June 6, 2008 Larry Waters

Camel Snus? Lord, we must Save the Misguided and bring them to Land of Sweden and Your gift that is Swedish Snus!

I was tinkering with The Unloading Zone’s underbelly the other day and ran a report on the Keywords that were bringing my readers here. I was Amazed and Saddened by the amount of times “camel snus” came up!

Fellow Swedish Snus Lovers, it worse than you thought out there in America! I googled Camel SNUS and was horrified by the numbers of articles praising it and the incredible amount of misinformation about snus on the internet!

And the comments: They were enough to make you cry. Look at what these misbegotten naive souls are saying about Camel SNUS:

FROM THE PROPAGANDA MACHINE AT Camel SNUS / RJ REYNOLDS:

Finally! A person who looks at it with the facts! My parents and I work for RJ and I have personally tried Snus and i have to tell you the smokeless,spit-less tobacco gives a much bigger nicotine rush over a longer period of time when compared to cigarettes. Plus I didn’t have any of the after effects of smoking. My breath and clothes didn’t get a smell on them, and the frost snus actually improves your breath…it is much like a breath mint in that respect.

TWO PEOPLE “BELIEVED” THE Camel SNUS / RJ REYNOLDS PROPAGANDA GUY:

I bought a tin of Camel SNUS after reading your description. Though it was quite expensive and I get sick from any other type of smokeless tobacco, Camel Snus fulfills my nicotine cravings, so much so that I have quit smoking the Camel Filters that I adored so much!

AND

That’s what I call harm reduction. Thank you for your optimistic point of view and open mind. I appreciate it, and so do my lungs! Reduced harm….but How Much Reduced Harm? Aside from the inhaled tar and carcinogens, what is the TSNA count (the non-inhaled tobacco carcinogens) of Camel SNUS? They won’t release it.

And then the below, Mr. Wizard chimes in:

One thing I must mention is that Snus is meant to be refrigerated. If it is not properly refrigerated it will grow the same bacteria present in American Snuff….which perform anaerobic reactions producing toxic byproducts. After a week or so of non-refrigeration it is theorized that it will reach the same levels of toxins as American Snuff. Just make sure if you’re using the stuff it is properly refrigerated or you’re negating the lower risk of snus.

Really? Unopened Swedish and SOME American snus’s (including Camel) do require refrigeration prior to opening the can. You can even freeze Swedish Snus for up to a year, like meat, to preserve the freshness. But Marlboro snus doesn’t require refrigeration. Skoal snus doesn’t require refrigeration. Why not?

A “PLANT” FROM Camel SNUS / RJ Reynolds:

I had a can of actual Swedish snus back in the day and it tasted horrible.

AND FINALLY, this pathetic exchange between “Tom”,The Ugly (and confused) American, Confused “Anonymous 2“, and Poor, Correct, (and while a little arrogant, he’s correct just the same) “Anonymous“.

Anonymous said… The first paragraph states snus is a tobacco product made in Sweden, this is correct. Next in parenthesis it is stated,(Camel is made there), as to imply Sweden. This is incorrect, Camel brand snus is made by the Conwood Company. They are located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and are a subsidiary of RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company

Tom said… Sorry, unless something has changed, you’re mistaken. It’s made in Sweden under license by British American Tobacco.
http://tobaccoproducts.org/index.php/Camel_Snus (internet misinformation: who wouldn’t be confused at this point?)

Anonymous 2 said… It is made in sweden and conwood company is a subsidiary of Reynolds American, not rj reynolds…snus is a reynolds product whereas kodiak and grizzly are conwood products

Anonymous said… The statement Conwood Company is a subsidiary of Reynolds American, not RJ Reynolds is true. Conwood produces Kodiak and Grizzly brand moist snuff. Conwood is contracted to produce Camel Brand Snus for Reynolds American. It is produced in Winston-Salem, NC.

CORRECT!

Tom said… Your point?

Anonymous said… camel “snus” is not snus. the only proper snus is from a proper swedish company (in my mind, the only proper snus is gröv lös and general portion, although taste may very). i’ve yet to try any american “snus” but, like most things american, i’ve got a feeling it’ll be a cheap-knockoff of the real thing.

Then Tom said…(to the embarrassment of all America) Wow. That sounds so terribly elitist. (You’re right, it does sound elitist: the sad thing is, he’s right.) (Not to mention profoundly stupid). If it’s American, it must be of low quality. If it’s European, it must be of superior quality. You haven’t even tried it, which immediately invalidates your opinion. You, Sir, have issues.

NO, Tom, you poor misguided soul: you have issues…with the FACTS. Not your fault really: how many Americans even HEARD of snus before Camel and Marlboro came out with their version? Add to that websites with bad information, misleading marketing,and sloppy research, and of course you’re confused.

Compare Swedish Snus side by side with the current American “snus”, and in every way, American Snus is inferior.And if you check the Official Camel SNUS web site: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco themselves state that Camel SNUS is made in Winston-Salem, NC.

The Swedish have had over 200 years to perfect snus. They take PRIDE in it! It’s not just “another product” to the Swedish. OK, maybe I’m romanticizing it a little, but Scandinavian Snus sure is better than American Snus. This wouldn’t be happening if Ronald Reagan were still President!

Camel and Marlboro came up with their so-called snus in a laboratory within the last 3-5 years or so.

I decided to visit the Camel SNUS web site to get their latest take. The FAQ page alone would make you want to cry. (but the site was very pretty) The following is from The Offical R.J. Reynolds Camel SNUS Website as of June 6th, 2008:

QUESTION: Why are there only 15 pouches in a can instead of 20 now

ANSWER: Simple answer: Product Freshness. We want Camel SNUS to be as fresh as possible. Based on what consumers told us, they were using fewer than twenty pouches on a regular basis. By reducing the pouch count from 20 to 15, it ensures that Camel SNUS is the freshest snus possible, from the first pouch to the last one in the tin. Couple this with the fact that we now have 50% larger pouches, there is actually more Camel SNUS in a tin than when we had 20 pouches in a tin

QUESTION: Why are the pouches bigger?

ANSWER: 1 Reason: consumer feedback. Camel SNUSers told us that they would prefer to have more tobacco in each pouch.

QUESTION: How much bigger are the pouches?

ANSWER: 50%

QUESTION: How big is the individual pouch?

ANSWER: The individual Camel SNUS pouch is small and weighs about 0.6 grams

OH MY POOR AMERICAN SNUS USER’S and CIGARETTE SMOKERS CURIOUS ABOUT SNUS!

A can of Camel SNUS has 15, 0.6 grams “pouches”. A can of REAL Swedish Snus has 24 “pouches” (they’re really called Portions, by the way. Thanks Camel for making American snus users SOUND like idiots too.) with 1.0 gram per portion!

That means when you buy a can of Camel SNUS, you get 15 portions of 0.6gr each or only 9 grams of Camel SNUS.

When you buy REAL SWEDISH SNUS, you get 24 portions of 1.0gr. each or 24 grams of real, reduced harm Snus!!!

In other words, the Camel SNUS Costs MORE for almost 2 and a half times LESS snus! And don’t forget what Camel answered as to why the “pouches” were bigger: “1 Reason: consumer feedback. Camel SNUSers told us that they would prefer to have more tobacco in each pouch.”

Camel, you call two and a half time LESS tobacco MORE? And by the way Camel, it’s not just “tobacco” in the “pouch”: it’s Snus; in your case SNUS (of which tobacco is the main, but not only ingredient) and they come in PORTIONS, not “pouches”! Let me back up: tobacco is SUPPOSED to be the main ingredient. I have no idea if there is any in Camel SNUS. I certainly can’t taste it over….whatever it is you call flavoring.

YOUR 0.6 gram portions are called “mini”. 1.0 gram SWEDISH Portions are called either “Large” or “Regular”.

Brothers and Sisters, once again the big corporate man (in the case of Camel, woman)is taking advantage of the people!They’re selling us less than half a bag of their so-called “snus” for more than the price of a full bag!

And Camel says their SNUS last up to 30 minutes. REAL SWEDISH Snus can last HOURS!

We must EDUCATE the American People! We must bring them to the path of righteous Snus from Sweden! We must take them out of the wilderness of Big American Tobacco and into the heaven that REAL Snus can be!

And I haven’t forgotten about YOU, Marlboro Man! I am just so distraught I can’t bring myself to go to YOUR website right now.

WE will show you the way! Others True to the knowledge of REAL SNUS will help too! Because unlike cigarettes, where we all knew (or thought we knew) the risks, NOT knowing the difference between Swedish Snus and American “snus” CAN be unnecessarily harmful to your health!

So,with some of my teachings, the help of others, a mountain of FACTS, and a 10% off coupon code you can enter the first time you buy snus from The Snus Store at SnusCENTRAL, a true home for the Swedish Snus lover and YOUR Snus Community Home, we’re here to help and embrace you.

COME INTO THE LIGHT! We will be there to Guide You!!! And trust me, the first time you try REAL Swedish Snus will be the LAST time you buy American snus!

I came from where you are and have seen the light! Follow Me!

Your Brother in Snus,