4 Helpful Items for the Traveling Smoker

Regulations against tobacco usage worldwide have made it more difficult for smokers to get their fix while traveling. In the United States, restrictions against smoking inside airplanes have gotten increasingly strict since the 1980s. By the year 2000, smoking was completely prohibited on any kind of US flight, regardless of destination or duration. And it isn’t just planes — thanks to regulations against tobacco usage, lawmakers all over the world have limited the number of spaces where smoking is permitted.

Even without these restrictions, it’s a smoker’s responsibility to minimize the effects their habits have on the people around them. Fortunately, there are many tools you can use to make smoking both easy and discreet. From odor neutralizers that help conceal the distinct smoke smell to nicotine pouches that help you get your fix in non-smoking areas, here are a few helpful items smokers can use while traveling.

1. Nicotine Pouches

There may be times during your trip when you’ll be forced to go without a smoke for long periods of time. Smoking is prohibited in many types of long-distance transport, such as planes, buses, and high-speed trains. This is to prevent the smell from spreading in highly public, enclosed areas. Use smoke-free tobacco alternatives to get your fix without breaking the rules or bothering the people around you. As explained in a post on nicotine patches vs. traditional smokeless tobacco products by Prilla, nicotine pouches can be particularly convenient smokeless tobacco alternatives because they do not require chewing or spitting. This allows users to consume the product more discreetly. Since smoke-free products don’t spread the smell of smoke around, they are allowed on most forms of long-distance transportation, including airplanes.

2. Personal Smoke Filter

Non-smokers tend to be more sensitive to smoking odors than regular smokers, so it’s important to respect their boundaries by keeping the smell to a minimum. A personal smoke filter can help you dilute odors as you smoke. When you exhale into a personal smoke filter, its sieves will capture and dissolve smoke particles. The air you blow out then exits the tool smelling fresh. The Bluntness shows how you can also make your own smoke filter by attaching a dryer sheet to the mouth of a small cylindrical object, such as a toilet paper roll or PVC pipe. Stuff the inside of the cylinder with a few more dryer sheets for improved filtration.

3. Odor Neutralizer

If you choose to smoke indoors, such as in hotel rooms or cars, you can minimize lingering smells by using an odor neutralizer. You can make your own odor neutralizer using a spray bottle and ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, or activated charcoal. The Spruce states that diluted white vinegar can make for an effective odor neutralizer since its acidity can cancel out alkaline odors. A fine mist can effectively dissolve any odor-causing molecules, including nicotine. To make a vinegar-based odor neutralizer, simply add a tablespoon of vinegar into a cup of water. You can also mix in a few drops of essential oils, such as lavender or lemon oil, to add a bit of fragrance.

4. Portable Ashtray

When you do find the right place to smoke while traveling, there might not always be an ashtray around. In that case, your options would be to cling onto your trash or to carelessly dispose of your spent smokes, increasing your risk of earning a littering charge or starting a fire. Bring a portable ashtray around at all times to make that no matter where you go, you’ll always have a place to properly dispose of your smoke-related trash.

One final tip: aside from stocking up on useful smoking paraphernalia, do your best to research smoking-related regulations in the areas you plan on visiting. As we mention in ‘5 Reasons Why Research is Important Before Travelling’, research can help you make more knowledgeable decisions. By researching restrictions on smoking, you’ll know how to manage your smoking habits abroad, and thus avoid awkward run-ins with the law.