Make tobacco history

Nicotine, that famous constituent in tobacco that makes it so addictive. How long does nicotine stay in your system? We will go into some analysis here about the effects of nicotine on your body.

What is nicotine?

Nicotine is an alkaloid that is naturally produced in the nightshade family of plants such as tobacco.

It is widely used as a stimulant. As a pharmaceutical drug, it is used to quit smoking by relieving tobacco withdrawal symptoms. 

Some common effects of nicotine are:

• Lower appetite.
• More active mood.
• Increased intestinal activity.
• More saliva and phlegm.
• Faster heart rate.
• Higher blood pressure.
• Sweating.
• Nausea.

Nicotine is a stimulant drug. It can speed up messages between the brain and body. It is the main psychoactive ingredient in tobacco products.

Where does nicotine come from?

Nicotine comes from the tobacco plant, native to the Americas.

Nicotine was named after Jean Nicot de Villemain, a French diplomat that introduced tobacco to the Queen of France.

The Queen used it to treat her headaches. Tobacco was once thought to have medicinal qualities.

Christopher Columbus received a gift of dried tobacco leaves when he arrived in the Bahamas. He also brought tobacco leaves and seeds back to Europe.

For a period tobacco was the number one export of the American colonies.

What types of nicotine are there?

For the most part, products that contain nicotine are tobacco products such as e-cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and chewing tobacco.

There are also smoking cessation products such as patches and gums that contain nicotine.

Nicotine also occurs naturally in very small amounts in some edible plants.

How Long Does Nicotine Stay In Your System will also depend on how you ingest it.

In what ways can we consume/ingest nicotine?

Nicotine is an alkaloid found in tobacco and other members of the nightshade family. This includes edible plants such as eggplant, tomatoes and peppers.

Humans have consumed nicotine for thousands of years. Tobacco cultivation started in the Americas around 6,000 B.C.

These peoples were most likely smoking or chewing tobacco.

Is nicotine harmful?

Some experts conclude that consuming nicotine alone is not the main cause of smoking-related health problems. Other chemicals in tobacco, and particularly in cigarettes, have known carcinogens.

As far back as the 17th century, doctors discovered links between tobacco use and diseases such as cancer.

Using nicotine in cigarettes was once thought to be the main addictive element in tobacco. New evidence reveals that other chemicals also play a large role in addiction.

In what way is nicotine harmful?

Nicotine has been identified as one of the main additives elements in tobacco.

Nicotine on its own can harm different organs as proven in human and animal studies.

Negative effects include damage to the cardiovascular, respiratory, renal and reproductive systems.

Nicotine may also provoke cancer.

It can lead to an increment in blood pressure, heart rate, blood flow to the heart and a narrowing of the arteries.

Nicotine can contribute to the hardening of arterial walls, which may lead to a heart attack.

In what way is nicotine not harmful?

Many experts state nicotine itself does not cause cancer. It’s addictive properties get people hooked on cigarettes.

Other chemicals in tobacco smoke (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, tobacco-specific nitrosamine) lead to DNA damage and cancer.

Benefits of nicotine?

Recent studies revealed that nicotine by itself may actually have medicinal benefits.

Nicotine, like caffeine, may even have positive effects. As a stimulant, it raises the heart rate and increases the speed of sensory information processing. It can help to ease tension and many reports it sharpens the mind.

Experiments around the world are being carried out with nicotine to treat depression, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s.

Laxative effect

Many people consider that nicotine and other stimulants like caffeine have the same effect on the bowels. They can cause an acceleration of bowel movements, which may be convenient in certain cases.

What happens when you absorb nicotine?

If you smoke or chew tobacco, nicotine is absorbed into your bloodstream.

After that, enzymes in your liver break down most of the nicotine to become cotinine.

These substances are gradually eliminated through your kidneys as urine. The answer to the question: “How long does nicotine stay in your system” depends mainly on kidney function.

What does nicotine do?

Initially, nicotine may improve your mood and concentration. It is reported to decreases anger and stress, relax muscles and reduce appetite.

A person that takes regular doses of nicotine, may suffer changes in the brain, with nicotine withdrawal symptoms when nicotine is absent.

How long does nicotine stay in your system?

So, how long does the nicotine last in your body?

Blood test

In most cases, nicotine will leave your blood 1-3 days after you stop using tobacco.

Cotinine is a chemical your body produces after nicotine enters the blood. This will be gone after 1-10 days.

Urine test

Neither nicotine nor cotinine will show up in your urine after 3-4 days.

If you smoke menthol cigarettes, cotinine may stay for longer in your urine.

Saliva test

A saliva test can detect continine for up to 4 days.

Hair test

Hair testing is very effective to prove long-term tobacco use. It can be accurate for up to 1-3 months after you quit smoking.

How Long Does Nicotine Stay In Your System – If we are talking about hair, in some cases nicotine can be detected in hair samples for up to 12 months.

Why?

Nicotine has an elimination half-life of approximately 2 h in humans. This value varies from 1 to 4h in certain cases.

This is relatively short. Nicotine’s metabolites have a quick and small reaction compared to other chemicals. This may be a major reason why people addicted to nicotine feel the urge to smoke frequently.

What happens when nicotine leaves the body?

Nicotine and its metabolites are mostly eliminated in urine, through the kidneys.

Approximately 10% of nicotine and 10% of cotinine are flushed out in urine without being metabolized, although the process depends on pH levels.

How long does nicotine stay in your system conclusions

For the most part, the negative effects of nicotine seem to outweigh the positive.

Although nicotine and tobacco use has had a long history with humans, it may not necessarily be beneficial.

Thinking of quitting smoking? Why not try yoga as a path to stay clear of cigarettes.

The everyday smoker will know tobacco burns and the nicotine laced smoke travels around causing stains. It is common to see yellow fingers from smoking, as fingers that hold burning cigarettes tend to get stained.

So, how to remove nicotine stains from fingers? Luckily there are plenty of home remedies available.

How to remove tobacco stains off fingers might take a little effort but is achievable particularly if you quit smoking.

What causes yellow fingers from smoking?

Cigarette smoke has carbon monoxide. This displaces the oxygen in your skin. Nicotine reduces blood flow, making skin dry and discolored.

Smoking Cigarettes can deplete many nutrients in the body. Less vitamin C, for instance, means less ability to protect and repair skin damage.

Does nicotine stain?

Cigarette smoke contains toxins which can damage collagen and elastin. These are fibrous components of skin that keep it firm and supple.

The damage can speed up skin aging. Smokers are more prone to wrinkles on their faces and body.

Reduced blood flow and exposure to tar and nicotine can cause the melanin in your lips and gums to darken. This will lead to uneven pigmentation.

Lips may appear blotchy, purple, dark brown, or black. The chemicals in cigarettes also have negative effects on the skin.

Nicotine can also stain your teeth.

Does tobacco stain?

Tobacco products stain mainly due to the tar and nicotine content. When smoked tobacco can cause stains.

Can you remove yellow stains?

When it come to yellow stains on teeth, you can dilute a small amount of hydrogen peroxide with water, rinse your mouth, and after several seconds, spit it out. Then thoroughly rinse with water.

Common methods to remove yellow stains on the skin include bleach, toothpaste, hydrogen peroxide, lemon juice, mouthwash, vinegar amongst other solutions.

How to clean yellow stains from fingers

How To Fix Yellow Fingers From Smoking can be resolved in many ways.

Here are 3 great methods.

Try hydrogen peroxide. 

Hydrogen peroxide may remove nicotine stains fingers.

Step 1

Pour 3-4 tablespoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide into half a cup of water and stir.

Step 2

Dip your fingers into the solution and soak them for around 15 minutes.

Step 3

Scrub off any remaining stains with a toothbrush. Rinse off your fingers with water.

Do not use hydrogen peroxide to clean your nails and fingers more than once per week. Also if doing it weekly do not do it for longer than three months.

This technique may sting if you have small cuts on your fingers.

Toothpaste

Try using toothpaste to remove nicotine stains from fingers.

Step 1

Use any standard toothpaste and apply onto yellow area on fingers.

Step 2

Scrub toothpaste onto yellow skin with toothbrush for a few minutes.

Step 3

Rinse with warm water.

Whitening toothpaste will help for extra tough nicotine stains.

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is a natural bleaching agent.

Step 1

Cut a fresh lemon in half. Take a lemon and squeeze it on the yellow area of your fingers.

Step 2

Rub the stained areas with the lemon half.

Leave the lemon juice on your fingers for 5-10 minutes.

Step 3

Rinse your hands with warm water.

You can repeat this process up to five times per day.

This technique may sting if you have small cuts on your hands.

How To Fix Yellow Fingers From Smoking conclusions

Thinking about Cigarette smoke and the carbon monoxide that it contains, may help you decide to quit smoking.

Carbon monoxide displaces the oxygen in your skin and body.

Nicotine has been proven to reduce blood flow, leaving skin dry and discolored.

However, if you do decide to quit or even cut down there is an upside.

Usually, nicotine will leave your blood 1-3 days after you stop using tobacco.

Cotinine, which is something your body makes after nicotine enters it, will be gone after 1-10 days. Neither will be present in your urine after 3-4 days.

Once these chemicals are out of the system, the body should begin its healing process and your skin may recover after a few weeks.

Question:

Is the revenue lost to the Exchequer on cigarette sales from a growth in the vape industry – a healthy deficit?

As a large part of society moves from smoking tobacco to smoking alternative products such as vaping, the tax revenues from cigarettes must be seeing a steady decline. It is possible the vape industry may be one of the factors involved.

In 2019/20, taxes raised from tobacco consumption in the United Kingdom reached approximately 8.8 billion British pounds.

This is lower than the previous financial year which raised 9.29 billion pounds.

In the 2011/12 tax year the Exchequer collected 9.68 billion pounds with cigarettes and other tobacco products.

This coincides with the beginning of the boom in vaping and e-cigarettes. We may presume there may be a trend of falling revenue in tobacco taxes as vaping becomes the more popular alternative.

Benefits of reduced smoking to public health

The most popular perspective considers that reduced smoking will mean:

• Less sick pay
• Reduced cancer treatment costs
• Lower rates of Heart disease
• Other benefits to society, such as civic happiness where smoking prevalence falls

Nevertheless the figures may give us a different picture.

Does Smoking Provide a Net Economic Surplus to Society?

There is plenty of research on the cost of smoking to society. Here is one study carried out by the Institute of Economic Affairs London.

• We estimate a net saving of £14.7 billion per annum at current rates of consumption, with the costs smokers incur significantly outweighed by the sum of tobacco duty paid and old-age expenditures avoided due to premature mortality.

Smoking and the Public Purse, Institute of Economic Affairs London.

Healthcare and other costs

The NHS spends £3.6 billion curing diseases related to smoking.

The government also spends up to £1 billion collecting cigarette butts and extinguishing house fires provoked by smoking.

Early Death Savings

These costs mentioned above are covered more than four times over by more people dying early which represents savings in pensions, healthcare and other benefit payments.

To reach this 4x figure we must also include revenue from taxes on tobacco.

If smoking ceased in society all together, the government would spend an extra £9.8 billion annually in pension, healthcare and other benefit payments (less taxes forgone).

Duty paid on tobacco products represents £9.5 billion per year.

Financial Benefit

The total financial benefit to the Exchequer therefore amounts to £19.3 billion.

Subtracting the £4.6 billion of healthcare and other costs (above) equates to a net financial benefit of £14.7 billion per year.

• We estimate 15.9 per cent of deaths in the UK (96,045) were attributable to smoking in 2015, in line with previous studies. Each individual lost 13.3 years of life on average.

Smoking and the Public Purse, Institute of Economic Affairs London.

This paper concludes that the UK would be £14.7 billion pounds worse off if there were no smokers in society.

If we consider the UK’s 66.65 million current population that would amount to £220 pounds per person.

Hence, UK citizens are 60 pence better off per day due to smokers.

Does the vape industry bring in less money than tobacco?

Let’s consider the health and financial costs of this new phenomena called vaping on society.

According to this other paper – Vaping in England: an evidence update February 2019 A report commissioned by Public Health England – we must also challenge the fact that vaping actually replaces smoking.

Is it just another additional form of smoking rather than a replacement?

In stop smoking services, the proportion of quit attempts using an EC remains very small (4.1% of all quit attempts in stop smoking services).

Public Health England Study

The evidence is inconclusive as to whether EC has contributed in the decline in demand for stop smoking services in England.

Smoking On The Decline

This Guardian article quotes experts with the view that the use of tobacco products was on the decline in any case. It also quotes other experts challenging that belief.

Evidence exists that smoking is decreasing as people use more e-cigarettes. This is based on research in the UK and US.

In 1942, 82% of British men smoked. By 2006, when e-cigarettes first appeared, 22% of adults in England smoked. The number of smokers is now at an all-time low of 14.7%, while 7% of the UK population are vaping regularly.

The Guardian

The fact that smoking has been banned in public places, extensive anti-smoking campaigns such as cigarette packaging with gruesome pictures, and a general shift in society have all played a part.

Many believe e-cigarettes have also played a role.

Vaping Risks

Assuming that vaping is replacing tobacco smoking, we must then consider if vaping itself poses safety risks or may be harmful to an individual’s health.

“There was fresh alarm in the US last year when 2,500 cases of lung disease and 55 deaths were associated with vaping.”

The Guardian

Scientific experts are debating both sides in the argument often according to their prior beliefs.

One figure that is often thrown around is Public Health England’s “95% safer” figure, which states vaping as 95 per cent safer than smoking tobacco.

Nevertheless many challenge this conclusion, with more research necessary.

In terms of potential costs on the NHS and so forth by this new wave of vapers, there is not enough information yet and not enough studies have been carried out.

Is Vaping Creating a Deficit or Surplus?

We could do some quick math based on the figures, and we do have to infer some possible conclusions. But taking a glance at conventional electronic cigarette sites online, we can gauge pricing and likely spend per user.

If vaping is 95% safer then it would theoretically only represent approx 5% the cost of smoking on society. This is assuming there is a direct correlation between safety and cost on society.

That would place it at roughly 5% of the £4.6 billion cost of smoking stated previously, so maybe about £230 million pounds.

If the vaping alternative only accounts for 4.1% of those who have quit smoking, then using that £4.6 billion figure again it is only saving around £188.6 million pounds to the tax payer, hypothetically.

The U.K. e-cigarette market was valued at $2.0 billion (£1.477 billion pounds) in 2018, and is projected to exhibit a growth of 19.6%, during the next few years.

Given a standard 20% VAT rate on vaping products that represents roughly £295.4 million pounds in revenue.

If we balance those three key figures we might come at a very quick and rough conclusion for the sake of argument.

• £188.6 million pound saving from less smokers
• £295.4 million pounds in VAT revenue
• £230 million pounds in extra costs in healthcare and to society at large.

£188.6 m + £295.4 m – £230 m =

£254 million pounds extra to the British tax payer.

Vaping therefore might actually represent an extra £3811 pounds in every UK citizens pocket!

That may mean that thanks to vapers every UK citizen is a full £10.44 better off each day!

So yes, vaping may actually represent more revenue to the Exchequer than smoking tobacco.

Obviously, don’t quote us on this, these statistics are far too rough to be taken seriously. Nevertheless, they might be giving us a few clues about this new trend in society.

Interested in knowing how much smoking 🚬 tobacco affects your personal finances?

Check out this article we wrote on the subject:

• The Financial Cost Of Smoking

Smoking-related diseases in the USA are estimated at more than $300 billion each year.

The Cost of Smoking breaks down as:

• $170 billion for direct medical care for adults.
• $156 billion in lost productivity including $5.6 billion due to secondhand smoke exposure.

It is clear that Smoking bears a cost to society at large, but what about on the individual level?

What is the financial cost of smoking cigarettes?

If, like many, you smoke one pack of cigarettes per day. How much is that added over the years?

Over 10 years, if you live in a country where cigarettes are expensive, you’ll spend over $30,000. Which could either buy you a sailboat, a deposit on a house or a small plot of land in some exotic place.

Cost of Smoking Vs NRT

One study points to Nicotine replacement therapies costing up to 7000 usd$ per year. This is considered for cases were smokers effectively quit.

So compared to a daily smoker spending up to 3000 usd$ per year on cigarettes, after a few years of quitting there is most definitely a saving.

Other more important savings come in terms of reduced healthcare costs.

How does smoking affect your finances?

The cost of smoking goes beyond the price of a cigarette pack.

It leads to higher healthcare costs, reduces income via increased sick days and decreased productivity.

Are cigarettes a waste of money?

Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in America. Cigarettes cause 480,000 deaths yearly. Nicotine is the primary addictive chemical in tobacco.

Why Smoking is expensive?

The cost of smoking cigarettes is not only a daily financial cost.

It implies higher costs for health and life insurance.

Smoking related diseases create high health care costs.

Smoking Vs Vaping Cost

Vaping can cost from $300 to $5000 per year. When compared to smoking a pack a day, it can cost you $2000 to $5000 dollars per year. 

Vaping is then potentially cheaper than smoking.

Most medical experts agree that vaping poses less health issues than long term smoking. This is of course another very important saving.

How much money can you save if you quit smoking?

How much is a pack of cigarettes a day? Stop Draining Your Wallet – If you smoke a pack a day you could be saving about $200 per month or $2,400 on smoking costs a year if you quit.

For year round money saving links on the vaping form of NRT head below:

• Black Friday Vape Deals

How much does the average smoker smoke?

Among daily smokers, the average number of cigarettes smoked per day has declined from around 17 cigarettes in 2005 to 14 cigarettes in 2016. Vaping, e-cigs and NRTs and a generally increased consciousness seem to be working. For a clear guide on vape buying for the first time, UKVIA member Vaperun produced this simple read:

• Vape Kit Buyers Guide – What E-cig To Buy

How does smoking affect intellectually?

Researchers have found that cigarette smoking can lead to attention and memory deficits in adults.

A UCLA study on the effects of cigarette smoking on adolescent smokers (ages 15-21) discovered how nicotine could potentially affect the development of their prefrontal cortex.

What is the most effective way to quit smoking?

There are many was to resist the urge to smoke. Check out our guide.

Try nicotine replacement therapy. Ask your doctor about nicotine replacement therapy.

Avoid triggers. Delay. Chew on nicotine gum.

Don’t have ‘just one’. Get physical – getting into sports is on the best ways to increase endorphins and avoid anxiety.

Practice relaxation techniques like yoga and deep breathing.

Call for reinforcements, look for help from friends or loved ones.

Why do people smoke?

Stress relief, pleasure or social situations. One of the first steps to quitting is to understand why you feel like using tobacco.

Then you can think about the reasons you want to quit.

How many cigarettes a day are bad?

Smoking just 1–4 cigarettes per day was associated with a significantly higher risk of dying from heart disease and lung cancer.

What is the most expensive cigarette?

The less commercial brands of tobacco may include fewer chemicals and carcinogens. They may be more expensive to buy but much less expensive on your health.

Treasurer Cigarettes are a Golden Virginia blend with a fine tradition, as an example of a premium brand.

How does smoking affect social life?

One cigarette now and then could damage your social life. Like regular smokers, social smokers have the smell of smoke on their clothes and on their breath.

Social smoking means the people you’re with are exposed to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is dangerous to anyone who breathes it in.

What happens when you quit smoking?

Within just 8 hours of quitting smoking, your body’s oxygen levels will increase and your lung function will begin to improve.

As your lungs begin to heal, you may feel less short of breath, cough less and find it easier to breathe in the coming weeks and months after you quit. Your risk of developing cancer decreases.

Is it too late to quit smoking after 30?

It is actually never too late to get benefits from quitting smoking. Quitting, even in later life, can significantly lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer over time and reduce your risk of death.

Smoking’s Costs Conclusions – Financial, Physical and Social

The cost of smoking cigarettes is not only a daily financial cost, it can lead to higher costs for health and life insurance, high health care costs.

The Global economic cost of smoking from health expenditures and productivity losses together totalled PPP $1852 billion (US$1436 billion) in 2012.

The Voke inhaler has been out for a few years. At one point it was owned by the largest cigarette company in the world, British American Tobacco.

When looking at Voke reviews one first question that comes to mind is voke vape? Voke smoking is actually different to vape or e-cigarettes.

It has been licensed as a medicine in the UK, which means it can be given out on a prescription, by the Department of Health and Social Care. AKA the UK’s wonderful NHS.

Whilst one might think that this shows the power of big tobacco to influence legislation, this product has passed years of research and test by specialists so may be a valid option for people looking to quit smoking.

Where can I buy voke e cigarette? Online Voke e cig products used to be available in the Voke Uk website at voke.com . Currently, production has been discontinued in 2020, pending further notice. So what can you do instead?

If it was vaping you were considering – then this guide below could help:

• Best Vape Starter Kit – A Complete Guide

Voke – What is it

It is a nicotine inhalation device. It looks similar to a cigarette and also give you a Nicotine dose.

As opposed to many Vapes and E-Cigs that come in different flavours and formats, the approach is more medical. It is not so much a recreational device but a tool to quit Smoking.

Who makes it

It was given a medicinal licence by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in 2014.

Initially British American Tobacco (BAT) was credited as the main owners, but is now owned by Kind Consumer.

Public Health England states the company has “no current links with the tobacco industry”.

BAT ended their stake in 2017, focussing instead on vapour and heated tobacco products.

They returned the distribution rights to patent holder Kind Consumer.

Kind Consumer was founded in 2006 by Alex Hearn, a British inventor and entrepreneur based in London.

What is it for?

It is a no frills cigarette replacement with a measured Nicotine dose. It is intended as part of a therapy to quit smoking.

E cigarette health reviews have at times pointed to these types of inhalers being a healthier option.

Who is it best for?

The voke cigarette is a Nicotine inhaler UK made that is best for adults who are addicted to Nicotine and smoking cigarettes, who are serious about quitting.

Voke prices

It was available on the website for 11.99 GBP including delivery. If production continues, the product will most likely stay in this price range.

Where can I buy voke

The £11.99 device was available on prescription to NHS patients – patients could buy the product on the Voke website.

Currently not like Amazon ecig products it is a little hard to get your hands on this one.

Can I get voke on prescription?

Can you get a voke inhaler on prescription?

Until the product is placed back on the market, currently prescriptions are being given in the form of other Nicotine replacement therapy products such as:

• skin patches
• chewing gum (check out our review on this)
• Other inhalators that look like plastic cigarettes
• tablets, oral strips & lozenges
• nasal & mouth spray

Is voke safe?

The fact that the voke e cigarette product was given a medicinal license in the UK indicates that stringent safety tests were carried out.

It is safer that many e-cigarettes, Vapes and other forms of inhalers.

Medical efficacy of voke

An NHS study, amongst others carried out shows positive signs.

Clinical findings conclude the Voke inhaler may have a greater acceptability and efficacy relative to currently available NRT (nicotine Replacement therapy) products.

Commercially available forms of NRT increase the rate of long-term quitting by approximately 50% to 60% in patients who are motivated to quit.

Is voke an electronic cigarette?

It is actually not an e-cigarette and has no electronics, but works rather on pressured gas. It has no batteries, and does not produce any heat or vapour.

Voke Vs vaping

It is a great stop smoking inhaler. Yet it is not a Vape.

Typically vaporizers or vapes produce clouds of sweet smelling smoke which this inhaler does not.

Vapes also come in all kinds of different flavours.

Is smoking haram? While the Qu’ran does not outright prohibit smoking, it does discuss not throwing yourself into danger at your own hands.

Knowing what we know now about smoking, it could be argued that smoking is haram. Read on to find out more and what the alternatives are.

What does Haram mean?

Haram is an Arabic term meaning forbidden.

Haraam is all that is prohibited in the Qur’ran or would result in sin if done by a Muslim.

For instante adultery, murder or money obtained by cheating or stealing.

What Isn’t Haram?

Halal is an Arabic word that translates as “permissible or lawful” in English. In the Quran, the word halal is the opposite of haram.

This binary opposition elaborates into a more complex classification, “the five decisions”: mandatory, recommended, neutral, reprehensible and forbidden. 

Is Smoking Haram either falls under reprehensible or forbidden.

How Is Something Haram?

Haram refers to: Actions, such as cursing, fornication, murder, and disrespecting your parents.

Policies, such as riba (usury, interest). Certain food and drink, such as pork and alcohol.

Things that are Haram may be mentioned in the Qu’ran or if not debated by religious scholars.

Is smoking in the Qu’ran?

The answer to the question “Can Muslims smoke?” is often posed by those who want to comply with their religious traditions.

Is smoking nicotine Haram? Is smoking allowed in Ramadan? Let’s see what the Qu’ran has to say about this.

The Qur’ān does not prohibit or denounce smoking specifically, but refers to certain patterns of good behaviour: “Don’t throw yourself into danger by your own hands…” (Al Baqarah 2:195)

There are many Muslims who still smoke, but a recent fatwa ruling now clearly points to smoking as a health risk, thus making it prohibited for members of Islam.

Intoxicants are forbidden in Islam. For some smoking a cigarette falls just short of this categorical ban, yet in modern times most muslims are concurring that it is Haram.

Are Muslims Allowed To Smoke?

Due to the harm created by abusing tobacco, growing, trading in and smoking of tobacco are considered to be haram (forbidden).

Islamic Ruling On Smoking

Is Smoking Haram? Religious leaders generally judge smoking as haram because it is costly and considered a forbidden extravagance, in addition to its offensive smell.

The Reason Why Smoking Is Haram

Cleanliness is encouraged as part of Islam and no one is permitted to smoke in or near a Mosque. Smoking creates a breath that smells unclean.

What Is A Tobacco Fatwa?

A tobacco fatwa is a fatwa (Islamic law) that restricts the use of tobacco by Muslims. All present day decisions condemn smoking as conceivably unsafe and/or disallow (haram) smoking outright because of the extreme harm to your wellbeing that it causes.

Is smoking allowed in Ramadan?

Ramadan is the holiest month of the year in the Islamic calendar when Muslims observe a period of fasting during daylight hours.

Traditionallly this fast extends to abstaining from smoking and using other tobacco products such as Shisha.

This would make it the perfect time to quit smoking for a practising muslim. If you haven’t already taken a look, our 7 step guide may be helpful:

• 7 Tips To Quit Smoking

Is Smoking Cigarettes Haram?

After getting all the information, it seems obvious that yes out of all the forms of Smoking, smoking cigarettes is considered Haram.

Is Vaping Haram?

Vaping is a great alternative to smoking cigarettes and a great choice on your path to quit Smoking all together. It is most definitely less Haram than Smoking cigarettes.

Are Nicotine Patches Haram?

Nicotine patches still contain a harmful substance which is Nicotine, so would still constitute as Haram.

Is Smoking Haram Conclusions

The Muslim tradition has often been misinterpreted around the world and has some true jewels of wisdom for everybody.

Quotes from the Qu’ran such as “Kindness is a mark of faith, and whoever has not kindness has not faith.”

“Four things support the world: the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the good, and the valor of the brave.”

… And many more truly point to a text that is worth taking seriously.

Many will ask “Can Muslims listen to music?”
“Can Muslims get tattoos?” as there are so many implications on how to interpret the sacred text.

People from other religions may ask “Is smoking forbidden in the Bible?”, for instance.

Is smoking Haram? Whether it be in the Qu’ran or other sacred texts when it comes to smoking, we can easily accept that it is something that must be avoided, and there are many resources available for you to quit today.

Finally decided to quit smoking? Here are 7 Tips To STOP SMOKING that will help you succeed!

1. Start One Day At A Time

Do not to consider the time it will require for you to end this habit. Remain present, in the moment, each second in turn.

Any time you begin to feel overpowered, take your consideration back to your breathing, and perceive exactly how long you’ve spent that day not smoking.

Breathwork is a wonderful solution and all you need to do is breathe deep and calmly. Any time you feel anxious just breathe.

Check whether you’re ready to add one more moment to that, and afterward another. Before long you’ll get occupied by something different, and it’ll be an extraordinary revelation to see that you’ve gone through the whole day without smoking.

2. Stay clear from smokers

Out of the 7 Tips To Stop Smoking, this one may be the most troublesome.  Particularly if your group of friends generally contains individuals who smoke, or if the exercises you take an interest in consistently empower smoking.

You have several options. Take a break from seeing friends and activities that will conduce to Smoking. Once you feel confident in your new non-smoker identity you may see them again.

If there is no choice but to continue with those activities and friends, repeat out loud as many times as needed to all that need to head it, including yourself, that you are a non-smoker.

Some friends might try and tempt you or ridicule you. Be strong and again breathe deep. Remember why you are quitting and how bad even one cigarette will make you feel.

Remember who disappointed you will be if you do give in and smoke, and how proud you will feel of yourself if you do resist the urge.

When offered, take a quick moment, breathe, and remember to say no.

3. 7 tips to stop smoking: Clear all Smoking Triggers

A smoking trigger is anything your brain has associated with smoking. Everybody’s smoking triggers can be extraordinarily different. Your smoking trigger might be the smell of tobacco smoke, your morning espresso, or recognizing an ashtray. It may be drinking a beer, any daily ritual you have or thinking about a particular friend.

Remove tobacco from the house, yard, and vehicle. Make sure that those family or those you live with cooperating in getting cigarettes, ashtrays, and lighters out of the house. Eliminate whatever helps you to remember smoking at a subconscious level.

Remember we are creatures of habit. Habits which are unusually wired in the brain.

If you live with a smoker in your household, have a talk with them so that they may at least hide their habit from you. Make them smoke outside or try and set some boundaries. If necessary do not use the same room they occupy.

4. Understand Why You Crave Cigarettes

If you are a smoker and have attempted to stop previously, you may feel regretful at this point.

There may be unresolved childhood traumas, or other current problems in your life that may channel themselves into your need to smoke.

First work on these, discover what they are. Reconnect to nature, this is a good way to meditate on how to resolve your issues.

Again deep breathing will help. There are many therapies available as well as going through your own natural process of understanding.

5. Get physically active.

7 Tips to Stop Smoking includes joining a sports group or dance. Work out at the gym or start running. Start doing jumping jacks or swim. Yoga, dance anything that will move your body. Stand up and pace. Start walking.

Once you build a routing based upon a healthy lifestyle you will feel less of an urge to smoke. You will start to make healthier eating choices as well. Mindfulness in your thoughts and actions.

6. Attempt Nicotine Replacements

Nicotine substitutions are medications that decrease an individual’s hankering for smoking. Nicotine substitution medicines (NRT) incorporate nicotine gum, patches, inhalers/vaporizers and capsules.

The substitution treatment works by placing nicotine in your framework without the buzz that accompanies smoking. Nicotine substitution treatment doesn’t give a similar sensation as a cigarette. Be that as it may, the medicines flexibly enough nicotine to end withdrawal manifestations.

Chances for progress are higher for the individuals who use a quit smoking guide to go smoke free.

7. Get Support or Counseling

One approach to managing the pressure of stopping – and increment the chances that you’ll stop for good – is to think about seeking help in friends, family or healing therapists. Healing gatherings or individual practitioners. Seek medical assistance if necessary.

Conclusions on 7 Tips To Stop Smoking

So ultimately what is the most effective way to stop smoking? What can I replace smoking with? What are some more tips for quitting tobacco? How long does it take to stop craving smoking?

Still many questions to be answered – so where next?
NHS England lists many useful places near you to begin your next steps to harm reduction:

NHS UK – Quit Smoking

The Dangers of Smoking include disease and disability that can harm every organ of the body.

Health Effects | Dangers of Smoking

More than 16 million Americans are living with a disease caused by smoking. For every person who dies because of of the dangers of smoking, at least 30 people live with a serious smoking-related illness.

Some of the dangers of Smoking include leading to cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung diseases, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Smoking also increases risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis.

Secondhand smoke exposure contributes to approximately 41,000 deaths among nonsmoking adults and 400 deaths in infants each year. Secondhand smoke causes stroke, lung cancer, and coronary heart disease in adults. Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke are at increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infections, middle ear disease, more severe asthma, respiratory symptoms, and slowed lung growth.

Health Effects Of Cigarette Smoking

Estimates show smoking increases the risk: For coronary heart disease by 2 to 4 times For stroke by 2 to 4 times Of men developing lung cancer by 25 times.

Cigarette smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causes many diseases, and reduces the health of smokers in general.

Quitting smoking lowers your risk from the dangers of smoking-related diseases and can add years to your life.

Smoking and Death

Cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. The dangers of smoking are generally well known, although there still exists misinformation and in some parts of the world, no education to the risks

• Cigarette smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths each year in the United States. This is nearly one in five deaths.
• Smoking causes more deaths each year than the following causes combined:
  • Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
  • Illegal drug use
  • Alcohol use
  • Motor vehicle injuries
  • Firearm-related incidents

• More than 10 times as many U.S. citizens have died prematurely from cigarette smoking than have died in all the wars fought by the United States.
• Smoking causes about 90% (or 9 out of 10) of all lung cancer deaths. More women die from lung cancer each year than from breast cancer.
• Smoking causes about 80% (or 8 out of 10) of all deaths from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Cigarette smoking increases risk for death from all causes in men and women.
• The risk of dying from cigarette smoking has increased over the last 50 years in the U.S.

Smoking and Increased Health Risks

Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to develop heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer.

• Estimates show smoking increases the risk:
  • For coronary heart disease by 2 to 4 times
  • For stroke by 2 to 4 times
  • Of men developing lung cancer by 25 times
  • Of women developing lung cancer by 25.7 times
• Smoking causes diminished overall health, increased absenteeism from work, and increased health care utilization and cost.

Smoking and Cardiovascular Disease

Smokers are at greater risk for diseases that affect the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular disease).

• Smoking causes stroke and coronary heart disease, which are among the leading causes of death in the United States.
• Even people who smoke fewer than five cigarettes a day can have early signs of cardiovascular disease.
• Smoking damages blood vessels and can make them thicken and grow narrower. This makes your heart beat faster and your blood pressure go up. Clots can also form.
• A stroke occurs when:
  • A clot blocks the blood flow to part of your brain;
  • A blood vessel in or around your brain bursts.
• Blockages caused by smoking can also reduce blood flow to your legs and skin.

Smoking and Respiratory Disease

Smoking can cause lung disease by damaging your airways and the small air sacs (alveoli) found in your lungs.

• Lung diseases caused by smoking include COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
• Cigarette smoking causes most cases of lung cancer.
• If you have asthma, tobacco smoke can trigger an attack or make an attack worse.
• Smokers are 12 to 13 times more likely to die from COPD than nonsmokers.

Smoking and Cancer

Smoking can cause cancer almost anywhere in your body:

• Bladder
• Blood (acute myeloid leukemia)
• Cervix
• Colon and rectum (colorectal)
• Esophagus
• Kidney and ureter
• Larynx
• Liver
• Oropharynx (includes parts of the throat, tongue, soft palate, and the tonsils)
• Pancreas
• Stomach
• Trachea, bronchus, and lung

Smoking also increases the risk of dying from cancer and other diseases in cancer patients and survivors.

If nobody smoked, one of every three cancer deaths in the United States would not happen.

Smoking and Other Health Risks

Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body and affects a person’s overall health.

• Smoking can make it harder for a woman to become pregnant. It can also affect her baby’s health before and after birth. Smoking increases risks for:
  • Preterm (early) delivery
  • Stillbirth (death of the baby before birth)
  • Low birth weight
  • Sudden infant death syndrome (known as SIDS or crib death)
  • Ectopic pregnancy
  • Orofacial clefts in infants

• Smoking can also affect men’s sperm, which can reduce fertility and also increase risks for birth defects and miscarriage.
• Smoking can affect bone health.
  • Women past childbearing years who smoke have weaker bones than women who never smoked. They are also at greater risk for broken bones.
• Smoking affects the health of your teeth and gums and can cause tooth loss.
• Smoking can increase your risk for cataracts (clouding of the eye’s lens that makes it hard for you to see). It can also cause age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is damage to a small spot near the center of the retina, the part of the eye needed for central vision.
• Smoking is a cause of type 2 diabetes mellitus and can make it harder to control. The risk of developing diabetes is 30–40% higher for active smokers than nonsmokers.
• Smoking causes general adverse effects on the body, including inflammation and decreased immune function.
• Smoking is a cause of rheumatoid arthritis.

Quitting and Reduced Risks

• Quitting smoking cuts cardiovascular risks. Just 1 year after quitting smoking, your risk for a heart attack drops sharply.
• Within 2 to 5 years after quitting smoking, your risk for stroke may reduce to about that of a nonsmoker’s.
• If you quit smoking, your risks for cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder drop by half within 5 years.
• Ten years after you quit smoking, your risk for dying from lung cancer drops by half.

Where next?

If you are looking for some suggested methods to go smoke free, then check out some of our guides below:

• Best Vape Pens
• Yoga to Quit
• History of Smoking

TL;DR – Maybe you want to try another way to stop the cigarette life from destroying your health – ever considered using yoga to help quit smoking? Well, in studies yoga has shown promise as a complementary aid to quit cigarettes.

Want to use yoga to help quit smoking?

Quitting smoking is indeed a tough decision because sometimes, just stopping smoking is not enough. Most smokers suffer from nicotine withdrawal symptoms after stopping. Craving for nicotine? No, that’s not the only thing. Headache, anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc. smoking withdrawal symptoms drive people crazy. That’s the reason why people seek help to quit smoking.

• Where Next? NHS Guide to Yoga?

First up, what’s Yoga?

According to Wiki, yoga is described as:

Yoga in the Western world often denotes a modern form of hatha yoga and yoga as exercise, consisting largely of the postures or asanas.

Wikipedia.org

Now, if we talk about yoga and asana, it’s not as hard as it looks. If you can start yoga every day at a particular point in time, you can easily replace your smoking habits with meditation. According to a few studies, yoga not only helps to quit smoking but also any other bad habits.

A few ways Yoga helps to cope up with bad habits

1. Most people recommend practicing yoga or asanas in the morning because yoga helps to reduce stress, and it works perfectly when it is done in a beautiful morning vibe.
2. Have you heard of endorphin and dopamine? These horrors help humans to feel good. Yoga triggers these two and does the job.
3. You will see while practicing yoga in the right way; positive circumstances automatically create all around you. It helps a lot to eliminate toxins.
4. Yoga gives people the clarity of mind and increases prefrontal levels in the brain. It helps to make decisions correctly.
5. Yoga is indeed a fresh start of a new day. It provides you with energy and stamina that stays with you for the rest of the day.

Yoga is a long term process. You can’t feel changes from the first day, but if you do yoga every day, you will be able to witness the transformation. You will feel so good that thoughts of smoking will not even come to your mind.

Nicotine craving and yoga

A smoker is habituated to inhaling nicotine more than one time in a day. That is why their body is habituated to this behavior which means nicotine dependency. The nicotine craving is your body’s reaction when you stop taking nicotine suddenly. And these cravings are responsible for why a smoker cannot stop themselves from having another cigarette. Thus dealing with nicotine craving is the hardest part of a quit smoking journey.

Yoga helps to subtle your emotions, calm your mind, and provides you with the ability to control your actions. With the help of regular yoga, you will be able to listen to your body and make decisions accordingly. For example, when the nicotine craving becomes strong, deep breathing exercises can help you to cope up.

The decision to quit smoking requires a lot of mind control. If you cannot keep your mind calm and control nicotine cravings, you cannot quit smoking. So you see, quitting smoking is not only your physical fight but also an emotion. This is exactly where yoga needs to enter the picture. Regular yoga practice helps to cope with emotional stress and thus helps you with anxiety, depression, etc. after effects.

Smoking is injurious to health; you may have heard these warnings thousands of times but anyhow ignored it. But now, when you have decided to quit smoking, you need to concentrate on the harms that smoking brings to your body—for example, lung health. Due to smoking, your lungs are seriously affected.  Practising yoga not only helps you with the nicotine craving but also improves your lungs’ functioning capacity.

Tips for quitting smoking with yoga

Do more breathing exercises or pranayama. It will not only improve your lungs but also reduce your mental stress and toxins from your body.

Meditate whenever you crave nicotine. It will calm your brain down, and your bad habit will be replaced with a new one.

Come up with a new motto for your life, in the language of yoga that is called a mantra. This will help you to stick your focus on the positive things, and along with that, it will continuously provide you with a positive vibe.

Do not only concentrate on your lungs and mind. Choose your asanas according to your lifestyle. Choose the postures that can improve your daily habits and routine. Yoga is a long term process. You need to be patient.

For some people, yoga may not be the only solution. In order to make nicotine history, it’s okay if you feel the need for something more. Try to consult a psychologist, try nicotine replacement therapies; do whatever you feel is right for you.

 But here’s the catch, nothing will work if it is not done perfectly. For example, you can not just pick one yoga posture or one NRT product. Always consult with your doctor or physiotherapist before making any decision.

Give it up for the Yogi Life

• Healthline’s Ridiculously Good Guide to Starting Yoga

There are absolutely no side effects of yoga. No matter what posture you choose for yourself, in what way or another it will improve your health. But quitting smoking is an arduous journey. This is not the time for any experimentation. That’s why, in this situation, choosing the perfect yoga asanas is very crucial. But it’s not that hard too. Just be patient and go ahead.

Champix Tablets – A treatment to get rid of smoking?

Quitting smoking may be hard, but it’s possible when you have the right product. In recent years various products are developed which help people to stop smoking. Champix or Varenicline is one of them developed to help those people who want to quit smoke. In the below contents, we are trying to learn more things related to Champix, such as its dosage, pros, and cons, etc.

How Champix works in a human body?

Champix belongs to medication therapy, which is known as smoking cessation. It is used especially for those people who are trying hard to quit their smoking habits. Most of the counselling experts suggest this medication to people. Mostly it works on the human brain to reduce the cravings of cigarettes. When you consume these medications, then it decreases the pleasure that people get from smoking. 

This medication is available in the market under multiple brands. All the brands of these medications are approved for the treatment of various conditions, which you will learn in further sections. According to the experts, try to avoid the consumption of this medication without a prescription. Before consuming it, visit a doctor and discuss your issues with them; otherwise, it may be harmful to you. 

Dosage of Champix tablet which a person should take in a day

If you start consuming this medication for the first time, then 0.5 mg will be the best for you. Take 0.5 mg of Champix tablet once in a day for the first three days, then slightly increase the amount. It is a 12-week course of tablets which you have to take as per your need. The maximum amount in which you can consume this medication is up to 1 mg twice a day. You can take this medicine after your lunch or dinner. Many things may affect the dosage of medication. 

The dose of the Champix tablet depending upon the people’s body weight and their medical conditions. Try not to take this medication without consulting your doctor. Try to consume this on a regular schedule without skipping. Don’t take double or triple dosage to balance the missed dose. Store it in a cool and dry place and also do some research about the dispose of medication. 

Who are not suitable to consume Champix?

Champix is considered as a safe medication for most of the people, but it may be dangerous or harmful for the people who are counted in one of the below conditions:

1. A person who is below 18 should not consume this.
2. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding can’t use this medicine.
3. It is suggested that the people who are suffering from kidney issues and certain mental health problems should not use this.

Visit a doctor and take proper suggestions before taking Champix to quit smoking.

Is Champix works like a nicotine replacement therapy?

Well, yes, Champix works as a smoking cessation therapy when the nicotine replacement therapy like transdermal patches have been unsuccessful. People who use both therapies at the same time may face some serious health effects, which we will discuss later.

Some problems which you may face while taking this medicine

1. Alcohol: 

The regular use of alcohol while using Champix may affect or increase mood disorders or behavioral change.

2. Allergic reaction: 

In some cases, people may suffer from some allergic reactions. In rare cases, it may affect create allergies on your skin. You may suffer from skin rashes, swollen face, skin color change, or breathing difficulties. 

3.  Cardiovascular disease: 

It may increase cardiovascular disease risk if you use this tablet for a high amount. If you are already suffering through heart disease or high blood pressure, you should discuss Champix’s dosage with your doctor.

4. Diabetes: 

After taking Champix for a long period of time, you may notice the changes in your blood sugar level. As you read earlier that it removes the nicotine from your body. So before taking this, consult with your doctor and ask about any special monitoring is needed.

5. Mental health problems: 

If you have any type of mental health issues such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, etc., then you should visit a doctor before taking this medication. In some cases, people may feel mood changes or aggressiveness after regular use of this. If you also experience such changes in your health, then stop using this medication and visit a doctor as soon as possible. 

Well, it is not compulsory for everyone; a rare number of people experienced such things, but most of the people find this beneficial.

Conclusion

If you are also looking to take this medication after an unsuccessful nicotine replacement therapy, then visit a doctor. Consult from your doctor about the dosage and share your health issues if you have any. After doing all these things, you can take this medication if your doctor prescribes it.

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