Drawing on an Unlit Pipe

[Chukzelda]

This may seem like a strange question, but bear with me. About 10 years ago, I purchased a corncob pipe and some Sir Walter Raleigh tobacco. As a child, I fondly remembered my grandfather smoking it. After packing the pipe, I put it in my mouth and sucked on it. The complex flavor surprised me and I ended up enjoying it. I tried some different tobacco types and would find myself reading books with the unlit corncob stuck in my mouth happily drawing in the flavor.

The strange part begins here. After each "pipe" session, I noticed I was in a better mood. After stopping using the unlit pipe for several days, I developed headaches. Throughout my life, I have never smoked or used nicotine in any way.

Could I have been getting a bit of nicotine from simply inhaling the unlit tobacco fumes?

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

It’s not like you are handling the tobacco intensively with your hands for hours or chewing on it - my unscientific vote is “no”. Especially to suggest some withdrawal. Nothing wrong with a pipe pacifier, that’s what mine are, but lit, but IMO all in your head.

 

[BarrelProof]

This may seem like a strange question, but bear with me. About 10 years ago, I purchased a corncob pipe and some Sir Walter Raleigh tobacco. As a child, I fondly remembered my grandfather smoking it. After packing the pipe, I put it in my mouth and sucked on it. The complex flavor surprised me and I ended up enjoying it. I tried some different tobacco types and would find myself reading books with the unlit corncob stuck in my mouth happily drawing in the flavor.

The strange part begins here. After each "pipe" session, I noticed I was in a better mood. After stopping using the unlit pipe for several days, I developed headaches. Throughout my life, I have never smoked or used nicotine in any way.

Could I have been getting a bit of nicotine from simply inhaling the unlit tobacco fumes?

You’re forcing yourself to take longer, deeper breaths.

 

[SBC]

Well, this is different.

Anyway, I assume that nicotine can show up on a blood panel or something? In which case, that would be the only way to find out for sure.

 

[warren]

I think it's akin to climbing into your father's car and turning the wheel while saying "Varoom, varoom and other engine noises. Or, racing around the house riding your mother's broom, chasing bad guys. Whatever turns your crank I guess. Letting one's imagine run wild is sometimes great fun. Enjoy!

 

[mortonbriar]

I am a bit confused by the timeframe, were you drawing on the floor (like with a on in your fist) at the same time as purchasing a pouch of tobacco?

 

[mortonbriar]

ha on is meant to be cra...yon

 

[bullet08]

I think nicotine can be absorbed by skin. If you inhale, even if it's unlit, it will get absorbed by mucus membrane in mouth. But at much lower dose. Don't play with nicotine, unless you are gonna commit to it. It's an evil thing.

 

[jndyer]

I would say, no you are not getting any nicotine why drawing air through and unlit pipe. I would imagine that there would be need to be some other event to cause a release of nicotine from the leaf into the air ie. burning the tobacco. Having said that, I am not a scientist so I could be wrong.

If you are enjoying a pipe and unlit tobacco, then keep doing you.

 

[Epip Oc'Cabot]

I would doubt there is any nicotine, but I can attest to the “better mood” aspect of drawing from even an unlit pipe. As suggested, it is partially likely to be the slower cadence of breathing…. but I also think (for me at least) the flavors of the pipe tobaccos that have been smoked in the pipe are pleasant and comforting in their own way as well. I do draw on a filled or unfilled pipe in several circumstances when actual smoking of my pipe is verboten. I do this even when I often get some rather negative glances from some folks….. and if they are folks that generally annoy me anyway…. that too adds to my enjoyment.

 

[Hillcrest]

This may seem like a strange question, but bear with me. About 10 years ago, I purchased a corncob pipe and some Sir Walter Raleigh tobacco. As a child, I fondly remembered my grandfather smoking it. After packing the pipe, I put it in my mouth and sucked on it. The complex flavor surprised me and I ended up enjoying it. I tried some different tobacco types and would find myself reading books with the unlit corncob stuck in my mouth happily drawing in the flavor.

The strange part begins here. After each "pipe" session, I noticed I was in a better mood. After stopping using the unlit pipe for several days, I developed headaches. Throughout my life, I have never smoked or used nicotine in any way.

Could I have been getting a bit of nicotine from simply inhaling the unlit tobacco fumes?

My uneducated guess is that with the pipe and book you were relaxing ... without it you were subconsciously craving that time and starting stressing and clenching your teeth leading to a headache. Ask your dentist or doctor. You should get s physical too ... eadaches can be a sign of a more serious problem like hypertension which can lead to stroke. A good doctor's physical will set your mind at rest ... pun intended !

 

[kcghost]

I have never heard of anyone getting a secondhand nicotine hit.

 

[Grangerous]

I don’t think the headaches had anything to do with it. We’re primed as human beings to make cause-effect analysis. It’s a survival mechanism. Just coincidence, the headaches.

As for enjoying flavor drawn through a loaded and unlit pipe, yes. Even empty pipes I’ve cleaned all retain some sweet flavors. Especially the ghostly blends like Crooner. Why not clench one and read?

 

[Chukzelda]

I appreciate all the helpful responses. Next time I get to town I’ll get a corncob and small roll of pipe tobacco and try the unlit experiment again. Will pay more attention to what’s going on and will report back to this thread.

Thanks again
Chuk

 

[SBC]

Why don't you light it? We promise not to tell.

 

[Searock Fan]

The amount of nicotine absorbed in your mouth is negligible. Compared to the amount absorbed in the lungs by a cigarette smoker, it is thousands of times less.

 

[Doctor Chopper]

You would need a highly calibrated machine to detect the amount of nicotine in the aroma of air passing through a small amount (bowl) of tobacco. Not enough for any significant physiologic effect. Not zero, but not enough to have the effects that you are describing.

Nicotine is absorbed very well by oral mucosa, just ask any chew user. It can also be absorbed through the skin, which can be a significant problem for employees handling large amounts of tobacco. Just for fun, it would also be absorbed as a suppository very well. Let's see where that fact takes us....

 

[mso489]

If you actually were that sensitive to nicotine just drawing air over it without lighting up, really lighting up the pipe might give you an over reaction like throwing up. But it is hard to visualize how you'd get enough of anything, nicotine or flavor just drawing air over the leaf. I'd say highly improbable.

 

[Searock Fan]

Just for fun, it would also be absorbed as a suppository very well. Let's see where that fact takes us....

You make it awfully hard for me to resist some smartass reply.....

 

[Doctor Chopper]

You make it awfully hard for me to resist some smartass reply.....

I threw out the softball, I am surprised nobody took a swing yet.