Those cigs are always tightly stuffed and thus only with an effort of strong sucking to be lit at all.agni said:
Before lightin up roll n squeeze them a bit, so the tobacco loosens up. This way, lighting them up and smoking them is much easier. This way they also keep burning without 'conscious effort'. (but make sure you ain't squeezin too hard, happened to me and the paper teared and cig was spoiled ;)
I think it was on their website or the inside of the cig pack that they themselves suggest to roll 'n squeeze them in order to make the smokin easier.
Whether they've added anything recently I dunno. Sometimes it crosses my mind that the whole 'no additives-thing' is maybe nothing more than a hoax and all of us organic smoker dudes be duped. I mean, how can we determine if they do not add anything? And who's behind the American Spirit industry anyway? I'd suggest a lab sample, to really be sure. Unfortunately lab's expensive and I don't have one myself.
btw, I'm jus now inhalin that good organic (?) stuff..
Peam
Jedi Council Member
I was in a tobaconists last year and noticed they sold american spirits, so I bought a packet, and that's what I found too, they were stuffed so tight that I could hardly suck air through them.Essence said:
So after leaving them in a drawer for weeks I eventually had the idea of emptying out all the bacca and rolling my own with it. If I remember right I got 5 rollups out of every 2 spirits, and they then smoked ok.
The bacca was very dry compared to other cigs though, and I wondered whether that was normal, or whether they'd had them on the shelf for years.
Yeah, I ran into the same thing shortly after New York implemented their 'self-extinguishing' cigarette law. I don't live in or border New York either, although I am in the North East. It seems they were shipping these to more than just NY. I asked them what was in their smokes, and they responded:agni said:
While they make sure to point out that "diammonium phosphate is a naturally occurring material, they don't mention it breaks down into phosphorus oxides, nitrogen oxides and ammonia when burnt - all quite nasty stuff to be breathing in. I also remember my tongue would have a metallic taste and numbness to it after smoking these cigs. That was the last time I bought a pack of cigarettes. Been rolling my own since.
I try and buy the thinnest paper available; the American Spirit roll your own pouches have good paper in it (which is different than the paper they use in their cigarettes). There's also what looks like a great paper you can get online called 'Raw' thats unbleached and so thin it's translucent. Wikipedia also says that compared to bleached papers, Raw has reduced amounts of dioxins that are produced during burning. I haven't tried it yet but will get around to it one of these days. I've recently tried transparent rolling paper - it's made from cellulose as all rolling papers are, just the process is a bit different. I only used a couple of sheets; the smoke was actually pretty good because there were no conflicting tastes, but I got a bit creeped out in feeling like I was smoking plastic. The danger I found is when cellulose reaches extreme temperatures it releases some toxic gas, I don't recall what though.dant said:
On the inside of the tobacco packs this effect is being explained: They have to keep its humidity at a lower percentage than used in conventional tobaccos, because no preservatives means danger of mold unless humidity is lower. (In order to keep the tobacco 'fresh' you can put things in it like pieces of a carrot or apple.. but not too long, then it's too wet to even smoke it at all)Peam said:
As for the cigs, they usually come by fresh. However, you kept them in the drawer for weeks, so no wonder.
So as I said, if you wanna enjoy them, u better squeeze n roll them to loosen it all up.
Thanks for the info, Shane!
Have not yet had any of the new cigs with built-in speed bumps. Here in Germany we'll probably have to use up what's still here from last big shipping. And next shipping would most probably deliver those new bumpie-cigs.
Telperion
Jedi
Just my two cents after reading some of the posts here - Smoking is certainly becoming wayyyyy too demonized these days and that's not cool. It seems a lot like a distraction of some kind, a way to make yourself think you're really accomplishing something and doing good when really, it's not that deep (unless lung cancer runs in your family). If you have to smoke, Marlboro, Camel and Newport's are the worst, avoid them. Smoking one cigarette after dinner or one after each meal is a good way to cut back if you're trying to, that's worked really well for me. It's a personal decision basically, and a lot of factors can contribute to either smoking or not smoking. For example, if you have kids you shouldn't smoke around them I think, that's just common sense. And if smoking makes it difficult for you to exercise, walk up steps, makes your heart palpitate or makes it hard to breathe then sure, please stop. But if it's an integrated and non obtrusive part of your life then there should be no big fuss.
I smoked an off brand of cigarettes --Doral. for a few years. Noticed immediatly when this
brand went to the paper with rolled bans. It made me very sick. Stomach cramps, headaches.
After doing a little research. I found something that I really like and is very agreeable. I went
to the 'little cigars'. The brand I located is called -- Dark Horse. Made in India. The side of
the pack states--These cigars are predominantly natural tobacco with non tobacco ingredients
added. This brand does not have the sometimes nasty,, cigar smell or taste. I feel fine, no
side effects. And the bonus!! A carton costs $7.00 !!! I inhale, to me they are brown slender
cigarettes :)
brand went to the paper with rolled bans. It made me very sick. Stomach cramps, headaches.
After doing a little research. I found something that I really like and is very agreeable. I went
to the 'little cigars'. The brand I located is called -- Dark Horse. Made in India. The side of
the pack states--These cigars are predominantly natural tobacco with non tobacco ingredients
added. This brand does not have the sometimes nasty,, cigar smell or taste. I feel fine, no
side effects. And the bonus!! A carton costs $7.00 !!! I inhale, to me they are brown slender
cigarettes :)
Smoking and 4D STS
Recent events have led me to try to pull together a number of threads into a new (for me) working hypothesis on why there is such pressure for people to stop smoking. Let me provide some background and also try to lay out the different threads I am trying to pull together.
1. Advertising promoting nicotine patches has been showing on TV in Australia recently. A pat of the advertisement tells us that smoking causes an increase in the number of nicotine receptors in the brain. Now the interesting part of that is that to my knowledge the receptor nicotine uses is the same one used by acetylcholine - which is instrumental in the whole thinking and reasoning process - so in that sense smoking makes us smarter, or at least it helps us think more and better.
2. I did some study some time ago with a gentlemen who was working in the field of brain function. He had a lot to say about emotions and chemicals, repeating some of the work done by Candice Pert. One of the really interesting things he had to say was that the whole process of neurotransmitter attaching to receptor had two parts to it. Not only was the neurotransmitter keyed so that it and only it could fir the receptor, like a special key, but also there was a vibration involved, again specific to the transmitter and the receptor. An here is the kicker, he showed us some research out of Europe where they same effect was achieved by playing the appropriate vibration across the receptor, in the complete absence of the chemical neurotransmitter. In other words, it is possible for emotions to be stimulated in us by the use of the appropriate vibration on us. ( I am painfully conscious that I have not documented any of this yet, so before anybody challenges me for promoting hearsay allow me to say that I am currently at work, my books are at home, and I will try to provide the appropriate source documents in the next 24 hours)
3. Recently my wife was misdiagnosed with Emphysema, which was a nasty shock, as her sister currently has the disease and is dying form it. The doctor insisted that the disease could only be caused by smoking and that anyone who smoked was most likely to get it. My wife was very shocked and as a result she decided to give up smoking, an din the spirit of partnership and support I also joined her in the venture. Now that was two months ago. We have both physically got past the attachment to nicotine, or have we. One of the effects that I have noticed is that the slightest irritation that occurs,causes a huge flash of anger, far out of proportion to the incident, something I have to fight to keep under control. She also has the same issue and it would be fair to say that the last two months have been absolute emotional hell for us both. (Bear with me I am almost ready to pull th ethreads into a hypothesis.)
4. As a result of some issues in my life relating to a marriage 15 yeas ago to at best a most narcissistic woman, I visited a psychologist recently to discuss the release of these matters. In that discussion it came up that my wofe and I had given up the cigarettes. Now, this woman had worked for 15 years for the government QuitLine program, which provides help to people trying to quit smoking. She told me that people normally have a cycle with their emotions, where they move from stable emotions into a down period and then back to stability and then this is repeated. She said that one of the effects of nicotine was to level out this cycle, to flatten out the down periods, and this is a real issue for people who smoke to deal with when they stop smoking as they are now exposed to the downswings and intensive passions of the emotional cycle that were previously ameliorated by the nicotine. She also pointed out that nicotine patches are not nearly as effective as smoking as they deliver a low level dose steadily whereas smokers get their nicotine in strong doses intermittently which was much more effective.
OK, now I am ready to propose my thesis. I got to thinking about this last night when I couldn't sleep, and was musing on th so very unrealistic anger responses I have been experiencing since I stopped smoking, that I was not subject to when I did smoke.
What if our 4D STS owner/herders are focused on getting the best food possible from us, their herd. Now if the very best food happens to be strong negative emotions such as anger, maybe they play low level vibrations over the herd, or parts of the herd, so that when an irritation comes along, the negative emotional vibration helps escalate that into something more serious, stronger anger which may develop into rage, and violence and perhaps even murder at the extreme. What if this is the way they get their best vintages!!! Now, if nicotine, as well as helping people think clearer and better, ALSO has the effect of dampening down this negative emotional tool they are trying to use on us to get a better yield from their herd,and this smoking has the effect of spoiling the wine and not delivering a great vintage (to use a wine analogy), then they would be really focused on stopping people from smoking. Certainly food for thought for me.
Well, in a nutshell, that is where I have arrived in my reasoning.
Recent events have led me to try to pull together a number of threads into a new (for me) working hypothesis on why there is such pressure for people to stop smoking. Let me provide some background and also try to lay out the different threads I am trying to pull together.
1. Advertising promoting nicotine patches has been showing on TV in Australia recently. A pat of the advertisement tells us that smoking causes an increase in the number of nicotine receptors in the brain. Now the interesting part of that is that to my knowledge the receptor nicotine uses is the same one used by acetylcholine - which is instrumental in the whole thinking and reasoning process - so in that sense smoking makes us smarter, or at least it helps us think more and better.
2. I did some study some time ago with a gentlemen who was working in the field of brain function. He had a lot to say about emotions and chemicals, repeating some of the work done by Candice Pert. One of the really interesting things he had to say was that the whole process of neurotransmitter attaching to receptor had two parts to it. Not only was the neurotransmitter keyed so that it and only it could fir the receptor, like a special key, but also there was a vibration involved, again specific to the transmitter and the receptor. An here is the kicker, he showed us some research out of Europe where they same effect was achieved by playing the appropriate vibration across the receptor, in the complete absence of the chemical neurotransmitter. In other words, it is possible for emotions to be stimulated in us by the use of the appropriate vibration on us. ( I am painfully conscious that I have not documented any of this yet, so before anybody challenges me for promoting hearsay allow me to say that I am currently at work, my books are at home, and I will try to provide the appropriate source documents in the next 24 hours)
3. Recently my wife was misdiagnosed with Emphysema, which was a nasty shock, as her sister currently has the disease and is dying form it. The doctor insisted that the disease could only be caused by smoking and that anyone who smoked was most likely to get it. My wife was very shocked and as a result she decided to give up smoking, an din the spirit of partnership and support I also joined her in the venture. Now that was two months ago. We have both physically got past the attachment to nicotine, or have we. One of the effects that I have noticed is that the slightest irritation that occurs,causes a huge flash of anger, far out of proportion to the incident, something I have to fight to keep under control. She also has the same issue and it would be fair to say that the last two months have been absolute emotional hell for us both. (Bear with me I am almost ready to pull th ethreads into a hypothesis.)
4. As a result of some issues in my life relating to a marriage 15 yeas ago to at best a most narcissistic woman, I visited a psychologist recently to discuss the release of these matters. In that discussion it came up that my wofe and I had given up the cigarettes. Now, this woman had worked for 15 years for the government QuitLine program, which provides help to people trying to quit smoking. She told me that people normally have a cycle with their emotions, where they move from stable emotions into a down period and then back to stability and then this is repeated. She said that one of the effects of nicotine was to level out this cycle, to flatten out the down periods, and this is a real issue for people who smoke to deal with when they stop smoking as they are now exposed to the downswings and intensive passions of the emotional cycle that were previously ameliorated by the nicotine. She also pointed out that nicotine patches are not nearly as effective as smoking as they deliver a low level dose steadily whereas smokers get their nicotine in strong doses intermittently which was much more effective.
OK, now I am ready to propose my thesis. I got to thinking about this last night when I couldn't sleep, and was musing on th so very unrealistic anger responses I have been experiencing since I stopped smoking, that I was not subject to when I did smoke.
What if our 4D STS owner/herders are focused on getting the best food possible from us, their herd. Now if the very best food happens to be strong negative emotions such as anger, maybe they play low level vibrations over the herd, or parts of the herd, so that when an irritation comes along, the negative emotional vibration helps escalate that into something more serious, stronger anger which may develop into rage, and violence and perhaps even murder at the extreme. What if this is the way they get their best vintages!!! Now, if nicotine, as well as helping people think clearer and better, ALSO has the effect of dampening down this negative emotional tool they are trying to use on us to get a better yield from their herd,and this smoking has the effect of spoiling the wine and not delivering a great vintage (to use a wine analogy), then they would be really focused on stopping people from smoking. Certainly food for thought for me.
Well, in a nutshell, that is where I have arrived in my reasoning.
PepperFritz
The Cosmic Force
Smoking and 4D STS
Flash: Your well-reasoned conclusions mirror those presented by Laura in her article Aliens Don't Like to Eat People That Smoke!
Re the benefits of nicotine as a mood stabilizer: The same argument could be made for medications that help "even out" the mood swings of people with bi-polar tendencies. I guess when utilizing such "tools" it's just a question of knowing the difference between stabilizing one's emotions in a postive way, and "deadening" oneself to "negative" emotions that in fact are necessary to personal and spiritual growth, and the "waking up" process.
In that respect, I believe it is equally misguided to condemn wholesale the use of any mood-altering substance, without knowing exactly how and why it is being used by the individual in question. What may be a life and soul-damaging "addiction" for one person, could be a beneficial "tool" for another....
Flash: Your well-reasoned conclusions mirror those presented by Laura in her article Aliens Don't Like to Eat People That Smoke!
Re the benefits of nicotine as a mood stabilizer: The same argument could be made for medications that help "even out" the mood swings of people with bi-polar tendencies. I guess when utilizing such "tools" it's just a question of knowing the difference between stabilizing one's emotions in a postive way, and "deadening" oneself to "negative" emotions that in fact are necessary to personal and spiritual growth, and the "waking up" process.
In that respect, I believe it is equally misguided to condemn wholesale the use of any mood-altering substance, without knowing exactly how and why it is being used by the individual in question. What may be a life and soul-damaging "addiction" for one person, could be a beneficial "tool" for another....
Telperion
Jedi
Smoking and 4D STS
Your hypothesis is very...thought provoking at the least I must say. Since I've cut back to about one cigarette a day I've had those weird flashes of anger you described. However...if nicotine has it's benefits we need to find/spread info about a better way to get it than from cigarettes which have a lot of other toxic chemicals. Also, if lung cancer or other cancers run in you family it is wise not to smoke (maybe chew the gum?) since a slow agonizing death from lung/liver/brain/throat cancer is not preferable under any circumstance.
Your hypothesis is very...thought provoking at the least I must say. Since I've cut back to about one cigarette a day I've had those weird flashes of anger you described. However...if nicotine has it's benefits we need to find/spread info about a better way to get it than from cigarettes which have a lot of other toxic chemicals. Also, if lung cancer or other cancers run in you family it is wise not to smoke (maybe chew the gum?) since a slow agonizing death from lung/liver/brain/throat cancer is not preferable under any circumstance.
Smoking and 4D STS
There is a discussion on brands of tobacco that allegedly do not contain toxic chemicals. For example, I smoke American Spirit.
It can be found in this thread: Smoking is ... good?
I've found that when switching from a chemical-free cigarette to a chemical-laden one, I can actually taste the chemicals. Ugh.
There is a discussion on brands of tobacco that allegedly do not contain toxic chemicals. For example, I smoke American Spirit.
It can be found in this thread: Smoking is ... good?
I've found that when switching from a chemical-free cigarette to a chemical-laden one, I can actually taste the chemicals. Ugh.
