Table of Contents
- ALTERNATIVES TO CIGARETTES FOR RELAXATION
- INTRODUCTION
- WHAT ARE THE RELAXING EFFECTS OF CIGARETTES?
- WHAT ARE THE DANGERS OF TOBACCO AND SMOKING CIGARETTES?
- WHY SHOULD YOU CONSIDER AN ALTERNATIVE TO SMOKING?
- HOW DO THE TYPES OF RELAXING ALTERNATIVES COMPARE TO CIGARETTES?
- SHOULD YOU CONSIDER E-CIGARETTES AND VAPING AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO CIGARETTES?
- WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF E-CIGARETTES?
- HOW DO YOU MAKE THE SWITCH TO E-CIGARETTES AND VAPING?
- ALTERNATIVE TO CIGARETTES FOR RELAXATION - CONCLUSION
- REFERENCES
ALTERNATIVES TO CIGARETTES FOR RELAXATION
Alternatives to cigarettes to help you relax will include a way to get your nicotine to feel satiated and stop craving – an E-Cigarette is ideal, but nicotine replacement therapy products like the nicotine patch or gum could help you to relax. Using CBD oil can bring down blood pressure and reduce cravings and there is good evidence that spending time in nature lowers feelings of stress, depression and anxiety.
INTRODUCTION
*2024 Update - Now you can make the switch with the New Vape POD! A pre-filled pod style vape with our great-tasting UK-made liquids - small and discreet: everything you expect from SMOKO!
Smokers! Lend me your ears! I know you love having that cigarette with your morning coffee, I know going for a smoke break gets you outside the office; it’s part of your routine that keeps you relaxed (and not craving) throughout the day. The nasty side effects from smoking are a deadly delayed price, however - a price most people regret when the time comes to pay.
The worst thing, apart from the many health risks with cigarettes of course, is that your tobacco isn't actually helping you relax, it is one of your many sources of stress.
To get to the bottom of this though and figure out how to relax and unwind without cigarettes we need to understand the mechanisms at play in order to offer a safe alternative to cigarettes.
WHAT ARE THE RELAXING EFFECTS OF CIGARETTES?
Despite awareness of the health problems caused by smoking, people continue to use it, many citing the "relaxing" nature or cigarettes.
This is a common misconception as when you burn tobacco, it results in receptors in your brain called ‘nicotinic acetylcholine receptors’ being occupied by nicotine which triggers various parts of the brain. One of the results is the release of dopamine - the brain’s reward chemical - and this is one of the reasons smokers feel relaxed and fulfilled after a cigarette.
The problem lies with the fact that nicotine is then needed to stimulate the brain again which causes stress to rise quickly.
Asking why smokers smoke is a challenging question and can be split up into two issues - ‘why did smokers start smoking,’ and ‘why do smokers continue smoking’?
Most commonly it is exposure to cigarettes or tobacco via family and/or friends as a teen that starts the habit - as a teen it can be as simple as being curious that prompts someone to try tobacco products.
They might think it ‘looks cool’, or people they know and respect do it so they feel a desire to emulate them.
Tobacco has been cultivated by humans since 5000 BC and was initially used for medicinal and ceremonial purposes (1), but the cigarette as we know it today was invented around 1900 AD. The misconceptions about the benefits allowed tobacco use to become prolific, but over the course of the 20th century and with advances in medical science, the negative effects of tobacco have been made obvious.
WHAT ARE THE DANGERS OF TOBACCO AND SMOKING CIGARETTES?
Inhaling tobacco smoke is really not healthy! Alongside the tar there is the carbon monoxide - this is formed whenever something burns and the carbon is not oxidised completely, so instead of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide is formed.
This is a very reactive chemical that bonds to your red blood cells, taking up space meant for oxygen, and sticks to those cells for a long time which prevents them from delivering oxygen around the body. Found within the thousands of chemicals in tobacco are around 70 known carcinogens (cancer causing chemicals) including hydrogen cyanide, formaldehyde, lead and ammonia (2)
Other effects of smoking include vasoconstriction - narrowing of blood vessels - which increases blood pressure while reducing the amount of blood flow to some body tissue. The carbon monoxide and tar sticking to the lungs increases risk of lung related disease including lung cancer, emphysema and bronchitis.
WHY SHOULD YOU CONSIDER AN ALTERNATIVE TO SMOKING?
So, having established some of the long term effects of cigarette smoke, it is clear that alternatives should be considered in order to live a long, healthy life! It is the nicotine contained within tobacco that keeps smokers on the hook; so finding a way to deliver nicotine into the body without all the harmful extras you take in when you burn tobacco is important for helping people stop smoking.
Luckily, there are products designed to do just that! Smoking cessation products like nasal sprays, lozenges, patches and pills are used to tackle withdrawal symptoms, and are referred to as ‘Nicotine Replacement Therapy’ (NRT).
Some of these are prescribed where others are available over the counter, but making the switch to any of these will make you healthier, as well as save you a few pennies!
HOW DO THE TYPES OF RELAXING ALTERNATIVES COMPARE TO CIGARETTES?
Cigarettes yield the highest blood nicotine level that can be achieved - just 3 puffs results in 85% of those nicotinic acetylcholine receptors being occupied by nicotine, a whole cigarette results in 99% occupation! The delivery of nicotine into the blood via other methods like Nicotine Replacement Therapy is much less than cigarettes, which is why nicotine replacement products are still being developed. This table (3) shows the effectiveness of some of the NRT products available by monitoring blood nicotine levels against time since dosing.
Of the various products available, the nasal spray appears to be the fastest acting, with high levels of nicotine in the blood, peaking 10 minutes after administration. This is likely to relieve withdrawal symptoms faster than other NRT products.
The nasal spray delivers the peak levels at a similar speed, but the differences in suggested use result in a lower concentration of nicotine uptake in the blood via the nasal spray - the inhaler is suggested to be used for 20 minute periods, where the nasal spray is to be used once in each nostril per 2 hour period.
Nicotine patches take a while to hit peak levels, the lower strength but shorter period patches hit peak after 30 minutes with a sharp decline, followed by a gradual increase in the blood nicotine levels.
The longer 24 hour patch slowly builds the nicotine blood levels, increasing over time from the initial dose. Both of these options are convenient as the patch can just be applied in the morning, but it may be a while before the withdrawal symptoms and nicotine craving are sated.
The oral alternatives vary in their efficacy, with the tablets appearing to hit a plateau at about 20 minutes after dosing, maintaining a low blood nicotine level for a while after dosing. The time to take effect, and the low nicotine levels suggest that while the tablets may do something to relax the user, they appear to be the least useful for addressing immediate and long term cravings.
Nicotine gum delivers peak levels in about 30 minutes with a slow decline over time, and the lozenge takes a while to hit peak nicotine blood levels (roughly 90 minutes).
Essentially, all forms of NRT take a short time to take effect, so users may find themselves still craving after use as well as experiencing a delay in the lessening of withdrawal symptoms. Therefore using a couple of forms of NRT in tandem - one fast acting and one with a slower release - may be an effective way to stay smoke free!
SHOULD YOU CONSIDER E-CIGARETTES AND VAPING AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO CIGARETTES?
The one thing that nicotine replacement therapy does not address is the ritual or actions of smoking. This habitual side of the addiction has traditionally been addressed (rather unsuccessfully) by using a stick of raw carrot... However today we can utilise vape technology to address the nicotine craving and the habitual aspect of smoking at the same time.
New generation e-cigarettes and other vape devices deliver nicotine better than the first generation of the technology, and while blood nicotine levels still don’t reach the highs we see immediately after smoking a cigarette - the nicotine level builds up fairly fast, instead of giving an initial massive hit.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF E-CIGARETTES?
Using a E-Cigarette is a great way to tackle your cravings! Designed to look and feel like a cigarette, it is great for those smokers who are used to having a cigarette between their fingers. The big difference? Instead of the thousands of chemicals found in cigarettes, the liquid in electronic cigarettes is made up of Vegetable Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Nicotine and flavouring.
Here in the UK, the liquid in your e-cigarette - known as e-liquid - is regulated to a high standard and Public Health England estimates that electronic cigarettes are 95% less harmful than actual cigarettes!" Clinical trials back this up, showing reductions in exposure to harmful chemicals (4), as well as lower smoking rates! For anyone suffering from smoking related health problems, making the switch may just save your life (5).
While your body takes longer to absorb the nicotine from e-cigarettes, the lack of all the harmful chemicals makes it safe to use more regularly. It may take longer to reduce cravings - the effect of cigarettes is fairly instantaneous, but studies shows that after 10-15 minutes of use, an e-cigarette can achieve a blood nicotine level only slightly below that which is achieved 10 minutes after having a cigarette (depending on brand and e-liquid strength).
This means you can maintain your nicotine levels in a safe way, keeping you relaxed throughout the day.
HOW DO YOU MAKE THE SWITCH TO E-CIGARETTES AND VAPING?
The biggest thing to expect when making the switch to vaping is the lack of head rush that is associated with a cigarette: the harmful smoke damages the lungs, and therefore the nicotine enters the bloodstream faster than using an e-cigarette.
The e-liquid flavours available do give the opportunity to enjoy the vaping experience in a different way to cigarettes, appreciating the pleasant taste - but finding the right flavour(s) puts the user in a strong position to favour their e-cigarette over returning to tobacco products.
It is likely that smokers who have just switched may find themselves puffing on their e-cig non-stop… A cigarette is burned up after a short while so there is a natural stopping point; this is not the case with an e-cigarette. It is therefore important to develop a system that works for you!
This may mean putting your e-cig out of sight when you have finished puffing to encourage yourself to use it to address your cravings, not something to reach for to keep your hands busy.
Be aware of your smoking habits when you make the switch - a heavy smoker will need a high strength e-liquid to satisfy their cravings, but a chain smoker may do better with a low nicotine liquid that can be used more often.
If you are looking for something straightforward and convenient that doesn’t require extra effort like cleaning or refilling, then a small e-cig may be appropriate. If you don’t want to experience a throat hit, then using a liquid with a lower propylene glycol (PG) content will give you a smoother inhale experience.
The e-liquids with a higher vegetable glycerine (VG) content and lower PG content are used in the pod units and more powerful devices like vape pens and vape mods - the higher VG balance results in more vapour production and less of a throat hit.
As nicotine also contributes to the throat hit, low nicotine liquids should be used with the devices that produce more vapour, otherwise the resulting throat hit may be unpleasant.
The best tip we can give, though, is to keep track of how much money you are saving!! It’s obviously very hard to assess the health improvements, particularly over a short time, but this is not the case when it comes to your hard earned cash! Even if you don’t keep tabs on your savings past the first month - this is likely to be when you are using the device most - so for those smoking a significant amount on a daily basis the savings can be substantial, and having a solid number to show the progress you’ve made can help to keep you on track. Eventually, with time, the health benefits will become obvious - but check out our stop smoking timeline for a peek into the future...
As there is a large variety of products from many brands, it is well worth doing some research on the products available before making your purchase. The different vapes do offer quite contrasting experiences, so make sure to read reviews on the devices you are looking at to make sure the unit is right for the vaping experience you seek!
ALTERNATIVE TO CIGARETTES FOR RELAXATION - CONCLUSION
The UK government defines smoking as follows: "Smoking is not a lifestyle choice but a chronic relapsing condition needing treatment" (6). As nicotine, the addictive chemical in tobacco, activates processes in parts of the brain that regulate and control many things, including mood and cognitive function, offering a safer alternative to smoking is essential to getting smokers off tobacco.
Vaping technology is improving everyday, with new devices able to deliver nicotine in levels approaching that of a cigarette, so making the switch from tobacco to vaping really is a no-brainer!
At SMOKO E-Cigarettes, we are here to help you start and continue your journey away from smoking into a healthier, richer future. Give us a call and make the switch today! Or checkout some of our popular electronic cigarette and vape starter kit deals that may help you quit for good!
*2024 Update - Now you can get a FREE Cigalike E-Cigarette starter kit when you buy a box of E-Cigarette refills! (One per customer)
REFERENCES
(2) Harmful Chemicals in Tobacco Products
(3) Venous blood concentrations from nicotine delivery systems
(5) E-Cigarettes: an Evidence Update
(6) Guidance: Smoking and tobacco: applying All Our Health
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Written by Dan Overgage
Dan Overgage – is a former smoker of 10 years until he became a client of SMOKO E-Cigarettes. Dan started working with SMOKO 5 years ago after successfully quitting using our e-cigarettes and works across our Customer Service and heads up our content creation and research with a strong focus on all things quitting smoking. During his tenure with SMOKO, Dan has written countless blogs and consults with countless clients every day to help them to stay smoke-free.
