Nicotine and Addiction

[moki]

Just about anything is bad for you if you do it excessively. The worst thing about cigarettes is not just that you inhale them, it is that your typical smoker is *constantly* smoking cigarettes. Your body has no chance to recover.

 

[mmburtch]

In my opinion, one of the reasons cigars seem less addictive than cigarettes is the frequency in which they are smoked. I recall hearing that nicotine is processed by the body very quickly, and a heavy cigarette smoker will be nicotine free in as little as four days after quitting cold turkey. (Beating nicotine is easy regardless of what the maker of the patch wants you to believe.) Therefor, even a once a day cigar smoker isn't likely to develop stereotypical addictive traits. That being said, the psychological addiction is all about the habit. As a former pack a day smoker for 25 years, it was months before I could get on the phone, drive some place, take a break at work, have a drink, etc. without looking for a cigarette. I used acupuncture to help me stop smoking, and none of the treatment was for nicotine withdrawal, it was all for habit withdrawal, primarily the oral urges.

I don't believe that cigars are any less addictive. I do believe that the infrequency of smoking, compared to cigarettes, makes habits less pronounced and easier to break.

Now, more importantly, how do I stop this cigar buying addiction I developed since I joined this site?

 

[CigarStone]

IMHO Addiction to cigarettes is an addiction to the habit and because cigarette smokers typically do this "habit" many times a day, they become mentally "addicted" to the habit and physically "dependent" on the nicotine.

Cigar smokers smoke when the time is right, in a certain set of circumstances and these circumstances typically don't present themselves 20 times a day. Smoking a cigar is typically a pleasure we adore, smoking a cigarette is a habit.

Just my .02

 

[Saxjazzman]

In my opinion, one of the reasons cigars seem less addictive than cigarettes is the frequency in which they are smoked. I recall hearing that nicotine is processed by the body very quickly, and a heavy cigarette smoker will be nicotine free in as little as four days after quitting cold turkey. (Beating nicotine is easy regardless of what the maker of the patch wants you to believe.) Therefor, even a once a day cigar smoker isn't likely to develop stereotypical addictive traits. That being said, the psychological addiction is all about the habit. As a former pack a day smoker for 25 years, it was months before I could get on the phone, drive some place, take a break at work, have a drink, etc. without looking for a cigarette. I used acupuncture to help me stop smoking, and none of the treatment was for nicotine withdrawal, it was all for habit withdrawal, primarily the oral urges.

I don't believe that cigars are any less addictive. I do believe that the infrequency of smoking, compared to cigarettes, makes habits less pronounced and easier to break.

Now, more importantly, how do I stop this cigar buying addiction I developed since I joined this site?

I am sad to inform you that there is no known cure for the cigar buying addiction. After years of study and consulting the best in the field, they have concluded that we are all condemmed forever when it comes to the cigar buying addiction. Excuse me, I have to place a bid now! :whistling:

 

[tsmckenney]

I would definitely say that I am addicted to smoking cigars. I used to be addicted to the nicotine via cigarettes, which was by far worse. One thing with cigars, for me, is that I do not have time to smoke more than 3 or 4 a week. I wouldn't mind bringing that down to 2 or 3 a week, but I don't know if I could. 3 or 4 is about where I'm comfortably at. And yeah, it has an addictive tie-in for me.