The gesture is part of the relief.
Research on sensorimotor replacement found the hand-to-mouth motion, the inhale, and the airway sensation act as their own reward — beyond the substance itself.
Translated: what your hands and breath do matters, not only what's in the air.
Przulj D., McRobbie H., Hajek P. — "The effect of sensorimotor replacement on smoking cessation," 2012.
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