Smoking is... good?

[Mountain Crown]

Anyone smoke black and milds, swishers, jewel sweets, cigarellos, and other small flavored cigars? Lately I've been smoking more of those, and I really like'em. Everyone always says that cigars are not "supposed" to be inhaled but I don't see why not, the only questionable part that I can think of is the fruity flavoring in the paper.

Hi SAO,

I smoke cigars and prefer them. They offer a deeper nicotine effect and are without FSC crap. I inhale them too, with the stronger ones I first blow out half then inhale the rest.

You may like to try Backwoods Mild and Sweet - they're entirely tobacco - and are what my wife smokes regularly.

 

[abstract]

I smoke cigars and prefer them. They offer a deeper nicotine effect and are without FSC crap. I inhale them too, with the stronger ones I first blow out half then inhale the rest.

perhaps you can describe how "deeper nicotine effect" is meant to be interpreted? Is it the form of the cigar or is it just what's in the cigar?

 

[Mountain Crown]

I smoke cigars and prefer them. They offer a deeper nicotine effect and are without FSC crap. I inhale them too, with the stronger ones I first blow out half then inhale the rest.

perhaps you can describe how "deeper nicotine effect" is meant to be interpreted? Is it the form of the cigar or is it just what's in the cigar?

I just meant there's more nicotine available in the smoke because cigars are stronger than cigs. From my experience the effect is felt more profoundly not only in the brain but in the body as well.

Also, as tasty as some cigarettes can be, by comparison the taste of a Nicaguan Gurkha or Siglio or a Dominican Bolivar blows any cigarette out of the water!

Edited for spelling.

 

[Eboard10]

Hi, I have never smoked in my life and tbh I have been a strong anti-smoking supporter until fairly recently when I started following this forum and the news on Sott (thank God there is Sott!). So I'm opting for a pipe, hope it's a good choice unless you think otherwise. As I am no expert in the field, do you have any suggestions on what tobacco to start with? (one that can be shipped to the UK). Do you also need a filter for pipes or is that just for cigarettes?

 

[Psalehesost]

do you have any suggestions on what tobacco to start with?

As a short-term solution, there's all kinds of fancy pipe tobacco - more expensive than raw tobacco, but pretty much OK. For example, if you find a more extensive tobacco shop, they might have some Mac Baren pipe tobacco. That should work.

You can also buy rolling tobacco and smoke it in the pipe - for this, the general information and discussions on the forum (searching around) will do.

Finally, plain, raw tobacco (which I use) is cheapest - a bit of searching around might allow you to find something more locally.

If you plan to (as most people do) puff on the pipe instead of (as I and a number of others here) inhale, then pipe tobacco is needed to get nicotine out of it. Inhaling, any kind of pure tobacco not too finely ground will do.

Do you also need a filter for pipes or is that just for cigarettes?

No. (and strictly speaking, it's not even needed for cigarettes either - it just cuts nicotine in half, puts unnatural fibers in the lungs, and otherwise makes the smoke a bit milder)

Also, here is a dedicated pipe smoking thread.

 

[Mountain Crown]

[quote author=Eboard10]So I'm opting for a pipe, hope it's a good choice unless you think otherwise.[/quote]

Pipes are an excellent alternative to cigarettes, although they require a little more care and aren’t as convenient when you want to smoke away from home. They offer a paperless smoke and won't have the FSC crap.

Do you also need a filter for pipes or is that just for cigarettes?

Pipe smokers discuss this on the Pipe Smokers Forum here.

 

[Eboard10]

Thanks Psalehesost and Jerry, your comments are very helpful. Will do some research before buying anything. Want to make sure I don't get confused between cigs and pipe products.

 

[Galaxia2002]

A question for Kentucky Select smokers. I noted that the flavor is inconsistent, a day tastes good another awful. Do you note the same? I don't know if this means that the tobacco was spoiled or maybe this pouch came bad?

 

[Mr. Premise]

A question for Kentucky Select smokers. I noted that the flavor is inconsistent, a day tastes good another awful. Do you note the same? I don't know if this means that the tobacco was spoiled or maybe this pouch came bad?

I've noticed that to a small degree, but to me it always tastes good. But I think that commercial cigarettes have additives added to make them more consistent. A Marlboro Light is always supposed to taste like a Marlboro Light. That fake tobacco leave "sheeting" they use can be standardized.

I have noticed with Kentucky Select that it's cut thicker than standard roll-your-own and you can see individual color differences between different leaves (which from reading about growing tobacco, is to be expected from the natural product) so there may be more variation between cigarettes. Sometimes if I smoke after eating food, it can taste different depending on flavors in my mouth. If I were you, I would smell the pouch to make sure there is no mold (haven't had any problem with mold myself, though). Mostly, I think how good or bad it tastes has to do with how dry it is. When a bag's worth starts to get dry, I put a damp cotton ball in it and it moistens the tobacco, which makes it taste better.

 

[LQB]

A question for Kentucky Select smokers. I noted that the flavor is inconsistent, a day tastes good another awful. Do you note the same? I don't know if this means that the tobacco was spoiled or maybe this pouch came bad?

I've noticed that to a small degree, but to me it always tastes good. But I think that commercial cigarettes have additives added to make them more consistent. A Marlboro Light is always supposed to taste like a Marlboro Light. That fake tobacco leave "sheeting" they use can be standardized.

I have noticed with Kentucky Select that it's cut thicker than standard roll-your-own and you can see individual color differences between different leaves (which from reading about growing tobacco, is to be expected from the natural product) so there may be more variation between cigarettes. Sometimes if I smoke after eating food, it can taste different depending on flavors in my mouth. If I were you, I would smell the pouch to make sure there is no mold (haven't had any problem with mold myself, though). Mostly, I think how good or bad it tastes has to do with how dry it is. When a bag's worth starts to get dry, I put a damp cotton ball in it and it moistens the tobacco, which makes it taste better.

Our experience too with the dryness. It helps a lot to keep it moist (it rolls better too). We keep it in a large container with a small cup that holds a wet paper towel. When the paper towel starts to feel dry, I put a new one in. You can also tell by the feel of the tobacco when it starts to get dry. To me, if it gets too dry, it gets harsh tasting.

 

[meta-agnostic]

I wanted to share an experience I had recently.

I went down to the Occupy Wall Street protests yesterday to donate a few supplies, among them a pack of organic American Spirits (I recently started mainly rolling my own). I knew there had been a tobacco table there before but I was having trouble locating it, so I was asking the guy at the kitchen area where it might be. As I held up the pack of cigarettes I wanted to donate, the woman standing next to me said, "You shouldn't be smoking." I've only been smoking about a year and a half so I'm still a little new at this, and I figured humor amongst a bunch of hippie protesters would be enough to diffuse the situation. I just held up the pack and said, "It's organic." She came back with, "It doesn't matter" and sounded like she was ready to start a lecture. The kitchen guy came to my defense and said, "We have room for both smokers and non-smokers in this movement" so I said "thank you" and got the hell out of there, leaving the two of them to argue it out.

Now I know given the circumstances of a protest-for-any-cause-you-can-think-of, this woman's comments were likely well-meaning. Also bear in mind this is NYC, where we have been bombarded with ban after ban and propaganda like graphic pictures of people dying on the sides of buses. But in all my years as a non-smoker and even sometimes borderline anti-smoker (got that under control well before I found SoTT luckily) I would never have considered lecturing a complete stranger like this, particularly someone who was trying to make a donation to a cause I ostensibly agreed with.

Does anyone have any tips on how to deal with people like this? i. e. people you know, or strangers that have enough of an excuse from the circumstances to be considered well-meaning? I had things running through my head when this woman was confronting me about citing websites and such, but it just didn't seem worth the trouble. I could have said something like, "Is that what you came all the way down here to protest? Smoking?" but I wasn't quick enough and I wasn't really looking to start a confrontation. Something succinct to suggest "there's a lot more to this issue than you've probably considered" without having to get into the detail of what would in all likelihood be considered conspiracy theories.


Separate issue: does anyone know if Peter Stokkebye tobaccos are organic, or close enough at any rate? The guy at the shop said they were, but he was confusing all the different types of American Spirit as organic so I'm not sure I trust him.

 

[Mountain Crown]

Some possible responses I’ve considered/used:

“Thanks for your concern; I don’t really have the time to discuss it.”

“Your unsolicited advice is duly noted.”

“It’s good for me, but I’m OK that you disagree.”

“Hey – Obama smokes”

“Actually, I don’t smoke anymore – don’t smoke any less either.”

“Do you know where the closest smoke shop is?”

“My invisible doctor from Caprica says differently, since I’m a Cylon.”

Thing is, someone who offers imperatives to a total stranger isn’t open minded enough to listen to anything constructive.

 

[LadyRodgers]

Have you guys seen this commercial?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEc-Rsv9pMc
it's really discusting!
Anyhow, they are claiming that smoking causes fatty deposits in the aorta.
Can you recommend any scientific websites that proves otherwise?
it seems to me that there are other factors that would cause this...

 

[SolarMother]

Anyone smoke black and milds, swishers, jewel sweets, cigarellos, and other small flavored cigars? Lately I've been smoking more of those, and I really like'em. Everyone always says that cigars are not "supposed" to be inhaled but I don't see why not, the only questionable part that I can think of is the fruity flavoring in the paper.

Hi SAO,

I smoke cigars and prefer them. They offer a deeper nicotine effect and are without FSC crap. I inhale them too, with the stronger ones I first blow out half then inhale the rest.

You may like to try Backwoods Mild and Sweet - they're entirely tobacco - and are what my wife smokes regularly.

Back to cigars for a minute...
I prefer them too. I pinch the filter off making the draw smoother, and the tobacco is not harsh at all. The cigar looks like a ciggie.
As mentioned, no FSC in the paper and a sweet smelling full flavor tobacco.
And, the brand I smoke, "Supreme Blend Cigar," is cheap! Can be found in shops for $2.10 a pack, or easier to get online for $15 a carton.

 

[meta-agnostic]

Reminded of this by a comment on the above youtube video posted by LadyRodgers, I was wondering how much attention the issue of radioactive phosphate fertilizers used on tobacco has been given.

I did a search on the forum and came up with this article with only one reply:

http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,11376.msg80473.html

A google search for "tobacco radioactive fertilizer" yielded this as the first result:

_http://www.acsa.net/HealthAlert/radioactive_tobacco.html
which seems pretty solid aside from some references to Israel that I'm not sure what to make of.

I can remember seeing a reference to this in a small article way back in a late 1990's edition of The Emperor Wears No Clothes (_http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emperor_Wears_No_Clothes ) and I've wondered about it all this time. Maybe it seems too over the top and in your face. Much like water fluoridation, it's use for nefarious purposes is just too horrible for most people to contemplate. Even if it were being done without knowledge of negative health effects, it's still a lot for people to take in. (if you add in a jokey reference in a funny movie like Dr. Strangelove, the deal is sealed)

But if true, this is about as close to a literal smoking gun re: tobacco/health effects/conspiracy as you can get. Has the SoTT team given research time to the issue of radioactive phosphate fertilizers used on tobacco and the connections to ill health effects?