What exactly is "SNUFF" ?

Question

You know the stuff asians used sniff in their noses.

Answer 1

Powdered tobacco.

Answer 2

Basically, snuff is a harmonious compound of pulverized tobaccos, to which aroma­tic essences may or may not be added. To make the best snuff, the finest tobacco leaf is selected and carefully blended. The leaf undergoes several proces­ses involving heating and fermentation, during which the natural harshness of the tobacco is eliminated. Depending upon the type of snuff required - coarse, medi­um or fine - the tobacco is milled or ground by means of heavy pestles, either machine or water powered, in oak mortars and then sieved to ensure consistency of the requisite grain size.


At this point, the essences are added - their blending constitutes a trade secret and some formulas have been handed down generation after generation for more than two hundred years. Pure essential oils, such as Bergamotte, Carnation, Attar of Rose, Jasmin and Sandalwood, or in the case of Medicated Snuffs, Menthol or Eucalyptus are added to delight the nose.


Snuff is divided into three main groups - the dark moist, coarse Snuffs, medium Snuffs and the light, dry finely-ground Snuffs.


Finally, the snuff is brought up gently to the desired moisture content - moist medium or dry - and packed for sale. In the case of High Toast snuff, the tobacco - after fermentation - is 'toasted' before being milled, in order to impart the distinctive nutty flavor for which this snuff is renowned.

When Christopher Columbus discovered America, he and his companions found the natives enjoying tobacco by means of Y-shaped tubes through which they sniffed the substance into their nostrils. Credit is given to the Italian, Romano Pane, for having introduced snuff into Europe. It was first used by a member of the illustri­ous Medici family, for whom it had been prescribed to relieve headaches. Soon, however, its medicinal use became secondary and taking snuff for pleasure deve­loped into a fashion among the European royalty and aristocracy.


The use of snuff spread rapidly through all the social classes and by the 18th century, Dr. Samuel Johnson - an inveterate snuff-taker himself - had good reason to make his celebrated statement, "Smoking has gone out." The 18th century was truly the ”Age of Snuff' and the most beautiful boxes of gold, silver, tortoise-shell, ivory and other precious materials, sometimes fabulously decorated with jewels, miniature paintings or tiny automata, were made during this period to contain the powdered tobacco.


In England, snuff held its own until the mid-19th century, when staid Victorian society no longer tolerated the brightly colored snuff-hand­kerchiefs which were an adjunct to the use of this form of tobacco. Despite a decline in the overall popularity of snuff, it was still taken extensively in many environments and among many professions where smoking could not be practiced: doctors, lawyers, judges and clergymen, for example, remained faithful to snuff, as did tailors, printers and miners, among others.


In the 20th century, snuff yielded, for the most part, to the universal onslaught of the cigarette, although it did retain a strong body of devotees in certain places such as Ireland, Western Scotland, Iceland and Southern Germany - where a special type of snuff containing Brazilian tobacco was developed in the late 19th century and achieved lasting success.

The Surgeon General's report on cigarette smoking has led many people in the United States to seek other means of finding pleasure from tobacco, and snuff has gradually been returning to favor. The use of snuff has been shown to be harmless to health, as the tobacco is quickly eliminated by the action of the mucous membranes of the nose. In Europe, physicians often prescribe snuff for patients who suffer from sinus headaches. Other advantages of snuff include its relatively low cost: an ounce of snuff goes a great deal farther than an ounce of smoking tobacco, as well as the great variety of types of snuff available.

Snuff-taking is not merely an alternative way of taking tobacco. The great variety of perfumes and flavours used in Snuff blending (Peppermint, Lavender, Lemon, Orange, Cinnamon and Clove, to name but a few) give a very wide field for pleasant exploration and enjoyment.

Most Snuff-takers take Snuff because it is refreshing and invigorating, and because it counteracts the mental fatigue caused by the stress and strain of modern life. Others take Snuff because they find it keeps them free from colds and gives relief from catarrh and similar complaints. It has also been said that Snuff stimulates the mind.

Answer 3

its a powdered tobacco i remember when i was little my grandmother used it and if she ever dipped outside and the wened was blowing if that stuff got in your eyes or nose it would burn like crazy lol i no it sounds crazy but that was the good old days

Answer 4

tobacco

Answer 5

some call it "chewing tobacco"

Answer 6

smokeless tobacco.