Kava and smoking cessation

[Intrepidus_dux]

Hi there. I plan to quit smoking and use vape entirely beginning Sunday afternoon.

I'm wondering if kava will make me want to smoke more much like alcohol does, or if I can just by with the vape. Do I need to cut way back on kava to be successful with my quit program, or would it be more beneficial to keep it as is? I'd like some past smokers to weigh in. Thanks for your advice.

Also, maybe this thread can be moved to the health section?

 

[Russell Caruso]

Hi there. I plan to quit smoking and use vape entirely beginning Sunday afternoon.

I'm wondering if kava will make me want to smoke more much like alcohol does, or if I can just by with the vape. Do I need to cut way back on kava to be successful with my quit program, or would it be more beneficial to keep it as is? I'd like some past smokers to weigh in. Thanks for your advice.

Also, maybe this thread can be moved to the health section?

I'm not an expert, but I think Kava might be a great aid when it comes to quitting smoking. Given, i've never smoked or vaped, but I have noticed Kava to be a great alternative to my previous vices. Nothing addictive like nicotine, but it eased the transition to sobriety.
That being said, Kava is similar to Kava effects-wise, and maybe physiologically similar in certain aspects as well, though it does differ.
Others will have better input than I, but really, the only way to know for sure is to just give it a shot. Personally Kava satisfies a lot of my cravings, whether it's food or anything else, it really brings me back to baseline.

 

[nabanga]

When I was in my 20's and 30's I enjoyed a cigarette with my evening kava. They seemed to go very well together - this is why many nakamals in vanuatu sell single cigs - as many non-smokers will have one with kava but not during the day.
Once i stopped at around 40 (10yrs ago) there was no urge to smoke after a while. If you have vape to transition with you should be fine - just think of all the guys in their 60's with emphasyma and constant coughing. Stopping smoking is something you will really appreciate in a few months time.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

 

[Kojo Douglas]

Kava should help you quit smoking. Just carry an AluBottle and down a shell whenever you have an urge to smoke. At the very least, it will help rewire your behavioral responses to nicotine urges. It might not be easy, and you may slip up. But just keep at it.

Kava has helped me get off booze to a great extent over the past two years. I've never felt better than I do now. Even with Kava, I've lowered my intake over the past few months and feel really great. The great thing about Kava is that you can easily stop using it whenever you feel the need. It's almost a silver bullet when it comes to addiction, aside from the underlying social-psychological issues that underwrite each person's addiction.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

Kava should help you quit smoking. Just carry an AluBottle and down a shell whenever you have an urge to smoke. At the very least, it will help rewire your behavioral responses to nicotine urges. It might not be easy, and you may slip up. But just keep at it.

Kava has helped me get off booze to a great extent over the past two years. I've never felt better than I do now. Even with Kava, I've lowered my intake over the past few months and feel really great. The great thing about Kava is that you can easily stop using it whenever you feel the need. It's almost a silver bullet when it comes to addiction, aside from the underlying social-psychological issues that underwrite each person's addiction.

Agree 1000%. Now if only we knew how or why it works that way. To me kava is the anti-addiction substance, not just physically, but the whole gestalt of kava is the opposite of addiction, esp the obsessive or compulsive parts. One of the hardest things about quitting addiction is when the crave to use hits, it's like an inflammatory attack in the brain, and one gets more and more restless, like a caged tiger pacing, until one breaks and lapses or relapses. Kava seems to me to pretty much eliminate that effect. I invite anyone who worries about becoming addicted to kava to simply stop drinking kava for a few weeks. You'll miss it, but nothing bad will happen, you won't have any withdrawal symptoms. You'll go back to experiencing whatever you were experiencing before, like anxiety or sleeplessness, but aside from that, there's no negative effect, because you weren't addicted to kava, not even psychologically. (note: if one is a heavy/daily drinker, like me, then allow 2 - 3 weeks for the accumulated KL's to work out of your system before you ascertain what your baseline without kava is).

 

[WK118]

Hi Intrepidus_dux, I stopped smoking and switched to vaping 3 months ago so I'll share my personal experience. For some background, I smoked for 15 years and have been drinking kava for 3 years (usually 3-4 evenings per week). I would always have a cigarette immediately after drinking a shell of kava.

Initially after making the switch I went through a bumpy transition period while I was learning how to use the vape effectively and adjusting to the lower nicotine content. During this time I found that unfortunately kava triggered strong cigarette cravings that weren't satisfied by vaping. Despite having my vape alongside the kava I was becoming irritable and anxious, which is the opposite of what a kava session is supposed to be. So I decided to take a break from kava until I became more accustomed to vaping. After a couple of weeks I was starting to feel repulsed by the smell of cigarettes and the day-to-day cigarette cravings were easily satisfied with a few puffs of the vape. I tried kava again at that time, and the vape was (and still is) enough to do the trick! 10 weeks later I'm back to drinking kava most nights and haven't touched a cigarette (and no longer have any desire to!)

Of course everyone is different so YMMV. I think it was moreso my "ritual" than the kava itself that made me want to smoke during the initial transition period. I'd recommend trying a small amount of kava to find out how it affects you as you make the switch. Even if you decide you need to cut back or take a break, it won't last forever!

Congrats on making the decision to stop smoking. I'm raising a shell to you

 

[Intrepidus_dux]

Hi Intrepidus_dux, I stopped smoking and switched to vaping 3 months ago so I'll share my personal experience. For some background, I smoked for 15 years and have been drinking kava for 3 years (usually 3-4 evenings per week). I would always have a cigarette immediately after drinking a shell of kava.

Initially after making the switch I went through a bumpy transition period while I was learning how to use the vape effectively and adjusting to the lower nicotine content. During this time I found that unfortunately kava triggered strong cigarette cravings that weren't satisfied by vaping. Despite having my vape alongside the kava I was becoming irritable and anxious, which is the opposite of what a kava session is supposed to be. So I decided to take a break from kava until I became more accustomed to vaping. After a couple of weeks I was starting to feel repulsed by the smell of cigarettes and the day-to-day cigarette cravings were easily satisfied with a few puffs of the vape. I tried kava again at that time, and the vape was (and still is) enough to do the trick! 10 weeks later I'm back to drinking kava most nights and haven't touched a cigarette (and no longer have any desire to!)

Of course everyone is different so YMMV. I think it was moreso my "ritual" than the kava itself that made me want to smoke during the initial transition period. I'd recommend trying a small amount of kava to find out how it affects you as you make the switch. Even if you decide you need to cut back or take a break, it won't last forever!

Congrats on making the decision to stop smoking. I'm raising a shell to you

Thank you! This particular bit is particularly helpful. This is what happened with me when I've just casually tried vape instead of smoking. Good to know it can be overcome.

I appreciate everyone weighing in on this. Luckily none of my friends smoke, so I don't have to dodge any smokers like I have had to in the past.

 

[jim lahey]

I find that my level of resistance to nicotine is amazing when under kavas influence

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

I find that my level of resistance to nicotine is amazing when under kavas influence

Yeah, with kava I find my resistance to just about anything but ice cream is like that. Really helps with the will power, to the extent that you don't need to use any, which is good, because using will power depletes glucose levels in your brain, which you need. It's not that temptation for you is bad, but resisting temptation robs your brain of its food.