Health Benefits of Pipe Smoking

[gbpackers]

The Admin suggested I ask this on the post/forum. Here it goes.
Strokes run on my Mom's side of the family, and quite frankly I'd like to avoid that if at all possible. Three separate tobaccoists (is this a word?) - 2 in Milwaukee and 1 in St. Louis - said that there are health benefits to smoking pipe. 2 of them mentioned that pipe smoking reduces the chances of stroke. At that, I brought my pipes out of storage after about 30 years and we've become best of friends again. Indeed, pipe smoking relaxes me, which in itself is a benefit!
Question: Where can I find the hard data to back up some of these health benefits claims? The tobaccoists cite the 1964 Surgeon General's report, which I downloaded and read. The report states that there's no conclusive evidence regarding the dangers of pipe smoking. Another tobaccoist mentioned that there are some reports from either Europe or elsewhere, but I haven't been able to locate it. Another mentioned that there was a Wall Street Journal article that spoke of the benefits, but again it seems allusive.
Who can supply me with some links to hard data for any kind of health benefits to pipe smoking?

Thank you.

 

[sherlock]

Sadly in my experience there are not many, if any, that show the benefits of smoking a pipe. I have heard of one that was done in Denmark, but I haven't been able to find it. There are a few that will say there is no conclusive evidence that pipe smoking is bad for you, and many that condemn it. I am sure if I had more time to devote to it I would have better results. Good luck and I hope you find what you are looking for.

 

[loneredtree]

I am interested in the same type of information. There are studies that show that pipe smokers live longer than non smokers. I will try to find the reference if someone does not beat me to it. Stroke is a different mater. If the blood clot is caused by arterial sclerosis, and high cholesterol pipe smoking probably doesn't mater. If it is caused by Atrial fibrillation, I do not think it is as simple. I have seen a study on 12 rats that says that vitamin N causes irregular heart beat in individuals that are prone to it. That is a precursor to A Fib. which can cause clots. ( I am sticking to low N kick toby as much as possible.) I will try to find the references.
Good luck and happy puffing. :|

 

[baronsamedi]

Supposedly the 1964 Surgeon General's report here in the states shows pipe smokers living an average of 2 years longer than non-smokers. I have never actually seen the verbage of that report.
The "information" most politicians/activists reference is a 1993 report by the EPA that was essentially ruled to be bullshit by the United States Supreme Court, who stated that the study was an outright fraud. This, of course, never stopped the anti-smoking politicians and activists from using it as a campaign launch pad.
As far as relationship to strokes, I have never seen any research, but it seems that lawmakers and the "scientific" community are staisfied with using junk science and a fraudulent report for the time being.

 

[jpatrick]

There are none. I guess it relaxes some people from a mental aspect. I smoke 6-8 bowls a day and I'm just as high strung as I have always been. Who knows?

 

[vikingz]

I’m very new to pipe smoking. Ever since I can remember (and I’m now in my mid-sixties) I’ve wanted to smoke a pipe, so I finally went for it. Unfortunately, though, my body immediately rebelled. With just one bowl I got a soar throat and developed a persistent cough. After a few days the soar throat started to abate, but as soon as I had another bowl, it came right back again. I’ve never smoked anything in my life, by the way.
So, my thinking is some people don’t have a problem with any type of smoking and some people do. If you realize your body can’t handle it then that’s all the ‘health study’ you really need.
I just don’t know what I am going to do, because I really like the whole ritual and experience of pipe smoking.
I’ve ordered some different type of tobacco that apparently is very mild and I may have only one to two bowls a week, but even that isn’t what I want to do, i.e., I want to smoke when I want to smoke.
I have to give this more time and see what happens.

 

[warren]

One's genes have an awful lot to do with it. Some people are armored genetically against certain ailments, others are not. Couple that with life style, environment, and numerous other factors and you have an understanding why coffee is a good thing today, a bad thing yesterday and . . . who knows what the all knowing will say tomorrow.
While much is known about the body, much more remains to be found and studied. Do cigarettes really cause cancer? My own belief, and many leading health gurus agree, is that we all carry some kind of cancer(s) around and the immune system generally keeps them in check. Sometimes things occur which allow the cancer to overwhelm the immune system. Things like, too much sun, smoking, a serious cold or infection, fatigue, and the aging process may all be factors which determine if one "gets" cancer.
In the immortal words of Hank Williams: "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive."
I have a response to people who tell me, some are strangers offering unsolicited, that smoking is bad for my health. I respond that life is a terminal situation in and of itself.
I enjoy life as much as possible and doubt that I'll miss it much when I'm dead.

 

[av8scuba]

While I'm no doctor, I say the relaxation I get from pipes has done wonders for my overall health.
I drive 50k miles each year, work in an area that has shootings everyday, and have family genes that most males die early due to weak heart muscles. So I figure something else is going to get me anyway.

 

[flakyjakey]

I am a physician, and a lung specialist to boot. The original and ground-breaking evidence produced by Doll and Hill about the now undisputed detrimental effects of cigarette smoking were based on very large cohorts of subjects. Because there are relatively few pipe smokers these days the 'evidence base' for any effects of our shared hobby is almost non-existent.
So, what I will say is based on anecdote and commonsense. There is anecdotal evidence from the 'old medical books' that pipe smoking was associated with lip, tongue and mouth cancer. But in those days clay pipes (which get very hot in the stem) and prolonged clenching were much commoner. Knowing the load of oxidants and tars (carcinogenic and vascular disease-promoting) that are present in pipe tobacco as much as they are in cigarette tobacco it would IMO be foolish to inhale when smoking the pipe - and I never do/never would; the joy of pipe smoking is in the taste of the wonderful range of tobaccos.
But are there any benefits? No pipe smoker would deny the relaxing/calming effects of pipe smoking. It seems that these should be somewhat beneficial, but as far as I know they have never been quantified, and statistically for the reason mentioned above it would be very difficult to prove.
So, am I bothered for my own health? No, not particularly, but I would strongly advise against deliberate inhalation as part of the ritual of our wonderful hobby, which for a number of reasons seems to be reducing in population prevalence anyway.

 

[cigrmaster]

flakey, nice to know you are a doctor, I have this pain in my back, mind taking a look at it. I totally agree that inhaling pipe tobacco is a very bad thing. I never do it and besides, my lungs have no taste buds.
In my professional opinion( yes I stayed at a Holiday Inn last night), pipe smoking will add years to your life because of the amount of stress that is relieved while smoking. I am a firm believer that stress is the number one cause of male deaths. So to all my brothers, dump the wife, pick up the pipe and you will live to 150.

 

[flakyjakey]

@Harris, I am sure you are right about the stress factor, but thee is no hard proof in specific relation to pipe smoking. Ditch the job as well?

 

[craig94yj]

When I first joined the forum I downloaded all the podcasts of the radio show. Episode No. 37 is one you should listen to. The Dr. Fred Hanna interview. Some really interesting information on the "health" benefits of tobacco and Vitamin N.

 

[sablebrush52]

Well, as far as your insurance company is concerned, pipe smoking is as bad for you as any other type of smoking. I don't smoke indoors, so I don't sit in a cloud of particulates. Even if you're not inhaling on the draw, aren't you still inhaling if you're in a smoky room?

Of course, here in SoCal, it's easy to smoke outdoors year round. And, I can inhale the equivalent of a pack of cigs a day just from the air pollution.

 

[flakyjakey]

@sable, you are right! What I said was in part self-reassurance! But it won't stop ant of us, will it? Besides we now have zero pollution here, in 'Auld Reekie' ! lol

 

[petes03]

I believe that it is beneficial in many ways, stress reduction being the main way. As far as info, I don't know of any right off, sorry. I do recall

reading something a few years ago, though I don't remember how factual it was, but I believe there was a link to it on a Gatlinburg TN B&M's website called The Gatlin-Burlier. As best I can remember, it was written by a Doctor I believe.

 

[papipeguy]

Let's not kid ourselves that what we do is healthier than not doing it. However, many have commented that the mental health aspect has a positive effect. I also concur and furhter hold that where physical health is concerned the mind plays a powerful part in one's well being. Mind over matter? Absolutely.

Life is rife with risks. Tahe a calculated path and you'll be fine; at least until the bus runs you over.

Happy piping to all.

 

[Wellington]

If doing puzzles mentally relaxes you, then doing puzzles is good for you. If smoking a pipe mentally relaxes you, then mentally its good for you. Puffing tobacco smoke into your mouth and throat isn't exactly a healthy exercise physically, it doesn't take a doctor to figure that out. I get a kick out of how so many pipe smokers cling to 40 year old shady Surgeon General statistics to put their minds at ease. As mentioned already, exercising and eating right is far more physically beneficial than smoking will ever be.

 

[warren]

We all do things for self-gratification. I still eat a burger with all the fixings, the good kind where the grease drips down you wrists, I'll buy a new tractor simply because I want one, I'll buy the newest iPhone just because I can. Nothing wrong with a bit of self-gratification now and then. Just remember, don't over do it, stop before hair starts to grow on your palms or you go blind.
As my sainted mother always reminded me: "All things in moderation."

 

[piperl12]

I am not a doctor, nor do I have any professional expertise with regards to the health benefits of tobacco or pipe smoking. What I do know is that for 20+ years now my pipe has made me more contemplative, relaxed and thoughtful. I cannot tell you if this has a direct effect on my health but I can say my wife prefers the pipe smoking me to the non-pipe smoking me. I have had many an enjoyable night due to my pipe that might have just been average otherwise. So directly linked to my health or not, my perceived benefit far out weights the results of some study good or bad. I will continue to smoke my pipe and if they someday make it illegal I will I guess for the first time in my life walk on the other side of the law. I will choose to not recognize anyones authority to rob me of my few pleasures this life still affords. So I will order another TAD order to ensure I can smoke well into my 80's and if I should die prior to my tobacco supply being exhausted I will leave it to this group in support of your good health!

 

[tarak]

I'm not sure I'd be taking health and wellness advice from your tobacconist. Or plumber, garbage man, waitress, financial planner....
Anyway, I'm glad to see a pulmonologist weighed in. I'm just a nurse so, I'm kind of an idiot. But...I'm not sure nicotine is known to have positive effects to cardiovascular health.
I've heard some talk from researchers that there is some benefit neurologically- protecting against dementia. I think its a bit discrediting to our hobby that we keep quoting the surgeon general from the 60's- like anyone in the anti-tobacco realm is going to be swayed on 50 year old research. There doesn't seem to be any great research on pipe smoking exclusively, and I doubt we'll see it.
The only thing I've really found is that one study which showed pipe smoking was "just as bad" as cigars or cigarettes was found to have a cohort that smoked very heavily, and had a high prevalence of alcoholism.....so perhaps not reflective of all pipe smoking.....
And my last $.02...I did work with a head and neck surgeon whose job was to cut cancer out of people's faces....he felt moderate pipe smoking (very moderate) had an "almost immeasurable" increased risk for cancer, and he actually smoked an occasional pipe. Now, this was based of his professional opinion, and not hard research.