# I've been using smoking cessation products and I don't smoke. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 5, 2011, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-using-smoking-cessation-products-and-i-dont-smoke/605089 "2011-12-05T03:43:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-using-smoking-cessation-products-and-i-dont-smoke/605089/1 "2011-12-05T03:43:46Z")
I’m still not sure in all what honesty compelled me to do this but I’ve begun using those nicotine lozenges that are supposed to help you quit smoking even though not only do I not smoke but I have never smoked cigarettes. Maybe I just wanted to get an idea of why people smoked without having to actually start smoking. I’ll admit the nicotine does do something for my mood and definitely does suppress appetite. I womder if I am the only who has ever done this. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-using-smoking-cessation-products-and-i-dont-smoke/605089/2 "2011-12-05T04:17:44Z")
> [@pool](#): > > I’m still not sure in all what honesty compelled me to do this but I’ve begun using those nicotine lozenges that are supposed to help you quit smoking even though not only do I not smoke but I have never smoked cigarettes. Maybe I just wanted to get an idea of why people smoked without having to actually start smoking. I’ll admit the nicotine does do something for my mood and definitely does suppress appetite. I womder if I am the only who has ever done this. Just out of curiousity, are you a man or a woman? Do you have weight-related issues? Perhaps this was a (not very) sub-conscious move to try to lose weight? ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-using-smoking-cessation-products-and-i-dont-smoke/605089/3 "2011-12-05T08:03:57Z")
Sounds like you may be self-medicating an anxiety disorder. Nicotine is a stellar anxiolytic. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-using-smoking-cessation-products-and-i-dont-smoke/605089/4 "2011-12-05T16:33:02Z")
> [@Washoe](#): > > Sounds like you may be self-medicating an anxiety disorder. Nicotine is a stellar anxiolytic. Not that stellar. It has a horrible rebound effect, increasing anxiety enormously when one stops it. Thanks to nicotine gum, lozenges, patches and nasal spray, many folks who would never have smoked tobacco now get to enjoy nicotine addiction. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-using-smoking-cessation-products-and-i-dont-smoke/605089/5 "2011-12-05T18:26:03Z")
Well, true. But the same could be said for most other anxiolytics as well—benzos, EtOH, etc. And both of those are astonishingly effective at quelling anxiety. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-using-smoking-cessation-products-and-i-dont-smoke/605089/6 "2011-12-05T20:44:33Z")
I bought one of those electronic vapor cigarettes today. I actually quit 2 years ago but I’ve been craving them so badly lately. I don’t know why I bothered with the vapor cig since it has nicotine. As far as I’m aware, it’s no safer than regular cigs but I could be wrong. It certainly smells better. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-using-smoking-cessation-products-and-i-dont-smoke/605089/7 "2011-12-05T20:50:07Z")
Medical and pharmaceutical anecdotes go in IMHO, so let me move this thither for you. **twickster** , MPSIMS moderator ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-using-smoking-cessation-products-and-i-dont-smoke/605089/8 "2011-12-05T20:54:57Z")
I tried a nicorette tablet for fun one time. It burned and then I got lightheaded. It was an unusual experience for me, something similar to smoking a good cigar, but not something I’d be apt to repeat. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-using-smoking-cessation-products-and-i-dont-smoke/605089/9 "2011-12-05T22:42:33Z")
> [@pool](#): > > Maybe I just wanted to get an idea of why people smoked without having to actually start smoking. I haven’t had a cigaret in three weeks, I’ve been using an electronic cigaret as a substitute. It’s not the same. It’s sort of like being used to taking morphine for pain and then getting Tylenol. Yeah, it’s something, but it isn’t a substitute. > [@congodwarf](#): > > As far as I’m aware, it’s no safer than regular cigs but I could be wrong. It certainly smells better. My doctor is somewhat happier that I’m using an e-cigaret, although he made it clear he approves of it only as a crutch until I can get past the urge to smoke. > [@An\_Gadai](#): > > I tried a nicorette tablet for fun one time. It burned and then I got lightheaded. It was an unusual experience for me, something similar to smoking a good cigar, but not something I’d be apt to repeat. You understand you aren’t supposed to light Nicorette, right?🙂 ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-using-smoking-cessation-products-and-i-dont-smoke/605089/10 "2011-12-05T22:51:32Z")
Like most drugs, people do it because it feels good, but the addiction is the same. I have chewed Copenhagen for 12 years and I don’t smoke. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-using-smoking-cessation-products-and-i-dont-smoke/605089/11 "2011-12-05T23:32:02Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > You understand you aren’t supposed to light Nicorette, right?🙂 Burned my mouth when I chewed it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2011, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ive-been-using-smoking-cessation-products-and-i-dont-smoke/605089/12 "2011-12-05T23:32:33Z")
> [@Washoe](#): > > Well, true. But the same could be said for most other anxiolytics as well—benzos, EtOH, etc. And both of those are astonishingly effective at quelling anxiety. NO! Nicotine actually increases anxiety. What is perceived as anxiety reduction is just the body responding to getting its “fix’ of the drug it is addicted to.