Benzos Benzo and Cigarette smokers

[Xan_Man]

Is it true that a daily cigarette smoker (say 5+ a day) has to take double the dosage of a non smoker for recreational purposes? Like if I want a 2mg worth of results do I need to take 4mg?

 

[theGirlWithBlueHair]

Is it true that a daily cigarette smoker (say 5+ a day) has to take double the dosage of a non smoker for recreational purposes? Like if I want a 2mg worth of results do I need to take 4mg?

I don't think that's true. Smoking cigarettes wouldn't make half of your dose ineffective. I know that they induce the metabolism of tizanidine and lowers blood levels of that but I have heard of them doing them with benzos but I'll look up the metabolic pathways of the chemicals in cigarettes. But it wouldn't be so significant to make you need double the dose.

The elevated blood pressured caused by smoking also decreases the blood levels of all drugs and blood brain barrier penetration.

From what I've read the enzymes induced by cigarette smoke are not the ones involved in clonazepam metabolism at least because that's what I thought you said. You need to tell us what benzo you're taking first

 

[Xan_Man]

I don't think that's true. Smoking cigarettes wouldn't make half of your dose ineffective. I know that they induce the metabolism of tizanidine and lowers blood levels of that but I have heard of them doing them with benzos but I'll look up the metabolic pathways of the chemicals in cigarettes. But it wouldn't be so significant to make you need double the dose.

The elevated blood pressured caused by smoking also decreases the blood levels of all drugs and blood brain barrier penetration.

From what I've read the enzymes induced by cigarette smoke are not the ones involved in clonazepam metabolism at least because that's what I thought you said. You need to tell us what benzo you're taking first

Xanax. Sorry should have specified

 

[theGirlWithBlueHair]

Cigarette smoke mostly induced CYP1A2 which is why tizanidine comes with an interactio. Warning. Benzodiazepines are metabolized by CYP3A4 so there is no metabolic interaction. I did come across just one study that pointed out that cigarettes smoke affected a gene for CYP3A4 and they concluded that it induced the enzyme, but the General consensus is that is doesn't

You will not need twice the dose lol. That seems to me like drug folklore or misinformation like menthol filters being fiberglass or pcp being embalming fluid. 2mg will feel like 2mg. But as I said smoking does decrease blood plasma levels of all drugs and reduces blood brain barrier penetration due to vasoconstrictio lm

 

[kleinerkiffer]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11524025

Clinically, reduced drowsiness in smokers receiving chlorpromazine, and benzodiazepines, compared with nonsmokers has been reported. Increased clearance of the benzodiazepines alprazolam, lorazepam, oxazepam, diazepam and demethyl-diazepam is found in cigarette smokers

I don't think that you have to up the dosage, certainly not double it, but your experience won't last as long