Propylene Glycol - Virginia Tobaccos

[2ixPipes]

Hello all,

I'm relatively new to pipe smoking (~1 year into it), and I've recently learned about propylene glycol being used in the majority of tobaccos produced. I'm not particular interested in debating whether it's harmless or not, I've grown weary of trusting experts at the FDA and other agencies in these matters, anyway, that's another discussion.

My question is PG used even in straight virginia type tobaccos (i.e. not aromatics, English, etc.). For example some tobaccos I've enjoyed recently are: Peter Stokkebye Luxury Navy, Orlik's Golden Slice, Sutliff 507C, Peterson Irish Flake, Solani Virginia Flake, etc. These tend to dry out relatively fast once you rub them out. I was wondering if I shouldn't be concerned with PG used in these types of tobacco, versus the more common aromatic ones?

Would love to know for peace of mind, if so maybe start looking into PG free flakes.

Thanks in advance!

 

[mortonbriar]

It is easy to spot the ones that are saturated in PG, bu probably harder to figure out when it is used subtly...

Buying whole leaf, and growing your own are both fun options if you want to be sure.

 

[judcole]

My understanding is that PG is used in most of the "lower-end" tobaccos - especially aros - which make up the vast majority of what is sold - blends like Borkum Riff, Captain Black, and so on. I would bet that the blends you mentioned in the original post have very little or none.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

I wouldn't be concerned about it period.

 

[brooklynpiper]

Normal for a new person to worry.
I would assume it’s in everything commercial.

 

[Dublin Old Man]

was wondering if I shouldn't be concerned with PG

What kind of concern? Health, smoking quality, other?

I think that most pipe tobacco has some PG in it. Some brands use too much in my opinion. When there is excessive PG, I find that the tobacco will not dry, is difficult to light, does not stay lit, produces excess moisture in the pipe, and causes tongue bite.

I do not buy brands that contain excess PG. I could name a few that some would consider top brands. Some are high quality tobacco but they ruin it with the PG. You will find out with experience.

 

[burleybreath]

I'd only smoke Semois, just to be safe from PG cooties.

 

[woodsroad]

PG's job is to keep tobacco feeling moist in the absense of water. So if you can dry the tobacco to a crisp, there isn't any/much PG in it.

 

[drastic_quench]

My understanding is that PG is used in most of the "lower-end" tobaccos - especially aros - which make up the vast majority of what is sold - blends like Borkum Riff, Captain Black, and so on. I would bet that the blends you mentioned in the original post have very little or none.

I've read GL Pease saying the opposite. Component tobaccos shipped to high-end blenders can already be treated with PG. Then they may have more applied by the blender. Yes, the drugstore aromatics are known for overdoing the PG, but there's not much in the way of truly 100% untreated pipe tobaccos.

 

[ofafeather]

I wouldn't be concerned about it period.

^^^This^^^. Probably one of those things it’s not worth overthinking. Smoke what you like. I don’t thing the presence or absence of PG will change the risk factors of smoking much.

 

[woodsroad]

I've read GL Pease saying the opposite. Component tobaccos shipped to high-end blenders can already be treated with PG. Then they may have more applied by the blender. Yes, the drugstore aromatics are known for overdoing the PG, but there's not much in the way of truly 100% untreated pipe tobaccos.

D&R tobaccos, while under the ownership of Mark Ryan, did not contain PG. I believe that Semois does not contain any PG.

 

[sablebrush52]

My question is PG used even in straight virginia type tobaccos

It's used everywhere, to different degrees. You won't know whether what you buy has some PG content, unless it's substantial, and if you're looking for PG free flakes, you won't get a straight answer there either.

If you're really concerned about potential health issues, don't smoke.

 

[kola]

I can taste PG when it's really sauced up on some blends. It has a sweet and oily taste/feeling. Much like antifreeze. It leaves a nasty after-taste as well. Like others have mentioned, if the tobacco takes forever to dry out it's doused in PG. Snap-crackle and pop while it burns is another indicator. I avoid those blends entirely.

 

[drastic_quench]

D&R tobaccos, while under the ownership of Mark Ryan, did not contain PG. I believe that Semois does not contain any PG.

Semois is so absurdly dry, I'd sooner believe it contains sand.

 

[canucklehead]

I can taste PG when it's really sauced up on some blends. It has a sweet and oily taste/feeling. Much like antifreeze. It leaves a nasty after-taste as well.

A lot of people think some blends have a "coconut" topping when it's actually just PG. It almost smells like sun tan lotion to me in some blends.

 

[canucklehead]

Virginia flakes typically have a bunch of other stuff in them besides just tobacco, for example gum arabic is often used as a binder to keeps flakes together, it's also used as cigar and rolling paper glue.

 

[cigrmaster]

The only issue I ever had with PG was when I was messing around with some Boswell aromatics. I enjoyed most of the flavors, but the stuff dried my mouth something fierce. I tried Biotene but it didn't work. This was the summer of 2012 and I have never had another instance where my mouth was dried out by any blend.

 

[Briar Lee]

I wish I could find when propylene glycol was first marketed and sold on a large scale commercial basis. My guess is after WW2.

My understanding is that when applied to tobacco it acts as a humectant. Before it was available I’ll bet the tobacco manufacturers used something else, like molasses.

The makers wouldn’t use it unless they had to.

It’s not free.

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[woodsroad]

Semois is so absurdly dry, I'd sooner believe it contains sand.

Dry sand.

 

[Swiss Army Knife]

I was wondering if I shouldn't be concerned with PG

Not unless you just want something to worry about or fixate on for no real reason. Out of everything coming through that shank some atomized PG is the least of your worries.

This is obviously all anecdotal but then again you're asking a bunch of randos on a Pipes forum not doctors so get your grains of salt ready: I smoked a pack of Reds almost daily for several years before I got swept up into the vape scene, the real one not the little dinky teenie bopper cartridge sticks. All vape liquid is comprised of PG and VG, I sucked that stuff up nearly every waking hour for close to 8 years. I not only felt better after switching away from the Reds but I didn't have a single health issue mouth or lung in that entire time. Neither did anyone else I knew that vaped just as much as I did. I quit because my old workhorse of a vape started to finally fall apart on me and I just didn't care enough to familiarize myself with all the new crap that was out.

For all intents and purposes PG is flavorless and probably one of the safest things to put in your mouth/lungs that's mixed into blends. You can dislike goopy mixtures but trying to avoid it entirely is a fool's errand.