Smoking is... good?

I don't really see the point of eCigs ... Smoking is much more than just nicotine (e.g. MAO inhibition - a form of antidepressant, which is absent in eCigs). This is shown by the fact that nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is not very successful - it doesn't contribute much to smoking cessation (single number percentage).

At work I use nicotine chewing gums with xylitol (which has the added benefit of having an anti-caries effect). I wouldn't be able to use an eCig at work - that would raise some serious eyebrows, most people still associate this with a cigarette.

So I smoke when I can and chew gums when I can't ...

nicklebleu said:

I don't really see the point of eCigs ... Smoking is much more than just nicotine (e.g. MAO inhibition - a form of antidepressant, which is absent in eCigs). This is shown by the fact that nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is not very successful - it doesn't contribute much to smoking cessation (single number percentage).

At work I use nicotine chewing gums with xylitol (which has the added benefit of having an anti-caries effect). I wouldn't be able to use an eCig at work - that would raise some serious eyebrows, most people still associate this with a cigarette.

So I smoke when I can and chew gums when I can't ...

Click to expand...

So you chew gums when you can't smoke to ensure you are still getting nicotine during those times. If the gums don't provide MAO inhibition, or any of the other benefits of smoking, then, unless I have misunderstood something, you just described exactly what I described about using the e-cig.

The only difference is that you would prefer to smoke more often and not use the gum, whereas I am looking to smoke a little less. But we are both talking about using an alternate source for nicotine (and ONLY nicotine) when we are not smoking.

So aside from the anti-cavity effect, which you don't get from smoking, what is the difference?

nicklebleu said:

I don't really see the point of eCigs ... Smoking is much more than just nicotine (e.g. MAO inhibition - a form of antidepressant, which is absent in eCigs). This is shown by the fact that nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is not very successful - it doesn't contribute much to smoking cessation (single number percentage).

At work I use nicotine chewing gums with xylitol (which has the added benefit of having an anti-caries effect). I wouldn't be able to use an eCig at work - that would raise some serious eyebrows, most people still associate this with a cigarette.

So I smoke when I can and chew gums when I can't ...

Click to expand...

Hey nicklebleu... what is the brand of the nicotine gum and where do you get it from? Thanks... :)

mocachapeau said:

nicklebleu said:

I don't really see the point of eCigs ... Smoking is much more than just nicotine (e.g. MAO inhibition - a form of antidepressant, which is absent in eCigs). This is shown by the fact that nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is not very successful - it doesn't contribute much to smoking cessation (single number percentage).

At work I use nicotine chewing gums with xylitol (which has the added benefit of having an anti-caries effect). I wouldn't be able to use an eCig at work - that would raise some serious eyebrows, most people still associate this with a cigarette.

So I smoke when I can and chew gums when I can't ...

Click to expand...

So you chew gums when you can't smoke to ensure you are still getting nicotine during those times. If the gums don't provide MAO inhibition, or any of the other benefits of smoking, then, unless I have misunderstood something, you just described exactly what I described about using the e-cig.

The only difference is that you would prefer to smoke more often and not use the gum, whereas I am looking to smoke a little less. But we are both talking about using an alternate source for nicotine (and ONLY nicotine) when we are not smoking.

So aside from the anti-cavity effect, which you don't get from smoking, what is the difference?

Click to expand...

mocachapeau,

You are perfectly right, there is probably not much difference between gums and eCigs (these being somewhat unproven yet). My point was merely, why use an eCig, when you can chew a gum? I don't think you would come across very well with an eCig in your mouth in the hospital, but no one cares about chewing gum. There have already been reports of people being accosted by others, because they thought it was a real cigarette.

And of course I prefer the real thing ...

Arwenn said:

Hey nicklebleu... what is the brand of the nicotine gum and where do you get it from? Thanks... :)

Click to expand...

I use nicorette gum extra strength (4mg of nicotine), they come in two flavours: classic (no flavour) or fresh mint ...
You can buy these at Woolies, Coles or your local pharmacy.

nicklebleu said:

mocachapeau said:

nicklebleu said:

I don't really see the point of eCigs ... Smoking is much more than just nicotine (e.g. MAO inhibition - a form of antidepressant, which is absent in eCigs). This is shown by the fact that nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is not very successful - it doesn't contribute much to smoking cessation (single number percentage).

At work I use nicotine chewing gums with xylitol (which has the added benefit of having an anti-caries effect). I wouldn't be able to use an eCig at work - that would raise some serious eyebrows, most people still associate this with a cigarette.

So I smoke when I can and chew gums when I can't ...

Click to expand...

So you chew gums when you can't smoke to ensure you are still getting nicotine during those times. If the gums don't provide MAO inhibition, or any of the other benefits of smoking, then, unless I have misunderstood something, you just described exactly what I described about using the e-cig.

The only difference is that you would prefer to smoke more often and not use the gum, whereas I am looking to smoke a little less. But we are both talking about using an alternate source for nicotine (and ONLY nicotine) when we are not smoking.

So aside from the anti-cavity effect, which you don't get from smoking, what is the difference?

Click to expand...

mocachapeau,

You are perfectly right, there is probably not much difference between gums and eCigs (these being somewhat unproven yet). My point was merely, why use an eCig, when you can chew a gum? I don't think you would come across very well with an eCig in your mouth in the hospital, but no one cares about chewing gum. There have already been reports of people being accosted by others, because they thought it was a real cigarette.

And of course I prefer the real thing ...

Click to expand...

So Nickelbleu, where did you find Xylitol nicotine gum? What's the brand? All the brands in the U.S. have aspartame in them.

Mr. Premise,

See my last post on the thread - nicorette gum is maufacuted by Johnson & Johnson.

Alternatively you might find sprays, mists, lozenges or wafers that do the same without aspartame. After all, it's a huge industry now!

nicklebleu said:

Mr. Premise,

See my last post on the thread - nicorette gum is maufacuted by Johnson & Johnson.

Alternatively you might find sprays, mists, lozenges or wafers that do the same without aspartame. After all, it's a huge industry now!

Click to expand...

Nicorette here only has nasty sweeteners, aspartame and others, not xylitol. I thought you had found a xylitol nicotine gum, but I guess I misunderstood. It's not a big deal, I use patches when I can't smoke.

nicklebleu said:

You are perfectly right, there is probably not much difference between gums and eCigs (these being somewhat unproven yet). My point was merely, why use an eCig, when you can chew a gum? I don't think you would come across very well with an eCig in your mouth in the hospital, but no one cares about chewing gum. There have already been reports of people being accosted by others, because they thought it was a real cigarette.

And of course I prefer the real thing ...

Click to expand...

Yes, I see what you are saying now. My situation is kind of particular in that I don't spend much time in the actual hospital. Four days a week I am in the union office, and the few people I share that office with are fine with the ecig. The fifth day I am in the warehouse so I am able to find a corner whenever I want to have a puff or two - the boys are fine with that. And when I go out into the hospital I just leave it behind.

Besides, I'm not looking for a constant influx of nicotine. I am simply looking for a source of nicotine that I can turn to without it always being a cigarette, because I feel like I'm smoking too much. And the times that I smoke the most are away from work - at home, out in public, evenings, weekends.

I tried a nicotine gum many years ago and I really didn't like it. For starters, it tasted like crap. And, after chewing it for a while I began to feel sick. I hadn't read the instructions, assuming that I had had quite enough experience chewing gum to understand the process of "chewing gum". The instructions said to chew it once or twice and then stop for a specified amount of time. This meant I had to either hold it in my cheek without chewing, or take it out partly chewed, wrap it up and take it out later. Ewwww!

I imagine that nicotine gums have improved since then, but that experience really left a bad taste in my mouth (pun intended). And now that I understand it to be difficult to find a gum without nasty sweeteners I think the ecig is looking like a good alternative. But I am obviously looking for some confirmation on that.

mocachapeau said:

I imagine that nicotine gums have improved since then, but that experience really left a bad taste in my mouth (pun intended). And now that I understand it to be difficult to find a gum without nasty sweeteners I think the ecig is looking like a good alternative. But I am obviously looking for some confirmation on that.

Click to expand...

I guess you have to trust where you're getting it from, because some ecigs have carcinogens.

_http://www.sott.net/article/194853-Health-fear-over-trendy-cigarettes-substitute

The only thing that worries me about ecigs is whether they put any particulates in it so that when you blow the vapor out it looks more like smoke. Since they are still unregulated it's hard to know. Patches are a good alternative. You just have to experiment to get the right amount.

Mr. Premise said:

nicklebleu said:

Mr. Premise,

See my last post on the thread - nicorette gum is maufacuted by Johnson & Johnson.

Alternatively you might find sprays, mists, lozenges or wafers that do the same without aspartame. After all, it's a huge industry now!

Click to expand...

Nicorette here only has nasty sweeteners, aspartame and others, not xylitol. I thought you had found a xylitol nicotine gum, but I guess I misunderstood. It's not a big deal, I use patches when I can't smoke.

Click to expand...

That's weird ... they must manufacture different products for different markets. On the box I use there is the explicit specification "Does not contain lactose, sucrose, saccharin, aspartame or gluten".

Have you tried eBay, maybe you can import some from overseas?

Mr. Premise said:

The only thing that worries me about ecigs is whether they put any particulates in it so that when you blow the vapor out it looks more like smoke. Since they are still unregulated it's hard to know. Patches are a good alternative. You just have to experiment to get the right amount.

Click to expand...

The ingredients listed for the brand I use are:

propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, nicotine, natural and/or artificial flavours.

On their web site they say that it is the vegetable glycerin that creates the smoky appearance, and that it comes from organic substances only.

Oddly enough, just a week after I bought this thing (and it has only been two weeks) an ecig store opened up right around the corner from me. Before, it was a 20 minute drive to the nearest shop. That is pretty much what happened with the organic food store/pharmacy around the time I went keto. It was a good thing for the diet situation but I need more info about the ecig situation.

Given the lack of testing, I wonder if this might be a good question for the C's.

Natural flavor and artificial flavour both contain MSG : http://www.sott.net/article/137263-How-to-Find-Hidden-MSG-on-Food-Labels

Goemon_ said:

Natural flavor and artificial flavour both contain MSG : http://www.sott.net/article/137263-How-to-Find-Hidden-MSG-on-Food-Labels

Click to expand...

I had not thought of that. I will have to check out the ingredients of the ones with no taste or smell. But if that is also harmful then I will simply forget it.