Quitting smoking using nicorette gum

[Mattplusness]

This questions is primarily for those of you who have used nicorette gum to quit smoking cigarettes.

The website says to not smoke while taking this gum, but I was wondering if this includes smoking weed? The only thing I can think of that goes against this is blunts which contain nicotine. Will I be okay smoking weed while on this gum?

Please keep the insults to yourself. Yes I smoke weed, get over it.

[double_j]

You'll be fine physically but the act of smoking anything might make it harder to get away from cigarettes. A surprisingly important factor in cigarette addiction is the physical act of smoking. In fact, one of the hardest things about learning to use the gum is that you have to break yourself of the physical expectation of smoking. For example, how many times do you light up in the car even when you don't really want one?

Not to mention that smoking cigarettes and being in an 'altered' state of mind always seem to go hand in hand. Most quit sites will tell you that its best to avoid any situation where you know the temptation to slip will be there, at least early in the quitting process.

Give it a shot and see what happens. Anything is worth a chance to stop smoking. Don't worry about chewing and smoking at the same time - I use the gum regularly (and have been using it for the past 6 years or so) since I can't smoke during the day at work or on flights, etc. but also have a couple of cigarettes per day (about a pack per week). No ill effects from the combination thus far.

[Red Golfer]

Double_J makes an excellent point, the act of smoking itself is very addicting, beyond just the nicotine. The multiple times I have quit dipping, I needed to use toothpicks or something to take place of the act of putting a dip in. The nicotine, from what I remember being told, works out of your system rather quickly and whats left is the mental addiction.

[Mattplusness]

I started smoking when I was 16 and smoked until August 2008 and lasted until September 2009, but been smoking again since. I found it most difficult to not feel the urge when I was just bored, which isn't really the case now that I'm working full time and school full time, so I really hope I can finally quit now, been mentally preparing for the last month or so. How can these be legal? haha

And as to both of you, thanks for the input

edit: Now that I think about it, golfing is gonna suck without having the dip on the course, although I can probably have that one or two every round of golf... probably 2 times a weekend.

[O.B. Right]

Good luck with quitting! It was really hard for me - took me 3 years of half-hearted trying and almost a year of using the Commit lozenges to finally kick the habit. Almost 4 years tobacco free!

To your original question, though . . no, smoking weed will not cause a problem with the gum. Smoking tobacco and chewing the gum at the same time will give you a nicotine overdose which is pretty unpleasant - probably get nauseous, dizzy, sweaty, etc. I actually know a few people who say smoking weed helped them quit smoking cigarettes so it could just depend on the person.

[Blades4me]

This questions is primarily for those of you who have used nicorette gum to quit smoking cigarettes.

(lol), speaking as a respiratory therapist I'm very sad to hear you are quitting smoking cuz that is my job security; but luckily enough you are still smoke'n da weed, so you still have a chance to meet a RT. I like cigarettes the best though, especially the black tobacco ones, they really tear up the lungs, oh I can hear the money already.

Anyway, moving on; here are some interesting statistics: ~90% of ppl quit cold turkey--I did, but there are some tricks. Frist don't try and quit when you are stressed out or under lots of pressure, cuz it will just make you crazy; wait until a time when everything is back to normal and/or low stress. Second find a day that has particular significants to you, (for me its either my birthday or new years; I used my birthday). Thrid, when you are ready 1 month to 2 weeks before quitting smoke your guts out to the point that you have to hold your cigarette hand as far away as possible b/c of the smoke smell. Forth, when that days comes, whether you have a full or partial pack of cigarettes, throw them out. Fifth, be ready to readjust your habits, eating apples, oranges or chew on tooth picks, (I used all of them, but the tooth picks seemed to work best for me). Now moving on to the rest of the stats. ~7% of the ppl need gum, patches, Schick Ctn or such. ~3% of the ppl for one reason or another are just u/a to quit. It really doesn't matter what you use to quit as long as you quit. For me the most dangerous time was 1 year later cuz I was thinking, "hey I quit I know I can so I'll just have a cigarette", so I did and luckily enough I took one hit and almost turned green; I took that as a message and haven't looked back. The really cool thing is, and I didn't really realize it until a year or so down the road, I felt like I had more control of my life, which in my book is a good thing. After being a RT for over 30 years now I've found that anyone who smokes more than 2 packs per day has mental issues, which makes quitting a little more difficult and other prefessions, like a psychologist or psychatatrist would probably help. Good luck, its a reachable goal, but not a gimme. LOL, all things in moderation, including moderation.

[ghalfaire]

Well I haven't smoked any weed since the 60s so don't know about that. But I gave up Tobacco about 20 years ago. I tried everything but the only thing that worked was to just do it, e.g. cold turkey. It was difficult and I wish you luck. A friend gave me a card I kept in my shirt pocket for several months. So every time I automatically reached for a cigarette I got the card out. It said "the urge to smoke a cigarette will go away whether you smoke a cigarette or not", and it does. But it is an addiction and I know if picked up a cigarette today it wouldn't be long before I was smoking again. So I don't but fortunately I don't have urges to either. So again good luck, I think it was the best thing I ever did for my health and because of my family background I doubt I would be here today if I had continued smoking.

[billysandy]

Great tip to stop smoking - never start. Never have and never will smoke. Sorry I am no help.

[out_in_30]

as far as i know.. as long as you dont smoke anything with nicotine in it you are fine... weed doesnt have nicotine i dont think .. has many of the same properties as cigarette smoke but the active ingredient is not nicotine. but i am no doctor.. and i dont smoke anything.. but good luck quitting cigs.. they are horrible for you.

[Mattplusness]

Tried the gum for a few days, last night I had a very rapid heart beat... so I won't be using the gum anymore.. end of story.

[bkoguy07]

Man up and quit then

[Shorty]

as far as i know.. as long as you dont smoke anything with nicotine in it you are fine...

I wouldn't call getting brain damage "fine".

[sean_miller]

Tried the gum for a few days, last night I had a very rapid heart beat... so I won't be using the gum anymore.. end of story.

The gum is really hard to light. Stick with the cigarettes.

[ghalfaire]

Both of my folks died of lung cancer. Mom was a smoker and Dad a victim of second hand smoke I guess. Even with that it was difficult for me to stop, but I did and you can too. But it won't be easy and there is no magic easy way or device/substance that will make it easy. But I can assure you it is easier that the alternatives that I have seen and they won't be a choice. Just so I don't start a war here, I believe in this country you have an absolute right to smoke if you choose. After all cigarettes are a legal product and as long as you don't step on anyone else's right in smoking or expect me to pick up your medical costs resulting from smoking, I don't have a problem with it. But I encourage anyone that does smoke to make the effort to stop and if the first time doesn't work try again and again until you're successful.

[senorchipotle]

cut down to a few cigs a day. once you get down to three or four, then quit cold turkey. that's what i did with snuff.

[double_j]

Easy to say, hard to do...

I've been smoking 2 or 3 cigarettes a day for the past few years and those last few are the hardest to give up. I very rarely feel the need to have a cigarette but when I do it comes on like a champ!

One of the things that nobody tells you about quitting is that you're always going to feel like you want a cigarette. The only difference is that it gets easier to deal with over time - that's the main reason it's so easy to start up again. I quit cold turkey for a year or so but started up again because I thought it was safe to 'just have one' while out with friends.

Re: the gum - are you sure that you're using the right dosage? Make sure you get the 2mg if you smoke less than a pack a day. Regardless, I wouldn't give up on the gum just yet - your body will go through a ton of issues as you go through the process of quitting from flu like symptoms to problems focusing on work, etc. Chances are that what you were feeling was more attributable to the lack of smoking than to the nicotine you got from the gum.

BTW - use the fruit chill flavored gum. It tastes like Juicy Fruit and is the only flavor that works for me. The 'tangy-ness' of the flavor helps to stave off cravings like a champ.

[Jason]

Hi Matt,
First post here, I quit cigs 3 years ago after 17 years.
My tips:
- focus on your breathing instead of your mind. anytime you want a cig, breath some fresh air into your lungs instead of thick black carcinogenic smoke.
- have a glass of water instead of a cigarette.
- do some exercise (especially cardio - you will feel your lungs again)
- bkoguy07 had the best tip - "man up". just don't smoke. don't buy em, don't lift em to your mouth, don't light em, don't inhale. if you can sit through a tatoo or make it through severe physical pain, you can make it through not smoking. mind over matter.
It took me about seven or eight tries to quit - keep quitting til it sticks. Once it sticks, don't touch cigs.
Best to you on your quest,
Jason

[Elliprof2]

I agree with O.B. Right - quitting smoking is one of the toughest things to do. I have tried a few things but have not been successful. I have seen a new device that looks like a cigarette but isn't. Might try that next.