to do this. For this reason, sellers of snuff often sell handkerchiefs. As the use of snuff increased, darker handkerchiefs with patterns became popular, so snuff stains would be less visible.
Sale, tax and legal issues
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