The Death of Kodiak – Hall of Fame Speech

For a little over 26 years the addition of Kodiak had imprisoned me. It all started with one small pinch from the tin stamped with a bear as a lifeguard one summer at the age of 17. Just a small pinch is all. Bunch of kids who thought they were men with too much time on their hands thought it might just prove to be cool. The buzz hit. Then the one more p[inch game. Then before I knew I was spending $1.45 for a tin. Yeah the prices should give away how long ago that was for Kodiak. I only needed a tin a week or so. Very controllable I thought. On through the years it stayed with me. I hid the nasty habit from most of my family including my girlfriend at the time who is now my wife. For over 15 years more the habit was a quiet one. With very few people being allowed to view my addiction. By the time I was 35 years old I was going through quite easily a tin a day. The price had changed bit too.

At over $3.25 a tin it was still a deal worth pursuing. Anyone with a habit likes this knows money is not really a deterrent. At business conferences I would be known many times to catch a cab for $45.00 or more if at a Hotel to go get a $4.00 tin. One time I literally walked through the downtown streets of Chicago while it was snowing to a convenient store less than a mile away. For freaking dip!! Yeah I had no problem. In fact to remind myself that I didn’t I only bought two tins at most at a time. Never a log. That meant I was hooked and needed. Plus it was easier to hide a tin in my jacket hanging in my closet and one under seat of my car. It would get to the point to where I had about 50 tins in my jackets. All empty. Just did not throw away until later due to finding in trash. At 43 years of age with a $4.25 tin a day habit and nearly $125.00 bucks month, my wife pressed me hard on quitting. She told me one day in the summer of 2012 when she saw the 3 millionth dip in my mouth that she was “totally disappointed that I would be willing to die one day because I was too much a wimp to stop. That my kids would look at my corpse in a box crying and she could tell them that Daddy was just selfish. He would not stop for you.” That was harsh!!! Very harsh!! But that was what I needed to hear.

I jumped on the internet immediately,. found this site and great support and began the journey back in late June of 2012. Wish I could say it was easy. Nope!! I read the articles. I read the letters. I looked at the pictures. I hit myself hard between the eyes. This was pure T Habit!!. It sucked quitting when it all began!! Martin and Steve8691 were huge for my quit in the September 2012 group!!. Swede stayed on me too. No way I could have travel this road without some help. Im done with dip now!! No longer a craving like before. But I am in control of the Bear now. Can never dip again or I am hooked. I know that!! For anyone out there thinking of trying just a pinch. DONT!!! For anyone out there thinking iota time to stop? It is. STOP NOW!!! Never look back man. Thanks so much. DIP FREE LIVING IS THE DEAL!!

NOTE: This piece written by KillTheCan.org forum member irving69