What makes me sick is........

Originally Posted by Swampper

Nicotine.

Try this experiment:
Go bum a big pinch of Copenhagen off of someone.
Make sure you have a trash can near by.
Let us know how that worked out.

uh, I think I'll pass.....although it sounds wonderful!

Originally Posted by ucla695

1. I agree, it’s definitely the nicotine, which is absorbed by the mouth. I imagine it’s similar to the mechanism in which sub-lingual medications are absorbed into the blood stream.

2. Cigars with more nicotine are more likely to cause people to get sick.

3. I’m not sure, but it might have to do with sugar content in the blood and the way it’s processed by the body.

4. See Psychoactive effects in this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicotine

5. Yes, your tolerance to nicotine will increase.

Thanks Mike; so what makes one cigar have more nicotine than another?

[Snake Hips]

Originally Posted by mrreindeer

Thanks Mike; so what makes one cigar have more nicotine than another?

The tobacco used. Tobacco from higher up on the plant (ligero in particular) has had more sun exposure and grows thicker and produces more nicotine. Tobacco from lower on the plant as well as shade-grown tobacco doesn't develop those defensive measures and produces less nicotine. That's why sun-grown and ligero cigars are much stronger than Connecticut shade cigars.