"vaccine" to help quit smoking

[rowan]

I saw this in CNN today and thought it was interesting. I put "vaccine" in quotes because though it uses the same mechanisms as a vaccine (creating antibodies which latch onto things) I'm not entirely sure that it's the right word. I mean, vaccines are for viruses and stuff, not random chemicals. But then I don't know what the right word is...

Here's the story:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/09/an ... index.html

The gist of it is that when you inhale smoke, apparently the nicotine is absorbed & transported pretty fast (leading to the quick fix smoker's high, which helps with addiction). The vaccine causes the body to make antibodies, which instead latch onto the nicotine, so it never gets to the brain. Since you don't get the high, then, it helps to break the addiction part.

Mostly I think it's just a really interesting approach to the problem. I never would have thought you could make antibodies for a random chemical... though in hindsight I'm not sure why not. I know lots of people who would love to quit but have a hard time long-term. Maybe something like this would help...

[katrinioso]

The vaccine causes the body to make antibodies, which instead latch onto the nicotine, so it never gets to the brain. Since you don't get the high, then, it helps to break the addiction part.

See, I would think that this would cause some people to smoke MORE because if one cigarette won't give you your fix, you'd just try to keep smoking until you got it. Maybe that's just me . I guess if you were really trying to quit, then that would be a good thing. Very interesting.

[rowan]

You might smoke a whole bunch at first, maybe? But if it never gives you the high, I imagine you'd stop. I mean, it's a pretty expensive thing to do, if you're not gonna get anything out of it. But yeah, I think people wouldn't get it if they didn't really actually want to quit. It'll be interesting to see how it plays out.

[Aum]

That's gotta be confusing for the person trying to quit. They expect the chemical rush but don't get it. Wouldn't they just suffer horrendous cravings that they have no choice but to deal with?

[Mordak]

There's already medications that do that anyway. I think a "vaccine" is unnecessary.

[ducknuckem]

Breaking the addiction is actually very easy and doesn't take long at all.

Breaking the habit is very, very difficult.

[Barkey]

I'm currently battling to quit smoking, and my E-cigarette just came in about 2 hours ago. I can't wait to charge this puppy and try it. I can't say that I'm really trying to quit because I don't want to as it is too expensive. 6 bucks and some change for a pack of smokes is highway robbery, if I go to the base exchange I get a pack for 3-something since it's tax free. We should have a law that states an item can only be taxed for less than 50/40/30 percent of it's value or somesuch... Paying double the retail price because of a luxury tax is moronic.

With the E-cig, however, I will save hundreds a month and I can piss off tons of californians by smoking inside since it's legal to do with the E-cig! Oh the fun I shall have.. It also has about 1500 less carcinogens seeing as it's just a liquid form of nicotine that is atomized into water vapor.

[Mordak]

Let me know how the E-cig goes, I'd like to try it but it's banned in Australia.

[Barkey]

Let me know how the E-cig goes, I'd like to try it but it's banned in Australia.

They tried to ban it in Cali but Arnold veto'd it. There's nothing WRONG with the e-cig, it's just they don't want to miss out on all that sweet smoker taxation that is equivalent to rape.

[Tookie]

^Or, you know, to make up for the fact that smokers put an unnecessary burden on the health care system. All that nasty lung cancer and lymphoma and such. Also I (and other forumites I'm sure) would appreciate it if you didn't use the word rape so lightly, as it is not something to be taken lightly at all.

I have to wonder about the habit part of it as well. Here, smoking is a big social thing - I regularly have to remind myself that it's really terrible for you, because probably about 80% of my friends smoke and they make it look so fucking cool.

Before I moved here, I used to think it was awful and disgusting, but it really depends on the social setting. I imagine that quitting would be 90850938242 times harder if all of your friends smoked, and so even if there was no physical pleasure from smoking, there would be a huge emotional and psychological association.

[rowan]

You definitely shouldn't use rape in such a way, taxation is NOTHING like rape.

Social pressures are definitely an issue, and there is an increase (!?) in smoking on college campuses. However, the addiction is real, and it is NOT "easily broken" for many, many people.

[Sonic#]

As a nonsmoker, the e-cig actually sounds pretty good, and I've found myself thinking before that it might be nice to try out, since it doesn't involve inhalation at all, is inexpensive, can be flavored, etc.. Which is perhaps counterintuitive, since it's supposed to make you stop smoking, but... it arouses the techie in me.

[Barkey]

The E-cig is... different. I'm at work right now and I've had this thing fired up for a few hours now. The smoke is very light, so I have to get used to not feeling it in my lungs when I inhale. There is absolutely ZERO smell, I just put tons of water vapor smoke rings into the air and my partner can't smell a thing. Instead of that nasty taste that stays in your mouth, my breath smells like I've been sucking on a magnet or drinking distilled water, it's a really neutral smell. The flavoring is very mild.. Not intense at all unfortunately, but it's an interesting toy. For the nonsmokers who are curious about trying it, they have it in a 0 nicotine doseage too so it's just flavor and vapor.

Pro's:
No cancer, no tar.
Taste Buds are regenerating.
Smell is coming back.
Makes cigarettes seem utterly vile when you smell them because you already have your nic fix and your senses aren't dulled by the tobacco smoking.
No scent at all.
Multiple flavors, about as many and more as regular smokes, chocolate is delicious.
CHEAP as all hell. Especially when they want to charge me 6.50 a pack now, that's robbery.
No yellowing of teeth.
Doesn't do any sort of harm to your lungs.

Cons:
Weaker flavor
Battery Powered
Breakable
Not as easy to buy reloads as it is to head to a gas station for smokes
Nicotine addiction is still present

[ducknuckem]

I've always liked the smell of cigarettes. Reminds me of bushfires.

[cwbyrvr]

I like the smell of it and sometimes wish I still smoked, but have no plans to smoke again. Mostly because my boyfriend wouldn't like it much if I did, haha.

[ALucidThought]

As a smoker for many years, I enjoy the smell of smoke, for some odd reason. I can't see the E-cigarette doing much for me. Even though cigarettes are expensive, by signing up online with Camel I have gotten many coupons, which makes smoking more affordable.
But even though I enjoy it, quitting is next to impossible. This vaccine won't help someone like me, who enjoys the taste and smell. Also, I chain smoke as it is, so if it is not giving me my fix, this will just piss me off.

[rowan]

Taste Buds are regenerating.

heh, I had a friend who quit, and then he made his famous chili a while later... when he ate it, tears and sweat streaming down his face. He was like "Damn, this is HOT!" and his family looked at him with odd expressions and said "It's always this hot..."