Was there ever a time?

[El Presidente]

Have cigars always been smoked the same way?

This was a question that came up when John S and I were having a chat yesterday. 

Was there ever a time where it was the norm for hand rolled cigars to be inhaled as opposed to todays norm where they are not?

[NSXCIGAR]

From Holt's history of smoking: https://www.holts.com/clubhouse/cigar-culture/history-of-smoking 

Early on, cigarettes, like cigars today, were not inhaled. Only when the tobacco was blended and became milder did smokers begin to inhale cigarette smoke.

So that would suggest cigars have typically never been inhaled. 

[Bijan]

I've heard it said that cigars don't "need" to be inhaled due to the alkaline PH of the smoke and cigarettes "need "to be inhaled due to the acidic PH of the smoke. In the case of cigars nicotine is absorbed through the mouth and gums, but with cigarettes that can only really happen in the lungs.

[El Presidente]

8 minutes ago, NSXCIGAR said:

From Holt's history of smoking: https://www.holts.com/clubhouse/cigar-culture/history-of-smoking 

Early on, cigarettes, like cigars today, were not inhaled. Only when the tobacco was blended and became milder did smokers begin to inhale cigarette smoke.

So that would suggest cigars have typically never been inhaled. 

That's interesting. 

Looking at the emphasis on cigar marketing as "mild" from effectively the 40''s, I wondered. 

[Bijan]

37 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

That's interesting. 

Looking at the emphasis on cigar marketing as "mild" from effectively the 40''s, I wondered. 

Might be the reverse then. Cigars originally not inhaled, but then cigarette smokers going to cigars, and inhaling when smoking cigars. That's pretty much the pattern I've seen to this day.

Edit: Would also explain all those CIA "and you don't need to inhale to enjoy them" messages in every single one of their ads.

[La_Tigre]

Nicotine content is just not there in cigarettes for effective buccal absorption. Modern cigarettes are engineered to the delivery of an instant “hit” via absorption in the lung alveoli. Buccal absorption from a cigar is slower and requires more nicotine for effect and is absorbed into the saliva. A “never smoker” is far less likely, unlikely even, to inhale cigar smoke than a previously inhaling cigarette smoker. Try inhaling a cigar and see how quickly you turn green... 🤕 

[Hammer Smokin']

I inhale big bongs...Cheech and Chong style. No issues. If I mistakenly inhale a cigar, even the slightest bit, I turn green.

 

[Enduin]

I remember reading of native ceremonies in Central/South America that involved the shaman blowing tobacco smoke from rolled tobacco leaves on a person to purify him. So that makes me think about inhaling the smoke. Then I think about the fact that those shamans were using nicotiana rustica as their tobacco (which contains several times more nicotine than our kind of tobacco), and I cannot comprehend how they could inhale it so I think they must have not inhaled it.... That's when I remember that those are the same kind of people who get stung by dozens of bullet ants on purpose as an initiation ritual, and realize that they are at such a level of badass that inhaling any kind of crazy cigar smoke must be like eating a piece of cake. 

[Bijan]

3 minutes ago, Enduin said:

I remember reading of native ceremonies in Central/South America that involved the shaman blowing tobacco smoke from rolled tobacco leaves on a person to purify him. So that makes me think about inhaling the smoke. Then I think about the fact that those shamans were using nicotiana rustica as their tobacco (which contains several times more nicotine than our kind of tobacco), and I cannot comprehend how they could inhale it so I think they must have not inhaled it.... That's when I remember that those are the same kind of people who get stung by dozens of bullet ants on purpose as an initiation ritual, and realize that they are at such a level of badass that inhaling any kind of crazy cigar smoke must be like eating a piece of cake. 

Western "medicine" in the 18th century used to use tobacco smoke enemas as a cure-all, and this was inspired by such rituals.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco_smoke_enema

[mprach024]

Wait.....you guys don’t inhale?

[Bijan]

1 minute ago, mprach024 said:

Wait.....you guys don’t inhale?

Not sure if you're serious.

But literally every ex-cigarette smoker: Right, yeah, I mean I only inhale a little, but like how can you not inhale? I mean it's just automatic, you do it without even thinking.

Literally every non-cigarette smoker: inhales at any point and turns green.

[mprach024]

2 minutes ago, Bijan said:

Not sure if you're serious.

But literally every ex-cigarette smoker: Right, yeah, I mean I only inhale a little, but like how can you not inhale? I mean it's just automatic, you do it without even thinking.

Literally every non-cigarette smoker: inhales at any point and turns green.

Lol half joking.  I know most dont.  I inhale frequently, haven’t turned green since I was 20

[Bijan]

1 minute ago, mprach024 said:

Lol half joking.  I know most dont.  I inhale frequently, haven’t turned green since I was 20

It's just as @La_Tigre said though, never cigarette smokers are really unlikely to inhale. I can barely inhale a cigarette. I'm sure being a regular smoker at some point in life builds up a solid tolerance. And I'm not kidding it seems every ex-cigarette smoker I've smoked a cigar with inhaled at least to some extent.

[LLC]

I would never think to inhale a cigar and if I’m talking to people that just assume like cigarettes you would inhale and are surprised that you don’t, I just say there are no taste buds in your lungs.


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[Enduin]

"There are no tastebuds in your lungs". LOL love it! 

[Edicion]

I personally don't retrohale either, I do see many do that. Maybe that is also a 'habit' of ex-cigarette smokers?😤

[Bijan]

1 minute ago, Edicion said:

I personally don't retrohale either, I do see many do that. Maybe that is also a 'habit' of ex-cigarette smokers?😤

I retrohale and never really smoked cigarettes, probably less than a pack in my lifetime. I get a lot of flavours that way.

I mean even if you don't you'll still get the flavours the same way. I mean we don't retrohale food or wine but most of the flavours come from odors going through that same path to the nose. So even if you don't retrohale, same thing is probably going on just in a weaker form.

[MPS]

Mons would inhale his cigars. I can only imagine how I would feel after inhaling an entire Monsdale. 

[Mrcpt]

21 minutes ago, Edicion said:

I personally don't retrohale either, I do see many do that. Maybe that is also a 'habit' of ex-cigarette smokers?😤

I quit smoking cigarettes about eight years. Tbh I think retrohaling is harder for former cigarette smokers because we’re used to blowing smoke through our nostrils out of our lungs. I spent the better part of the last year trying to figure out how to retrohale without actually taking smoke into my lungs.. one day it just clicked, but it was a big learning curve. 

[Meesterjojo]

Where I'm from the young folks consider it a point of pride to inhale. Of course they also chaw, and love American snuff which is like snorting samdpaper.

[Edicion]

2 hours ago, Bijan said:

I retrohale and never really smoked cigarettes, probably less than a pack in my lifetime. I get a lot of flavours that way.

I mean even if you don't you'll still get the flavours the same way. I mean we don't retrohale food or wine but most of the flavours come from odors going through that same path to the nose. So even if you don't retrohale, same thing is probably going on just in a weaker form.

Yeah I know what you mean. Smoking a cigar with a blocked nose is a waste of precious tobacco. I also see people wave the smoke towards their face and smell it to get a more intense experience too. I have mainly smoked in lounges where there's cigar smoke everywhere - definitely get's in your nose - retrohaling or not!

[Habana Mike]

Worst thing when sitting in a lounge or cigar bar and someone lights up a flavored cigar or clove cigarette. Ruins the taste and experience of everyone else around them!

[teamrandr]

19 hours ago, Edicion said:

I personally don't retrohale either, I do see many do that. Maybe that is also a 'habit' of ex-cigarette smokers?😤

If you aren't retrohaling you are missing out......