Nicotine content in cigars?

[Big Al]

This thread about flavour put me up to asking what is known about nicotine content in cigars:

http://www.ukcigarforums.com/showthread.php?t=2354

Some cigars have given me a real "buzz" but others seem not to have hardly any nicotine content at all. Is there any known information about it out there?

[daverave999]

The abstract from this paper mentions a figure of 'up to 335.2 mg' per cigar.


A metric shitload, to be precise.

[HabanoSy]

The abstract from this paper mentions a figure of 'up to 335.2 mg' per cigar.


A metric shitload, to be precise.

GREAT, IMO

Ooops! sorry Al, In My Opinion... lol!!!

Aaarrgghh!!! done it again...

Must be all that nicotine, HabanoSy

[deltawhisky]

335.2 mg?

Which University published that?

WHOA that is a tonne and a half of punch in a stick!

[cohibaIV]

WHO CARES>>>>

[Big Al]

The abstract from this paper mentions a figure of 'up to 335.2 mg' per cigar.


A metric shitload, to be precise.

Thanks for that link Dave. Quote from link:

"These results demonstrated that the popular cigars in this study contained enough nicotine for the development of dependence when smoking as few as one or two of the larger cigars per day."

Interesting.

[Big Al]

GREAT, IMO

Ooops! sorry Al, In My Opinion... lol!!!

Aaarrgghh!!! done it again...

Must be all that nicotine, HabanoSy

Oi!

PSML!

[HabanoSy]

Oi!

PSML!

Ha! ha! ha!

LMFAO...

Good one Al...

Cheers, HabanoSy

[daverave999]

Purely my uneducated opinion here, but the gradual dosing of nicotine by absorption through mucous membranes in the mouth from a cigar, rather than the 'quick hit' of a cigarette through the lungs does not lend itself to addiction potential so much.

I certainly find the nicotine enjoyable, but it's a by-product of enjoying a cigar for the taste. Whereas a cigarette was never about the taste (I smoked 20 a day for about 15 years until February). It's just a drug delivery vehicle.

[Simon-JG-hr]

I certainly find the nicotine enjoyable, but it's a by-product of enjoying a cigar for the taste.

Top way to think about it. Only yesterday it struck me that I enjoy a cigar much more if smoking a cigar is what I am doing at the time (as opposed to smoking a cigar whilst what I'm actually doing is: mowing the lawn, doing a barbeque, getting pissed etc).

The addiction for me (per se) with cigars is the whole package. The appreciation of flavours and construction, the 'Cuba thing', the whole keeping them in condition malarky, the history and tradition of the brands (as a little side interest), the look of a good cigar, the idea of it being a social and a personal experience, the certain swagger you get when you light up a good stick...

In other words, that certain je ne sais quoi.

I doubt that I'll ever smoke enough to become addicted to the nicotine - it would detract from the occassion if it were that regular. Once or twice a week, and a few more occassions when on holiday...

[reigndrop]

The abstract from this paper mentions a figure of 'up to 335.2 mg' per cigar.


A metric shitload, to be precise.

The odds of you though absorbing even a quarter of that though is very low. Keep in mind that absorbing nicotine through the mucous membrane is a lot tougher than through the lungs. All these studies always assume the worst case scenario, hence the mentioning of dependency.

In terms of nicotine content, it's a hit or miss depending on the brand. It'd be safe to assume that Cohiba's have the least amount of nicotine due to the third fermentation. Regardless, if you remain responsible and enjoy what you're doing, then dependency won't be a problem.

[TJCoro]

Nicotine Nexus.

In other words, that certain je ne sais quoi. .

Yeah!!!! What senor Simplesimon said!

Nicotine, being a natural component of the tabacco leaf, is mostly depleted during fermentation, so I've read. Hence, the low level in Cohibas.

Cigarettes, on the other hand, have nicotine added to 'em. Sort of a nicotine delivery devise.

But what the hell do I know!

Hello, my name is BJ, BJCoro, and I'm an a 6th grade graduate

[daverave999]

The odds of you though absorbing even a quarter of that though is very low.

Still a whopping quantity of nicotine!

Cigarettes, on the other hand, have nicotine added to 'em.

Thought they weren't allowed to do that? Perhaps it varies between countries.

[Lou3]

The addiction for me (per se) with cigars is the whole package...

Well said.

Two weekends ago I made the mistake of smoking a strong cigar while I had on-again-off-again sinusitis, and it tore up my throat terribly. I decided to lay off of cigars until the sinusitis finally passes. The first week wasn't a big deal, but after a while I started missing the overall experience. Pulling a stick out of the humidor, skillfully cutting and lighting it, and savoring it during my evening walk is such a pleasurable way to wind down one or two evenings a week.

[misterbulgarin]

Now that I got a well stocked humi, Im having more cigars regularly. Ive had a few comments such as 'arent you addicted?'. Its rather annoying, but also more quizzical than anything, to me addiction is a strong need for a certain thing:

Cigarettes: purest example of addiction, the majority of cig smokers arent express-brothers of the leaf, they do it for their fix, nothing more. When do you see a cig smoker lovin the construction, and admiring the workmanship gone into a ciggy, oh right there's none. I NEEEED A FAG FUIJSDFJISDF

I wouldnt say im offended when I get accused(?) of being addicted, but it is funny to explain the differences to the offending person. I smoke more frequently because I own a humidor these days, before I would buy 1/2 singles from my local retailer 3 or so times a week, so that cigar HAD to be infrequent due to me getting to the shop. Now I have the LUXURY of having a smoke any time, and im loving that to the max. I dont crave for niccotine, I dont think barjnarr I need a cigar else im gonna die. Each time I take out a stick it's the same experience:

Adoration of appearance, construction, cutting the cigar, lighting the cigar, enjoying that 30min-3hr of solace. If you want to say im addicted, im addicted to really enjoying something in my life, and the quality workmanship to the cigar 'hobby' as a whole.