How Do You Reconcile With Pipe Smoking's Health Risks?

[Sonorisis]

My father-in-law, who was a physician, always told me: "You have to die of something." He was an avid pipe smoker. He died of old age. So, he was right, you have to die of something.

 

[Spinkle]

To what degree do you feel Pipe Smoking is a risk to your health? (Not being fat, or drinking, or stress, but pipe smoking)

and

How do you reconcile your desire to smoke with the risk you have identified?

I will answer both questions in one as my answer to the first essentially makes the second moot.

Up until about a year ago, I was living a very unhealthy lifestyle. I have not had a drink or otherwise in about 11 months now. I don't intend to ever pick up another. I have never been overweight, but I work a very high stress and high stakes job and I have to be "on" at all times. As we've all heard in the news lately, anxiety, stress and even just sitting for hours at a time at work are the "new smoking" (this is of course a reference to cigarette smoking, not pipe smoking by my understanding).

When I came to the pipe it was around the same time I started to make changes for the better in my life. I took the advice of many I had read on the 'net that it was something that could help a person "slow down" and help with stress relief. Since taking it up seriously, I've found that it helps my overall mental health, and the time that I spend doing it could be argued to be akin to "meditation". The preparation of flakes for example, could also be likened to a "ritual" that we undertake when we prepare for the next bowl. Its comforting, and even when at work it encourages me to get up and get outside to take a break and prevent getting buried in stress.

I feel better than I have in 10 years, and better every day. Whether this is correlation or causation is impossible to know. What I do know is that it brings me a lot of joy, and if stress is the "new smoking", then perhaps we have found the most ironic counterbalance to that. I don't intend to give it up.

 

[davek]

Lung cancer risk index study

• Non-smoker 1.0 (base number)
• Cigarette – 20 grams / day; 16.0 (i.e. 16 x the risk of non-smokers)
• Cigar – 20 grams / day; 3.2
• Pipe – if > 10 bowls per day; 6.7
• Pipe – if 5 bowls per day; 3.2
• Pipe – if 3 bowls per day; 1.5
• Pipe – if 2 bowls per day; 1.26
• typical - 2 bowls every 2-3 days; ~1.05 (almost same as non-smoker)

I'm going to quote myself quoting pipedia. Although this part is talking about lung cancer risks, IMO it very accurately gives a good estimation of all risks. The big point here is that, with pipe smoking the amount smoked is important as to risk.

I have smoked a few bowls a day on weekends for long periods and believe the health risk to be quite minimal. I have also smoked >10 bowls a day all week and I can feel that it is not a good thing. Still not as bad as cigarettes by far, but not good. As in the info quoted above, it seems actually harder on you than cigar smoking at that level.

I am 64 years old.

 

[docrameous]

The big point here is that, with pipe smoking the amount smoked is important as to risk.

Also a question I have pondered of late is not only frequency, but does it matter if the tobacco is strong or not?

In addition to taking self imposed or circumstance imposed breaks (sickness, work, schedule, weather, etc), I sometimes smoke lighter or easier going tobaccos to just mix it up a bit. I enjoyed the varied tastes and I think my body likes it.

It might be all in my head, but I figure it can't hurt!

 

[gervais]

I am a worrier when it comes to my health. I have been for a very long time. I feel guilty when I eat a donut, even though I’m 170 lbs and ‘look’ like I frequent the gym (which I don’t). When I have a severe headache, I loathe taking pain meds for the fear of becoming ‘dependent’ on them. I’m not a fan of pharmaceuticals, they freak me out. I’ve never been diagnosed, but I definitely suffer from severe health anxiety. And it’s funny, because I know that worrying about something won’t change the outcome of anything, yet I can’t help it. I do not worry about other things, like physical danger. I use dangerous tools at work and walk on high roofs or buildings and do not bat an eyelash. It’s my “innards” that I worry about, lol. Weird as hell, I know.

I try to counter all this worry by creating a balance, and trying not to be obsessive about everything. I choose to smoke 1-2 bowls per week because I find that a good balance. I choose to eat a diet mostly of fruit, vegetables, eggs and fish, sprouted grain breads. I still eat pizza, steak, chips, chocolate, just not very much.

It’s not a bad thing to care or worry about your health, but when it becomes obsessive, like it did and sometimes still is for myself, that is not a good thing. Find a good balance, and go with it.

For those of you that live life without worry or fear, I adore you and wish that were myself at times. But we are who we are.

 

[mikethompson]

I think the frequency has a lot to do with it. If you smoke 15 bowls a day you have a decidedly higher risk of developing related issues than someone who smokes 1 bowl a day, or week even.

A little risk is still risk, but there are other things to worry about.

That said, I would probably be kicked off the forum if I told you the last time I had a bowl.

 

[Seeker81]

Tbh Like many here, I'm sure. This thread has got us sitting back in chairs thinking a bit.
I got to thinking about a guy with whom I went to school, who later became quite a celebrity in Northern Ireland and also across the whole of the UK through a program drama called hollyoaks 8(
anyway his Grandmother was over a hundred, and he claimed that she smoked over 100 cigarettes a day but that she ate loads and loads of baked beans. Not suggesting that smoking this way is the key to longevity for a second, but it is interesting.
But then, I also remembered watching this:

I'm sure some of you have already seen this. It is pretty darn interesting.

 

[blackpowderpiper]

Tbh Like many here, I'm sure. This thread has got us sitting back in chairs thinking a bit.
I got to thinking about a guy with whom I went to school, who later became quite a celebrity in Northern Ireland and also across the whole of the UK through a program drama called hollyoaks 8(
anyway his Grandmother was over a hundred, and he claimed that she smoked over 100 cigarettes a day but that she ate loads and loads of baked beans. Not suggesting that smoking this way is the key to longevity for a second, but it is interesting.
But then, I also remembered watching this:

I'm sure some of you have already seen this. It is pretty darn interesting.

I love that video of Mr. Overton. Doubtless genetics played a major role in his longevity but still a very inspiring story.

 

[scloyd]

That said, I would probably be kicked off the forum if I told you the last time I had a bowl.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Doubtless genetics played a major role in his longevity

That and lack of children.

 

[scloyd]

I'm almost 61 and never smoked until I picked up the pipe at 59. I smoke 1-2 bowls a week. There's a million ways to die, I don't think the pipe is what's going to kill me.

 

[seldom]

To what degree do you feel Pipe Smoking is a risk to your health? (Not being fat, or drinking, or stress, but pipe smoking)

At my current consumption I believe it is a small-moderate risk. I know you specify not drinking but I've read that pipe smoking and drinking at the same time exponentially increases the pipe smoking health risk. I like to drink so that is what causes the perceived risk. I'm sort of an addictive type so I need to be careful. If I increase the frequency of pipe smoking and am unable to dial it back I will need to totally quit. I know someone who died from tongue cancer. The fact that he always had a pipe hanging from his face probably contributed. It has a horrifying way to go.

How do you reconcile your desire to smoke with the risk you have identified?

I've lived a rather risky life up to this point. As a wildlife biologist, mountaineer, and outdoor enthusiast I've had some very close calls. I wasn't always very careful. To be honest I wasn't all that concerned if something dramatic killed me (almost got killed by a hippo, what a way to go!). Now I'm a father of two young sons and feel an obligation to stick around for them and my wife. I don't do so many off-the-wall crazy things these days. An occasional pipe while walking the dogs is a comparatively small risk. It lets me do something naughty but not that naughty. I'm not getting high or drunk by smoking tobacco so I can still function as a father immediately afterward.

 

[gamzultovah]

Death and ill health has always seemed so far away to me.

I've never been worried about pipe smoking, snus use or nicotine. I have always felt that genetics, diet and fate were more likely to cause me problems. I'm only 48.

I have never been worried until this week.

I spent last week in the hospital.

It started with this weird feeling in my throat. It felt kind of dry. By that evening, my arms were aching terribly from my elbows to my fingers and my throat felt cold and metallic.

Then it started to feel like I was drowning or suffocating, yet my breathing was fine. I felt out of breath but I could breath fine.

A few hours later I was in the emergency room popping nitro glycerine tablets every 30 minutes so that I could stop feeling like I was suffocating to death.

Over the next few days and way too many invasive tests, they discovered two blockages on a major artery to my right ventricle. 99% and 95% blocked.

I ended up with two stents. I was in the hospital 4+ days.

I never knew how much I appreciated living until last week when I was trapped in the hospital wondering if I was going to have to have my chest cracked open.

The Doc said I was lucky I came in when I did, because I might have been a few hours or a cheesesteak away from a big heart attack.

None of this was likely related to smoking my pipe. I smoke it ocassionally. It's genetics, my weight, diet, stressful job, lack of exercise etc...

So, a lot has to change like my diet, my weight, my lifestyle.

I have so much good pipe tobacco and 40 cans of high nicotine Swedish snus.

My Doc seems to think that occasional use won't do me in.

I am weighing the risks and benefits. The risks are winning. While nicotine didn't get me to this place, nicotine (and caffeine) might bring me back to the hospital.

Has anyone else been here before or is it time for me to start finding a new home for my collection?

Also, in response to the OP... I think there might be greater health risk in Moose hunting ;-) Man, those animals can be fierce when they want.

Thank you for this post. You are correct, LIFE is the true gift, everything else is contingent to our own imaginings.

 

[seldom]

I spent last week in the hospital.

lasttango, I wish you good health and speedy recovery. One of my grandfathers died at 48 from a heart attack. I'm not far away from that age myself. You may have motivated me to get checked up by a doctor which is something I am truly loathe to do. Thank you.

 

[kola]

1 bowl a day, don't inhale. No worries here.

 

[nunnster]

I wish I still had the link handy (I may have posted it in a similar type post a good bit ago but my memory fails me and it's been a long few months and I am feeling far to lazy to look it back up). But there is a good bit of research out there that puts light to moderate (i.e. 1-3 bowls a day and fewer) pipe smokers into a low risk category thats very similar to that of non-smokers. The major risk is cancers of the mouth and throat and even then, it's such a small increase in risk its not something that I personally concern myself about. Realisitly, eating fast food every day has more risk than a pipeful of tobacco everyday. It's not until you are hitting (if memory serves) 5-7 bowls a day, every day where the risk becomes enough to be something to be concerned about. But look for well done research and come to a conclusion yourself if it's something worth being concerned over, it's your health after all.

That being said there are lots of bias (read anti-tobacco) studies out there that are done very poorly. Hooking up a pipe (or a cigarette for that matter) to a machine that sucks a bowl of tobacco (or a pack of cigarettes) down within minutes is not a realistic analysis of the types of chemicals and damage that those things produce because no body smokes that quickly and the difference in temperature can be astounding and those temps produce chemicals that one would never be exposed to during normal smoking. So when you read the research, keep that in mind

Not saying that anything is risk free, but I firmly believe that in order for adults to make decisions about their health and lives, proper and realistic research needs to be done and studied so people can take an honest assessment if they want to assume that risk, and sadly when it comes to tobacco that's not the case.

As an aside to hit the point home. When they calculate deaths from smoking, it's very unfair and completely biased. If you smoked atleast one cigarette a day (I use cigarettes becuase pipe smokers are the very few minorities and we kind of get lumped into them in statistical analysis) and let's say you die of a heart attack, they attribute that as a death caused by smoking, regardless if you lived a lifestyle of eating fried food every day and never got up from the couch (the more likely reason).....Use discression and read deep to find your answers.

 

[docrameous]

As an aside to hit the point home. When they calculate deaths from smoking, it's very unfair and completely biased. If you smoked atleast one cigarette a day (I use cigarettes becuase pipe smokers are the very few minorities and we kind of get lumped into them in statistical analysis) and let's say you die of a heart attack, they attribute that as a death caused by smoking, regardless if you lived a lifestyle of eating fried food every day and never got up from the couch (the more likely reason).....Use discression and read deep to find your answers.

<rant on>

What grinds my carrots is the lack of a level playing ground here. I have no problem with highlighting the risks of tobacco... this gives us information to make informed decisions. What I have a problem with is the anti-tobacco lobby paints the picture that all tobacco methods are the same, we all partake in one or multiple methods the same way and that we are all out of control needing to be saved from ourselves. It's all bad and it should be eliminated fully.

Then other types of health risks get a free pass... it is the 'in thing' to smoke pot in some states now, in what seems to be in any quantities, with any method, etc. and the pot lobby celebrates the benefits such as created jobs and taxes. What happens when the pot industry is as powerful as the tobacco industry once was?

I honestly don't get it... and shall we get into non substance health issues such as obesity and lack of exercise? I digress...

</rant off>

 

[tobefrank]

I hope this isn't taboo to discuss on this forum, but I think about it a lot and I'm curious how much thought/concern other members put into this subject. I personally believe there is an inherent risk in exposing to the soft tissues of the body to any form of smoke from any form of combustible material. For this reason I try to limit my pipe smoking to one or two bowls per week, although I would love to be smoking 2 or 3 per day. I do make exceptions to this on holidays, as well as whenever I am Moose hunting. I tend to buy into the less exposure = less risk theory, but I still worry about it fairly regularly and wonder if the enjoyment of weekly pipe smoking is worth the possible (albeit maybe unlikely) consequences in the form of oral cancer or other health issues.

I recognize there will be differing opinions about how much risk is involved with pipe smoking, so please before you post be respectful of what others believe and the "science" (or lack thereof) they choose to acknowledge. Feel free to quote statistics if you like, but I don't want this to turn into a scientific or political debate regarding individual thoughts and beliefs, or the validity of any statistics anyone posts, but rather, I would like forum members to answer two simple questions that pertain to yourself, regardless of what other members have said:

To what degree do you feel Pipe Smoking is a risk to your health? (Not being fat, or drinking, or stress, but pipe smoking)

and

How do you reconcile your desire to smoke with the risk you have identified?

I'm very similar to you with regard to my attitude towards pipe smoking.

I acknowledge it is a risk but manage it by only smoking a bowl or two every other week or so.

I don't feel the need to smoke more and sometimes don't feel like smoking a pipe at all. I only smoke when I know that I'm going to enjoy it.

 

[mso489]

Don't be in denial. Moderation insofar as possible. Lay off the pipe when you are vulnerable, have an illness or after surgery, etc. Don't be reluctant to take a year or three off; just save the pipes and blends. As with most of life, it is a matter of balancing things. If there is any obvious health effect, quit.

 

[sablebrush52]

I smoke a couple of bowls a day. My sorry ass attempt at mitigation is to smoke only outdoors.
I think there’s a genetic wild card in all of this. Cancer and heart disease don’t run in my family and we tend to live way too long.
Smoking a pipe is a way to even the odds.
It’s not healthy. It’s not safe. Anyone who believes otherwise is either demented or deluded.
I enjoy the hell out it.