Skoal (tobacco)

Skoal tobacco is a tobacco snuff product marked as 'smokeless tobacco.' Skoal tobacco is often confused with chewing tobacco, but they are not the same. Skoal is produced by US Smokeless Tobaccos. It is fine ground tobacco (1.2 oz per can/tin). It is commonly referred to as dip, and the act of dipping. It comes in 2 textures, Fine Cut and Long Cut. It comes in many different flavors, including: Mint, Wintergreen, Smoked, Original, Spearmint, Berry Blend, Vanilla, and Apple Blend. Most flavors come only in the long cut texture, while fine cut flavors are relatively few.

Usage

Skoal is commonly confused with chewing tobacco, when in fact, it is very different. A small clump of Skoal is 'pinched' out of the tin, and put inside the lower lip, in front of the teeth/gums. This is a large contrast to the almost bubblegum method of chewing on chewing tobacco. While using Skoal, the pinch sits just behind your lower lip, a spot where blood vessels are close to the skin, and are plentiful. The nicotine works its way into your blood vessels through the saliva naturally created in your mouth.

The user then has to spit out any saliva that has come in contact with the Skoal, as it can be extremely nauseating if swallowed. Even after the Skoal or dip has been removed from the mouth, high levels of nicotine still exist on the inner part of the lower lip, leaving the user most likely spitting for a while after the dip was removed.

Styles/Flavors

As with other types of nicotine, and tobaccos, there are different graduated 'levels' of Skoal products, marked by how much nicotine is in the certain flavors, or styles. The 'Beginner Skoal' would possibly be the "Berry Blend", while the higher levels of nicotine are found in Fine-Cut Original flavor.

The difference between Fine-Cut and Long-Cut varieties is shown in the length of the individual strands of tobacco. Where Fine-Cut is ground to tiny chunks, Long-Cut is left in longer strands. The reason for being is two-fold.

• Surface area - the amount of surface area per volume of Fine-Cut is much greater than that of Long-Cut. This serves the purpose of being able to have the saliva in your mouth absorb more nicotine out of the Skoal, therefore giving you a bigger 'tobacco high' quicker.
• Ease of use - it is harder to manage Fine-Cut Skoal in your mouth than it is to manage Long-Cut Skoal. This is why more experienced Skoal users may prefer Fine-Cut, while beginners would be better off choosing Long-Cut.

The flavors are made in a similar fashion to the textures. There are the low nicotine versions, and the high nicotine versions of the Skoal family. For example, "Berry Blend" Skoal will taste more like candy, while Original flavor tastes more bitter.

Similar Items

Skoal is in a family of tobacco usually referred to as Dip (slang). Other brands in this genre of Dip include:

   Copenhagen, 
   Kodiac, 
   Sequoia, 
   Rooster, 
   Timberwolf.

   Chisholm (the newest U.S. entrant)

Health Concerns

Some people think that Skoal might be a safe alternative to cigarettes, due to the fact that it affects your lungs much less. This is untrue. While smoked tobacco may increase your risk of lung cancer, Dip can increase your rate of mouth cancer.