I quit smoking 4(ish) years ago.
I remember when I first started smoking as a (stupid) teen, the smoke used to burn the crap out of my throat. Eventually, I got used to it and it didn’t burn anymore.
So fast forward to present day. After quiting for four years, I tried one out of curiosity. I was curious to see if the smoke would burn my throat like it once did when I was a teenager. Nope, it didn’t burn a bit. Obviously, what ever I did, I killed for good.
But what exactly did I do? Why does it not heal back?
(Don’t worry, not going back to smoking :))
Curious of this as well, could it be some sort of thickening on the membranes of the throat? Such as one would get calluses on their hands from repeated rugged use? Is it a mental thing? I wondered this as well and haven’t really found an answer
The fine nerve endings in the pharynx and throat were not meant for multiple exposures to hot gas, so they rapidly get burnt out and do not regenerate well, if at all. Meanwhile, the epithelial cells lining the surface get more and more irritated and hyperplastic and low grade chronic inflammation sets in. More smoking, more hyperplasia, and often pre-malignant lesions. Less often, but still not rare are the throat and larynx cancers.
Eat a hot pepper and see if it burns your throat as well as your mouth. I think when your teach yourself to inhale ( or like me, listening to my girl friends ) you inhale quickly, not giving it time to burn. Funny thing, my MIL smoked for many years, never inhaled, I used to tell her she was just burning terrible inscense.
Go with Qad, he knows best!
1st cigarette drag I took I almost choked to death. By the 4th cigarette I had adapted to it with only a minor cough here and there. By the time I smoked an entire pack, maybe two weeks had gone by and I was completely adapted and well on the way to being hooked.