Newbie Here...Should I Worry About Nicotine?

deckpiper · Apr 19, 2018

I've been smoking Lane BCA. Love it. I've had a few small smokes, and one big one...no problems yet.
Local store sold me some other tobaccos:

Sterling Balkan

Vintage Virginia

Black Vanilla

Honestly, I bought these in total ignorance. Not sure who makes them...I've got them in plastic bags with only the store name on them.
But, I just read about nicotine reactions, and I'm wondering if any of those will be a problem for me. Are there ways to know which tobaccos are high in nicotine and which are not?
Thanks for any advice. Again, I'm a total newbie. Bought a Vauen pipe a few weeks ago, and I'm really enjoying it as a relaxing moment at the end of the day, maybe twice a week.
(Just realized I should have put this in the beginner's section. Sorry. Can the mods move it?)

artificialme · Apr 19, 2018

In my experiences dealing with nicotine, first note you will find if you are taking too much nicotine is light headed-ness. Then it started to become dizziness. After a while, puking :mrgreen:. And if you stay awake after puking, maybe it feel like someone hammering your head all around. But, it only happened to my while inhaling cigar (stupid me). 2 months of pipe smoking, it never happened.
But, that was me...maybe other people have it different :puffpipe:

jgriff · Apr 19, 2018

There really isn't a perfect way to determine the nicotine level of a given tobacco without some research (i.e. no code on the label or anything that easy).
Generally, aromatics are on the extreme low end so you shouldn't worry about your BCA or Vanilla at all. The majority of English/Balkan stuff isn't too heavy either but there are a number of exceptions. In the grand scheme of things, your Balkan and Virginia aren't probably too heavy since most of the bulk English or Virginias aren't too high but they may seem more so to you.
Virginias are the big wild card. Certain manufacturers tend to source certain tobacco that is naturally higher. I've found that African Virginia tend to higher in nicotine but I've rarely run into that in a store bulk blend.
My advice is just enjoy them and take it slow. Don't worry about it too much. You'll notice it if the nicotine is effecting you. If so, then just stop. Most of the time, it's a result of pushing too hard and smoking certain tobacco too fast. Everyone has a different tolerance and technique plays alot into it too.

dottiewarden · Apr 19, 2018

Nicotine reaction differs considerably among individuals, therefore you will have to discover your sensitivity or tolerance levels through trial and error. As far as blends go, there are some known high nic blends and you are likely to try at some point. The secret is to stop immediately at the first sign of discomfort as the hit keeps coming on for 10 or 15 minutes even after putting the pipe down. Personally, as a very nicotine sensitive pipe smoker, I just lie down if possible and ride out the dizziness. I have puked fairly violently on occasion, however after 20 minutes of hell you feel back to your old self again. Nicotine overdose has never discouraged me from smoking, although I can see how it might be a factor.

anthonyrosenthal74 · Apr 19, 2018

Deckpiper, welcome. Best advise I can give is this... Never smoke on an empty stomach regardless of the blend type you're smoking, especially when new to tobacco and the effects of nicotine. This way you're far less likely to have any issues. A little nicotine buzz is ok, but it can be sneaky so if you feel a buzz coming on, put the pipe down for a bit. Keep some chocolate on hand. If the nicotine buzz feels like it's getting out of hand, that chocolate is likely going to keep you from having an episode such as dottiewarden mentioned above... Eat some chocolate, rest for a while, and the reaction will subside.

whiteburleydude · Apr 19, 2018

Yep, chocolate or better yet, pure sugar works for me. I feel it in my stomach and in my throat when I know I've had enough. Try having a sugar drink with your pipe. I prefer ice tea or half and half. Beer and whisky will also boost your nicotine tolerance while you smoke because of the natural sugars.

cosmicfolklore · Apr 19, 2018

The problem with determining nicotine levels in a blend is the acidity and body chemistry determines how much will be absorbed through your small blood vessels of your mouth and sinuses. The notion that nicotine levels of Virginias are low, is just not true. If you eat it or inhale it, you’ll get a kick in the head, but the acidity makes it absorb through normal smoking much less than a Burley. Adding perique changes the chemistry of the smoke, making the tobaccos mixed with it absorb much more,
Also, the added sugars and cooking processes to make those cavendishes and aromatics, makes the absorption much less also.
Tobaccos that we use in pipe tobacco is a much more natural product than what is used in cigarettes. Fertilizers, nutrients from the soil, environmental conditions makes one crop from one to another changes the absorption levels also, so to the feds shigrin it is much harder to regulate nicotine levels in pipe tobaccos. Also, aging in the tin while waiting to be bought can change the absorption rates.
About the best advice I can give you on whether one or another blend will be more potent is to check tobaccoreviews to see how strong others found the tobaccos. And, even there experiences will differ from one poster to the next. Experience is your best option.

craiginthecorn · Apr 19, 2018

Lots of good advice so far. I read somewhere recently how sugar casing change the pH of the smoke and this reduces nicotine absorption, so you'll almost never have a problem with a sweet aromatic tobacco. I remember the first time I smoked a bowl of Dunhill Royal Yacht. I was sitting on my front porch. A neighbor approached and as I stood up to greet her, I was shocked and a bit embarrassed to find myself wobbly, like I'd had a few fingers of bourbon.
Check out reviews on tobaccoreviews.com. Reviewers often comment on nicotine levels, especially when they're high.

briarbuck · Apr 19, 2018

I will say it's not a good idea for nubies to smoke a bowl after "one or 3 too many". It can be bad....very bad. (personal experience)

cosmicfolklore · Apr 19, 2018

Deck, I don't think any of those you mention are heavy hitters, If you get wobbly knee'd or gut punched from those, you might just be very susceptible to nicotine, more so than the average Joe.
Many of us come to the hobby from cigarettes or cigars, so we sort of know what we are in for. It is the ritual of the pipe that draws us, but the relaxation of the nicotine and the aromas that keep us.

donjgiles · Apr 19, 2018

I would recommend loading only half a pipeful. This does a few things, gives you a sample of the blend's taste, seasons the heel of the pipe, and you don't waste much if you need to pitch it out.

npod · Apr 19, 2018

+1 on the sugar. Just keep a packet or two with you and use it if you notice LH/Jitters/Woosy/Nausea, etc.

mso489 · Apr 19, 2018

Most online retailers, like our sponsors, have good specifications on the "strength" of blends or single-leaf, mild to full-strength, often illustrated with number of dots or triangles. These will guide you. You have to learn your own tolerances for nicotine. Some people feel queasy with just a little, and others are highly tolerant. Food in your stomach, and some water in your system will also make you more resistant.

deckpiper · Apr 19, 2018

Thanks to everyone. Really enjoying this new adventure into pipe smoking. I never smoked cigarettes, and cigars infrequently...never had a problem with nicotine. I was just watching a video on Dunhill Night Cap, and I began to wonder if I should be careful. I'll do small bowls and see how things go.
I really find the pipe relaxing...is that a nicotine feeling? I wonder. Either way, I haven't had a bad experience yet.
Thanks very much for the comments!!

seanv · Apr 20, 2018

Don’t overthink it either. If you’re overly cautious you’ll feel a nicotine buzz even when it’s not there. Smoke half bowls or small pipes. You can always pack another bowl if you want more

mso489 · Apr 20, 2018

My parents provided an interesting comparison on nicotine susceptibility. My dad was a life-long pipe/Granger smoker. He took several years off for King Edward cigars, went back to the pipe, and quit cold turkey at age 65 related to his work place in his second career. Granger has a definite nicotine quotient but isn't on the high end of strong. My mother would buy a pack of cigarettes and enjoy posing and gesturing, doing a subtle but definite (maybe) Bette Davis routine. She was simply unaffected by nicotine and nearly every pack of nails she ever bought went stale before it was empty. She had zero addiction genes for nicotine. She could smoke all week with family smokers and then not smoke again for most of a year. If the tobacco industry depended on the likes of her, they would have gone belly up long before she was born in 1921.

workman · Apr 20, 2018

Nightcap is one of the strange blends, that some find to be heavy with nicotine and others don't. I don't. I think what Nightcap is full of is flavor. Very filling, but not a nicotine bomb.

Anyway, you will feel it, when nicotine becomes to much. And it won't kill you, so don't worry about it.

rx2man · Apr 20, 2018

This is a interesting topic as I am old enough to remember being able to buy single cigs for 10 cents from a cup at 7 11. We bought them to get the mild buzz lol....

olkofri · Apr 20, 2018

Hardly a veteran piper, or a daily smoker, but to date, I have NEVER gotten even a slight buzz from a pipe. I must be doing something wrong. 8O

mso489 · Apr 22, 2018

If you are trying what you think is a stronger tobacco, it's wise to ease into it. Have a good full meal, and make sure you are thoroughly hydrated. Probably leave off the alcohol for a first try with a strong blend. Start with a small bowl pipe, or a partial bowl. Smoke at a slow pace, and maybe let it go out if you need to know if you are getting light headed. I admit, I've dived right in with a strong blend, a big bowl, and a full smoke, and gotten a little light headed, but at least I did this last thing at night, so I could retire to bed and sleep it off. Unlike with too much booze, I didn't wake up at three in the morning with a screamer of a headache. Mostly, I try to keep my pipe smoking a pleasant experience. Once you get the measure of a blend, you can usually enjoy it and not suffer any effects. I don't buy blends for nicotine, but when a little buzz comes around, it's a good thing.

Newbie Here...Should I Worry About Nicotine?

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