Occasional Inhalation

[Dworkin]

Folks,

I guess we've all done it. Most pipe smokers will tell us that they don't inhale. As a rule I don't inhale, but sometimes it happens accidentally and it is so good!

So that's the question and the problem. How often does it happen and how much harm does it do?

I used to work with a guy who smoked Condor and one morning he took a full lungful of the nectar and fell of his chair, right onto the floor. Soon he was up again and puffing away happily. Maybe the odd inhalation is not so bad.

Any thoughts?

D.

 

[Country Bladesmith]

I never was a cigarette smoker. Cigars and then pipes. Inhaling was never a habit for me. I would say refraining from inhaling is better, but even those of us that don’t inhale are still getting the equivalent of second-hand smoke. I wouldn’t think an occasional accidental inhalation would amount to much more risk than we’re already comfortable with.
I did see an interesting study some time back though. It said those that transition from cigarettes to pipes or cigars, and who try not to inhale, still inhale significantly more smoke, without even knowing it, than those who’ve never smoked cigarettes. I thought it was weird/interesting.

 

[mordy18]

I am very careful about not inhaling but it inevitably happens to some extent. Especially when clenching and smoking with the "breathe method". Smoke doesn't get deep into my lungs but some does into my upper chest and bronchi. Second hand smoke is inevitably taken in as well. Unfortunately I am increasingly finding that it is irritating my lungs. Don't know what is going on -- maybe I am particularly sensitive -- but I frequently have a raw feeling in my upper chest and a slight cough. Goes away when I don't smoke for a week. Going to need to have it checked out, but anyone who thinks pipe smokers don't inadvertantly take smoke into their lungs is kidding themselves.

 

[Richmond B. Funkenhouser]

I am very careful about not inhaling but it inevitably happens to some extent. Especially when clenching and smoking with the "breathe method". Smoke doesn't get deep into my lungs but some does into my upper chest and bronchi. Second hand smoke is inevitably taken in as well. Unfortunately I am increasingly finding that it is irritating my lungs. Don't know what is going on -- maybe I am particularly sensitive -- but I frequently have a raw feeling in my upper chest and a slight cough. Goes away when I don't smoke for a week. Going to need to have it checked out, but anyone who thinks pipe smokers don't inadvertantly take smoke into their lungs is kidding themselves.

If I'm kicked back in my chair or the couch this happens to me. I believe when my head is tilted back at all it must open a route for the smoke. I feel like I'm not inhaling, but then after smoking I'm winded.

Interesting subject. I feel like I have the breathe smoking mastered, but sometimes my chest feels tight after smoking.

 

[haparnold]

Never in my decade plus of smoking. Not even once

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

It would be naive to think you can draw smoke into your mouth without inhaling some amount. I smoked cigarettes until 2007 and still smoke cigars. I used to inhale most of the cigars I would smoke, still do to a certain degree. I don't inhale much with a pipe which is one of several reasons it has become my preferred method of ingesting nicotine and other harmful components that will likely eventually be the death of me.

If you're really, really concerned about it, ask a physician. I suspect you don't want to do that because inside, you know they're likely to tell you to get rid of the pipe. So you're asking a bunch of pipe smokers for a medical opinion. Makes sense. LOL My native intelligence and common sense tells me if you are smoking 1 bowl of tobacco or less per day and making a conscientious decision/effort to avoid inhaling, you likely aren't causing yourself much if any harm. I smoke 5 to 7 bowls per day, I don't inhale much but just the heated crap I pull into my mouth and exhale through my nose cannot be doing me good. My Physician, who I respect, like and believe is a great doctor, smiles and asks me at each year's annual checkup "I don't suppose you're ready to give up smoking are you?" I smile back and say "Doc, why do you continue to ask rhetorical questions to me?"

 

[Dworkin]

Folks,

That's a good point about smoke going into the throat and 'upper bronchi' with pipe smoking but not deeper. That's what I meant about occasional inhalation. It rarely happens with me, I like it and don't worry about it too much.

Of course cigarette smokers will inhale deliberately, but the real deal is weed/pot smokers. I have been around these guys and to see them inhale deeply and then hold it in for the longest time - it is a sight to behold!

D.

 

[mityahicks]

Breath method makes you inhale quite a bit. Other methods not so much. I take the occasional hit intentionally.

 

[Eaglesgift]

I haven’t really found myself tempted to inhale in the 3 weeks I’ve been smoking a pipe. I did try it a couple of times - just out of curiosity - and, similar to when I inhale cigar smoke, I didn’t find it very pleasant. I seem to lose all the taste when I inhale pipe or cigar smoke.

I’m sure a small amount of smoke does find its way into our lungs but I started exercising on my stationary bike again the last couple of days and I haven’t felt out of breath in the way I would if I tried exercising when I was smoking cigarettes, which makes me think it’s a fairly insignificant amount.

 

[davek]

I don't inhale the puff at all. However, breathing while a cloud of smoke is near my mouth gets smoke into my lungs. I admit to purposely maximizing that at times (like, my first smoke in the morning).

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

I try not to inhale with a pipe but as former long term cigarette dude'it seems to happen occasionally and more so with cigars, must pay attention to this unwanted habit since it is easy to lose control

 

[Chasing Embers]

Breath method makes you inhale quite a bit. Other methods not so much. I take the occasional hit intentionally.

How are you inhaling with breath smoking? You don't use your breath to draw, only to create a rhythm.

 

[Thepipehunter]

I personally neverdirectly Inhale, at least on purpose. My brother is a pipe smoker and he enjoys the occasional French inhale. I tried that once or twice but I didn't think really think it was worth any additional risks.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Occasionally inhale 3 or 4 times during a bowl. Usually (except this week with the wife gone and during moose season) I only smoke one bowl a week, so I don’t worry about it too much, although I certainly feel it the next day. That lovely instant nic blast and throat hit is hard to avoid sometimes though, especially on tough days.

Admittedly, especially with the kid around now, I do feel guilty about the occasional inhale or extra beer every now and then. But as Samuel Johnson would say, “He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man.” Sometimes I need a little relief, hahaha.

 

[bullet08]

One bowl a day. I don't inhale. If I was going to inhale, I would have stayed with cigarettes.

 

[mso489]

I don't inhale intentionally, and I don't retrohale (nasal exhale). You inhale some pipe smoke when the smoke is in your mouth or before or after you sip, but it is part of my bargain with myself to do this in the least hazardous way and not overdo it. To some this is wisdom, and to others it is timidity. You have to strike your own bargain, and review it from time to time. This makes sense to me. I've never smoked cigarettes regularly, just the usual teenage posing, and cigars have always been occasional or special occasion smoking. I don't smoke for a nicotine hit, though I enjoy a buzz if it arrives. Some sense of moderation feels right to me.

 

[olkofri]

Has happened only accidentally/incidentally and it's NEVER pleasant. I'll pass.

Not even when I smoke cigarettes do I inhale.

 

[mordy18]

How are you inhaling with breath smoking? You don't use your breath to draw, only to create a rhythm.

Maybe I'm doing it wrong, but with the "breathe method" the pipe is kept in my mouth. i breathe in through my nose, and indirectly smoke enters into my mouth, i then exhale through my nose and the smoke that was in my mouth mostly goes back into the pipe (and smoke rises from the bowl), process repeats and second time in the cycle I blow the smoke out of my mouth. Repeat. I am never drawing directly on the pipe and I am certainly not inhaling. BUT, with the pipe clamped in my mouth, occassionally an inhalation through my nose results in me taking some smoke into my lungs, and the pipe smoke is constantly in front of my face.

As opposed to holding the pipe away from my body, bringing it to my mouth, and taking a few deliberate small puffs and blowing the smoke out.

As I understand it, those are the two basic ways of smoking a pipe. Sometimes I combine the two -- breathe method with pipe clenched for a few cycles, take it out, hold the pipe and puff for a bit...

It is much more likely that smoke will be taken into my lungs with the breathe method,

 

[Drew72]

Meh... inhale as seldom as possible, IMO. I don’t have a history with nicotine, so I can’t pretend to understand the addictive properties, and certainly no judgment here. I don’t even retrohale, as I want to expose as few mucous membranes as possible.

I am a 1-2 bowl per week smoker and always use a charcoal filter, so I am not in the mainstream. Anyone who smokes a pipe is taking on some level of risk—everyone has their own threshold as to what that is.

Smoke well
Drew

 

[sittingbear]

I almost always exhale through the nose. I'll inhale intentionally, depending on how much I've had to drink. It's happened maybe 5 times in the last 10 years.