Drinking While Smoking

[Jef]

I find that a good bourbon with my pipe takes care of any worries that I have.
Jef

 

[brunot]

I always smoke with a glass of water, for both rehydrating and clearing the palate. My mouth gets dry otherwise.

Sometimes I will have a mellow cocktail to go with, like a Manhattan. I prefer to drink alcohol after I finish the bowl though, if at all.

 

[magicpiper]

I enjoy cold water while smoking pipes or cigars. It keeps my mouth fresh and clean so I don’t feel like I’ve been eating out of the cat box afterwards.

 

[lochinvar]

I usually have a Coke or Iced tea when I smoke, both to keep palate cleansed and to stave off any affects from nicotine. Never alcohol. I love beer, but it seems whenever I drink and smoke the hops concentrate in the back of my throat and go from bitter to acrid, and ruin the smoke.

A tidbit I was told is that air cured tobacco is mildly alkaline (while apparently flue cured is just under the line and acidic), and if your mouth gets irritated tea or coffee with their mild acidity is better at relieving the irritation than water is. It may be fantasy, but I do prefer tea when I pushed the tobacco a little to far.

 

[jmsmitty6]

My favorite drink while smoking my pipes is my Cafe du Monde coffee. I drink it hot and cold and would drink it all night if it didn't keep me up. Around 4-5 pm I switch to some type of decaffeinated iced tea or soda. I always a have a drink next to me while smoking. I never get dry mouth this way. I don't drink alcohol very often but when I do it is usually a Grey Goose Gimlet shaken not stirred with 3 extra lines.

It's the Chicory

 

[jmsmitty6]

Ice water or black coffee, but what do I know

 

[chopper]

'Drinking While Smoking'?
No. Never. The drink would run down the stem making the tobacco soggy and hard to light.

 

[weezell]

but when I do it is usually a Grey Goose Gimlet shaken not stirred with 3 extra lines.

Liqueur and 3 lines is what I used to do in the 70s and 80s Bro...

 

[puff_not_snuff]

Helpful thread, nice to see that members are willing to acknowledge the risks vs. the sort of “damed if you do, damned if you don’t” attitude which sometimes comes with people discussing vices. Anyway, I had no idea about the negative effect of alcohol in regards to pipe smoking but will certainly avoid it and when I really think about it perhaps the idea of paring doesn’t really increase one’s enjoyment, sort of reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where George tries to combine sex and eating...

 

[Mr_Smokey]

...when I really think about it perhaps the idea of paring doesn’t really increase one’s enjoyment, sort of reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where George tries to combine sex and eating...

Yes, waiters tend to get quite uppity about that ?

I haven't tried alcohol with a pipe yet. Occasionally I have a regular drink but I salivate too much, maybe it's because I've only been smoking a pipe for a few weeks.

 

[Jef]

so if this is the wrong area to post this thread, please move it as you see fit. i stumbled across a post from the seattle pipe club concerning reducing the risks of pipe smoking. link is here:

Reducing Risks - Seattle Pipe Club

www.seattlepipeclub.org

they mention drinking a cool drink while smoking to reduce tongue bite/burning/scaring of the mouth. They reference the burning/scaring is what leads to cancer. i know these notes are a summary from a lecture giving by an MD, but is there really any validity to this? can keeping your mouth cool and hydrated lessen the effects of the tobacco? im a young guy but love my pipe smoking, so try and lessen the effects where i can because its become part of my life and dont plan on giving it up. so if pairing my pipes w an ice water or iced tea helps, sign me up.
not trying to spur any arguments or heated debates. I know theres health risks associated w tobacco use but this is the first time i had heard about the whole burn/scars leading to cancer item.

This is just my opinion......but if smoking a pipe is causing anyone burning and especially scaring in the mouth then why would someone continue pipe smoking? I don't see any enjoyment there. Either the individual needs to work on technique or quit all together.

As far as alcoholic drinks go, I don't think there is a larger health risk with alcoholic drinks. A good bourbon (or liquor of your choice) has enough alcohol to kill most germs (just like many mouth washes) and cleanse the pallet.

Jef

 

[Casual]

As far as alcoholic drinks go, I don't think there is a larger health risk with alcoholic drinks. A good bourbon (or liquor of your choice) has enough alcohol to kill most germs (just like many mouth washes) and cleanse the pallet.

There is a large jump in mouth and esophageal cancer occurrence with those who reported smoking and drinking alcohol together regularly. The speculated mechanism is that one substance irritates the soft tissue and cancerous agents then have a greater effect. It has nothing to do with germs.

 

[puff_not_snuff]

There is a large jump in mouth and esophageal cancer occurrence with those who reported smoking and drinking alcohol together regularly. The speculated mechanism is that one substance irritates the soft tissue and cancerous agents then have a greater effect. It has nothing to do with germs.

If only we lived in a world where cancer was merely caused by “germs”...

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

Coffee with the first bowl in the morning. Ice water or brewed tea most other times. Occasional Diet Ginger Ale, a rare beer or bourbon.

 

[tbradsim1]

Diet Creme of Soda, getting harder to find, cold water, hot coffee, read where really hot tea drinkers are at risk for throat cancer, but then every day we find a new risk.

 

[Jef]

There is a large jump in mouth and esophageal cancer occurrence with those who reported smoking and drinking alcohol together regularly. The speculated mechanism is that one substance irritates the soft tissue and cancerous agents then have a greater effect. It has nothing to do with germs.

"Speculated"

Jef

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Any sort of Whiskies go

 

[Casual]

"Speculated"

Jef

Yes. The increased occurrence is well established. The mechanism is speculated.

 

[olkofri]

As far as alcoholic drinks go, I don't think there is a larger health risk with alcoholic drinks. A good bourbon (or liquor of your choice) has enough alcohol to kill most germs (just like many mouth washes) and cleanse the pallet.

There is a large jump in mouth and esophageal cancer occurrence with those who reported smoking and drinking alcohol together regularly. The speculated mechanism is that one substance irritates the soft tissue and cancerous agents then have a greater effect. It has nothing to do with germs.

The key word here is 'irritation'. It's not about pathogens (disease-causing germs). Their assertion that alcohol kills the naturally occurring tongue bacterial flora is not unsound. If the flora plays a role in preventing irritation, then killing it will cause irritation; reiterated irritation will lead to other pathologies, cancer being only one of them.

Then again, it is also not unsound to expect that someone who is constantly imbibing spirits (I'm not saying getting drunk, mind ye, by constantly I mean alcohol being part of said person's regular diet) will have a bacterial flora that has developed resistance or even affinity for alcohol and will be impervious to it.

One thing that is not speculated but certain is that when it comes to risks they are many times exaggerated. Seems that some people do not feel secure unless they're frightened all the time.

 

[brian64]

will have a bacterial flora that has developed resistance or even affinity for alcohol and will be impervious to it.

There's nothing worse than teetotalling bacteria.