Random questions frequently asked by novice smokers and aspiring cigar connoisseurs
I smoked a cigar last week that may have been too strong for me, and it made me sick as a dog - made me nauseous, lightheaded, and dizzy. How can I prevent this from happening again?
For as long as I've been smoking cigars, I've only be afflicted with cigar sickness ONCE - I'll never forget that evening. It was about 16-17 years ago during basketball season, and my cousin and I decided to enjoy a smoke before watching the Knicks game. I had a Cohiba Esplendido (Habano) and smoked it to a nub. But while watching the game, I got sweaty, lightheaded, felt like the room was spinning, and my stomach was turning like crazy - I felt buzzed and it was absolutely horrible. I couldn't enjoy the game at all.
Anecdotally, sugar will help make you feel better and recover from cigar sickness. Taking 1-2 packets of sugar, placing the sugar on the back of the tongue and letting it sit for a few minutes, followed by drinking a glass of water will help alleviate the symptoms. Sucking on a sugar cube or a piece of candy may help as well. To avoid the cigar blues, here are a few words of advice:
Don't inhale while smoking cigars - well, you shouldn't be doing that anyway..cigars are not intended to be inhaled!
Don't smoke on an empty stomach - eating before smoking, or drinking a beverage while smoking, may reduce the chance of you getting sick.
Don't draw too hard on the cigar. Ever get dizzy and lightheaded from blowing up balloons without taking proper breaths? Same phenomenon...
Don't smoke the cigar too fast - most recommend taking puffs at 1-minute intervals, at a minimum.
If you are a novice or inexperienced smoker, suggest that you smoke milder strength cigars - consult your local tobacconist for advice and recommendations before selecting cigars.
As it turned out, my one bad experience was due to smoking that Habano on an empty stomach. If you are relatively new to cigars, do not let the potential of sickness deter you from cigar bliss - it is a rare occurrence, and becomes an even more remote possibility as you become a more experienced smoker. I've smoked full-strength cigars like Camacho Triple Maduro, Joya de Nicaragua Antano Dark Corojo, and La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Maduro on an empty stomach on my way to the office - my gut is cast iron baby! LOL
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Questions? Hit me up via e-mail at malik@smokeasy.net, on Twitter (@smokeasyblog), or on my Facebook page (Smokeasy).