How To Manage Quitting And Alcohol
The best thing you can do is steer clear of Friday or Saturday night drinks, just for a few weeks until your body gets used to being smokefree.
If thats not possible, use these tips to fight the urge to smoke when youre around alcohol and cigarettes:
- Take something to keep your hands busy playing with your necklace, watch or phone can help.
- Take a walk around the block or jump in a taxi if it’s getting tough.
- Consider what youll say to people if they offer you a smoke. Something polite like No thank you, I dont smoke anymore is a good idea.
- Ask your friends to support your decision to quit smoking and to not offer you cigarettes.
- Stick to one or two drinks, or drink water between drinks. Too much alcohol can weaken your plan to stop smoking and make you more like to slip up.
- Be wary of the just one thought. It usually leads to full-time smoking again and non-smokers dont need just one anyway.
Each time you resist a craving youre helping your mind to break the link between that activity such as drinking and smoking. Youre teaching yourself to be a non-smoker, one day and one habit at a time.
If you need a little more support, give Quitline a call or request a Quitline callback. Quitline counsellors can help you build a strategy for a night out without the smokes.
What Are The Common Side Effects Of Vaping
From research and user reports, the most common side effects are the following:
Coughing
This is especially common when you use an e-cigarette for the first time, especially if you are vaping with a powerful device. It has also been reported as a minor side effect in several studies.
In the research cited above, about 20 to 30 % of new vapers experience coughing at first. However, researchers consistently found that the problem cleared up for most of these people.
Weve asked about this directly in two surveys.
One found that about 57 % of vapers coughed when they first started vaping, but only 7 % still did at the time of the survey. Our other survey asked about symptoms related to PG, and found that about 22 % of vapers reported coughing.
This survey found that only about 11 % of vapers consistently had symptoms, with about 44 % no longer having issues at the time of the survey, and about 45 % only having intermittent issues.
To minimise coughing when you vape see these tips.
Dehydration/Sore Throat/Dry Throat/Dry Nose
These are likely to be caused by the e-liquid ingredient propylene glycol. They can also be caused by nicotine.
In our survey on PG, 28 % of vapers experienced a sore or dry throat, results which are in line with published research on the topic.
These symptoms can also be caused by nicotine. Nicotine is the main ingredient that determines your throat hit, so if your nicotine level is too high, this could mean vaping gives you a dry throat.
Headaches
Asthma
Smoking And The Digestive System
Smoking can harm your digestive system in a number of ways. Smokers tend to get heartburn and peptic ulcers more often than nonsmokers. Smoking makes those conditions harder to treat. Smoking increases the risk for Crohn’s disease and gallstones. It also increases the risk of more damage in liver disease. Smoking can also make pancreatitis worse. In addition, smoking is associated with cancer of the digestive organs, including the head and neck, stomach, pancreas, and colon.
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How Cannabis Gets You High
Enter Dr Mikael Sodergren, the Head of the Imperial College Medical Cannabis Research Group and managing director of Sapphire Medical Clinics, the first medical cannabis clinic approved by regulators in the UK.
The euphoria that people feel from cannabis inhalation or any mode of administration is THC going via the bloodstream through the membrane of your blood that separates your brain from the rest of the body, and into cells in the brain, where it binds to certain cannabinoid receptors, he explains.
When the THC binds to these receptors in the brain, they cause a cascade we call it a signaling pathway that releases chemicals within certain areas of the brain that cause euphoria.
These receptors are part of whats known as your endocannabinoid system, a complex cell signalling network that runs through the human body and helps to regulate essential functions like appetite, pain control and, yep, nausea and vomiting.
Cigarette Smoke Allergy Test
Allergy tests can be performed in an allergists office. If you do not know how to find an allergist, look for an office that specializes in ear, nose, and throat health and ask them if they perform allergy testing.
In most cases, a tobacco-smoke allergy test will actually test for allergies to the chemicals in cigarettes. A clinician will apply small drops of different allergens to parts of your skin and wait to see which allergens produce a reaction on your skin.
Allergies to tobacco products can be managed in the same fashion that other allergies are managed: with medication and avoidance.
Common over-the-counter remedies for tobacco allergies include throat lozenges and decongestants.
Nonetheless, avoidance is better than any medicine.
Here are a few tips for minimizing your exposure to tobacco products that may cause an allergic reaction for you:
- Stop smoking.
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Increased Risk Of The Flu In Smokers
While symptoms may initially be caused by nicotine withdrawal, keep in mind that smoking greatly increases your risk of influenza, pneumonia, and other respiratory diseases. If you experience fever in addition to withdrawal symptoms, see a doctor. The good news is that by quitting smoking, you are reducing your vulnerability to respiratory diseases every day you are smoke-free.
Quit Smoking V Vaping Side Effects
Are you experiencing other side effects? Its possible they might not be caused by vaping, but stopping use of tobacco cigarettes.
For example, some new vapers have complained of mouth ulcers. But this is also a common side effect of stopping smoking. In fact, research by Robbie H et al found that 40% of people quitting smokers developed mouth ulcers.
Studies also suggest a significant increase in cold and flu-like symptoms after quitting smoking, including coughing, sore throats and headaches.
Generally, its hard to say whether your symptoms are caused by vaping or by quitting smoking, but the best advice is to try to address the issue and see what happens.
For instance, if you get headaches, make sure you stay hydrated and see if the problem clears up.
If youre feeling nauseous, stop vaping for a while or use a lower-nicotine e-juice and see if you feel better. If the problems dont clear up and youve recently quit, it could be more to do with quitting smoking than starting vaping.
For more common symptoms, .
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Ask An Expert: Why Do Nonsmokers Get Lung Cancer
Q: I know two women who have lung cancer, and neither of them has ever smoked. How could this happen to them? I thought lung cancer was caused by smoking.
Answered by Rachel Sanborn, M.D., medical oncologist and medical director of the Providence Thoracic Oncology Program atProvidence Cancer Institute and medical director of the Phase I Clinical Trials Program at the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, a division of Providence.
I wish I could say that if you never smoked, you’d never get lung cancer. It’s true that if we eliminated tobacco, we could prevent about 90 percent of future lung cancers in the United States. However, it wouldn’t prevent all of them. There are many other risk factors which can cause lung cancer. About 10 percent of men and 20 percent of women who develop lung cancer in the United States have never smoked.
While tobacco is by far the leading cause of lung cancer, it’s not the only contributor. In the United States, the second leading cause and the most common cause in nonsmokers is radon. This naturally occurring radioactive gas seeps into homes from the ground and can build up to levels that are high enough to cause lung cancer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, estimates that this very common, colorless, odorless gas is responsible for as many as 21,000 lung cancer deaths in our country each year.
Six ways to protect yourself and your family
Learn more about Providence Cancer Institutes Lung Cancer Screening Program.
How Is Nicotine Poisoning Treated
Treatment of nicotine poisoning may include activated charcoal to try to reduce absorption of nicotine in your intestines. This treatment is given in a hospital setting. Other treatments are given to treat specific symptoms. Treatments may include:
- Benzodiazepines to control seizures.
- Intravenous fluids fluids to treat low blood pressure.
- Atropine to treat slow heart rate.
- Ventilator to help deliver oxygen if theres respiratory failure.
- Other treatments specific to other symptoms or bodily damage of the individual.
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Be Intentional About Vaping
Whether you currently vape or are thinking about starting, its important to take some time to reflect on the reasons you may choose to vape. This can help you have more of the experiences you want .
First, think about the feelings, actions or benefits you want to experience from using vapes. Next, think through some of the things you dont want to experience. Here are a few examples to help get you started:
If I choose to vape, I want to:
- reduce my cigarette use
If I choose to vape, I dont want to:
- become addicted or dependent on nicotine
- experience health problems or negative side effects
- experience financial burdens from spending money on vaping supplies
Working through these types of exercises can be a great starting point in understanding your choices around vaping.
Vaping Side Effects In Perspective
A lot of the perceived side effects from vaping are actually side effects from nicotine usage. And many of the above examples are shared with FDA-approved forms of nicotine replacement therapies.
However, a few of these side effects are particular to vaping itself. The key to remember is that vapes are not meant to be health products. They are, however, a much safer alternative when vaping is compared to smoking.
If you are one of the millions that use vaping as an alternative to smoking, the mild side effects of vaping should be viewed in comparison to the absolute hazards of smoking cigarettes.
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How To Avoid Vomiting From Weed
First off: Dont mixing your weed with tobacco or drink alcohol with your spliff. Mixing drugs at high doses is probably going to give you a higher likelihood of having an adverse effect, than just having one drug at a high concentration, Sodergren says.
He adds that the method of ingestion also doesnt matter that much: you reach a similar concentration in the blood, it’s gonna make you feel sick, whether you eat it, smoke it or vape it though he notes that smoking hits the bloodstream quicker than edibles, which can cause you to feel sicker more quickly.
Grinspoon finishes with some sage advice on the best way to avoid greening out: Keep the doses low and know yourself. If it happens to you, try to do a postmortem on what happened, like: Was there alcohol involved? Was there nicotine involved? Was I overtired? Did I take five puffs when I usually take two puffs?
So if youre going to smoke particularly if you havent done so in a while take it slow and go easy on yourself.
What To Do For Nicotine Poisoning
- Swallows any type of tobacco or nicotine product
- Gets liquid nicotine in their eye
- Spills liquid nicotine on their skin
If the person who is poisoned can’t wake up, has a hard time breathing, or has a seizure, call 911.
Don’t try to make someone who’s swallowed nicotine throw up or give them antacids to settle their stomach. Do let them drink water. Make sure their airway is clear. They will probably start vomiting on their own.
Rinse eyes splashed with nicotine well with a lot of warm water for at least 15 minutes.
Where liquid nicotine has gotten onto skin, wash the area well with soap and water and rinse for at least 15 minutes. Don’t scrub hard, because you don’t want to cause a rash, scrape, or cut.
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Feeling Jumpy And Restless
Feeling jumpy or restless during the first days or weeks after quitting is normal. Just like your mind gets irritated without nicotine at first, the rest of your body can, too.
Ways to manage: Doing some physical activity can help shake loose your jumpiness. Get up and walk around for a bit if you feel restless. Try cutting back on coffee, tea, and other caffeinated drinks. When you quit smoking, caffeine lasts longer in your body.
Are You Using A Quit Smoking Aid
Quit-smoking aids can reduce or eliminate the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. Nearly all quit aids lower nicotine cravings to some extent. While you may still miss the act of smoking, the physical sensations of nicotine withdrawal won’t be as intense as they might be without a quit aid.
If you quit cold turkey expect symptoms to be very strong for the first few days as your body begins eliminating residual nicotine and adjusting to being nicotine-free.
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How Much Is Too Much
The CDC says 50 to 60 milligrams of nicotine is a deadly dose for an adult who weighs about 150 pounds. But some research suggests a lethal amount may be a lot higher.
It’s not likely you’ll overdose on nicotine just from smoking cigarettes. Your body absorbs only about one-tenth of the nicotine in a cigarette, around 1 milligram, when you smoke it. Overdosing from nicotine gum or a patch is rare, but it’s possible if you don’t follow the instructions carefully.
Because kids are smaller, it takes less nicotine to poison them . There’s enough in a cigarette butt to harm your little one if they decide to eat one off the floor, for example. An older child experimenting with chewing tobacco can also overdose.
E-cigarettes pose a bigger risk. They use batteries to heat liquid nicotine — usually in a cartridge or container — into a gas or vapor so you can inhale it. Swallowing this liquid nicotine can be toxic. It can also be harmful if you spill some on your skin or get a little in your eye.
Sometimes it comes in colorful packages or smells like candy, so it’s not surprising that kids will drink it. As little as 1 teaspoon of liquid nicotine can be fatal for the average 26-pound toddler.
How Can I Prevent Nicotine Poisoning
You can help prevent nicotine poisoning by:
- Keeping all tobacco products, especially products containing liquid nicotine, out of reach and out of sight of children and pets.
- Always storing nicotine products in their original container.
- Sealing used nicotine containers in case children or pets dig them out of the trash.
- Stopping the use of nicotine-containing products. Ask your healthcare provider for help.
If you or your child has been exposed to liquid nicotine, call the Poison Center hotline at 800-222-1222 or call 911.
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Am I Allergic To Cigarette Smoke
Allergy-like symptoms can be caused by tobacco smoke, but most doctors believe that they are not reactions to the smoke.
Rather, because tobacco products are filled with many toxic ingredients and irritating chemicals, some people have a reaction to those specific substances. People who suffer from allergic rhinitis appear to be more sensitive to these chemicals than others.
How Can Parents Talk To Kids
To help prevent your kids from smoking, vaping, and using chewing tobacco, keep these tips in mind:
- Talk about it in a way that doesn’t make kids fear punishment or judgment.
- Keep talking to kids over the years about the dangers of tobacco use and vaping. Even the youngest child can understand that these habits are bad for the body.
- Ask what kids find appealing or unappealing about smoking. Be a patient listener.
- Encourage kids to get involved in activities that don’t allow smoking, such as sports.
- Show that you value your kids’ opinions and ideas.
- Discuss ways to respond to peer pressure to smoke. Your child may feel confident just saying “no.” But offer other responses too, such as “It will make my clothes and breath smell bad” or “I hate the way it makes me look.”
- Focus on what kids do right rather than wrong. Self-confidence is a child’s best protection against peer pressure.
- Encourage kids to walk away from friends who don’t respect their reasons for not smoking.
- Explain how much smoking takes over the daily life of kids who start doing it. How do they afford the cigarettes? How do they have money to pay for other things they want? How does it affect their friendships?
- Set firm rules that exclude smoking, vaping, and chewing tobacco from your house and explain why: Smokers smell bad, look bad, and feel bad, and it’s bad for everyone’s health.
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Why You Sometimes Feel Sick Or Vomit After Smoking Weed
- Snap
Ah yes, the abstinence-first drugs education of the late 20th and early 21st century. Just say no, Nancy Reagan says on telly as your teacher pushes in another VHS tape showing a scrawny man having a panic attack after a single toke, leaving you to get the rest of your information on weed and bad highs from random 4/20 articles, Snoop Dogg and a Harold & Kumar movie you once watched at a sleepover.
If your childhood was anything like mine, you were told that a single puff might cause you to spontaneously develop a psychiatric disorder. While we can all agree that this is War on Drugs nonsense, its also true that you should always indulge in moderation, lest you fall victim to the whitey . Its effects usually start with the room spinning and end with something reminiscent of the opening lines on Eminems Lose Yourself: knees weak, palms sweaty, and finally, moms spaghetti.
Feeling sick and needing to vomit is one of the worst experiences to encounter while smoking weed, so VICE spoke to some experts to find out why you sometimes chunder and how to avoid it. But first, you have to understand a little about the science of cannabis.