Nic-Kick - What is it like?

[ptzky]

Hi!

I'm a beginner that just tried pipe for the first time this week.

I've never smoked anything, besides 15 minutes of hookah a few years ago. Never tried cigarettes, cigars, ou anything that has tobacco in it.

I bought my first pipe and my first tobacco this week. The tobacco that I bought is a flovored one called Cândido Giovanella, produced in my city (Curitiba, Brazil).

I smoked it three times. I really liked the smell of it, and the sensation of the smoke entering my mouth, but that was basically it. I felt absolutely nothing. I was not more relaxed, more euphoric, more calm, more alert, dizzy or anything like that. Nothing.

I looked for the reason for this, and apparently it is common with flavored tobacco. Especially the cheapest ones, as was the case with this one (45g for about R$35, or $6). Does this make any sense?

I am thinking of buying a non-flavored, very strong one, like the Peterson Irish Flake (for comparison of price, 50g of this one is around R$170, or $30), in order to finally feel something/anything while smoking... Should I do this?

During my searches, I found some people commenting on nic-kick -- sometimes as a bad thing, and sometimes as a good thing. But I haven't found what this actually is. What is it like? Is that what I mentioned earlier, of feeling extremely more relaxed, for example? Or is it something completely different?

Thank you for all the help!

 

[bullet08]

Depends on how your body react to it. It can cause dizziness, shortness of breath. But it could be very relaxing and make you go "ahhh.." No, it's not orgasmic. It feels like all the weight on your body has drained off. Cigarettes can definitely give nicotine buzz if you can inhale. Be warned, it can also knock you off your feet. I don't really suggest it.

 

[OzPiper]

Welcome @ptzky.
You'll find TobaccoReviews a great resource if you're looking for information on vatious blends.they give a "strength" rating so you can get some idea on whether a blend will sit you back on your derrière when you try to get off your seat. Just bear in mind that the reviews are highly personal and one person's 5 star blend may be someone's 1 star !
Personally I don't look for a "nic-kick" when I smoke. I find the ritual of smoking relaxing - it's my down time. From the moment I select the pipe(s) and tobacco(s), to fixing a drink, settling down with the newspapers or a book.
It's not the tobacco that relaxes - rather the process

 

[F4RM3R]

Yes i would pick up some thing stronger to see what the nic kick is all about if you are curious. Irish flake is a nice one, strong but not over the top and an easy going flavour. Although that's a big price difference(still less than Canada).

Don't be shy to set the pipe down if things get too overwhelming or heavy feeling or pack a smaller bowl, because it can creep up on you.

 

[maduromadness]

Nicotine is nice depending on your tolerance and acceptance. You'll know the kick when it hits you. Too much Nicotine will make you nauseous and make your head spin. Not pleasurable. Smoke a big strong cigar fast and you'll know for yourself. Really don't do that.

 

[olkofri]

You're right where I've always been regarding nicotine. Except that I have felt the mutant percheron horse kick of nicotine poisoning: I don't recommend you go there, but I hear they sell these ropes in the markets in Brazil that are quite potent.

Aside from the negative effects of nicotine, again, my experience with tobacco in any form is the same as yours. I have never felt anything pleasant as a result of nicotine intake from tobacco. Six years ago, I tried snuff, and I asked the very same questions you're asking here now in a snuff forum: "what is the nicotine effect supposed to be like?" I was told I was s'posed to get a buzz. So next I asked, "what is this 'buzz' supposed to feel like? Is it like the buzz you get from an alcoholic drink? Different? How exactly does it feel?" I've never gotten an answer to those questions, neither from people nor from tobacco itself.

Good luck in your search, and please report back if you do manage to find that elusive 'buzz' and tell me about it.

 

[olkofri]

During my searches, I found some people commenting on nic-kick -- sometimes as a bad thing, and sometimes as a good thing.

An addendum there: like others (such as 'tongue bite'), the term 'nicotine kick' tends to be confused by some people, to the effect that we don't all mean the same thing when using the same words. Some define nicotine kick as the 'buzz' I was talking about above, and some define it as 'the negative effects/sensations/symptoms from nicotine overdose'. Personally, I mostly go with the latter definition for 'nicotine kick', but at times it might mean the point that 'just hits the spot', that peak of maximum pleasure beyond which lies sickness.

 

[bullet08]

You're right where I've always been regarding nicotine. Except that I have felt the mutant percheron horse kick of nicotine poisoning: I don't recommend you go there, but I hear they sell these ropes in the markets in Brazil that are quite potent.

Aside from the negative effects of nicotine, again, my experience with tobacco in any form is the same as yours. I have never felt anything pleasant as a result of nicotine intake from tobacco. Six years ago, I tried snuff, and I asked the very same questions you're asking here now in a snuff forum: "what is the nicotine effect supposed to be like?" I was told I was s'posed to get a buzz. So next I asked, "what is this 'buzz' supposed to feel like? Is it like the buzz you get from an alcoholic drink? Different? How exactly does it feel?" I've never gotten an answer to those questions, neither from people nor from tobacco itself.

Good luck in your search, and please report back if you do manage to find that elusive 'buzz' and tell me about it.

Smoking a Marlboro Red first thing in the morning will kick you right into next week.

Last time I had it, I passed out cold.

 

[olkofri]

Smoking a Marlboro Red first thing in the morning will kick you right into next week.

You know? Funny that you mention that, because the worst sickness I've felt from nicotine came from a Marlboro (can't remember if it was red or light).
It happened in this manner: in my first semester of medical school the lectures were two hours long with a 10 minute break at the 1 hour mark. We all got out and stood by the door and many were smokers and they lit up. I was an occasional 'smoker' and that one day I had purchased a pack of Marlboros. I lit one and proceeded to 'smoke' it. Then one classmate noticed that I wasn't inhaling. I.e. I wasn't really smoking (hence my use of quotation marks before). So, he tells me to inhale; I ask how do you mean; he proceeds to suck up the air real hard through his teeth (he wasn't smoking) so strong you could hear the whistle of air rushing in.

I did what he said the way he demonstrated.

And that was the last time I ever inhaled a cigarette, or anything else (pipe or cigar) for that matter.

I immediately started feeling like shit. I probably changed colour, because everyone noticed I was sick. Rushing mind, clammy feeling, dizziness, I had to sit down at my bench and rest my head on my arms. As luck would have it we were just about to go into a mid-term—a mid-term for which I had NOT studied—my 'preparation' was to skim the notes and textbook chapter. Worst time to get a 'nicotine kick'. A compassionate classmate gave me some candy. The instructor came and handed out the exams. A 50-minute test. I finished it in the inside of 10 minutes. Record time. Instructor wouldn't let me leave. My benefactor classmate told him what was going on. He was unmoved: "just lie down on your bench", he said.
I did.
I closed my eyes and started seeing myself climbing the trees outside at rushing speed without even grabbing the branches.
Dunno how I managed to ride the bus and get home. Maybe someone gave me a ride? I can't remember.
As soon as I got home I laid down in my bed and endured a few more hours of misery.

That's why I said the kick was from a mutant percheron.

Days later I got the exam back: ~95% score for something I didn't study. Guess there's something about "being up to snuff" after all.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Smoking a Marlboro Red first thing in the morning will kick you right into next week.

Last time I had it, I passed out cold.

That's my wakeup routine right after I spit out the Kodiak that I slept with in my jaw.

 

[cossackjack]

Here are some Brazilian tobaccos which will deliver what you seek

(The Tabacaria Arapiraca at the Mercado Central in Belo Horizonte)

Perhaps you have a similar Tabacaria in your city?

The Arapiraca Castanho Super Forte is very high in nicotine (I think that it may have some Nicotiana rustica in it), & the Cana Brava Especial is the mildest. All of them should be smoked slowly in a small bowl while seated after a meal with a glass of caldo de cana to sip as needed. Be careful with these

If I lived in BH, I would exclusively smoke these, especially since they were very inexpensive several years ago.

 

[bullet08]

That's my wakeup routine right after I spit out the Kodiak that I slept with in my jaw.

Typically, I would sit on my chair on front porch, smoke, wait and go back in. That day, I was in hurry for some reason. Finished the smoke and got up. That's the last thing I remember. My wife and younger son was trying to bring me out of it when I opened my eyes. After that, I finished the pack and haven't bought one again since. Probably didn't have good enough dinner night before or low on blood glucose.

 

[karam]

As cossackjack says, you'll likely have access to very strong tobacco locally. As for the nic hit, for me a medium nic hit is a tingle in the nose while smoking a heavy perique or Dark Fired Kentucky blend, and hickups the first time I smoked 1:1 Perique/Dark Fired Kentucky from Motzek, or Gawith rope. A sense of fullness really. Nothing bad though.

 

[cachimbero]

Hello Ricardo, from another Ricardo, I just wanted to give you my advice: if you want to try an stronger tobacco than an aromatic, go ahead but I would not advise smoking a flake for the third or fourth bowl in a pipe smoking life. They need a technique which is a bit more complicated than loose tobacco. It is not rocket science, of course, but I would stick to easier to load and smoke tobaccos for now. Dunhill Nightcap (that I love) and Dunhill Royal Watch (which I don't) have a much higher nicotine content than most aromatics, and are much easier to load and smoke than a flake. Now they are called Peterson instead of Dunhill, although you may find the old denomination in many tobacconists if they still have unsold stock.
If Gawith and Hoggarth is sold in Brasil, Dark Birds Eye has plenty of nicotine and is very easy to pack and smoke.
Hope you find something you like and enjoy.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

My understanding is that nicotine is both and neither a stimulant and/nor a depressant. It releases reserved sugars into the blood stream which can cause both or either an effect of stimulation and or depression symptoms.
It is much easier to "feel" overdoses of nicotine, because some will get the feeling of a gushing bowel release. I've seen grown men smoking cigars for the first time have to rush to the bathroom. Sometimes, it is a gut wrench, sweats, nausea, lightheadedness, a green feeling, dizzyness, or a feverish feeling.
In cases of overdose or nicotine poisoning, a bite of chocolate or something sweet quickly offsets those feelings, because of the imbalance of blood sugars.

In just moderate exposures to nicotine a feeling of heightened awareness is common. It aids in both relaxation and problem solving. It's not as in your face as alcohol, but I can't speak to other drug effects as I have no experience with them. But, it is subtle.

It would take some experience with smoking before one could become more aware of it's effects, and obviously for some they may never know the effects, because it is impossible for one to self-diagnose these things at a mild or moderate level.

I'm not absolutely certain that one would have to seek out heavy hitters to gain the experience. Maybe just chain smoke whatever blend you like for a while and then set back and try to self-diagnose or observe... nah... when one is under the effects of a drug what one feels is not always as obvious to the person on them as it is to everyone else.

I remember when I made my first wine a few years ago. It was a muscadine wine that fermented out to a dry 19% ABV, but is was carbonated, as I didn't de-gas it, so it was like a champagne, very bubbly. My wife was on the back porch drinking it, and as she finished up her first glass she said, "Ziiii don sink deres any alcaHOL in dissss..." and then she slowly got up and fell into her bed. She awoke the next day and declared that obviously the wine was fluke, as she found no evidence that it had any alcohol. So, I make sure I video her reviews of my wines now, ha ha.

 

[ray47]

If you can get some Five Brothers pipe tobacco where you live you'll find out in short order what a "Nic Hit" is all about.

 

[rajangan]

 

[mso489]

First, people vary widely in the response to nicotine both in terms of their reaction, their tolerance to a given dose, and their addiction to it. It can be a sedative, and make you fatigued and groggy, hence names of blends like Nightcap, and it can be a stimulant, a bit like coffee, and make your mind and mouth race. Depending on dose, it can make most people sick. In fact tobacco harvesting sometimes makes the farm workers ill. I think most pipe smokers know their sensitivity and limits, and only accept a gentle lift or easy relaxation, and leave it there. I don't select blends for nicotine, but occasionally enjoy a little buzz if it is minor and goes away. I'd avoid anything that approaches dizziness or nausea. With stronger blends, a substantial meal beforehand and continued water drinking (hydration) are a good plan.

 

[rajangan]

It feels as if you've been standing your entire life and just sat down.

 

[elnoblecigarro]

Depends on the person.

For me: Nicotine in slow release like pipe and cigars is relaxing, builds slow but results in mild euphoria, mood elevation and relaxation, subtle but pleasant buzz. Stronger cigars make me almost sleepy. I usually start to feel it after 30 minutes if the blend has enough nicotine, some are low in nicotine and don't give any noticeable effects. Effect lasts a good while, because there is still tobacco left in bowl and can linger about 15 minutes after putting down the pipe. Nicotine in pipe tobacco isn't measured like in cigarettes where the exact amount can be printed on the pack. Many blends are mild, tobaccoreviews.com is useful to find the stronger ones. I prefer medium to strong.

Cigarettes give faster release and small rush, but overall the experience is over quick and in my opinion not as pleasant. Not that relaxing. Comes and goes quickly.

Snus and snuff give a buzz similar to pipe and cigars, but it comes on faster. Lasts longer than cigarette, but not as long as cigars or pipe. Can be strong or very mild, kind of like pipe tobacco.

Smoking on full stomach should help prevent getting sick if it gets too strong. Only time I felt bad on nicotine was from strong swedish snus. Strongest nicotine rush ever. Made me dizzy and bit unpleasant. You may want to eat before trying stronger blends.

Nicotine is known to be a mild euphoriant in some people, but people differ. Some get more stimulating effects and some more depressant, depends also on dose and method of ingesting.

Some are more sensitive than others, for example I don't feel caffeine at all, has zero effect on me. I love taste of coffee though so I drink it for that reason. Pipe smoking isn't just about nicotine either, there's other aspects too. However nicotine is an important part of the experience for me just like taste. I want both to be satisfactory. I never smoke more than once per day and not every day so I enjoy that I can feel the buzz when I want.