Smoking is... good?

[cdh4r]

I hear ya.. I too just recently found a place online called 'Custom Blends' that grows their own natural organic tobacco and I've started to buy pipe tobacco from them. I had some American Spirits left over so I ordered a couple of flavored pouches and mixed them together and wow is it much better! I think once its gone I'll be giving up on the American Spirits stuff for good although it was probably my fault for buying rolling tobacco for my pipe.

it says that they only ship to folk who live in PA which is a bummer... i live in TN :(

edit: i just read that this only affects ryo and cigarettes. so i'm assuming that they can ship pipe tobacco out of state?
what's your fav pipe tobacco that never leaves you disappointed?

 

[3DStudent]

Those who buy tobacco thru the internet: how do you handle state and local taxes?

I was looking at buying tobacco over the internet. I went on my state's tax site and it had a listing for tobacco laws and taxes. It also had some forms to fill out to itemize and pay with a check for your tobacco purchases not already taxed. So try checking with your state's law website and searching for tobacco. Make sure it's a form for consumers and not retailers, because businesses are required to pay taxes on all of their products.

 

[pete02]

I hear ya.. I too just recently found a place online called 'Custom Blends' that grows their own natural organic tobacco and I've started to buy pipe tobacco from them. I had some American Spirits left over so I ordered a couple of flavored pouches and mixed them together and wow is it much better! I think once its gone I'll be giving up on the American Spirits stuff for good although it was probably my fault for buying rolling tobacco for my pipe.

it says that they only ship to folk who live in PA which is a bummer... i live in TN :(

edit: i just read that this only affects ryo and cigarettes. so i'm assuming that they can ship pipe tobacco out of state?
what's your fav pipe tobacco that never leaves you disappointed?

Oops! Sorry about that cdh4r. I never noticed that. They do seem to be somewhat restricted to only certain states. As far as pipe tobacco goes I've tried their 'Blend A Vanilla Black' and their 'Blend D Chocolate' so far. They come in small pouches so I mixed it up with the AS rolling tobacco I had left in the can. I keep one can at work and one can at home so I ended up using both flavors. I really like em both to be honest. It gives the AS a much smoother taste and even a better smell so I'm not even annoying anyone around me anymore either. Once I finish the AS cans off I have their 'Blend 16' that I'm gonna try.

6 oz bag. An All Natural Additive Free HALFZWARE Shag with nothing to interfere with flavors! Unlike some Halfzware tobaccos that use artificial flavors and chemical preservatives, this is an All Natural blend that relies on the quality of the tobacco for it's unique taste. A Dark Fired leaf combined with select Golden Ripe Virginia tobacco provides a premium European flavor. And unlike most European tobacco this blend works great in your machine, or hand rolled. Like a Bali Shag Halfzware. TOBACCO PRODUCTS FOR PA CUSTOMERS ONLY

I'm not sure what a Bali Shag Halfzware is but for the $23 I'll give it a shot. Worse case I end up mixing it with Vanilla or something! :P

 

[Stranger]

I've found this study today, it is called "Chronic nicotine administration exacerbates tau pathology in a transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease". I read a newspaper article in which they quoted this study as a proof of the refutation that nicotine is beneficial for Alzheimer's disease.

_http://www.pnas.org/content/102/8/3046.full?sid=d6f4f772-e2c4-47a3-a0ac-efa0fbf8893f

I am not able to understand this highly scientific language (I am not a native speaker), but maybe it is interesting for others and someone can tell me whether this study is conclusive or not.

Thanks!

 

[JGeropoulas]

I've found this study today, it is called "Chronic nicotine administration exacerbates tau pathology in a transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease". I read a newspaper article in which they quoted this study as a proof of the refutation that nicotine is beneficial for Alzheimer's disease.

_http://www.pnas.org/content/102/8/3046.full?sid=d6f4f772-e2c4-47a3-a0ac-efa0fbf8893f

I am not able to understand this highly scientific language (I am not a native speaker), but maybe it is interesting for others and someone can tell me whether this study is conclusive or not.

Thanks!

I have only a rudimentary understanding of neuroanatomy and pharmacology, but I did notice that the researchers "chronically administrated nicotine to [the mice] in their drinking water". A possible confound in the design of this research study is that ingesting a nicotine solution may not be comparable smoking tobacco leaves due to differing metabolic processes, etc. A relevant example is that, according to a poison control site I read years ago, ingesting several cigarettes could be fatal. But obviously, smoking several cigarettes is not fatal. (Of course, cigarettes contain many compounds besides nicotine, but the point would still stand that oral ingestion and smoking could have different effects.)

Maybe Psyche will comment on this study.

 

[Stranger]

That are some interesting thoughts. You are right, 1mg nicotine/kg bodywight is the lethal dose when ingested. One cigarette contains 12 mg nicotine which is 10-20% of the lethal dose. So, eating 5 cigarettes can cost you your life. Obviously, smoking 5 definitely not :P

Thank you very much, JGeropoulas :)

 

[Thomas Alan]

I visited the state dept of revenue to ask about paying taxes on Internet tobacco purchases. I asked if I order tobacco on the Internet can I bring my receipt in to their office and pay the necessary taxes.

The lady said that Internet providers send the records of their sales to them so they know who owes the taxes. I said I didn't want to avoid taxes, just that some items are not available locally. She said that I could pay the taxes there, but wait she had to make a phone call first.

After about 15 minutes she returned. The only legal way to bring tobacco products into the state was to "import" them as a dealer. This requires a one time $25.00 license fee, then you have to file a monthly report on all purchases and then remit the tax. A monthly report is required even if there are no purchases.

I got the impression that this question is rarely if ever asked. I found this all quite annoying, of course. After all, I just want to purchase a product for my own use, and pay the taxes. But I remained smiling and courteous. :)

No doubt thousands of people in this state buy tobacco products on the Internet. Do they just wait to billed by the state? Do they just take the chance that they won't be found out? Does the state just not pursue it if the purchases are small?

I ended up with more questions than answers. She did give me form to fill out if I wanted to become an "importer".

Mac

 

[Bo]

an update on my smoking;

I have been smoking american spirits for some time now, it started with 1 ciggarate a day, but i'm doing around 5/6 a day now, I like it a lot, I would get light headed a lot, but thankfully that feeling is gone and I don't get that lightheaded much.

What I also noticed is, I experimented with those poison brands like Malboro and L&M to notice the differences and what I noticed was that the taste was disgusting, it was like smoking sugar.

When I let my friends try american spirit, they didn't like it, because they didn't taste anything, as they didn't feel like they were smoking.

Just shows how bad normal ciggaretes are.

 

[Ares]

an update on my smoking;

I have been smoking american spirits for some time now, it started with 1 ciggarate a day, but i'm doing around 5/6 a day now, I like it a lot, I would get light headed a lot, but thankfully that feeling is gone and I don't get that lightheaded much.

What I also noticed is, I experimented with those poison brands like Malboro and L&M to notice the differences and what I noticed was that the taste was disgusting, it was like smoking sugar.

When I let my friends try american spirit, they didn't like it, because they didn't taste anything, as they didn't feel like they were smoking.

Just shows how bad normal ciggaretes are.

i have a friend who usually smokes Marlboros and the like, and with my influence started to buy standard rolling tobacco (think it was a german brand called harvest). he did this for a while, sometimes switching back to his old cigarettes. his experience is that he feels much better smoking the rolling tobacco, and it doesn't leave him with the constant urge to smoke more unlike conventional cigarettes. i suppose that has to do with the 4000 odd extra chemicals; did anyone have a similar experience?

I've found this study today, it is called "Chronic nicotine administration exacerbates tau pathology in a transgenic model of Alzheimer's disease". I read a newspaper article in which they quoted this study as a proof of the refutation that nicotine is beneficial for Alzheimer's disease.

_http://www.pnas.org/content/102/8/3046.full?sid=d6f4f772-e2c4-47a3-a0ac-efa0fbf8893f

I am not able to understand this highly scientific language (I am not a native speaker), but maybe it is interesting for others and someone can tell me whether this study is conclusive or not.

Thanks!

I have only a rudimentary understanding of neuroanatomy and pharmacology, but I did notice that the researchers "chronically administrated nicotine to [the mice] in their drinking water". A possible confound in the design of this research study is that ingesting a nicotine solution may not be comparable smoking tobacco leaves due to differing metabolic processes, etc. A relevant example is that, according to a poison control site I read years ago, ingesting several cigarettes could be fatal. But obviously, smoking several cigarettes is not fatal. (Of course, cigarettes contain many compounds besides nicotine, but the point would still stand that oral ingestion and smoking could have different effects.)

Maybe Psyche will comment on this study.

i think the dosage factor here is the most important - how many mg of nicotine was administered to those poor mousies? i've read a few studies that were flawed because they came to the final conclusion without measuring the difference in results from dosage variance.

 

[Gonzo]

Regarding cravings with clean tobacco versus commercial, I've noticed that I don't smoke as much with the cleaner tobacco. Now, I might have an occasional two or three in a row, but I don't have the constant nagging every 45 - 60 minutes to have a smoke.

The downside is that I'm spending more time at my desk and now need a reminder to move around and stretch.

And at home, with the colder winter temperatures, I find I'm not braving the cold as much to have a smoke. I typically have a smoke before bed, but lately I could take it or leave it and the temperature outside helps me decide.

This is a huge difference from a couple of years ago when I would suffer incredible weather just to have a smoke and often multiple cigarettes.

I am definitely experiences fewer cravings and they are a lot weaker than they used to be.

Gonzo

 

[pete02]

Also in regards to switching from commercial to additive free... My brother just recently switched from the dreaded Marlboro to American Spirits (roll your own) and he had a hard time with it at first too. However after a few days he is now overjoyed that he did it. He claims he wakes up feeling better, not coughing up icky stuff and his lungs don't feel as heavy as before. He also feels bad he didn't listen to me months ago but hey.. free will right. ;)

 

[Nem]

i have a friend who usually smokes Marlboros and the like, and with my influence started to buy standard rolling tobacco (think it was a german brand called harvest). he did this for a while, sometimes switching back to his old cigarettes. his experience is that he feels much better smoking the rolling tobacco, and it doesn't leave him with the constant urge to smoke more unlike conventional cigarettes. i suppose that has to do with the 4000 odd extra chemicals; did anyone have a similar experience?

Hi there!
I've noticed the same when I tried to change my smoking habits from commercial cigs, to rolling tobacco ( ie. golden virginia ). First I couldn't really show the difference but after some time I experienced that I feel much better after a rolling one than a commercial one and also I could smoke less frequent without the urge. Maybe that kind of tobacco has, beside less chemicals, more nicotine?

Anyway, I just can't now smoke a commercial cig, after I've been regularly smoking rolled tobacco for some time. My throat goes sore and I can't stand the taste. Funny enough, before touching the rolling tobacco I didn't feel that way with commercial cigs.
I wonder what it would be like with completely "pure" tobacco :)

 

[Ares]

I wonder what it would be like with completely "pure" tobacco :)

you might become awake enough to even see the lizzies ;)

 

[Juba]

an update on my smoking;

I have been smoking american spirits for some time now, it started with 1 ciggarate a day, but i'm doing around 5/6 a day now, I like it a lot, I would get light headed a lot, but thankfully that feeling is gone and I don't get that lightheaded much.

What I also noticed is, I experimented with those poison brands like Malboro and L&M to notice the differences and what I noticed was that the taste was disgusting, it was like smoking sugar.

When I let my friends try american spirit, they didn't like it, because they didn't taste anything, as they didn't feel like they were smoking.

Just shows how bad normal ciggaretes are.

I'm on farmer's organic tobacco for some time, last week my friends gave me box of Dunhill (silver box fine cut), ajajajaj it was horrible; terrible smell, terrible taste, that feeling of heavy lungs after couple of inhalations, no more of industrial tobacco for my lungs!! !!

 

[Bo]

an update on my smoking;

I have been smoking american spirits for some time now, it started with 1 ciggarate a day, but i'm doing around 5/6 a day now, I like it a lot, I would get light headed a lot, but thankfully that feeling is gone and I don't get that lightheaded much.

What I also noticed is, I experimented with those poison brands like Malboro and L&M to notice the differences and what I noticed was that the taste was disgusting, it was like smoking sugar.

When I let my friends try american spirit, they didn't like it, because they didn't taste anything, as they didn't feel like they were smoking.

Just shows how bad normal ciggaretes are.

I'm on farmer's organic tobacco for some time, last week my friends gave me box of Dunhill (silver box fine cut), ajajajaj it was horrible; terrible smell, terrible taste, that feeling of heavy lungs after couple of inhalations, no more of industrial tobacco for my lungs!! !!

Yeah exactly, only downside is that organic tobacco is expensive, it really kills the pocket!