I Do Not Feel the Nicotine

easterntraveler · Jun 20, 2013

I have never smoked cigarettes. However I do smoke a Hookah every now and again and definitely get blasted with the nicotine however after seeing reviews about Dunhill Royal Yacht and Peterson Irish Flake I was afraid to try them because of what people said about the amount of Nicotine in them. I ended getting a few tins of each but I do not get the effect that people described. Any reason why?

doctorthoss · Jun 20, 2013

There are many reasons why you might feel the nicotine. If you smoke very slowly, for instance, you might be getting it in such small doses and spread over such a long period of time that you don't feel it. Another reason, of course, might just be that you're not very sensitive to nicotine. Also, the absorbing nicotine is supposedly highly dependent on the PH of both the smoke and your mouth. It might be that, say, drinking some orange juice with you pipe might up the amount you absorb.
I don't feel that Royal Yacht is all that powerful, but I'm surprised you didn't at least feel a tingle from Irish Flake. Of course, I don't consider either of them to be real heavy hitters. The blends that have made me (a nicotine addict of the first order) a bit queasy are the two Dark Flake iterations from GH, Coniston Cut Plug, 1782, and Billy Budd (some people don't find Billy Budd too strong, but it knocks me on my butt). You could also try Old Joe Krantz, which is my favorite "all day" smoke. Some guys feel it's overwhelmingly strong, but I think it's perfect.

doctorthoss · Jun 20, 2013

There are many reasons why you might feel the nicotine. If you smoke very slowly, for instance, you might be getting it in such small doses and spread over such a long period of time that you don't feel it. Another reason, of course, might just be that you're not very sensitive to nicotine. Also, the absorbing nicotine is supposedly highly dependent on the PH of both the smoke and your mouth. It might be that, say, drinking some orange juice with you pipe might up the amount you absorb.
I don't feel that Royal Yacht is all that powerful, but I'm surprised you didn't at least feel a tingle from Irish Flake. Of course, I don't consider either of them to be real heavy hitters. The blends that have made me (a nicotine addict of the first order) a bit queasy are the two Dark Flake iterations from GH, Coniston Cut Plug, 1782, and Billy Budd (some people don't find Billy Budd too strong, but it knocks me on my butt). You could also try Old Joe Krantz, which is my favorite "all day" smoke. Some guys feel it's overwhelmingly strong, but I think it's perfect.

easterntraveler · Jun 20, 2013

Sorry over my head now. Why would drinking somthing like orange juice make my body absorb more of the nicotine?
Thanks for the recommendations..

ciderguy · Jun 20, 2013

I think many of us aren't looking for the blasting that other forms of tobacco consumption can cause. Even when I've smoked a high nic blend like 1792 the feeling is quite different from a strong cigar. For me cigars are akin to coffee or espresso, they hit you fast give you a bit of a buzz and then its gone and you want more. Pipes are like tea. The nic gives you a pleasant feeling of relaxation and well-being. One can have too much caffeine from tea, but the feeling is very different from a coffee.
That being said, are you smoking all the way to the bottom of the bowl? I feel that the last third of the pipe is often the strongest and even blends I think of as mild can surprise me at the bottom of the bowl.

easterntraveler · Jun 20, 2013

I tend to have a problem with the last 1/3 of the bowl its either really moist or tastes like crap. However today I periodically ran a pipe cleaner through the stem and this prevented this problem.

mso489 · Jun 20, 2013

If I smoke a bowl down too long, I get more burn and bite, but no more nicotine. I think people respond to

nicotine over a wide range, some a lot and others almost none. I think it is your nicotine receptors, the

little areas on your brain cell walls that carry the nicotine "message" to the inside of the cell and give the

neurological effect, that either react or don't. My mom always liked to smoke cigarettes for the dramatic

gestures they provided. See the old movies to get the idea how women could pose with cigarettes. But

she just didn't get much from nicotine, or at all habituated. So often, her packs of cigarettes went stale.

thesmokindragon · Jun 20, 2013

Pack a big ol bowl (group 5 or 6) of SG 1792 or Bracken and finish

to the bottom, when you get up from the floor, let us all know how

that Nic hit feels ;-)
All kiddin aside, some of us have higher tolerances for Lady Nic,

and I for one like it when she rides me hard ;-)

foggymountain · Jun 20, 2013

Good suggestion from the smokindragon. A #6 Dunhill with Royal Yacht kicks my butt if smoked all the way. But strangely, I never felt 1792 is as strong. How strange that we all react so differently.

uberam3rica · Jun 21, 2013

I'm the same way. I enjoy hookah now and then, and I definitely feel the nicotine more then with a pipe. I think part of it is you are smoking longer. Hookah for me generally lasts an hour or so. Whereas a pipe, depending on bowl size, lasts 45 minutes or so with my largest bowl pipe.

latbomber · Jun 21, 2013

Nicotine for me is a funny mistress. Some of the infamous blends like Nightcap dont "buzz" me but some of my lighter blends will every once in awhile.I guess it depends on your personal chemistry more than anything.

cigrmaster · Jun 21, 2013

If you are having trouble smoking to the bottom, make sure your tobacco is properly dried, you are packing it not too loose or too hard. You should check the draw before lighting and it should feel like sipping through a straw, you want some resistance. Also you need to dump ash when your pipe goes out. When it goes out take the pick end of your tamper and lightly stir it, then tilt the bowl carefully and let the ash fall out. Tamp and then light and do that when necessary.

pipebow88 · Jun 21, 2013

To me it varies depending on the person. I smoked a bowl of Peterson irish flake the several said was a heavy hitter. I didn't feel a thing. I quit dipping in december, but my heavy use of copenhagen for 6 years may have had some effect on that too. I don't smoke a pipe for nicotine, just the flavor and some time to relax.

B

billbearcat · Jun 21, 2013

Irish Flake doesn't do it for me either. Hal O' the Wind is new in my rotation and has a hefty nicotine content. I really enjoy it.

popsmusix · Jun 22, 2013

I just finished my first bowl of C&D's Billy Budd and it was a huge nic hit for me. It tasted like I stuck a cigar in my bowl and let it rip. I will put this in a jar and let it settle a bit. Good greif, I have to lay down now.

mustanggt · Jun 23, 2013

Once in awhile with a heavy nic tobacco I get the hiccups. I just swallow water several times and it goes away. The only other thing I feel is after I smoke a heavy nic blend I go to bed and I am out. That's why I smoke a heavy nic blend before bed.

lostandfound · Jun 23, 2013

The amount of nicotine one gets from hookah and sheesha are astronomical. Plus, a bowl can last up to two hours. Also with hookah, every puff is a long, slow, deep inhale.

protestantpiper · Jun 23, 2013

As a former 2+ pack a day cigarette smoker, I've yet to get anything even close from a pipe or cigar. I think I "feel" it sometimes in the form of a headache, but that's about it.
I have noticed that the nic gets a lot more mention in reviews etc...than it ever did 10 years ago. Not sure why that is.

gnolomweb · Jun 26, 2013

I smoke cigarettes, Marlboro menthol smooth to be exact. I enjoy a high nicotine content most of the time to my pipe smokes. After reading many reviews and trying many blends. I have found that "full flavored" tins have the most flavor+nicotine but are, however, very mild in Vitamin N (Peterson's Irish Flake and various Navy Flakes etc)
While offering a slight nicotine infusment to my blood steam and a comfortable calm, great flavor and Nicotine aren't found hand and hand. To avert this, there are a few things I have done.

#1 Smoke a cig before enjoying a flavorful bowl.

#2 5 Brothers is a shag cut tobacco sold under "pipe" variety but works better as RYO. I mix this with my blends (1/3 5bro to 2/3 good baccy) While the 5Bros baccy doesn't have good flavor, it does add cig quality Nic hit.

#3 When packing a pipe; pack bottom 3/4 with good tobacco and top 1/4 with cig tobacco pulled out from your favorite smoke (or5bros). When smoking the top 1/4 inhale (don't sip) and get the full Vit N. Then when you reach your flavorfull tobacco, sip and smoke with good technique and appreciate the buzz and the flavor.
I use each of these techniques in different situations what ever fits the bill.

(also note worthy: Filters on cigs let tobacco smoke go deeper into your lungs, letting the nic hit get to you quicker)

thuber88 · Jun 26, 2013

+1 for 1792, but while its is nice and strong, its not going to hit you like a really strong cigar smoked down to a stub

I Do Not Feel the Nicotine

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