This post was written by Ralph Starks, a blogger and traveler who enjoys exploring the world in the best ways possible.
People travel for a host of reasons, maybe for the sun, sea, sand or sensational skylines. You might want to relax, or you may wish to explore. You might even want to smoke, as examined in our piece on ‘My Favorite Places to Smoke Shisha Around the World’. Unfortunately, whilst flying off in search of good nargile is attractive, being a smoker, particularly of cigarettes, can cause you significant problems when traveling to unfamiliar places.
Many countries have different laws on where you can and cannot smoke. Some places allow you to smoke in the street, while others do not. In Europe, places such as Ireland, Greece and Malta have some of the strictest smoking laws anywhere in the world. However, in Japan, Serbia and Austria, you can still smoke indoors in certain places. With such varying laws, it pays to do your research before you jet off.
However, if you do choose to jet off, there’s another issue – getting through the flight. Regulations around smoking on planes in the United States began in the seventies, but it was banned across the board at the turn of the century. You might well by getting on a plane to Egypt or Tunisia to smoke shisha, but how will you get through a ten-hour flight if you’re a smoker?
There are some options, called nicotine replacement therapy, which are worth investigating to ensure you keep the cravings at bay until you touch down at your destination.
Vaping
Vaping might be one of the most popular NRTs in the United States today, but on a plane, it is not an option. Still, it does pay to understand the rules around taking your device with you when you go abroad. For instance, did you know you cannot pack a vape device with a built-in battery in your hold luggage, only your hand luggage? There are also rules around the batteries; some airlines stipulate that each lithium-ion battery must not exceed a Wh rating of 100 Wh. Sadly for smokers, vaping in-flight is not an option, and if you attempt to do so, you will most likely end up with a hefty fine.
Pouches
There are some NRTs that you can use during a flight to ease your cravings, one of which is pouches. Nicotine pouches are designed to fit into your mouth, where they release a hit of nicotine intermittently over a given period, usually around an hour. There are many different types which have various benefits, such as different strengths and flavors. The ZYN nicotine pouches on Prilla come in multiple flavors, such as spearmint, citrus and coffee, all designed to give a positive experience as well as a burst of nicotine. Most tines also have a compartment for disposal, making them perfect for flights.
Patches
Patches are like pouches; they’re worn on the body, usually the upper arm, like a band-aid. Typically, they last for 24 hours, and they’re intended to be used as a method of weaning yourself off nicotine over a period of time, with the strength slowly reduced week by week. However, they can also be used as an NRT in the short term, such as on a long-haul flight. Nicotine patches are available over the counter from most drugstores and chemists, making them accessible as well.
Gum
Finally, you could try chewing nicotine gum during your flight. It is a tobacco-free nicotine option which lasts around 30 minutes per stick. Like pouches, they come in various flavors, with nicotine gum from Lucy Gum featuring such delights as cinnamon, fruit and mint. There is a drawback, of course – the gum needs to be disposed of, and it’s not as discreet as pouches, as you’ll be visibly chewing.
Conclusion
Traveling long distances can be stressful at the best of times, but if you’re a smoker, it can be a huge challenge. Hopefully, this handy guide will put you in good stead for avoiding withdrawal the next time you step on a plane, ensuring you’re fresh and ready for whatever awaits when you land at your destination, be it Australian sunshine, Italian beaches or a shisha on the backstreets of Cairo.
