.
Not all smokers know about the consequences of their addiction. Toxins, poisons, harmful resins settle on the bronchi and lungs, poison the blood and disrupt the functioning of the heart and stomach. Tobacco causes cancer. Psychological addiction makes it difficult to quit smoking. The fear that it will not be possible to overcome a strong desire, the appearance of withdrawal symptoms, causes fear. You can and should quit smoking; to do this you need to know how to replace smoking.
Nicotine gum is a popular alternative to cigarettes
Causes
Nicotine addiction begins due to cigarette smoke. It has certain effects on the body due to the substances it contains. The causes of nicotine addiction are different.
- Nicotine is a poison, the stimulating effect of which comes at the moment of smoking. Your mood improves and your interest in life increases.
- Those people who find it difficult to make acquaintances and communicate have an addiction. A cigarette plays the role of an anchor that a person holds on to when he is unable to communicate.
- People who are often tired at work use cigarettes to relieve stress.
- Teenagers start smoking because they want to appear older and more respectable.
Cigarette smoke is addictive
Nicotine method
Heavy smokers are characterized by an acute period of adaptation when giving up their habit, and it is better to replace a cigarette with products containing nicotine, since it is unlikely that it will be possible to simply deceive the body. The following cigarette substitutes are used:
- Tablets containing nicotine. Such tablets dissolve under the tongue and provide a minimal supply of the active substance.
- Nicotine patch. The patch is available with different nicotine contents and allows you to choose the best option. The effect is achieved by ingesting small doses of the substance throughout the day. The main negative phenomenon is irritation at the site where the patch is attached.
- Nicotine gum. Usually used when side effects from the patch occur. When chewing, nicotine is released, which penetrates inside in small quantities. This method is most suitable for people who smoked to relieve nervous tension during periods of stress.
- Electronic Cigarette. This method allows you to completely imitate the process of smoking a cigarette, but instead of tobacco smoke, a person inhales the vapor of a special liquid that does not contain harmful substances. The nicotine content in an electronic cigarette varies (there are models without it), which makes it possible to take into account the degree of nicotine addiction.
Symptoms
In the first days of starting smoking, you may experience the following symptoms:
- drop in blood pressure;
- weakness;
- nausea;
- excitement;
- fainting;
- headache and dizziness.
Basically, nicotine addiction does not develop in such people, because the symptoms cause aversion to cigarettes. Those who feel satisfied after smoking may develop an addiction more quickly. The initial stage of nicotine addiction has symptoms:
- the mood is lifted;
- energy increases;
- euphoria;
- relaxation;
- psychological comfort.
Over time, the number of cigarettes increases. When an addict quits smoking, the desire to smoke becomes even greater. Nervousness, cough, stomach problems and dry mouth appear. Psychological distress can last from 2 to 14 days.
Negative effects of smoking
Content:
- Taste and aroma are the main selection criteria
- Nicotine power - weaker or more potent?
- PG and VG - what are these scary abbreviations?
Vape is trending. This is obvious, no one will argue with it. More and more people are switching to this safe method of smoking every day.
Beginners are immediately faced with two questions: which vape device to choose and what kind of nicotine to buy for vaping. We have already considered the first question earlier (see our blog), now we will devote time to the second.
Replacing tobacco addiction
Treatment for tobacco addiction is possible with the help of nicotine replacement therapy. Smokers will reduce cravings by half by maintaining the amount of nicotine in the body. There are many options to replace smoking cigarettes. Instead of cigarettes, you can use the following:
- electronic cigarettes;
- patches, chewing gums and tablets;
- seeds and any other food.
These remedies have pros and cons, so you need to know what is the best alternative to smoking.
Electronic Cigarette
A substitute in the form of an electronic cigarette helps people quit smoking. It contains fewer harmful elements. It contains vapor, which consists of nicotine. It helps get rid of withdrawal symptoms, but is also harmful to health; it is impossible to control the volume of smoke.
An e-cigarette only increases smoking addiction, as it can be smoked constantly.
Chewing gums and patches
The nicotine patch maintains the amount of nicotine in the blood, and the physical craving for cigarettes disappears. The habit on the psychological level also decreases. The patch also has disadvantages. Its use must be monitored and the dosage reduced. Otherwise, physical addiction will worsen. You can replace the cigarette with chewing gum. Its action is identical to the patch. The addict uses it every time he wants to smoke, after which the need for nicotine decreases.
There is also a minus: a backlash may begin from improper use of chewing gum, and a new “chewing” addiction will appear.
Nicotine tablets
There are a large number of medications that help you quit smoking. These tablets contain nicotine. When a person takes them, the addiction increases and even worsens. It is best to use tablets that do not contain nicotine. The most popular drug is Tabex. It contains cytisine. It is similar to nicotine, but does not harm the body as much. The substance discourages the craving for smoking, addiction is reduced, but the drug has contraindications. It is not suitable for all people. This mainly applies to pregnant women, women who are breastfeeding and people with allergies. Other means can also help overcome addictions.
- Bupropion, Nortriptyline. They eliminate stress during the period of quitting cigarettes.
- Cytisine and Varenicline reduce the need for nicotine.
Taking some medications has little effect; it is better to combine pills with other methods: smoking is treated with hypnosis, psychotherapeutic sessions, and group practices.
Cytisine helps you quit nicotine
Food substitutes
You can replace cigarettes with food: sweets, seeds, nuts. Food distracts you from the thought of smoking. You can quit smoking gradually, alternating cigarettes and food.
After some time, you will be able to overcome your smoking addiction. Quitting cigarettes can be long-term, ranging from 2-6 months.
Clean ways to consume nicotine as an alternative to smoking. Fighting addiction. Thoughts on Juul
I smoked for many years, then quit for many years, now, against the backdrop of all sorts of stress, I am again addicted to vaping with a “cigarette puff”, but I plan to quit in the fall.
Any regular smoking (or vaping, which is the same in essence and in terms of the mechanism of addiction) is a waste of time, health, effort and money. The only advice any smoker needs is how to stop smoking.
Smoking is great as long as it sparkles with novelty for you, when it’s part of history or a special setting. But at the same time, the smoker is infinitely pathetic in his habit, which poisons his life every day, in whose slavery he is.
The most important thing to know is that smoking never makes you feel better. Nicotine does not calm down, does not bring joy. The only thing he does is restore what he himself ruined half an hour ago. To put it as exaggeratedly as possible, when you smoke, your “normal state” is always a little spoiled, and only a dose of nicotine returns it to normal. When you quit and get rid of the physical addiction, you will be normal all the time, you just won’t have to smoke for it.
Quitting smoking takes a week or two or three, for some a little longer. Any new dose throws you back in time very much. If you quit a year ago, but smoked while drinking, then consider that in the morning you need to quit again (this is easier to do due to the fact that you do not have a psychological habit, but you have a physical one right away, do not entertain yourself with illusions). Any dose of nicotine - patch, vape, hookah, chewing gum - none of this will help in any way to get rid of the need to maintain a normal level of joy through smoking.
All these new fashionable ways to consume nicotine without the disadvantages of a “regular cigarette” are a serious problem. The fewer shortcomings, the greater the chances that you will again fall into this trap, again acquire a physical, and then a psychological dependence - you will again form these wonderful patterns of “smoking after lunch”, “taking a smoke break before an important task”, “lighting up on getting off the bus” and the further you go, the more difficult it is to make out again.
As for occasional smoking once every six months at some cool party, it’s best to smoke a hookah or an ordinary whitefish there, because it carries a hundred times more cool surroundings than all this pseudo-nonsense. If you fall into the abyss of vice, then you don’t need to be childish.
Taste and aroma are the main selection criteria
If the battery of an e-cigarette is the heart, and the atomizer is the brain, then the e-juice is its soul.
The most important thing you need to pay attention to when buying an e-liquid is the flavor and aroma properties. An electronic cigarette will not bring pleasure if the user does not like the taste and smell of the vapor. Even if all other variables - nicotine power, PG or VG and vapor production - are perfect. Fortunately, e-liquid comes in almost any flavor: fruity, food-flavored, cocktail-flavored, and, of course, tobacco blends.
New users often purchase tobacco flavors that closely match the flavor and aroma qualities of their preferred cigarette manufacturers. Many e-juice manufacturers are aware of this, and therefore produce a variety of tobacco e-liquids that replicate the tastes and aromas of popular brands.
Gradually, with each new puff, vapers become more discerning and begin to try other, more diverse mixtures. Some people prefer food scents such as chocolate, cake or bacon, while others choose fruity scents such as melon, watermelon or strawberry. Mixes are also popular, in which various berry, food and tobacco compositions are combined to create improved exotic mixtures.
If you want to treat yourself to the alcoholic taste and smell, try cocktail mixtures. Beer, brandy and wine are popular examples of alcoholic e-liquid.
PG and VG - what are these scary abbreviations?
PG and VG are not laws of thermodynamics or rare chemical elements. This is the magic on which your vaping pleasure depends.
The base solution in e-juice is either propylene glycol (PG), vegetable glycerin (VG), or a combination of both. PG produces a richer flavor but has little cloudiness. VG is somewhat thicker and gives a slightly sweet taste. It dampens the odor somewhat, but produces voluminous and dense vapor clouds.
The usual PG to VG ratio is 40:60, and many vapers are satisfied with the taste and amount of vapor produced by this mixture.
However, there are people who are allergic to PG. If you experience itching, a scratchy feeling, or have trouble breathing after vaping a pure PG or PG/VG blend, try pure VG blends or at least an e-liquid with a blend ratio of 80% VG and 20% PG.
Folk recipes
Healers suggest making imitation cigarettes from ginseng, coltsfoot, and rosemary. Taking into account the negative effect of burning paper, they consider it most appropriate to chew calamus root, ginger, and bird cherry sprigs when the desire to smoke arises. But the main means of helping heavy smokers are decoctions.
For example, an infusion of St. John's wort relieves nervous tension and improves mood.
Oats, rye, and barley are also useful for withdrawal symptoms. However, their use is always preceded by consultation with a traditional medical specialist. This is due to the need to assess the patient’s health status.
Dummy cigarettes
The biggest plus is that they do not contain nicotine and completely imitate regular cigarettes. This helps a lot at first. But if you replace some tobacco products with others for a long time, problems will begin. They smoke because paper and filler burn in them, and the clouds of smoke contain carcinogens that penetrate the blood and lungs:
- Methane is a light hydrocarbon, which, contrary to what ordinary people think, has a negative effect on the central nervous system.
- Acetone is a solvent that exhibits narcotic properties. 60 ml is enough to cause loss of consciousness.
- Butane is an alkane class hydrocarbon that causes dysfunction of the bronchopulmonary system.
- Toxic resins – even in the composition of regular smoking cigarettes, they cause irreparable harm to the bronchi and lungs, acting on mucosal cells, destroying them, causing symptoms of inflammation and intoxication.
- Ammonia is the end product of nitrogen metabolism in the body. The liver neutralizes hydrogen nitrite, converting it into less toxic urea. But even with this option, ammonia inside the body exhibits the properties of a toxic carcinogen. The dose is important.
- Methanol is a poisonous wood alcohol, the action of which leads to irreversible changes in all organs and tissues.
- Carbon monoxide is one of the most poisonous compounds (CO), poisoning with it is fatal.
- Benzopyrene has cumulative abilities, accumulates in cells, is integrated into DNA and becomes a trigger for gene mutations.
- Hydrogen sulfide is a gas that has demonstrated the ability to inactivate the sensitivity of the olfactory nerve, leading to loss of perception of toxic vapors in the air. As a result, intoxication occurs suddenly. The lethal dose of this substance for humans is minimal and amounts to only 0.1%. Even this concentration can lead to death within 10 minutes.
- Hydrocyanic acid, together with its derivatives - cyanides - is the most rapidly acting toxic substance known to mankind. It has been used to execute kings and blue bloods for centuries. And today it is the most reliable poison for suicide or murder.
- Radium is a rare earth metal that affects the function of hematopoiesis.
- Polonium is a radioactive element that is the main “silent killer” in regular cigarettes.
- Cesium is a radionuclide that destroys the human genetic code.
- Lead is a heavy metal that accumulates in the bones, kidneys, and spleen, causing severe poisoning when it reaches a certain concentration in the blood.
With this composition of the cigarette shell, even the most healthy filler cannot withstand its negative effects.
Most often, herbs are used as a smoking mixture:
- Thyme (thyme) is a sedative, expectorant and bronchodilator.
- Sage – relieves stress, restores liver cells, anti-inflammatory agent for diseases of the pulmonary system.
- Oregano (oregano) – normalizes metabolic processes and has a sedative effect.
- Saffron is used as a soothing plant that has a positive effect on the functioning of the liver and kidneys. In large doses it is toxic.
- Cinnamon – causes aversion to tobacco smoke. It is customary to chew it, but this can cause burns to the mucous membrane, so it is more appropriate and safer as part of a cigarette filler.
- Coriander – has a beneficial effect on the digestive system, removes bad breath.
Herbs &ndash, an alternative to tobacco cigarettes
There are several methods for quitting smoking tobacco cigarettes by replacing them with herbs:
- A regular cigarette can be filled with horsetail, tansy, plantain, mint, yarrow, eucalyptus, Bogorodskaya grass, calamus, sweet clover and sage. Nettle and juniper are sometimes used for this. In the process of gradually replacing tobacco cigarettes with herbal ones, there is a greater likelihood of breaking the habit. It must be taken into account that smokers often do not like a new cigarette taste.
- An alternative to tobacco filling is a soft coconut shell. The pulp is crushed and dried. Then they stuff it into regular cigarettes, replacing the usual tobacco with it.
- There is a more unpleasant way to smoke thyme. The leaves of the plant are bitter. Thanks to this indicator, the smoker gradually develops an aversion to the bad habit. To achieve the result, the substitute is used for at least 2 weeks. During this time, smoking herbs should become a habit. Not all smokers can endure such torture.
Thyme is distinguished by its ability to thoroughly cleanse the lungs and respiratory tract. In any case, such a course will benefit the body.
Nicotine power - weaker or more potent?
The best nicotine for vaping is the one that keeps you from spitting and coughing after every puff.
Once you've chosen the perfect e-liquid flavor, the next step is to choose the right nicotine strength.
Nicotine strength comes in the following types:
- Low: 6 mg and below - for light smokers who consume half a pack or even less per day.
- Medium: from 9 to 16 mg - for average smokers who consume from half to one package per day.
- High: from 18 to 36 mg - for heavy smokers.
Pay great attention to this criterion, since a vape that is too powerful will make you spit and suffer from a headache, and a vape that is too weak will not bring you satisfaction and saturation.
If you are not sure what power to choose, we recommend starting with medium power and then adjusting.