Nicotine itself is hardly worse than say caffeine. But obviously the negative effects of burning and inhaling a cigarette (with all that it contains), especially the carcinogenic agents, is absolutely stupid to think it’s an even trade to pump your workout
Oh, nicotine is way worse. It may not harm your health directly, but addictiveness is exponentially worse.
Wikipedia: Caffeine - Dependence and Withdrawal: Moderately physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms may occur upon abstinence, with greater than 100 mg caffeine per day, although these symptoms last no longer than a day
Wikipedia: Nicotine withdrawal: Symptoms are usually strongest for the first few days and then dissipate over 2–4 weeks (…) In a minority of smokers, cravings may persist for years.
Edit: Left out the “Caffeine” in “Caffeine - Dependance and Withdrawal”
Edit to add:
Caffeine withdrawal causes you to be annoyed for a day. Nicotine causes real, actual cravings (you know you need nicotine, whereas for caffeine you’re just generally “moody” - most people don’t feel “i need caffeine, now”, and even if you do, chances are, if you run out of coffee and can’t get it within less than a day, the “craving” just stops).
For some, many of whom I know, quitting nicotine is downright impossible due to the cravings. For quitting, toning down is key. Those that quit either relapse momentarily in times of stress (usually for about a week or so), or complain of very strong cravings every few weeks/months.
Additionally, nicotine isn’t the only addictive compound in cigarettes, and from what I’ve heard, vaping, gum, etc. just isn’t it for some - people also get addicted to cigatettes themselves.
Not to mention, vaping causes pneumothorax and all the other alternatives cause some harm as well, although much less than cigarettes proper.
I’ve smoked cigars occasionally, maybe as many as 2-3 per week for 2 weeks in a row and then just stopped with no signs of addiction. Nicotine is often described as one of the most addictive drugs and I sometimes wonder if I just never took enough to get addicted in the first place or my experience is a result of lower than average susceptibility to nicotine addiction.
I smoked cigarettes for four years, then quit for a decade. I was incredibly stressed out and had 2-3 cigarettes for a couple days in a row and now I’m addicted again. I hope I will be able to quit soon, I just have to stop working where I am first, because I need the five minute breaks and don’t get them otherwise.
As a long time daily coffee drinker, that is definitely not accurate about caffeine withdrawal. Every time I try to quit caffeine I go through multiple weeks of depression and physical weakness symptoms.
And as a former smoker, nicotine is still significantly worse. Never touch the stuff, not even once. For a lot of people, there just is no going back from it. It claims you.
I’ve heard that but how else is one supposed to get nicotine in the system? Chewing gum? Patches? Vapes? Is it soluble in a substance that’s safe to consume?
Nicotine is water soluble. You can take a wet tobacco leaf off the plant and it’ll soak into your skin and get you a bit buzzed (or in my case when I discovered this mid harvest if you touch enough it’ll get you massively high and nauseous). Imo one of the best ways to get some in relative safety is grow your own, they’re really easy, and just put a leaf under your tongue for a bit then spit it out
Part of the problem with using tobacco this way (basically diy dip) is that tobacco leaves themselves contain carcinogenic nitrates that will still have long term health impacts. If you’re going to consume nicotine, it’s best that your source is as close to chemically pure as you can get. Synthetic nicotine is by and large the safest option outside of simply not consuming nicotine in any form. It’s still incredibly addictive and cardiotoxic
I smoked for pretty much my whole life. Quit with varying degrees of success many many times. I switched to nicotine pouches 2 months ago, and it’s been fairly great at reducing the damage of cigarettes while not dealing with the actual addiction.
Still need to watch out for gum recession, so it’s not exactly 100% healthy, but smoking causes gum recession anyway and I’m not destroying my lungs anymore, so pretty solid for harm reduction.
Nicotine itself is hardly worse than say caffeine. But obviously the negative effects of burning and inhaling a cigarette (with all that it contains), especially the carcinogenic agents, is absolutely stupid to think it’s an even trade to pump your workout
Oh, nicotine is way worse. It may not harm your health directly, but addictiveness is exponentially worse.
Wikipedia: Caffeine - Dependence and Withdrawal: Moderately physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms may occur upon abstinence, with greater than 100 mg caffeine per day, although these symptoms last no longer than a day
Wikipedia: Nicotine withdrawal: Symptoms are usually strongest for the first few days and then dissipate over 2–4 weeks (…) In a minority of smokers, cravings may persist for years.
Edit: Left out the “Caffeine” in “Caffeine - Dependance and Withdrawal”
Edit to add: Caffeine withdrawal causes you to be annoyed for a day. Nicotine causes real, actual cravings (you know you need nicotine, whereas for caffeine you’re just generally “moody” - most people don’t feel “i need caffeine, now”, and even if you do, chances are, if you run out of coffee and can’t get it within less than a day, the “craving” just stops).
For some, many of whom I know, quitting nicotine is downright impossible due to the cravings. For quitting, toning down is key. Those that quit either relapse momentarily in times of stress (usually for about a week or so), or complain of very strong cravings every few weeks/months.
Additionally, nicotine isn’t the only addictive compound in cigarettes, and from what I’ve heard, vaping, gum, etc. just isn’t it for some - people also get addicted to cigatettes themselves.
Not to mention, vaping causes pneumothorax and all the other alternatives cause some harm as well, although much less than cigarettes proper.
I’ve smoked cigars occasionally, maybe as many as 2-3 per week for 2 weeks in a row and then just stopped with no signs of addiction. Nicotine is often described as one of the most addictive drugs and I sometimes wonder if I just never took enough to get addicted in the first place or my experience is a result of lower than average susceptibility to nicotine addiction.
I smoked cigarettes for four years, then quit for a decade. I was incredibly stressed out and had 2-3 cigarettes for a couple days in a row and now I’m addicted again. I hope I will be able to quit soon, I just have to stop working where I am first, because I need the five minute breaks and don’t get them otherwise.
As a long time daily coffee drinker, that is definitely not accurate about caffeine withdrawal. Every time I try to quit caffeine I go through multiple weeks of depression and physical weakness symptoms.
And as a former smoker, nicotine is still significantly worse. Never touch the stuff, not even once. For a lot of people, there just is no going back from it. It claims you.
I’ve heard that but how else is one supposed to get nicotine in the system? Chewing gum? Patches? Vapes? Is it soluble in a substance that’s safe to consume?
Nicotine is water soluble. You can take a wet tobacco leaf off the plant and it’ll soak into your skin and get you a bit buzzed (or in my case when I discovered this mid harvest if you touch enough it’ll get you massively high and nauseous). Imo one of the best ways to get some in relative safety is grow your own, they’re really easy, and just put a leaf under your tongue for a bit then spit it out
Part of the problem with using tobacco this way (basically diy dip) is that tobacco leaves themselves contain carcinogenic nitrates that will still have long term health impacts. If you’re going to consume nicotine, it’s best that your source is as close to chemically pure as you can get. Synthetic nicotine is by and large the safest option outside of simply not consuming nicotine in any form. It’s still incredibly addictive and cardiotoxic
Its highly highly illegal to grow it in my country unfortunately.
Don’t let laws stop you from doing harmless shit.
After that article the other day about caffeine in hand lotion, I’m now surprised they don’t put nicotine in hand lotion.
If u aren’t already addicted, don’t even bother. Nicotine is fucking insane
Too late unfortunately
Alright then. Hopefully you aren’t like me though - constantly vaping 20mg nic salt throughout the day (I get cravings after like 10 minutes)
good luck quitting it, i was on 32mg juice for like 4 years before i figured it out
Nicotine in comparable or larger doses from non-toxic or much less toxic sources is arbitrarily limited for stupid reasons.
Profits of tobacco companies isn’t a stupid reason when ur a lobbyist for the tobacco companies
I smoked for pretty much my whole life. Quit with varying degrees of success many many times. I switched to nicotine pouches 2 months ago, and it’s been fairly great at reducing the damage of cigarettes while not dealing with the actual addiction.
Still need to watch out for gum recession, so it’s not exactly 100% healthy, but smoking causes gum recession anyway and I’m not destroying my lungs anymore, so pretty solid for harm reduction.