not quite 10am -- and I'm drunk

[earlmck]

A few weeks ago my oldest daughter -- very "health aware" came across some information touting the benefits of nicotine, one of which was the improvement of memory and attention span. Suggested was the use of "nicotine patches", which we tried. Turns out these patches gave me trouble (additional trouble I should say) in getting to sleep and also produced the wildest danged dreams I ever had. And I'm a guy who never has (had) dreams that I could remember. I gave them up because I can't afford the least little additional trouble getting to sleep as that is one of my biggest health challenges at this point in my life.

Comes along Tucker Carlson, who is one of those fellows whose interviews I follow closely, though I wish he'd quit those danged 2-hour interviews of folks with a half-hour's worth of information. And Tucker, as those of you who follow him know, has been advertising "Alp" which are chewable nicotine pouches. So the kid decided to give this Alp a try. Holy Moly Gunga Din! I jerked it out fairly quickly but not before this guy who never smoked discovered that nicotine can make a non-smoker get drunker quicker than anything I ever tried.

I'm wobbling like the proverbial skunk here in front of the computer -- sure would hate to be trying to drive somewhere at the moment. You guys who smoke or chew gotta' be tough!

[AJMD429]

.
Nicotine is a powerful drug, actually...!

[Bronco]

Did you try them neat or on the rocks ?

[Ray]

Deleted.

[ywaltzucanrknrl]

I agree they have to be tough, but not me. Tried smoking when I was younger---puked, tried chew when I was younger---puked. So I haven't had any nicotine in over 40 years.

All my friends chewed Copenhagen. Most had some mouth issues and all of them had an extremely hard time quitting. One whiff of Copenhagen after my attempt at chewing and I was gagging so it probably saved me from being addicted.

I'm not familiar with any of the new products, but I do see a lot of folks using the e-cigarettes or whatever they are.

[jeepnik]

They sometimes use stimulants for ADHD. And I assume there is nicotine in second hand smoke. Could it be none of that he kids I grew up with were ADHD (though I don't think that is as invented yet) because of second hand smoke.

After all, the rise on ADHD seems to coincide, chronically, with the decrease in smoking.

Also, dementia has also increased within the same time frame. Perhaps smoking isn't the total evil it's been painted to be.

[Bill in Oregon]

Nicotine is nasty stuff, Earl. It was a blessed day when I quit it 35 years ago. Hope you feel better soon and can tell Tucker where to put his Alps.

[earlmck]

Nicotine is nasty stuff, Earl. It was a blessed day when I quit it 35 years ago. Hope you feel better soon and can tell Tucker where to put his Alps.

But according to the information the daughter is providing me, it wasn't the nicotine that was the nasty stuff there Bill, it was the other crud you were getting from the smoke. It may be us olde pharts can benefit considerably from the nicotine -- though we certainly should stay away from the smoke.

Apparently there was remarkably low percentage of smokers who got Covid, for example, even though smoking by itself would link to several of those comorbidities that could make Covid deadly.

[Streetstar]

Drunk at 10am. Been there, not fun. The conventional way, not on nicotine though.


A lot of reports suggest that nicotine by itself is as benign as caffeine. Not to suggest it’s not addictive though- plenty of folks out there addicted to caffeine, - and now that my old battle buddy who lives close to me quit Copenhagen due to dental issues, he took up vaping. Dude can’t go 2 minutes it seems without popping his vape out of his pocket like a quick draw artist and poofing like his life depended on it.

[jdad]

There are nicotine lozenges in varying (2mg & 4mg) strengths available OTC. I know some engineers that use them to stay focused when on a major project. The same engineers are also anti tobacco.

As an aside, nicotine is a very effective pesticide. I was a commercial account manager, in the pest control industry, for 7 years. There are several very effective synthetic nicotine (neonicotinoids) products that are highly effective for roaches and bedbugs.

[AmBraCol]

There are nicotine lozenges in varying (2mg & 4mg) strengths available OTC. I know some engineers that use them to stay focused when on a major project. The same engineers are also anti tobacco.

As an aside, nicotine is a very effective pesticide. I was a commercial account manager, in the pest control industry, for 7 years. There are several very effective synthetic nicotine (neonicotinoids) products that are highly effective for roaches and bedbugs.

That's what I was thinking about, reading this thread. Bug spray. Freaked my wife out when I bought a pack of cigarettes - the cheapest they had. Made "sun tea" with the tobacco from them, strained it, added a dab of dish washing soap and loaded up the sprayer. Great way to get rid of aphids! Not sure I'm interested in ingesting bug spray ingredients...

[earlmck]

I'm now chewing away on one of the Alp pouches, barely any buzz this time. No, I'm not getting more tolerant yet -- this is the third day I've chewed on this same pouch and I think I am finally getting the last of the nicotine out of it.

When I reported my intoxicating experience to the daughter who had recommended the nicotine, when I told her the pouch contained 9mg nicotine she told me "sheesh dad, that's three times what you are supposed to take in!". So spacing one pouch out over three days should be about right. And as a fellow with strong Scots instincts, I appreciate that this turns out to be considerably more economical than the nicotine patches we first started with.

And my mental acuity feels like it is much improved -- I'll bet I'm as sharp as a tack today. A Biden tack, anyway.