A novel way to beat the upcoming pub smoking ban is proving a hit among drinkers.
Canterbury-based Jim Ingram Vending is handing out supplies of the Victorian gentlemen’s relish – snuff – as a cigarette substitute to around 400 pubs across the county under the slogan ‘No Smoking No Problem’.
The move – the first in the country – could see a return of the fine-ground smokeless tobacco which is snorted and has no effect on people other than the user.
It has already become popular in Sweden which has its own smoking ban, and some former cigar lounges in New York and Los Angeles now offer a pinch of snuff alongside fine wines and high quality spirits.
The move is the brainchild of tobacco company Gawith and Hoggarth whose major supplier locally is Ingam Vending which supplies cigarettes, napkins and glasses to inns and pubs.
Robert Blakey, stepson of boss Jim Ingram, said: “With the smoking ban coming in soon some companies are obviously going to be affected and they are looking at ways they can continue to make legal profits.
“It is not illegal to take snuff and as an experiment we were given some free stock by Gawith and Hoggarth who asked us to see how it went down in pubs.
“So far it has been given the thumbs up.”
Snuff is made by grinding tobacco leaf into a coarse powder.
It comes in several varieties and is known as Red Bull Snuff – but with no connection to the energy drink of the same name.
It has been handed out by the vending company for the last few weeks.
Terry King is landlord of The Windmill pub in Faversham where snuff is now on the drinkers’ agenda.
“When it was first available some people would say ‘snuff – I haven’t seen that for years’ and buy a box,” he said.
“Others would say ‘what on earth is that’ – but end up trying it.
“If it catches on I can see it taking the sting out of the smoking ban.”
POSTED: 13/10/2006 13:48:34
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