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Nicotine (2016)

gwern.net

141–150 of 273 posts

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#141
post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anecdotally, I've accidentally quit vaping several times, because I don't vape when I've caught a cold and that's coincided with me needing to buy supplies. I've gone back to it because I find it enjoyable, but, having watched my father quit smoking several times, I can't say that I've ever had withdrawals like that, or really at all. So my theory is, really, that cigarettes and tobacco in general is far more addicti…

I have quit cigarettes successfully (for ~10 years now) and found it wasn't too difficult. However, I have known people who could quit indefinitely and pick it back up without issue and people who are going through rounds of quitting, returning, quitting and so forth. I personally believe there are additional elements involved that could be genetic or psychological.

cigarette smoke also has a bunch of other stuff, including MAOIs. it's definitely not _just_ the nicotine. iirc, cigarettes also have additives to make the nicotine hit harder / cross the blood brain barrier faster, which probably doesn't help

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#142
post #41

I'm a non smoker, I never smoked. Once I decided to try a nicotine chewing gum, took one pillow and chewed it thoroughly. After about 5-10minutes I suffered some very very severe effects, including: I started sweating extremelly such that all my clothes become wet quickly and sweat was dripping down my nose, ears, and into my eyes. I felt an intense and urgent need to urinate and defecate, which luckily I could do on…

FWIW, you're not supposed to chew it thoroughly, even if you're a smoker. You're supposed to gently bite once to break it open, then tuck it in your cheek or under your lip for a while, and repeat as necessary. Chewing like normal gum releases it all at once which is not advisable.

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anecdotally, I've accidentally quit vaping several times, because I don't vape when I've caught a cold and that's coincided with me needing to buy supplies. I've gone back to it because I find it enjoyable, but, having watched my father quit smoking several times, I can't say that I've ever had withdrawals like that, or really at all. So my theory is, really, that cigarettes and tobacco in general is far more addicti…

I dunno about that. Personally, I smoked cigarettes for about 5 years, then quit for about a decade, and then picked up vaping a few years ago. I’m definitely just as addicted to the Juul as I ever was to cigarettes, if not more so, and it definitely seems like it will be harder to quit. Cigarettes are so gross it’s almost a benefit, you need to go outside to smoke, the vape is just so easy and so much cleaner, I’ve…

My friends who took up vaping (esp in pandemic) ended up vaping near-constantly

It's not the 80s, so vaping allows one to sit around the house and duff it in a way that most people wouldn't do with cigarettes.

I feel like nicotine intake can dramatically increase with vaping.

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#144

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Purely anecdotal, but I believe Keith Richards is on record stating that kicking heroin was far easier than kicking nicotine. There's evidence for this, too -- he quit using heroin decades ago, but only managed to quit smoking a few years back. So it seems to be true, at least for him.

You’re conflating nicotine with tobacco again. For me, quitting smoking was easier than quitting coffee addiction. Coffee is everywhere, cheap, and consumption is all but encouraged. If I were to smoke I take on all sorts of baggage. Much of smoking is about being a smoker which is a mindset and community that is hard to leave. Social effects can be much stronger than physical dependence.

> For me, quitting smoking was easier than quitting coffee addiction

Operative phrase here: "for you".

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#145
post #41

I'm a non smoker, I never smoked. Once I decided to try a nicotine chewing gum, took one pillow and chewed it thoroughly. After about 5-10minutes I suffered some very very severe effects, including: I started sweating extremelly such that all my clothes become wet quickly and sweat was dripping down my nose, ears, and into my eyes. I felt an intense and urgent need to urinate and defecate, which luckily I could do on…

Or just never build up and always use small doses. No real addiction, and you still get great effects similar to caffeine or amphetamine as long as you don't use it often enough to build up a tolerance (which isn't too hard).

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#146
post #8

I use nicotine gum (2mg) to concentrate on reading or programming tasks from time to time. I have never smoked. I prefer it over caffeine as I do no get the irritable withdrawals. The only noticeable side affect I experience is some sleepiness after the effect wears off (around 30-40 minutes).

I have the same experience, except I buy 4mg gum tablets and I chew 1/4 - 1/3 of a tab at time. 2mg and 4mg tabs are priced similarly.

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#147
post #60
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't caffeine a vasoconstrictor as well? Wouldn't that make coffee a silent killer?

I don't get how so many people like coffee. I've tried it maybe a handful of times in my life, getting the type that my friends said is great, and I've always found it to be reminiscent of dirty water, that is, water that has been contaminated with dirt. Why do so many people like it? My friends say they like the taste, but I don't believe them. I think it has to do with them being coerced into liking coffee at a you…

> My friends say they like the taste, but I don't believe them. I think it has to do with them being coerced into liking coffee at a young age, and now they're addicted to it because of its caffeine content.

Daily coffee drinker here. Maybe I'm in the minority but I really enjoy the taste (strong espresso without sugar/milk) and really dislike the caffeine content (always prefer decaf, if available).

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#148
Anecdata of one here-

Non-smoker, originally tried nicotine vapes as an alternative to caffeine which I tend to overuse.

Not very effective for me as I seem to have a paradoxical reaction to it that makes me want to take a nap for 5-10 minutes after inhaling, but I found the sensation was pleasurable when combined with cannabis edibles so I kept the vape around.

Absolutely zero physical addiction. I can and have stopped using the vape cold turkey for weeks or months at a time and I felt no withdrawal at all. At the present moment I haven't used it in months.

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#149

I'm concerned that many might miss the nuance and subtlety of the main issue: - Nicotine IS really addictive when distributed through common uses (smoking, vaping). Yes, if the absorption is progressive and in small dosages, the addiction is less severe, but this is not useful for smokers who want to quit and presents a dangerous introduction for others

Nicotine itself really isn't particularly dangerous. If you haven't already been a smoker, you have no mental connection between nicotine cravings and cigarettes, so you don't really have any reason to desire them. If you were used to something like Zyn & tried a cigarette, you probably wouldn't even like it that much in my opinion. It may kick in significantly quicker, but there's also substantially less nicotine in a cigarette vs a nicotine pouch and it would probably leave you dissatisfied and annoyed at the bad taste in your mouth.

Re: Nicotine (2016)

#150
I tried nicotine patches (lifelong non-smoker). I didn't see any benefit. I was hoping I can focus more on some boring stuff I needed to get done against a deadline. I just didn't see anything.

I then disclosed that I used nicotine products when I applied for some life insurance. They wanted to put me in the smoker category, I had to spend time with them to explain I never smoked in my life, and the nicotine patches were not for smoking cessation, but just to improve focus.

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