The Nicotine Effect

[deathmetal]

@cobguy:

I know you like strong, flavorful blends like me (OJK, Irish Flake, Brown Bogie) and can say that JackKnife Plug and Triple Play Plug are both very much worth a try ... some of Greg's best, IMHO.

@tinsel:

I'd definitely recommend trying it. And I'd also definitely say it's a plug, not a cake.

@dublinesque:

I would second (third?) JKP. Good stuff. Although I seem to end up smoking the "little brother blends" to these powerhouses (JKP > Triple Play and Old Joe Krantz > Riverboat Gambler). They're right up in there in power, but I get the added bonus of perique and orientals, in each case.

Thank you all for the recommendations. JKP will be on the next order. I love a good plug and the mixture of leaf seems about perfect! These "powerhouse" blends are reliable smokes for me on heavy workdays (and, oddly, to unwind).

 

[cobguy]

Another major factor in how any toxin affects your body is your personal Acetyalation Rate.
Those who are "Slow Acetylators" will be more affected by nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, etc ...
Wiki primer:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylation

 

[gunny]

I don't get the nicotine effect either. Albeit I've chewed tobacco for over 26 years. Sometimes I'll finish a bowl then throw a dip in just to get the "satisfaction".

 

[webbie]

I don't get the hit, I wish I did. I am a nicotine fiend and constantly have some kind of vitanin N going into my system. I smoke the blends that I think taste good but I do tend to lean towards stronger blends.I am a big fan of cotton boll twist right now.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yeh, sometimes a strong blend will just rub abrasive over my tongue instead of giving me a taste great while giving me my nic hit. If all of the stars line up, and the flavor comes forward, my tongue is rested and ready, and I keep a very slow cadence, relishing in the beautiful smoke, I will get the nic hit.

Without an effect or nic hit, I would just drop my pipes and walk away. Why in the Hell would someone do this hobby with no positive nicotine effects? If you want flavor without the nicotine, I would just chew gum. I don't get that at all. Why would you just want to make smoke, burning money, becoming a social outcast, without anything positive? Nope, thank God, I am not one of these who don't get that wonderful nicotine euphoria.
I just have to assume that someone who would go through all of this for no nicotine effect is just insane or a liar or is not aware of how the nicotine is effecting them.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Nope, used to smoke cigarettes, and know what nicotine feels like. Nada from a pipe. The day they make latakia flavored gum will be the day I drop the pipe for gum. A pipe provides me a distraction from the rest of the world, and as for being a social outcast, people that don't care for pipers don't provide enough interest for me to care for. As for burning money on something that I just enjoy, isn't that like burning money on custom jewelery when all it is, is metal and rock? Not insane or a liar. Just like my me time.

 

[misterlowercase]

Without an effect or nic hit, I would just drop my pipes and walk away. Why in the Hell would someone do this hobby with no positive nicotine effects? If you want flavor without the nicotine, I would just chew gum. I don't get that at all. Why would you just want to make smoke, burning money, becoming a social outcast, without anything positive? Nope, thank God, I am not one of these who don't get that wonderful nicotine euphoria.
I just have to assume that someone who would go through all of this for no nicotine effect is just insane or a liar or is not aware of how the nicotine is effecting them.

:lol:

A most excellent post!
I'm very tempted to make it my signature quote!

::

 

[mrbigglesworth]

I don't like strong N. But my wife got me 2 tins of GL Pease for Christmas: Gaslight and Navigator. Both are heavenly; especially the Gaslight. But those blends are sneaky strong (as I've heard other Pease blends are). There I was enjoying my pipe and BAM, woozy-headed and down for the count. I love these blends and will continue to enjoy them, but in smaller doses now!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Nope, used to smoke cigarettes, and know what nicotine feels like. Nada from a pipe.

The effects of nicotine are not even similar to cigarettes, whether it is that cigarettes have so many other chemicals or the nicotine is changed by how it is absorbed, but the effects of nicotine are not even remotely the same as the pipe or cigars. It is a much more relaxing, a sedative like effect. In much stronger doses the effect is spinning, dizzying, and nausea.
But, again, if someone is just burning something to be passing the time, why not build a fire of leaves, burn incense, or take up farting as a hobby, something more socially acceptable. But, what I think what is happening is that the effects are not as anticipated from what one knows from cigarettes, so one might not think (or be aware) that the effect is happening.
But, phhht, who cares? So you think that nicotine doesn't do anything to you, good for you. ::

 

[ray47]

@ Cosmic It is a much more relaxing, a sedative like effect.
I'm just the opposite. Nicotine will keep me awake if a heavy nic blend is smoked. I start my day with heavy nic blends and then switch to mild blends towards evening.

 

[davet]

take up farting as a hobby,

Talk about becoming a social outcast! :rofl:

 

[deathmetal]

take up farting as a hobby

Waaaay ahead of you there...

 

[Chasing Embers]

But, again, if someone is just burning something to be passing the time, why not build a fire of leaves, burn incense, or take up farting as a hobby,

Yes on all counts!

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yeh, I tried farting as a hobby, but then my family just gives me really weird gifts at Christmas. :wink:

 

[Chasing Embers]

Beano in your stocking?

 

[okiescout]

and it gets increasingly more difficult to latch the safety bar.
+1 Jeffrey. I have not been able to see that bar for 10 years :lol:
I generally do not smoke high nic blends, but I know the relaxation I get from smoking my pipe is not from the coffee. 8)

 

[hawke]

Never trust your fart orifice over 50.

We're getting sidetracked ...er ...uh should I say browntracked?
Old man goes to the doctor and takes his wife since he's hard of hearing. Doctor says "Im going to need a blood sample, urine sample, and feces sample to run some tests". He cant hear good and says "What'd you say". Doctor repeats, "Im going to need a blood sample, urine sample, and feces sample to run some tests." Still not understanding he asked "What'd you say" again? His wife speaks up loudly and says "He needs a pair of your underwear"

 

[cobguy]

Another major factor in how any toxin affects your body is your personal Acetyalation Rate.
Those who are "Slow Acetylators" will be more affected by nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, etc ...

Bring up chemistry and there's crickets ... bring up farts and the forum comes alive! :rofl:

 

[woodsroad]

There's a good question for you! Why is it that homebrewers are all over the science of their craft, while pipe smokers, for the most part, are indifferent? Even while they are curious about the effects of the chemistry/biology/physics of tobacco and pipes?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I'm interested in the science of smoking. I have just found it difficult to bring it up on the forum. We can talk about taste, flavors, pipe technology, and farts, but mention science and some lose their minds. And, it is a mystery, magical almost. As I mentioned, when my tongue gets taxed, I find that I just don't get the nicotine. And, take in that we only absorb a minuscule amount of the nicotine via the small blood vessels of our mouths and sinuses, and that there is a good amount of nicotine even in the mildest of Virginias (if you don't believe me, eat some and see). Some of the strongest burley has an equal amount of nicotine. The perique process actually lowers the nicotine level. Acids verse bases, smoking cadence, wide verses narrow chambers, all the things that affect the way we absorb the nicotine. Then body chemistry, metabolisms, tolerance, well... it's easy to see how people get riled up. Heck, we still have many who only smoke once a week in the discussion, as well as many who don't think that tobacco is addictive at all.
Most of the research out there is from the cigarette industry or those with agendas. I'm not even sure if the pipe tobacco industry wants research. Heck, we can't even agree most of the time on what happens to tobacco when it ages or how to store it.