# Smoking while intoxicated

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-while-intoxicated/421608>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 5, 2007, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-while-intoxicated/421608 "2007-10-05T05:59:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-while-intoxicated/421608/1 "2007-10-05T05:59:43Z")

</div>

Why does smoking feel especially pleasurable while mildly to moderately intoxicated? If I had to WAG, I would say that the stimulant properties of the nicotine compliment the depressant properties of the alcohol to produce a best-of-both-worlds type of mild euphoria, but my guess is far from scientific. What say The Dope?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2007, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-while-intoxicated/421608/2 "2007-10-05T06:30:05Z")

</div>

I don’t know, but I and everyone I know basically would be in agreement with you. I think it’s a combination of the fact that alcohol/weed heightens some of your perceptions (while lessening others), and that heightened sensation makes the nicotine rush more pleasurable - and the fact that being fucked up makes you feel “cool,” and smoking cigarettes are “cool.”

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2007, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-while-intoxicated/421608/3 "2007-10-10T19:42:51Z")

</div>

If you’re a smoker, it’s an easy answer. As soon as you put out a cigarette, nicotine starts leaving your body and you begin to feel the effects of withdrawl. These withdrawl syptoms screw up your drunk. As soon as you light a cigarette, the symptoms go away and you get the full on good feelings of being drunk.

I am (poorly) parapharsing from a book on not smoking.

If you’re not addicted to cigarettes, then I don’t know.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Bagistan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Bagistan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bagistan)\
**Post date:** [October 10, 2007, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smoking-while-intoxicated/421608/4 "2007-10-10T22:03:59Z")

</div>

From \*[Protective effects of nicotine on ethanol-induced toxicity in cultured cerebellar granule cells.](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14715450&dopt=Citation) \* by Y Tizabi et al.:

> [@](#):
>
> In addition to the stimulatory effects of both ethanol and nicotine on the mesolimbic reward pathway, nicotine’s ability to counteract some of the adverse effects of ethanol (e.g. ataxia) may be a powerful incentive for alcohol consumers to increase their tobacco (nicotine) intake.