Nicotine Intolerance. I Have Three Questions.

[thechristophershow]

EDIT: Fixed Capitalization in Title (See Rule 9)

Hi, everyone. I posted this recently to the Tamp and Puff forums and got only two responses. It looks like that website is slowly dying, so I thought maybe I'd have better luck here.

First, though, a brief history.

I started smoking pipes eight years ago, but I've done it only sparingly, averaging probably ten smokes per year. This being the case, I haven't ever built up a tolerance for nicotine, and have even sworn off smoking pipes on the two or three lovely occasions when they've caused me to blow chunks.

Now I have decided to try having a smoke every day, sometimes two, for what I intend to be seven to ten smokes per week. I've been told smoking more often will improve the flavor of the tobacco and the pipes, so that's what I'm hoping to achieve.

But how can I achieve that if even half a bowl Lane 1-Q requires that I pop two sugar packets to avoid the onset of nausea? That is my dilemma, and that is what I need some help with. To that end, I have three questions.

First question: For now, I'm only packing half a bowl at a time, and a small bowl at that. Even this small half-bowl takes me about 75 minutes to finish, and, as I said, I need to eat a teaspoon of sugar before and during it, and sometimes after it. I do this more as a precautionary measure. During the smoke, the moment I start to feel a sense of dizziness--what most here would more likely call relaxation--that's when I have the sugar. My question is: Will taking the sugar prevent me from building up a nicotine tolerance? That seems illogical, because the nicotine is still going in my body. It seems to me that the sugar is really just there to mask the nicotine effects; it doesn't eliminate the nicotine from my blood, after all, you know? My body is still taking in nicotine. But let me know what you think.

My second question: Is smoking only half a bowl per day (sometimes two halves, or one whole) enough to build up a nicotine tolerance?

Third question: At this rate, half a bowl or one whole bowl per day, how long do you think it will take before I can have a full bowl of a weak tobacco (1-Q, for example) without feeling sick and needing sugar? I know it depends on every individual, but what is your experience? I have lots of famed medium-strength tobaccos on my wish list at TobaccoReviews.com, but there's no way I'm going to waste my money on them yet if I can't tolerate them.

 

[Mr.Mike]

Interested question that I wish I could answer. I started smoking pipes about 11 years ago and I have always thought I've had a low nicotine tolerance. However, after kicking around here for the past 8 months I've discovered that some people have physical dispositions to certain tobaccos (chemically). I smoke some blends that are rated medium/high in nicotine that do not bother me one bit, but have gotten very sick from others. I've realized that my body sometimes does not agree with burly, depending on the blend. My body never agrees with dark fired Kentucky, so I avoid all blends with that component. 1Q should have very low nicotine if any, so maybe you have a disposition with one of its components? Maybe burly? Have you had similar experiences with other tobaccos?

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

What's your driving need to smoke a pipe? It's not for everyone and sounds like it's not for you. Were I not enjoying it significantly, I'd quit in a heartbeat. Eating raw sugar isn't good for you either.

 

[mikefu]

Hi, and welcome. I am a fairly large guy (6'2", 210lbs) and when I first started I had some issues with nicotine intolerance. I had smoked cigarettes some ten years prior, and was an infrequent cigar smoker, so I figured I was good to go with pipes. I discovered that the nicotine delivery with pipes is sneaky, and it slowly creeps up on you, unlike cigs or dip. In time though, I developed a good tolerance and now there isn't anything I won't smoke, albeit really strong blends (GH Dark Birds Eye, Dark Flake, Brown twist, 1792, etc) get small pipes and only get smoked after a meal.

So to answer your questions: I can't see how sugar would prevent you from building a tolerance, but it will mitigate the effects, which may impede your sensing of the nicotine's impact. I'd say smoke small (like you are doing) bowls after eating, and put it down when you start to feel the effects, and drink some water and chill for 10 minutes or so, then pick it back up. I think that by taking the sugar as an "antidote" you may be hampering your ability to get accustomed to the effects.

Second, although I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, I would think that any regular use will build tolerance. But it needs to be consistent. I notice that my tolerance diminshes seasonally during the summer as I smoke less, but then builds in the cool months when I smoke more.

Third, in my personal experience, I can re-build my tolerance in a few days of smoking, particularly with higher-strength blends. I can go from a good buzz from a mid-strength VA to handling GH Dark Flake in a couple days time. For me, the more I smoke strong blends, the more quickly I tolerate them. Just smoking weak aromatics more frequently doesn't seem to have the same tolerance building effect as smoking a couple wicked strong blends once a day.

In the end, if smoking wasn't enjoyable, I wouldn't smoke. You'll have figure out how to manage the enjoyment with your chemistry in order to enjoy it as a regular practice.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

Wow, sick from 1-Q? Never smoked it, as I don’t smoke all that many aromatics, but I’d echo that maybe it’s not the nicotine per se that is making you sick. 1-Q is supposed to be a very very low nic blend I believe. I suppose some people may have an ultra-low nicotine tolerance though. Perhaps try a mild English? Does 1-Q have Burley? Some folks are highly sensitive to Burleys for some reason.

 

[PipesRock]

Are you inhaling? I can't imagine getting sick on small half bowls without inhaling. Now if I inhaled pipe tobacco I'm sure I'd blow chunks after 10 -12 puffs. Aside from that I certainly agree with the other replies above mine.

 

[Chasing Embers]

1-Q has nicotine??

 

[tenton]

Don't have an answer to questions 1 & 3, but will take a shot at #2. I'd fill the bowl full, only smoke half and pitch the rest as the bottom of the bowl is where tars, etc. accumulate and gets stronger as you smoke down towards the bottom.

I've found the lowest nicotine tobaccos are the all Black Cavendish. Also, try a 9mm activated carbon filtered pipe.

Agree with hoosierpipeguy, maybe time to move on.

 

[mso489]

Why fight your inherent nicotine susceptibility? You have a genetic predisposition to metabolize nicotine a certain way. It is true, people develop a tolerance, but I don't think you are the best candidate for that. My mom had zero response to nicotine. She liked cigarettes for the dramatic gesturing, but she never bought a pack of cigarettes that didn't go stale. I think I inherited her nicotine receptors. My dad, on the other hand, smoked his pipe from just after breakfast until bedtime (time out for meals and occasional pauses at work). I'd enjoy your pipe once or twice a week, if it doesn't bother you. Stick to low/no nicotine blends. Stay well hydrated, just water, and smoke only after a substantial meal. Don't fight your own metabolism. My opinion, take or leave it.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

I’d give a different mild blend a shot before throwing in the towel, personally. Maybe buy an ounce or two of Balkan Supreme or some other Burley-free mild blend, and if that is a no-go, then perhaps find another relaxing hobby.

 

[ofafeather]

Don't have an answer to questions 1 & 3, but will take a shot at #2. I'd fill the bowl full, only smoke half and pitch the rest as the bottom of the bowl is where tars, etc. accumulate and gets stronger as you smoke down towards the bottom.

I've found the lowest nicotine tobaccos are the all Black Cavendish. Also, try a 9mm activated carbon filtered pipe.

Agree with hoosierpipeguy, maybe time to move on.

+1 on the filter.

 

[seanv]

Maybe it is in your head? The brain is a powerful thing. If you’re expecting a nicotine hit or are anxious, you will get what you’re dreading.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

One last thing to advise: moisture level.
Sometimes even the most mild tobacco can taste acrid and, I’d imagine, nauseatingly so to some individuals, if it is still damp. Especially towards the bottom of the bowl. Dry that stuff out if you haven’t already been doing so.

 

[kola]

I get sick smoking a lot heavy PG aromatics. For me it's not the nicotine, it's the funky additives.

 

[anotherbob]

I get sick smoking a lot heavy PG aromatics. For me it's not the nicotine, it's the funky additives.

yeah that's my guess as well. Especially if sugar is helping the person. Cause when I've over done nicotine sugar hasn't helped in fact the only thing that helps with that is something more substantial. I'd second the theory to try another mild blend or maybe get a little pipe as well.

 

[workman]

My advice is to smoke until you feel the nicotine and then stop. A heavy nic-hit is unpleasant and smoking a pipe is supposed to be pleasant.
I would never go through the torture of forcing myself to smoke too much in order to build up a tolerance to nicotine.
It really seems like a dumb thing to do.

 

[ofafeather]

Also two other thoughts:

-a narrower bowl will limit the amount of tobacco that is burning at once, kid of like the ring gauge on a cigar.

-slower smoking pace and/or slower burning tobacco.

Those strategies will release less of what is bothering you at once.

 

[mortonbriar]

What's your driving need to smoke a pipe? It's not for everyone and sounds like it's not for you. Were I not enjoying it significantly, I'd quit in a heartbeat. Eating raw sugar isn't good for you either.

I would repeat this.
What is the point of a relaxing hobby if it causes you to feel awful on a continual basis? listen to your body, there may be more happening than you, or any of us forum experts realise...
If I ever needed to quit pipes I have lined up my next hobby which will be collecting and restoring vintage garden gnomes ha.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Wow, sick from 1-Q? Never smoked it, as I don’t smoke all that many aromatics, but I’d echo that maybe it’s not the nicotine per se that is making you sick. 1-Q is supposed to be a very very low nic blend I believe. I suppose some people may have an ultra-low nicotine tolerance though. Perhaps try a mild English? Does 1-Q have Burley? Some folks are highly sensitive to Burleys for some reason.

It could well be the PG added, or other toppings. I don't care for 1-Q- or any other Propylene- addled tobacco.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

I never got sick from nicotine. I did get quite a buzz from smoking cigarettes or dipping, for my first few years of tobacco use. I'd say most pipe tobacco blends barely contain any nicotine. Maybe tobacco just isn't your thing. If you're determined to take up smoking, just make sure you eat a good meal before smoking and try to find very low nicotine blends.

Tobaccoreviews.com is a great place to learn about blends before you buy them. Jiminks (the best reviewer out there) can tell everything you need to know, about nearly every blend.. including which ones have low or "no" nicotine.

It could be the flavorings that are making you sick, 1Q is a pretty goopy, heavily flavored blend.