Freakonomics (smoking)

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Anyone else here love the freakonomics podcasts and books? I recently listened the newest episode on smoking. I found it to be pretty interesting regarding the discussion of users that refused to quit. They gave a rough quote that 30% of smokers liked it and had no intentions of quitting because those people found the benefit of the nicotine so valuable.
I just started experimenting around with smokeless tobacco products (never could get into smoking) this past month. I'm 27 and I have never experienced nicotine before now. So far, I am noticing unique positive benefits (more productive with work tasks and less anxiety). Not really sure if I'm going to keep it up for the long-term though. There are several contradicting studies on the safety of nicotine floating around online I'm not really sure what to believe.

I believe part of the anxiety relief is just psychosomatic, much like any habit, indulging in it is soothing.

Nicotine definitely wasn't psychosomatic for me. The problem is that withdrawal aggravates the very symptoms it used to alleviate when it becomes habitual.