Can Nicotine Be Good for You?

[cosmicfolklore]

Every time I try to click on a reddit link, my computer tells me that I have a virus. Without being able to ever see the website, either reddit is not an credible science source, or it is very hacky. Either way, I have no idea what the link says. ::

 

[cosmicfolklore]

"Nicotine by itself has never been shown to be addictive...

That is about the stupidest thing that I have ever read. Have trees been proven to exist under scientific processes? Does Love exist? Does "good" exist? Does God exist? Have we proved that there is a color red? If not, I guess that we don't have any. Just figments of me imageenations.
No, I think that billions of people reporting what they know means nothing to that quack.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It kills me, since I have been on here, there are allways one or three out of the entire forum that will toss out all of medical science for one or two articles that say that everyone else in the world is wrong. They will crawl up a tree to maintain that tobacco or nicotine is not addictive, but when the thread comes up about all of the negative stuff, the way it makes us smell, public hostility for smokers, ostracized, expenses, taxes, health insurance, public condemnation, they join is as well. With all of the negative stuff concerning smoking, why continue to do such a thing? If I could lay my pipes down, and walk away, I would be richer and healthier.
I just don't take your rhetoric very serious, and in fact it does nothing positive for the entire community at all. Yes, it is dangerous and addictive, but it also has some positives. But, go into it knowing that there is a dangerous side. Be informed. Not a goofball waving quackery and expelling misleading BS.
my $0.02

 

[warren]

A lot of people simply will not recognize they have an addiction. People will hunt high and low for any tiny thread of support for their failings. They simply are unable to objectively access their own behavior. A point in their favor is that they are entertaining in a perverse sort of way.

 

[robwoodall]

I'm not gonna touch the addiction question. Feelings are already running a little high. I will point out some things that might help keep things on a more even footing.
1) Withdrawal discomfort is only one of many symptoms of addiction, and not all drugs produce it.
2) "Physical vs. Psychological" is not a reasonable argument, as the brain IS a physical organ.
3) When discussing addiction, people tend to favor a definition of addiction that EXCLUDES themselves.
Otherwise, I have nothing to add.

 

[jpmcwjr]

I understand the syllogism but that doesn't disprove anything. Apparently, no tests have been conducted to prove that nicotine is or is not by itself potentially addictive.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It's the association of the word "addiction" with something bad, immoral, unethical... A junky is bad. A drunk is bad. But, I don't believe that addiction, unto itself is bad. It is neither inherently good nor bad. However, in some things, addiction is bad. If it makes you avoid your family, and you can't stop doing it, it's bad. Unless your family sucks, ha ha. Then it might be good.

::

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Apparently, no tests have been conducted to prove that nicotine is or is not by itself potentially addictive.

Utter crap. Just because an article says this is so...
We also don't have any tests proving the world is round. Therefore, we have no way of know whether the world is round or not. See, it says so on the internet, therefore it isn't.

 

[jitterbugdude]

Cigarette smoking can be addictive.
-- Cigarette smoke contains nicotine.
Conclusion: Nicotine is addictive.

Not true

The only conclusion you can make is that Cigarette smoke is addictive, not nicotine.

Cigarettes contain lots and lots of chemicals added to them to make them addictive. Pipe tobacco and cigars do not.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Ok, I did a bit of reading... it seems that the Surgeon's General stated that the reason they did not rely on one single study to support the addictive nature of nicotine was that there was a discrepancy in the definition of "addiction." But, literally thousands and thousands of studies were submitted and used for the decision; therefore, one single study was not used, but thousands of accumulated studies. This one phrase seems to be the catch all for the deniers.
This is like saying that scientists could not agree on the term "round." (a perfect sphere or how far from deviation of perfect will we accept?) However, we have huge amounts of studies, personal experiences, histories, and explorations to say that it is in fact "round" to the degree that we all accept the term in our understandings.
If you just want to win an argument for the sake of doing so, getting nitpicky about the definition is up there with arguing whether oral sex is in fact sex. It's not doing anyone any good, unless you just want a technicality, like this is a game or something.
But, it is safe to say that world-wide evidence, testing, experiences, cultures, and every conceivable human endeavor will show that nicotine is addictive. "Addictive" as defined by what we all pretty much know the word to mean. Now, if some university wants to definee the term, that is in their interest for some scientific reason, pending how the study is to be used or further studied, but doesn't negate the universe of evidence that supports the fact that it is indeed addictive.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

You guys keep using that little word logic game as if that is how we have all come to understand nicotine, but it's not. Saying the same thing over and over doesn't make something true.

 

[warren]

Most parse for the conclusion they desire. Most ignore any evidence which does not support one's position. This is a discussion which goes round and round as very, very few will accept any conclusion which is not theirs. An open mind is a very rare find.
Only a few of us are willing to admit that we are engaging in behavior which is of no benefit for our bodies. In fact some like to think that it makes them smarter, mellower, etc. If you need a pipe to be smarter, more contemplative, better looking, more sophisticated or any of the other attributes which some think they can only achieve with a pipe then, there is a self-image problem. If you can only relax with a pipe in hand, you are addicted at some level. Period! End of discussion for me.
Well one more personal observation: If you constantly have to search around for a justification for the pipe and feel the urge to find research which supports the use of the pipe, you probably shouldn't be smoking a pipe at all. Get some cajones and smoke because you enjoy it for whatever reason and quit trying to find outside support for you choices. Just smoke and enjoy! If your smoking needs outside validation you are obviously not comfortable in your choice.