Chewing tobacco has been a part of the culture in the American South since before our country was even formed. Now most popular in states that hold on to their values—regions known for their hardy, steadfast citizens—smokeless tobacco is still just as steeped in culture and tradition as ever before.
The ritual of using dip is something that people are drawn to. They use it to wake up and get motivated. To relax. To think. To prepare for hard work ahead.
Historically touted as the “healthier” alternative to smoking, dip has been an attractive option for people who wanted to make more conscientious decisions about their habits, or for those who wanted to give up cigarettes but not the ritual or the nicotine.
Now, as science brings the health risks of smokeless tobacco to light, consumers are looking for new ways to enjoy their traditions while eliminating unwanted elements. Black Buffalo is leading the charge ahead, with its tobacco-free dip so good that even tobacco farmers themselves can’t tell the difference.
A Nation Built on Tradition Must Adapt to a Changing Market
We don’t actually know when people started chewing on tobacco, but there are over 600 indigenous words to describe uses for the green leaf that has at times been the backbone of economies around the world.
Natives to North and South America smoked tobacco, chewed it, used it as medicine, and even packed it into their molars to relieve toothaches. Europeans first learned of its use from the writings of Christopher Columbus, who sent word back to Spain about the popular plant.
The fertile soils of Virginia became the growing center of America’s first export. Even before the Revolutionary War, farmers funded the very beginnings of entire colonies on the sale of Southern tobacco, which was highly prized in Europe.
Tobacco farming spread and became a family tradition that was passed on from generation to generation; and the tradition of chew has been known as a rite of passage at various times throughout our American history.
The visible positioning of smokeless tobacco products as the less harmful option to smoking has supported continued growth. Popular among athletes for decades, many purport that nicotine enhances their performance, makes them more alert, and gives them heightened endurance. It became such a hot-button issue, that the World Anti-Doping Agency put the substance on its Monitoring Program in 2012, and it is still there as of 2020.
Major League Baseball has seen its own controversy over chewing tobacco for the last several years, with stadiums and municipalities banning the habit while players and managers hold fast to the customs of their pastime.
Big Tobacco companies have no problem encouraging the struggle between policymakers and users of their products, which explains why they are still so ubiquitous despite known health risks.
Smokeless tobacco is still growing at a rate of nearly 4.5 percent, and it is projected to be worth $23 billion by 2023. This is despite the fact that chewing tobacco is known to contribute to oral and throat cancers, and it is indicated in certain kinds of digestive cancers as well.
The common myth that smokeless tobacco is the healthier way to get your nicotine fix drives its growth. But roasting and fermenting tobacco in the ways that are required to produce a desirable flavor and texture increase the presence of carcinogens in most tobacco products.
Regardless of health warnings on packaging and in advertising, chewing tobacco is seen as more health-conscious than cigarettes, and people turn to it as an alternative to smoking.
Authenticity is the Solution
People who use chewing tobacco love their dip. For some, the ritual of cracking the seal and putting a fresh pinch of tobacco in their lip is one of the most satisfying parts of the day. Add to that, the nicotine present in most products, and you’ve got a habit that is almost impossible to quit. Just knowing that tobacco use can lead to cancer and other health complications doesn’t make it easier to kick an enjoyable habit.
Many companies have tried to create a product that replaces tobacco with something altogether different, ignoring the century of history that has gone into creating a culture.
They seem to make their products with the notion that nicotine is the most important part. The makers of Black Buffalo, however, understand that using dip is not just a habit. It’s a tradition.
The Black Buffalo team put years of research and experimentation into crafting a smokeless tobacco alternative that pays homage to the cultural heritage of the South, contains the nicotine dip users love and gives consumers a new way to ditch the stuff they can do without.
The company even offers fruity flavors and online sales to appeal to the modern sensibilities of current tobacco users 21 and older.
Working directly with tobacco farmers and flavor houses; persevering when they were told it couldn’t be done; and finally landing on a tobaccoless chew that has the flavor, texture, and feel of the original; Black Buffalo respects tradition while breaking the mold.
Charging Ahead
Even though cigarettes are the star of the tobacco industry, chewing tobacco is—and always has been—at the heart of innovation. It is the product consumers fall back on, time and time again, as the less harmful tobacco option; and it is about so much more than the habit itself.
Black Buffalo is driving the current trend of innovation by modernizing a product steeped in American Southern heritage, making it the top choice for conscientious dip lovers everywhere.
Be on the lookout for Black Buffalo products in convenience stores across the nation in the near future; or visit their website today, to check out the company’s exciting line of smokeless tobacco alternatives in long-cut and pouch forms.