Is Nicotine Really Addictive, or have we been Mislead?

[ut1205]

I'm glad to hear the last few post. Today is my 15th analog free day and while watching TV I smelled a cigarette burning. Of course there wasn't. But what really got my attention was I didn't see smoke arising from the end table where I sit and though my cigarette had dropped on the floor. There wasn't even an ashtray there.

News Flash: E-Cigarettes Linked to Brain Damage (LOL)

 

[Tatsel_Morte]

Sensory memory is a pain. Almost 2 months and on occasion, I still put my hand to my mouth on occasion in that "V" formation as though there were an analog in my hand.

Still, I think it's got to be more the MAOI's than nicotine. I stopped smoking the second I started vaping, almost literally. I had 1-2 a day for the first week and then dropped them like I'd never used them. I even picked up 0 nic about 2 weeks ago and it didn't bother me a bit to lose the nicotine for that week, aside from the lacking throat hit. I may just go 0 nic and high PG cause I can.

 

[Valhalla17]

View attachment 244491

Ever since I abandoned the 20+ year addiction to smoking (analog) cigarettes, I’ve noticed that even though the nicotine is still present in my E-liquid (I’m currently vaping anywhere between 12 and 18mg of nicotine) the drive and “need” to vape just isn’t as strong as the “need” to light up a cigarette. Now it feels more like snacking or biting fingernails than anything even remotely akin to a hardcore addiction. So how can this be? I know I’m still pumping regular amounts of fairly strong nicotine dosages into my body… but I don’t wake up and immediately make a beeline to “take the dog out” like I used to. So, being a relatively nerdy (but very cool) guy, the part of my brain that thirsts for scientific dilemmas thought a particular thought: “Is nicotine actually addictive?” I put in a call to my punctual and reliable friend, Google, and here’s what he told me:


Nicotine, by itself, is actually no more addictive than caffeine, and actually produces a similar effect on the body. It’s very obvious, when observing the world of nicotine delivery systems, that those who chew nicotine gum, use transdermal nicotine patches, and even those who vape E-cigarettes, still feel that there is something missing… at least for a while. I’ve known plenty of people who smoke while wearing the patch, or chewing nicotine gum or lozenges. I also know plenty of vapers who still imbibe in analogs, if at a reduced rate. So, through simple logical reasoning, we can inductively arrive at the conclusion that there is something other than nicotine that causes the “extremely addictive” qualities of tobacco smoking.


According to the National Institute of Drug Addiction, the presence of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) in tobacco smoke is actually of higher concern than nicotine. Essentially, these little guys boost your serotonin levels. They’re anti-depressants. And there, my dear friend, is the issue. We’ve all known for years that Big Tobacco purposefully... (Click here to read the rest of my article.)

There's also the dizzy/mild euphoric feeling from inhaling carbon monoxide and taking it into your blood stream, instead of oxygen, that occurs while smoking a cigarette. That cant be replicated by ecigs. I think nicotine is addictive but there are more chemical elements in the equation. All of that is out of your system in a few days. The pschological effect of the addtion is what hangs with you more in my opinion.

 

[ScottP]

On the topic of caffeine addiction, I can say that at one point I was definitely an addict. In my college days I drank Coke all day long, it was all I drank...unless it was party time and alcohol was involved. It got to the point that on weekends, if I tried to sleep in, I would wake up with severe headaches due to caffeine withdrawals. I could get up, pop open a Coke and within 10-15 min of chugging that Coke the headache was gone. I did break that addiction and now drink water all day long and only 2 Cokes/Day. One with Lunch and one with dinner.

On the Nicotine side of things, I was able to switch over to vaping extremely easy. I got my first eCig and never really looked back. I did have a few here and there due to my wife having a much harder time with the transition and keeping the analogs around. Now to both of us the smell of an analog just makes us nauseous and I don't think either of us will ever pick them up again. We have friends that smoke, and I have a hard time staying near them when they light up.

 

[Wizzlefits]

I just went 3 days unknowingly vaping 0 nic juice and didn't even notice it. Ever since I quit smoking and started vaping, I've known that it wasn't the nic I was craving.
For me anyway, nic has very very subtle effect. And I have to chain vape like mad to really notice it.
This could be due to the fact that I drink a boat load of coffee, everyday all day until I go to bed. Unless it gets up to about 90 degrees, then I go for water.
I've went 10 hrs. without vaping... no problem. Back when I smoked... someone would have gotten hurt after about 3 hrs. << Not joking!

Personally, after 6 months cig free, I honestly believe nicotine being the big bad guy that we've been told, is a giant load of bs. I also think the only reason nicotine was chosen as the poster child is because it was the only one of the 3999 other chemicals the ANTZ could spell. LOL!