Nicotine sensitive people, why do you smoke a pipe?

[lordofthepiperings]

I wonder if the cigarette companies have added a chemical to enhance the addition of nicotine or was addictive on it own to the cigarettes that is not in the pipe tobacco.

I've wondered that for a few years now.
I can enjoy a bowl of Bold Kentucky without being bowled over, so I clearly have a tolerance for nicotine, but I can also put the briar down for a few days or weeks if I have a cold or something and not experience any symptoms of withdrawal.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

I still haven't read anything to differentiate between a lack of self control and "addiction". Chemical dependency is real, but does not describe addiction. From what I've seen it's an emotional condition as much as anything. People don't randomly ruin their lives, they have a motivation to, logical or not.

 

[warren]

I quit cigarettes, cold turkey, for five years sometime back. Then I discovered MCDs and never looked back. If I was to quit again I'd probably pick a time to coincide with a bout of the flu or something as I would be just as miserable for a week or so. Then after the body adjusts to the lack of the drug, it becomes a mind over matter thing. At least that's what happened last time.
You guys can call it what you want, chemical dependency is addiction. Parsing words makes it no different. If you have to have something, it is an addiction. Pretty much any addiction is brain based along with chemicals. The body likes the rush or transformation and it becomes a necessity especially for those with an addictive personality.
Addiction is in fact a reality in spite of your denial redpanda. But, I do envy your denial and how it may simplify things for you.

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

This still sounds mostly like a semantic argument.

 

[redpanda]

Phil67: No offence here, we are debating. I can't be offended by the fact someone finds something ridiculous. People dissagree everyday on much more important and fundamental issues than the one in question here.
Frozenchurchwarden: Finally, someone with broader horizons.
p.s. Gents, c'mon let us talk pipes again, it's much better

 

[bigpond]

This still sounds mostly like a semantic argument.

Except it's neither an argument nor a mincing of words. Rather, this is a fundamental misunderstanding, and a very common one. I'll post a link to imaging scans that illustrate the what happens to the brain of an addict and how it differs from a healthy brain. This stuff can be a little dense if you get in to the all the details, but the basics are easy enough to follow.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2851068/

 

[frozenchurchwarden]

No one in this thread has denied chemical dependency.
Bigpond, have you ever seen an MRI of a gambling addict?

 

[deathmetal]

I'll just leave this here:
"There are no facts, only interpretations."

 

[deathmetal]

If you have to have something, it is an addiction. Pretty much any addiction is brain based along with chemicals.

A few thoughts:
Needing something alone is perhaps too broad. Am I addicted to oxygen? There must be, in my view, a sense of preference and sacrifice, i.e. "he preferred heroin to a stable home."
Brain-based can be tricky. Are the changes in the brain what cause the addiction, or the result of it like any other thought process?
While I respect the medical profession, I've seen them get too many things wrong -- and wave their hands helplessly like drowning cheerleaders at too many conditions -- to just bend over, lubricate and say "OK you're the boss."
Same as any other profession, come to think of it. Except architects. They're just producing pure crap at this point.