Kava and smoking.

[earthcreature]

Hey guys! So it's only been about 4 days of kava for me, but just a quick observation I was curious about! Kava and smoking (cigarettes), does drinking kava suppress your cravings?? I noticed the other day that after a few shells I had gone probably close to 3 1/2-4 hours without a smoke and was still going strong. I decided not to venture out till I absolutely had to since it was like -10 out and my vape gave me nice effects with the kava plus tasted really good, but the thought of smoking made my throat cringe haha. So what's everyone else's experience with that? Do you find your cravings suppressed or exacerbated by kava?

 

[Travis]

Being a smoker for almost 10 years, I find that I don't smoke a lot when I have kava. I did quit smoking early last year, after an illness and kava didn't make me want to smoke, like booze might.
If I could only afford to drink kava all day, I can quit smoking!

 

[blindy107]

Whoah oh oh! It's magic!


Also, gorgeous trout @earthcreature

 

[earthcreature]

Yeah I noticed an air of quesiness while smoking after drinking kava. Which could potentially end up being a good thing!! And thank you! Was a good day for fishing, we each caught 5-6 rainbows all about 3-5 lbs and I made bacon and eggs with the camping stove. Needless to say I love where I live even if the air hurts my face in the winter!

 

[nabanga]

I gave up smoking 10 years ago and am very glad I did, but I used to love the way kava and smoking complemented each other. In the 90's & early 2000's we used to have a smoke after every shell and found it somehow enhanced the experience.
Many men in Vanuatu will smoke only when drinking kava, not throughout the day. All kava bars/nakamals sell single cigarettes recognising this. In the outer islands many men smoke either the old compressed stick tobacco, or home grown leaf tobacco rolled in newspaper or donated school exercise book paper, but again usually only with kava and not during the day.
I'm not sure how to describe why smoking went so well with kava - part meditative, part ritual, part nicotine balancing the kava maybe, enhanced taste and throat feel, but for many the two substances go well together.
Having said that if it helps some people smoke less or makes quitting easier too, then that's a great benefit..

 

[tribal1209]

Part of my agreement with myself with my last Kava order was.....If I quit chewing tobacco for the new year, I'll reward myself with starting Kava again (not to mention almost a prerequisite just to afford it).

I can honestly say while I was going through withdrawals and drinking Kava after receiving my first order, I noticed the Kava did not help at all. In fact it almost and amplified some of the unpleasantness I was going through. Like nausea.

 

[tribal1209]

I will say though it was fascinating going through a "craving" while under the influence by kava. Not pleasant though

 

[The Kap'n]

Hey guys! So it's only been about 4 days of kava for me, but just a quick observation I was curious about! Kava and smoking (cigarettes), does drinking kava suppress your cravings?? I noticed the other day that after a few shells I had gone probably close to 3 1/2-4 hours without a smoke and was still going strong. I decided not to venture out till I absolutely had to since it was like -10 out and my vape gave me nice effects with the kava plus tasted really good, but the thought of smoking made my throat cringe haha. So what's everyone else's experience with that? Do you find your cravings suppressed or exacerbated by kava?

Kava caused me to cut down smoking by at least 75%. It kills my cravings. In fact, I'd wager there's some big science still yet to be seen with the way kava can block a craving.

 

[Zac Imiola (Herbalist)]

Yeah if it's the right strain I'll add.
@tribal1209 you still have many kavas to experiment with and find what works... heavy kavas ... hiwa I've seen take my dad from a stare of Absolutley dread ( we were at work and he forgot his chantix and didn't have ciggarretes because he was quiting) this was before he drank kava and I made him take a glass of hiwa and say a bullshit prayer even if he didn't believe it to kava and ask for help . he drank that and he was jumping around and being a goof ball within 30 minutes
he had no more kava all day and he was a goof until he fell asleep.

However he didn't end up quiting or using kava .. he ended up smoking again and then he started kava daily with me .
within a few weeks he no longer was having really bad chest pains and shortness of breath which was diagnosed as COPD . the next test since before starting kava was really bad and copd. the next was looking good and staying stagnant . he hasn't had an appointment since. and is still smoking.

And on another hand .
I notice exactly what @nabanga is saying .. tobacco is a sacred smoke and kava and tobacco are old friends. I once put 2 tobacco leaves on each end of my tonoa and it felt just so right

I've also heard my dad say he likes them together kind of like the numbness and how cocaine used to feel that way with ciggarretes. so that to I understand, acid used to feel like that ... really all stimulants do... so essentially I'm under the impression header kava may exacerbate the agitation of a craving if that kava would have done that you anyway but heavy kavas seem to really inhibit the craving itself.

I've used kava as well to quit tobacco when I got myself re addicted to it trying this wonderful pure leaf tobacco... which by the way is amazing and definitley not unhealthy just addictve as coffee. but since I was already an ex smoker it got it little hooks in me and I forgot some when I went to work and bam I started having cravings and a few days of kava every time I had to craving I would have some. and I quit easily again .

 

[Kojo Douglas]

Smoked from the time I was 14 through 33. I was, shockingly, able to walk away from cigarettes cold turkey with little to no withdrawal. I worked with a guy when I was 32 who smoked like a chimney and drank like a monster, and also ended being a rapist. So I guess I associated cigarettes so clearly with him that I just never wanted to go near one again. I still can't stand the smell, and I certainly feel amazing.

 

[schatz]

I have been vaping for 5 or 6 years now and find I vape more while drinking kava, it dosent taste as good but for some reason the nicotine just feels to enhance my kava experience. I tend to prefer headier kavas and was a smoker for 35 years and have been drinking kava for a year now.

 

[earthcreature]

I will say vaping was extremely satisfying after I had drank kava the other night. Tasted even better than normal and made the effects of the kava more pronounced. The cigarette I had last night after drinking kava however did in fact make me nauseous.
That being said I do completely understand how some people may enjoy tobacco products with kava. Like I said my vape complimented it, maybe it was just the taste or harshness of a cigarette that put me off. Interesting stuff either way, have some other strains on the way, curious to see if anything changes!

 

[VictoryRider]

I'm not a habitual cigarette smoker, but I do love cigars. I will smoke a cigar when drinking kava, sometimes, but really I think that the kava
buzz makes cigars not taste very good. Maybe kava numbs/goofs up my taste buds. I'll still smoke them, I just don't enjoy
the taste as much. The smoking part is still very enjoyable.

Kava will tend to make one's stomach ... weaker? Nicotine will do this too if you're a non-smoker. So, together, I could see where
kava might make one not want to smoke as much.

Anyone ever smoke Natural American Spirit? I'm not a smoker, but I *LOVE* that stuff. It's like inhaling mother's milk.
I can't smoke much of it (get dizzy and nauseous), but it tastes good and feels nice in the lungs, as opposed to mass-produced
cigarettes which smell and taste like burning toxic waste and burn the throat/lungs.

 

[VictoryRider]

Oh -- and hookahs!!!! I'd love to do a hookah with a nice tasty shisha during a kava session. An odd mix of
cultures, to be sure, but I bet it would work well.

 

[schatz]

I'm not a habitual cigarette smoker, but I do love cigars. I will smoke a cigar when drinking kava, sometimes, but really I think that the kava
buzz makes cigars not taste very good. Maybe kava numbs/goofs up my taste buds. I'll still smoke them, I just don't enjoy
the taste as much. The smoking part is still very enjoyable.

Kava will tend to make one's stomach ... weaker? Nicotine will do this too if you're a non-smoker. So, together, I could see where
kava might make one not want to smoke as much.

Anyone ever smoke Natural American Spirit? I'm not a smoker, but I *LOVE* that stuff. It's like inhaling mother's milk.
I can't smoke much of it (get dizzy and nauseous), but it tastes good and feels nice in the lungs, as opposed to mass-produced
cigarettes which smell and taste like burning toxic waste and burn the throat/lungs.

Yeah I used to roll my own American Spirits for the last ten years of my smoking career, loved those. Maybe that was why it wasnt that hard to go from smoking American Spirit to vapeing because they dont contain all the additives of regular cigs supposedly.

 

[earthcreature]

I don't use the loose leaf tobacco but my brand is American Spirit. However I only smoke about 3 cigs a day since I usually snipe about half way through. Supposedly they have 25% more tobacco than lIke a marb or camel so I could actually be ingesting more. It could be as @VictoryRider said in regards to kava making the tummy more sensitive that could be the result. Or just based on the individual in general for sure.

 

[Bubba Bula]

I've never had a nicotine habit , but @Krunʞy loves to vape and I know he loves his kava. Maybe ask him if drinking kava reduces his nicotine urges.

 

[Groggy]

I've never had a nicotine habit , but @Krunʞy loves to vape and I know he loves his kava. Maybe ask him if drinking kava reduces his nicotine urges.

Vaping is different than smoking cigarettes. I am still getting nicotine but minus the 5-6K chemicals that go along with an analog. I also quit smoking cigs over 8 years ago, I am not sure if it's the same, actually I know it's better but nicotine is still addictive, so it's a personal choice.

I vape the same amount now as I did before kava. I have cut down on the mg's of nic overtime but it had nothing to do with kava.

 

[earthcreature]

It's true it is different. Would probably explain why vaping was more pleasurable in general. Thanks for feedback all like I said just a curious observation.

 

[schatz]

At first I dropped my nicotine levels while vaping, then after further research I have determined that nicotine is not the villain it has been made out to be. I have since increased my nicotine back up to 10 mg. and enjoying it without the guilt of the other 7000 plus chems in ciggies. Do your own research and make your own decisions.