Tobacco is Addictive... isn't it?

[Conveyor Belt]

Just to preface, I am not a regular smoker. I do, on occasion, enjoy a cigar every now and then. About once every 4-6months...

Last night, I was REALLY tired.. coming of a 6 day week of school and work with about 3-4hrs sleep a day. I was falling asleep standing up, so I went to the store next door and bought a pack of cigarettes... Camels. I got back, smoked one, and it did what I wanted it to do. I was wide awake. The effect lasted for about an hour, then wore off, so I smoked another to wake me up again.

So, this morning, I wake up CRAVING a cigarette. I mean, full out craving and body wanting it. It was so weird. When I smoke a cigar, even a Black and Mild, which really isn't a cigar, I never get cravings like that. I smoked an employee's 'Newport'(nasty menthol) and never got a craving like that. My body wanted and was wanting me to put some of that stuff in it. I told it Hell no, I got enough problems without being a regular smoker.

Anyhow, I'm not going to smoke any of those little addictive things anymore. WTF do they put in there to make them like that? I swear, I've never had that feeling before, and I never want to have it again. I'll just stick to the occasional cigar and leave those Camels to the teenagers.

I'm going to toss the box, but if anyone wants them, they're welcome to it... I hate to see something go to waste...

[amanda]

To answer your question. Yes. Highly addictive.

[Conveyor Belt]

I guess some of it is more addictive than others.

[amanda]

Some people are more addicted than others. But I don't think it matters what type, brand, lights, ultra-lights. If you are hooked, you are hooked. My dad occassionally smoked. A pack would last him several days. Then about a year ago he decided to quit - and did with no problems. I've tried, unsuccessfully many times. I've done patches, gum, and every medication on the market. I recently tried Chantix but didn't get through half a month because I stopped feeling my tongue and felt so-weird. I will probably give it another go, but I really enjoy the pleasure of smoking. That is part of the addicition I believe.

[58ford]

I heard that nicotine is more addictive than heroin.
And, yes, the add all sorts of stuff to cigarettes.
Check this out: http://quitsmoking.about.com/cs/nicotineinhaler/a/cigingredients.htm

[58ford]

I smoked a single cigarette a day for several years and never had a craving till I QUIT smoking. Then I wanted them all the time.

[Hermione]

If you'd ever lived with a smoker having to quit (after a quadruple bypass) you'd know how addictive it is.

[Conveyor Belt]

Some people are more addicted than others.

See, I thought that too, about myself. The only thing I'm really addicted to is food and sugar. I haven't had a beer in a few weeks, and the tobacco is a rare thing, too. I never have cravings for more tobacco, and though myself as one who couldn't be hooked on it...

Doing some quick research, the levels of Nicotine vary by brand and type of filters/non filters, etc. Short research shows that nicotine levels have increased about 10%+ over the past 10 years.

I do like that pickup from the smoke, and I enjoy a good smoke, but this morning was just a little scary for me...

[amanda]

See, I thought that too, about myself. The only thing I'm really addicted to is food and sugar. I haven't had a beer in a few weeks, and the tobacco is a rare thing, too. I never have cravings for more tobacco, and though myself as one who couldn't be hooked on it...

Doing some quick research, the levels of Nicotine vary by brand and type of filters/non filters, etc. Short research shows that nicotine levels have increased about 10%+ over the past 10 years.

I do like that pickup from the smoke, and I enjoy a good smoke, but this morning was just a little scary for me...


Good. Keep that first and foremost in your mind and never pick up another one. You escaped by a hair, don't fall into the trap. It's a rough road. :(

[dollfus46]

Some people are more addicted than others. But I don't think it matters what type, brand, lights, ultra-lights. If you are hooked, you are hooked. My dad occassionally smoked. A pack would last him several days. Then about a year ago he decided to quit - and did with no problems. I've tried, unsuccessfully many times. I've done patches, gum, and every medication on the market. I recently tried Chantix but didn't get through half a month because I stopped feeling my tongue and felt so-weird. I will probably give it another go, but I really enjoy the pleasure of smoking. That is part of the addicition I believe.

As I understand it, the addiction is gone after 3 days. It's totally out of your body. The habit is the butt-kicker. That's why people gain so much weight. Hand to mouth habit. Habit of having one after meals, stressful moment, sex, whatever. That's what's hard to beat.

[dollfus46]

If you'd ever lived with a smoker having to quit (after a quadruple bypass) you'd know how addictive it is.
I've done only a few things in my life that I was proud of, really proud of myself, but quitting smoking after 39 years of two packs a day is the pinnacle. If I can do it anybody can. Takes two things. Want to and help. You can't want to want to quit. You really have to want to. As long as you think you enjoy any facet of it you're wasting your time and money trying to quit.

[amanda]

As I understand it, the addiction is gone after 3 days. It's totally out of your body. The habit is the butt-kicker. That's why people gain so much weight. Hand to mouth habit. Habit of having one after meals, stressful moment, sex, whatever. That's what's hard to beat.


So they say. I quit for almost 6 months one time. The first couple of weeks were a nightmare. After that it was fine and I felt a lot better. But the first week. Dear heavens. There is no describing it. When I was on patches, I still smoked; gum, still smoked; drugs, still smoked. And I truly thought I was at a point that I wanted to quit. It is a real aggravation these days to smoke. You are treated like a leper. Have to smoke in back-alleys and hidden from all. And yet if I make a trip, I have a plan for smoking. If I have to take a plane, it's short trips with no layovers. It's just a pain the ass. One day - One day. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

[Conveyor Belt]

Good luck to all of you who try to quit. That episode this morning made me feel a small part of what you must go through. It's awful to feel that way...

[dollfus46]

Good. Keep that first and foremost in your mind and never pick up another one. You escaped by a hair, don't fall into the trap. It's a rough road. :(

Amen. It's not pretty. Have a cigarette or two and hug your wife or some other non-smoker. Watch their reaction to you.

[Hermione]

Here's the sad part. There were six children in my Mom's family, all born within eight years. Three smokers, three non-smokers. The smokers died first -- 1985, 1992, 1995. That included both the youngest and the oldest. The first of the non-smokers died in 2005, and the other two are still alive.
But it's so hard. My heart goes out to all of y'all trying to quit. Even if you skip ONE, it's a little help.

[dollfus46]

So they say. I quit for almost 6 months one time. The first couple of weeks were a nightmare. After that it was fine and I felt a lot better. But the first week. Dear heavens. There is no describing it. When I was on patches, I still smoked; gum, still smoked; drugs, still smoked. And I truly thought I was at a point that I wanted to quit. It is a real aggravation these days to smoke. You are treated like a leper. Have to smoke in back-alleys and hidden from all. And yet if I make a trip, I have a plan for smoking. If I have to take a plane, it's short trips with no layovers. It's just a pain the ass. One day - One day. Hopefully sooner rather than later.
Bless your heart. I wish you luck. I know what you're going through. I went throught it too. But I made a promise to myself, that I'd never say a word to anyone who smoked. Not fair. I was a leper, uh smoker once and I didn't apprediate it. I really believe anyone who smokes wishes they could wake up in the morning and be a nonsmoker. No withdrawal. No tension. Like they'd never smoked. It's downright scary to leave the house without cigarettes or run out of them somewhere. I know. Been there. Good luck, Amandah.

[EricStratton]

I've never been a big smoker, used to have one or two when I was drinkin heavily. But, I can atest to how hard it is to quit smokeless tobacco (i.e. snuff, dip, chew,whatever you want to call it). I'll have to admit that I haven't tried real hard to quit anytime recently, but I have made a few serious attempts. Hard as hell. My job can get stressful at times, and I can always find a reason for needing a dip. I know that sounds like an excuse, but it is what it is. That "habit" dollfus wrote about is a real pain in the ass. As much as the nicotine (which starts the addiction), the routine of having a "fix" at certain times of the day and night is the hardest thing for me to get through.

[big john]

I remember when that kinda thing happened to me,I was working the graveyard shift when a co worker pushed caffeine on me,he said it'll wake you up and make you feel good,I didn't work that shift but two weeks but that's all it took,I was addicted.
Every morning I would wake up and I couldn't wait to reach my altered state,I had to have two sometimes three cups of caffeine just to get me going,it was very scary.
After about two months I was able to break from the grips that this drug had on me and started feeling better after about a week,I hope I never have to go through something like that again.

http://www.freedomyou.com/addiction/caffeine%20addiction.htm (http://www.freedomyou.com/addiction/caffeine%20addiction.htm)

[ynotme297]

coffee and ciggs. yea, i do them both. been doing them for about 50 years. i know that they both are bad for you. when i started, we didn't have the info that we have now. even uncle sam helped us out with smokes in our rations. but the hardest thing i ever gave up was drinking. when you go for days and don't know where you are or where you have been and the wife and kids are crying, well, i was glad that i was able to stop before it killed me or i was hurt or killed someone else with my drinking and driving. sure, i still have a few drinks from to time but nothing close to what i used to do. now i know when to say when and i won't even take one drink and get behind the wheel of a car. sorry, i guess i kinda got off track. yes i need to quit smoking, but will i? prolly not. i'll never give up coffee. i give cuddos to those of you that have.

[mac]

........Doing some quick research, the levels of Nicotine vary by brand and type of filters/non filters, etc. Short research shows that nicotine levels have increased about 10%+ over the past 10 years....

They've probably tried to make them more addictive because they've got to combat all the anti-smoking campaigns and the stricter laws about where you can smoke.

[SouthChic]

I've never been a big smoker, used to have one or two when I was drinkin heavily. But, I can atest to how hard it is to quit smokeless tobacco (i.e. snuff, dip, chew,whatever you want to call it). I'll have to admit that I haven't tried real hard to quit anytime recently, but I have made a few serious attempts. Hard as hell. My job can get stressful at times, and I can always find a reason for needing a dip. I know that sounds like an excuse, but it is what it is. That "habit" dollfus wrote about is a real pain in the ass. As much as the nicotine (which starts the addiction), the routine of having a "fix" at certain times of the day and night is the hardest thing for me to get through.

You're not alone. There are lots of men who dip, including my husband, who have tried more than once to quit and can't.

Considering just the few facts below that I read here (http://www.health.gov.sk.ca/rr_smokeless_tobacco.html), I feel for everyone who dips (and people that smoke):


Nicotine is just as addictive as cocaine or heroin.
Each tin of snuff contains a lethal dose of nicotine.
One tin of snuff has the same amount of nicotine as 60 cigarettes.
Holding an average-sized dip or chew in your mouth for 30 minutes gives you as much nicotine as smoking four cigarettes.
Because smokeless (spit) tobacco is absorbed rapidly into the bloodstream through the lining of the mouth, it may be even more addictive than smoking cigarettes.

[Hermione]

Seller, I'm sure you know it can also cause cancers of the mouth, tongue and throat. Those are horrible.

[SouthChic]

Seller, I'm sure you know it can also cause cancers of the mouth, tongue and throat. Those are horrible.

Yes, I knew. I just listed a few of the things I read. It talks about cancer of the mouth, etc.. on the website link I provided. ;)

[SouthChic]

After reading on that website, I've discovered my husband isn't "dipping", based on these definitions:

Snuff – ground-up moist tobacco usually placed between the bottom lip and gum. This is also referred to as "dipping".
Chew – shredded tobacco leaves placed between the cheek and gum. This is also referred to as "a wad".
Plug – shredded tobacco leaves which are pressed into a hard block and placed between the cheek and gum.

He does the "plug".

[firefly]

Alot of people think that they are switching to a less dangerous form of tobacco when they dip or chew. Not so! They are trading lung cancer for oral cancer. Oral cancer has a VERY POOR survival rate. It ususally metastasises to the brain.:smt118

[dream member]

My mom smokes A LOT!!! For some reason, that influenced me to never try it...I haven't tried it ever!! :) But I do know a lot of people who have tried to quit and they always say they start back when they're really stressed out.