Alright, so I read this yesterday on the train and wanted to be at my computer before responding, so I've been thinking about it for awhile. In regards to Doctorhoss' initial reaction to Kevin's article, I think he is absolutely right about avoiding "blanket terms" such as Never. I think it may be fair to say that Luxury tobacco is INTENDED to be only smoked for flavor and never from habit or addiction, and the word intended frees you up. But regardless of it's intent, as Doctorhoss pointed out, and we have seen here, there are people who smoke luxury tobacco for addiction. Like doctorhoss, I would fear that an article with that definition got somewhere w/ lots of public view, and then anti's just need to interview ONE guy to say "I smoke a pipe because it fulfills my addiction to nicotine" and the article is moot. Add the word intended, and now that guy is doing his thing, but it doesn't play down the intended role and still very prominent use of Luxury tobacco.
So where do I stand? I don't often feel nicotine, which originally made me think, absolutely not addicted. But when I started drinking, I would get drunk rather easily, now I drink quite frequently and I hardly ever notice, tolerance. I would feel nicotine almost every time I smoked when I began. That being said my other friend in Graduate school and I will often compare how many glasses of scotch or wine we've each had that day after work to see "who is more of an alcoholic." And although I think I'd sooner admit to being biologically addicted to alcohol than nicotine, I do know that we are just joking, neither of us are addicted, and have both proved it on a number of occasions. So, I realized, a large increase in tolerance clearly doesn't have to mean an addiction. Also, I drink most every day a healthy (or not healthy :P ) amount, same with pipes, so perhaps amount doesn't necessarily equal addiction either. Largely I believe this has to do with some natural tolerances in your body. Can your body be frequently exposed to this particular substance yet still function properly when it's not there? Mine can. I drink a few pots of coffee on a normal day, but sometimes don't have it for a few days. When I traveled this summer with my steel band, I got very few opportunities to smoke, or drink (scotch or coffee!). AND I WAS FINE.
Yet, I think about pipes and smoking them when I'm not. Same as scotch. In the words of Dr. Cox from Scrubs "Reasons I wake up in the morning....Scotch, yes it's too early to drink it, but ladies and gentleman it is NEVER too early to think about it!" So I think I decided I am likely psychologically addicted to one or both of these substances, but decidedly not biologically addicted to either.
