Tell Us About Your Health And Pipe Smoking

[DIYpiper]

Good afternoon fellow pipe smokers.

it has been just over a year since I picked up my pipe after a 15 year hiatus when I fist experimented with pipe smoking and I have to say, I have finally found the enjoyment in it I always knew was there.

Lately potential health concerns have begun to weigh on me, so I thought I’d ping the community and see how pipe smoking has impacted members health.
If anyone is willing, I’d love to hear how long you’ve been piping, how often you lite a bowl, whether you inhale, any noticeable or diagnosed negative health effects and whether cigarettes have or are a part of your life.
Clearly this is not an cold hard fact study, this is just members sharing there experience with the understanding that every person’s health is different and there are unseen factors that can contribute to a persons health beyond pipe smoking.

I hope I have perked the interest of others and the value of such transparency can been seen.

Thank you to all those who read and a special thanks to all those who participate.

Myself:
Piping 1.5 years
1 bowl every 1-2 weeks
Do not inhale
No noticeable health impacts
Never smoked cigarettes

 

[Servant King]

Good afternoon fellow pipe smokers.

it has been just over a year since I picked up my pipe after a 15 year hiatus when I fist experimented with pipe smoking and I have to say, I have finally found the enjoyment in it I always knew was there.

Lately potential health concerns have begun to weigh on me, so I thought I’d ping the community and see how pipe smoking has impacted members health.
If anyone is willing, I’d love to hear how long you’ve been piping, how often you lite a bowl, whether you inhale, any noticeable or diagnosed negative health effects and whether cigarettes have or are a part of your life.
Clearly this is not an cold hard fact study, this is just members sharing there experience with the understanding that every person’s health is different and there are unseen factors that can contribute to a persons health beyond pipe smoking.

I hope I have perked the interest of others and the value of such transparency can been seen.

Thank you to all those who read and a special thanks to all those who participate.

Myself:
Piping 1.5 years
1 bowl every 1-2 weeks
Do not inhale
No noticeable health impacts
Never smoked cigarettes

2.5 years w/pipe
1 bowl per week on average, sometimes two, sometimes zero
No inhale
No health impacts
Never smoked cigarettes
Had perhaps two dozen cigars since 2003 (no inhalation, of course)
36 years old

PAD/TAD is far more detrimental to one's health than the actual combustible part!

 

[DIYpiper]

2.5 years w/pipe
1 bowl per week on average, sometimes two, sometimes zero
No inhale
No health impacts
Never smoked cigarettes
Had perhaps two dozen cigars since 2003 (no inhalation, of course)
36 years old

PAD/TAD is far more detrimental to one's health than the actual combustible part!

No joke! I have TAD bad ?

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I have smoked something (cigarettes, cigars, pipe) for almost 50 years. I gave up cigarettes 14 years ago and glad I did. One would be foolish to believe there are no damages to your health from any kind of smoking but the extent of those damages probably depends on how much you smoke and whether or not you inhale.

Don't be confused, when you smoke a pipe you are inhaling some small amount of smoke regardless of what your intentions are. I don't try to inhale but I do pull the smoke into my throat and exhale through my nose most of the time for added enjoyment. I'm sure this increases the amount I inadvertently take into my lungs somewhat. I also smoke 5 to 6 bowls per day.

I really enjoy smoking my pipe and also the occasional cigar(s), mostly when I play golf. I've notched 64 years on this planet and none of us are getting out alive. I do believe pipe smoking is the least harmful form of tobacco intake, I suspect there's more potential for damage to your mouth, gums and throat than there is to your lungs. I'm not a health professional but I suspect the health risks if you only smoke a bowl per day are very minimal. I haven't noticed obvious health issues from smoking aside from a minimal amount of congestion/phlegm build up. It may have had a negative affect had I decided to try out for running events at the Olympic Trials. I will say I've noticed my penis has grown substantially over the years. Not sure if that can be associated with the smoking or perhaps from tugging on it too often. Whether one would view that as a positive or negative is probably a personal matter.

 

[Sweet Home Alabama]

I’m 5’8” at 172 and active. Pipe smoking is my latest interest, it never smoked otherwise.

At 66 years, there are several ways that I won’t make it to 90.

Having now retired from a high stress job and finally divorced and replanted, I feel I am in a good place.

hope to being hiking daily on the mountain that I reside at the foot off when I get my property taxes and new car tags this week. ?

 

[briarbuck]

6' 1"
173
2-3 bowls per day and 61 years old

Still play 2 hours of Ultimate with the 20 years old's 2x a week. I'm very lucky to have good genes.

 

[irishearl]

67 and been smoking around 45 years. The health difficulties I've had had nothing to do with smoking.

 

[DIYpiper]

I have smoked something (cigarettes, cigars, pipe) for almost 50 years. I gave up cigarettes 14 years ago and glad I did. One would be foolish to believe there are no damages to your health from any kind of smoking but the extent of those damages probably depends on how much you smoke and whether or not you inhale.

Don't be confused, when you smoke a pipe you are inhaling some small amount of smoke regardless of what your intentions are. I don't try to inhale but I do pull the smoke into my throat and exhale through my nose most of the time for added enjoyment. I'm sure this increases the amount I inadvertently take into my lungs somewhat. I also smoke 5 to 6 bowls per day.

I really enjoy smoking my pipe and also the occasional cigar(s), mostly when I play golf. I've notched 64 years on this planet and none of us are getting out alive. I do believe pipe smoking is the least harmful form of tobacco intake, I suspect there's more potential for damage to your mouth, gums and throat than there is to your lungs. I'm not a health professional but I suspect the health risks if you only smoke a bowl per day are very minimal. I haven't noticed obvious health issues from smoking aside from a minimal amount of congestion/phlegm build up. It may have had a negative affect had I decided to try out for running events at the Olympic Trials. I will say I've noticed my penis has grown substantially over the years. Not sure if that can be associated with the smoking or perhaps from tugging on it too often. Whether one would view that as a positive or negative is probably a personal matter.

Haha! If encouraged member growth is the worst a guy can expect from pipe smoking I think we’re in a good place! Seriously though, thank you for sharing with everyone. It is greatly appreciated.

 

[DIYpiper]

I’m 5’8” at 172 and active. Pipe smoking is my latest interest, it never smoked otherwise.

At 66 years, there are several ways that I won’t make it to 90.

Having now retired from a high stress job and finally divorced and replanted, I feel I am in a good place.

hope to being hiking daily on the mountain that I reside at the foot off when I get my property taxes and new car tags this week. ?

Thank you for sharing with everyone. Hope you get out hiking. Some great views and I’d say a perfect setting for a bowl.

 

[DIYpiper]

67 and been smoking around 45 years. The health difficulties I've had had nothing to do with smoking.

Thank you for sharing and keep on piping!

 

[DIYpiper]

6' 1"
173
2-3 bowls per day and 61 years old

Still play 2 hours of Ultimate with the 20 years old's 2x a week. I'm very lucky to have good genes.

Thank you sharing. Brother I wish I had time for 2-3 bowls a day AND frisbee! Hahaha!

 

[Brendan]

May come back to this thread later today and add my bit but just quickly I'll say that last paragraph of Hoosier's made my morning ???

 

[Mtlpiper]

age: 39
height: 6'2
weight: 240lb
frequency: 3-4 bowls in the week, more on the weekends, but sometimes zero. More in the colder months. I've been smoking a pipe on and off since around 2004, but more so in the last five years. I used to be a cigarette smoker.
I don't inhale (pipes or cigars).

Spoiler: Probably TMI

I served in the forces (from 18 to 22), where I was extremely fit and active, had zero health issues and smoked rarely.

After leaving and becoming a full-time desk jockey (I worked in illustration and publishing for 8 years) I took up cigarettes. The sedentary lifestyle and 'high pace environment' of London city work did their magic.

In 2019 I was diagnosed with severe OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) and diabetes (type-2 is a fairly common side effect of OSA, along with cardiac issues etc.). So there's a bunch of scary stuff that comes along with that diagnosis. I have elevated blood pressure that I'm getting checked out. If anything I attribute that to years of cigarette smoking (which I quit a few years ago, I smoked a pack a week).

The last couple of years have been quite scary health-wise. But I think the main contributing factor has been just bucketloads of stress combined with little support (I emigrated to Canada in 2013, and have had quite the struggle as an English speaker in French Québec, it's not been an easy 8 years, to put it very mildly).

To add to that 2020 was total nightmare fuel. I lost my employment (and was impossible to find a new one under Covid), my house followed and very nearly my partner (she's still around but it's been rough for her too). It's going to take a while to properly recover.

Things are looking up though; I'm retraining in a new industry; trying to concentrate on working out and eating right. Sometimes it's good to get a bit of a kick up the arse.

I don't think any of my health issues are to do with pipe smoking, if I thought that - I'd have no trouble putting it behind me. I honestly think it helps balance the stress of life and I don't think of it as a vice.

 

[DAR]

I'm in my mid 60s and I've been smoking a pipe for about 33 years? I've worked from home for the last 15 years and I've been smoking about 2 bowls per day without any noticeable health problems. Before that, I smoked 4-5 bowls a week.

I smoked cigarettes from age 11 to age 32. That's how old I was when I got a bad case of pneumonia and was laid out for a few weeks. That's how I quit cigarettes....... With the help of pneumonia.?

For me smoking a pipe brings a feeling of relaxation and contemplation. I have to weigh the horrors of tobacco against the horrors of feeling tense after working my brain to a nub day in and day out. Plus, it tastes and smells good. Balance is the name of my game. I don't want to smoke 20 bowls a day or drink a gallon of whiskey at every sitting or eat a 5 lb. steak every night. Nor do I want to eliminate every single thing I enjoy in order to pretend I'm healthier. I have to balance what I eat, drink, smoke in order to enjoy life.

 

[bullet08]

Been smoking something or the other related to tobacco since 12. 5'10" 155lbs 53 years old. Smoking pipes for about 3 years. Played Great Highland Bagpipes for over 20 (since you mentioned piping).

Physical activity depends on what interests me at a given moment. When younger, mostly martial art. Now, occasionally cycling.

Gotta go one way or the other. Not really concerned about it. No way of getting out of that problem. Hope it's not too painful and won't be too much burden on the kids.

 

[winton]

Outside of pipe show or pipe club, I smoke one bowl a day. This has been for about 10+ years. Never cigaretts.

But recently, I have been having some health issues. My wife is encouraging me to smoke less. I am also using smaller pipes and less frequently.

 

[DIYpiper]

age: 39
height: 6'2
weight: 240lb
frequency: 3-4 bowls in the week, more on the weekends, but sometimes zero. More in the colder months. I've been smoking a pipe on and off since around 2004, but more so in the last five years. I used to be a cigarette smoker.
I don't inhale (pipes or cigars).

Spoiler: Probably TMI

I served in the forces (from 18 to 22), where I was extremely fit and active, had zero health issues and smoked rarely.

After leaving and becoming a full-time desk jockey (I worked in illustration and publishing for 8 years) I took up cigarettes. The sedentary lifestyle and 'high pace environment' of London city work did their magic.

In 2019 I was diagnosed with severe OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) and diabetes (type-2 is a fairly common side effect of OSA, along with cardiac issues etc.). So there's a bunch of scary stuff that comes along with that diagnosis. I have elevated blood pressure that I'm getting checked out. If anything I attribute that to years of cigarette smoking (which I quit a few years ago, I smoked a pack a week).

The last couple of years have been quite scary health-wise. But I think the main contributing factor has been just bucketloads of stress combined with little support (I emigrated to Canada in 2013, and have had quite the struggle as an English speaker in French Québec, it's not been an easy 8 years, to put it very mildly).

To add to that 2020 was total nightmare fuel. I lost my employment (and was impossible to find a new one under Covid), my house followed and very nearly my partner (she's still around but it's been rough for her too). It's going to take a while to properly recover.

Things are looking up though; I'm retraining in a new industry; trying to concentrate on working out and eating right. Sometimes it's good to get a bit of a kick up the arse.

I don't think any of my health issues are to do with pipe smoking, if I thought that - I'd have no trouble putting it behind me. I honestly think it helps balance the stress of life and I don't think of it as a vice.

Well said.

 

[kcghost]

I've been smoking for 50+ years. I smoke two bowls a day and do not inhale. Never smoked cigarettes. Spend eight hours a week around numerous pipe smokers in a pipe/cigar shop. No problems here.

 

[litup]

I suspect that the people that had the worst health reactions to pipe smoking aren’t here to fill us in on their experience.

Personally, I don’t sleep as well as I used to, my teeth stain more, and I don’t have the lung capacity I used to have.

 

[anotherbob]

Snus or snuff are healthier then a pipe. But the damage from a pipe is pretty minimal. If you look at a lot of smokers the ones that have health problems related to smoking cigars or pipes tend to be the type of person that doesn't stop smoking expect for sleep. And the thing with inhaling accidentally it's not the same as inhaling intentionally. Depth is a key issue. Second hand smoke is where you're going to get the most effect from pipes and that's pretty minimal if you don't sit inside. Honestly all this information is out there and pretty decently documented.