Nicotine Uptake

tomsmithusa · Oct 11, 2012

I’ve not seen it, here, but I read some time ago there is no nicotine uptake if you smoke a pipe (assuming you don’t inhale farther than your mouth).
I do see nicotine discussions, but for those of us who don’t inhale into the lungs, I’ve felt that accurate, as I’ve not felt a “nicotine rush” so often discussed.
I need to find my source where I read that . . .

sparroa · Oct 11, 2012

Tom,
Nicotine is easily absorbed through the mouth or other mucous membranes. I don't know where you read that there is no nicotine uptake, but it isn't accurate as far as I know. That's why chewing tobacco is effective - large quantities of nic straight through the cheek and gums into the bloodstream...
I would wager that all pipe smokers inhale a tiny bit of smoke - even if they think they don't - in addition to whatever nicotine is absorbed through the mouth.
It sounds like you are smoking mild blends. There are plenty of pipe tobaccos out there that can whip a grown man into nauseous submission, so you might need to search a little wider for stronger blends.

tomsmithusa · Oct 12, 2012

Mmm.
What you wrote makes sense re the membranes and now I've just spent ten minutes trying to find where that was I read it. Crud. I prefer mature Virginia blends, have tried many different types over the years along the way to finding my preference, but I don't think I've had that nicotine rush. Mmm. Now I am stumped.
Well, I've not had a nicotine rush that I can identify and I can also put a pipe down for a days or weeks without feeling "addicted" so I assumed what I read was true, but may be there's something else at play, here. That, or simply I misread it.

pstlpkr · Oct 12, 2012

Tom welcome aboard.

You might try a bowl of Haddo's Delight...

You'll get a good dose of nicotine.

photoman13 · Oct 12, 2012

The nicotine rush really depends on the tobacco blends you chose. Jackknife plug will knock you on your butt.

tomsmithusa · Oct 12, 2012

Why do I feel like I am being set up for a good story at my expense?

Edit: [this pushed me out of the Webpage, with some message about slowing down] . .. I read the Haddo's Delight description, and it sounds good except I am not a perique fan. Thank you, though, as it sounds good enough to give it a try.

msandoval858 · Oct 12, 2012

If you're still in doubt about whether or not you absorb nicotine through pipe smoke, I invite you to sample a bowl of Peterson Irish Flake or C&D Montford Point Marine.
You may want to sit down first.

sparroa · Oct 12, 2012

Tom,
It sounds like you have a tolerance and that you have stayed within that tolerance whether you tried to or not.
There are a lot of threads around here that list plenty of strong tobaccos.
To list a few at random, in addition to the good suggestions above:

-Plugs, ropes, twists of all kinds

-Five Brothers

-Old Joe Krantz

-1792 Flake

-Tambolaka
As far as individual tobaccos are concerned, burley/perique/dark fired are among the strongest but there are also different varieties of Virginia with a big punch...
Nicotine doesn't bother some people much, so I am not surprised that you haven't noticed it.
If you had anxiety or a heart condition, however, I'm sure you would be singing a different tune. I am personally very sensitive to nicotine and to me there can definitely be too much of a "good" thing.
Honestly, if you can smoke a few bowls labeled "medium" or "medium to strong" or "strong" on tobaccoreviews.com back to back without feeling a stimulant buzz somewhat akin to caffeine then I will be very surprised.
It's good, though, that you aren't addicted (unless one wants to be!) and if you are satisfied with your pipe smoking experiences then perhaps there is no reason to seek out these stronger blends for an element that you may/may not desire...

sjpipesmoker · Oct 12, 2012

Smoke any Rope tobacco? At least that's where I felt the rush of nicotine overcome me?

mick · Oct 12, 2012

When I first started smoking, I remember smoking on an empty stomach and feeling ravenously hungry after I was done. From then on, I always smoke with a full stomach. :lol:
I've only felt that nic kick with Hermit's Ten Russians, which increased my blood pressure from its usual 110 to 140+.

numbersix · Oct 12, 2012

You absolutely can absorb plenty of nicotine without inhaling. If you haven't felt the effects I would say that you either haven't tried strong enough tobacco or perhaps you're one of the few who are immune to its effects.
Consider how doctors instruct patients to take nitroglycerin tablets - under the tongue as it can be readily absorbed into the bloodstream. You don't need to swallow or inject it - and just as it can be absorbed into the body via just under the tongue, so can nicotine.

grizzly86 · Oct 12, 2012

Some people are naturally more resistant to Lady N.

tomsmithusa · Oct 12, 2012

Well, I struck out in finding where I read there’s no nicotine uptake from pipe /cigar smoking if you don’t inhale.
Although I did find an indirect reference confirming nicotine from pipe and cigar smoking, with no ill health threats, from the 1964 Surgeon General Report, pp. 32-33 [italics mine]:

The overwhelming evidence indicates that smoking--its beginning,

habituation, and occasional discontinuation--is to a very large extent psychologically

and socially determined.
Nicotine is rapidly changed in the body to relatively inactive substances

with low toxicity. The chronic toxicity of small doses of nicotine is low

in experimental animals. These two facts, when taken in conjunction with

the low mortality ratios of pipe and cigar smokers, indicate that the chronic

toxicity of nicotine in quantities absorbed from smoking and other methods

of tobacco use is very low and probably does not represent an important

health hazard.
The significant beneficial effects of smoking occur primarily in the area

of mental health, and the habit originates in a search for contentment. S i n c e

no means of measuring the quantity of these benefits is apparent, the Committee

finds no basis for a judgment which would weigh benefits against

hazards of smoking as it may apply to the general population.
THE COMMITTEE'S JUDGMENT IN BRIEF

On the basis of prolonged study and evaluation of many lines of converging

evidence, the Committee makes the following judgment:

Cigarette smoking is a health hazard of sufficient importance in

the United States to warrant appropriate remedial action.

photoman13 · Oct 12, 2012

So you believe that there are no bad health affects from smoking a pipe?

sparroa · Oct 12, 2012

Research has most certainly moved on from the 1964 conclusions but I highly doubt that there has been much distinction made between cigarette smokers and pipe/cigar smokers since that time.
So accepting either the old SG report or newer research at face value is likely a flawed endeavour.
Exposure to HPV and drinking alcohol in conjunction with smoking any kind of tobacco can raise the risk for oral cancers substantially. Likewise, if you have heart or blood pressure problems then the nicotine from smoking any kind of tobacco can worsen your condition.
If you smoke in moderation (and you are otherwise healthy) then pipe smoking may not be your downfall but it is a roll of the dice like anything else.
In short, if you've ever taken a woman home/drank booze/smoked/ate/driven a car/breathed in its exhaust you are playing with fire anyway.

tomsmithusa · Oct 12, 2012

So you believe that there are no bad health affects from smoking a pipe? -- photoman13

It was fun to share the report, especially on the nicotine information.
simenon starts to open it up on health, as there are so many other variables, that pipe smoking, alone, is not an indicator of good or ill on health.

photoman13 · Oct 12, 2012

Before I say what I am going to say I hope everyone knows this is my opinion and is not meant to start any problems or debate.
We all know candy is bad for us. Just as we should know having smoke in your mouth is bad for us. How can it not be. Sure if you smoke in moderation it probably won't be a problem but denying the truth is just plain crazy. As said above that report is from 64 and probably not the most up to date information. I will still eat my candy and enjoy an occasional pipe.

kris · Oct 12, 2012

+1 photoman. Although I'm not much for candy so I'll just stick to the baccy...

lankfordjl · Oct 12, 2012

@tomsmithusa
I've smoked cigars, pipes, and used nasal snuff and never felt a nicotine rush. I know that some people are more tolerate of nicotine than others; maybe that's my case. Caffeine is another example of a plant alkaloid that people can have a tolerance too. I was raised on coffee...started drinking it at age 5; now coffee is just a warm drink for me and energy drinks are sodas.
In my educated opinion, pipe smoking (without intentional inhaling) in moderation is no more of a health hazard than any other activity. Overuse of anything leads to health problems: sugar, alcohol, salt, sitting ... ha even overuse of "healthy" activities like exercise, drinking water, eating vegetable, taking vitamins, etc. is dangerous to your health. Sounds simple but the problem is this...what amounts to "overuse" is an unknown for each individual. Health officials try to standardize "healthy" levels of everything, but everyone's genetics are different and each person's body responds different. Our current medical knowledge has not advanced enough to be able to tell you (as an individual) what is "best" for you. In my opinion, all that general "health guidelines" lead to is social engineering which is a whole other topic.

sparroa · Oct 12, 2012

simenon starts to open it up on health, as there are so many other variables, that pipe smoking, alone, is not an indicator of good or ill on health.

Tom,
I'm not quite sure if I understand the meaning of that first part but I generally agree that pipe smoking is not an indicator of good or ill health - the effects will radically vary between different individuals as all of our genetics and environmental exposures are different.
I surely don't think that pipe smoking is good for us, however. The back of my throat is raw from a lot of smoking in the past few days and boy it's not nice. It's impossible to say what the cumulative effects will be until they appear, though...

Nicotine Uptake

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