Why I Vape

[FONT=&quot]Advantages of vaping[/FONT]
· [FONT=&quot]No fire, no smoke, no tar[/FONT]
· [FONT=&quot]No second-hand smoke (and no first-hand smoke either)[/FONT]
· [FONT=&quot]Inhale a cool mist rather than hot smoke[/FONT]
· [FONT=&quot]No cigarette burns or fire hazards[/FONT]
· [FONT=&quot]No nasty smells in your car, house, hair, or clothes[/FONT]
· [FONT=&quot]Less restrictions and not offensive to others[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The act of using a personal vaporizer (PV) is an enjoyable experience. (Using a PV is referred to as ‘vaping’, and those who use them refer to themselves as ‘vapers’.) In addition to delivery of nicotine, it also fills the needs for both oral fixation and physical sensation otherwise provided by cigarettes. Anyone who does smoke or has in the past understands the enjoyment of the ‘hand to mouth’ and other ‘rituals’ associated with smoking. This, combined with the social aspect of smoking can be a stronger addiction than the nicotine.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]I started smoking after having spent considerable time socializing with smokers, and joined in as a way to participate, and continued for about five years. My experience with smoking is unusual because I began smoking at the age of 19. Many years ago I quit smoking, both due to the high financial costs and the health risks associated with tobacco smoke. However, I found myself frequently slipping back into smoking, despite the fact that many months of smoking abstinence had eliminated the supposed nicotine addiction.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Nicotine is a smooth muscle relaxant and a stimulant, which has been scientifically proven to temporarily improve relaxation, mental sharpness, calmness, and alertness. Nicotine causes constriction of blood vessels which raises blood pressure. Similarly, caffeine causes dilation of blood vessels (which lowers blood pressure). The danger of either is negligible to a healthy adult, at the levels commonly consumed. Also, anyone who chooses not to consume nicotine can also opt for non-nicotine liquids which contain only the flavor and vapor parts.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Traditional cigarettes, in addition to delivering nicotine, also contaminate the human body with formaldehyde, lead, tar, chloroform, carbon monoxide, acetone, arsenic, cyanide, radon, and many other harmful or carcinogenic substances in high and dangerous doses. Electronic cigarettes sometimes (but not always) contain nicotine, and have none of those other dangerous substances.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Tobacco smoke also has been directly linked to many diseases, including stroke, Alzheimer’s, cataracts, oral cancer, periodontitis, atherosclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema, lung cancer, pneumonia, atherosclerotic heart disease, myocardial infarction, peptic ulcer disease, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, aortic aneurysm, renal cancer, colon cancer, Crohn’s, psoriasis, infertility, miscarriage, low birth weight, cervical cancer, bladder cancer, myeloid leukemia, and osteoporosis to name just a few.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Inside each PV is a battery, a small heater called an atomizer, and a reservoir of varying types which hold the liquid. The liquid is made up of propylene glycol (PG) and/or vegetable glycerin (VG), with nicotine and food-grade flavorings. (Those same flavorings are commonly used in all sorts of food products. PG is the substance used to create ‘fog’ in fog machines, and is also a food-grade product. We come into contact with VG routinely in the form of cosmetics, toothpaste, and soap. If you washed your hands today, your skin absorbed a fair amount of VG.)[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The liquid (sometimes referred to as e-liquid or juice) is wicked into the atomizer and heated, and then inhaled. Liquid is available in a wide variety of flavors, and many vapers choose to vary their liquids. When exhaled, the vapor quickly dissipates, much like the water vapor you breathe out on a cold winter day. Unless directly inhaled by someone inches away, the vapor is gone within seconds. There is no second-hand smoke, because there is no first-hand smoke; there is no smoke at all! Nothing is burning, so there is no danger of burns to body or clothing.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]‘Big Tobacco’ wants to stop PVs from cutting into their revenue. Our country was founded on tobacco production and sale, and tobacco and politics have been closely tied to each other for over 300 years. This is no different today, with over 400,000 tons of tobacco are produced in the United States alone, and the tobacco industry raking in revenue of well over $1.5 Billion annually! If anyone thinks ‘Big Tobacco’ doesn’t have an influence on government, they must be smoking something![/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Not all politicians are as blinded by bribery and tobacco lobbyists. The Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, voted a bill from the California State Senate which would have made them illegal in that state. His statement was “If adults want to purchase and consume these products with an understanding of the associated health risks, they should be able to do so”.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]While the general rule of thumb is to vape only where smoking is permitted, many people have successfully vaped on airplanes, in hospitals, and in stores and restaurants without incident. When in doubt, ask. Every college campus that I go to now has a ban on smoking and on tobacco products. However, my PV is not tobacco and produces no smoke. I have been approached by police and campus security on a few occasions, but once they realized it was ‘an electric’, they don’t bother me. I can vape INDOORS and in my car! Vapor does not stain walls and windows or stink up carpets, so I’m not worried about damaging my home.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]ECF: The World’s Largest E-Cigarette Forum[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/ [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Feel free to contact me directly, my name is Eric.MD on the forums there.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]CASAA: The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] CASAA | The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Non-profit organization aiming to educate the public on the truths of PVs and other alternates to smoking.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]ECA: Electronic Cigarette Association[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Electronic Cigarette Association[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] A group of small business owners fighting against disinformation and blind legislation.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot](Information in this letter is the result of personal research, sourced mainly from the above websites. Please do your own research as well!)[/FONT]