Do electronic cigarettes offer the same "experience" as analogue?

[stiv]

Hi everyone,

Just joined the forum as I had a question about vaping.

I've been a light / occasional smoker for a few years. I don't crave cigarettes and can go weeks between without any worry. The thing is I really enjoy the act of relaxing and having a cigarette, it's therapeutic! I've never seen anyone with an electronic cigarette, they aren't so popular in Australia it seems. I was hoping someone might be able to give me some advice about if I should purchase an electronic cigarette.

Do you still get the same "experience" as you do with regular cigarettes?

Steve

[NCC]

You're apparently not a nicotine addict. My advise is that you remain unaddicted. And, by vaping juice containing nicotine you could become addicted. At the rate of cigarette consumption you've described, I wouldn't recommend you vape anything other than 0 mg juice, if anything at all.

Vaping is not smoking, and no, the experience is not the same. And, I think most here would agree that the experience is not the same. It is close enough though, to allow some of us nicotine addicts to escape the addiction (well, to cigarettes at least). Nicotine itself is not the most harmful aspect of smoking. In my own experience, vaping is a close enough proxy to allow me to quit a 35 year addiction to cigarettes. But, if I had it to do over again, I would never have started in the first place. I can't see why a person,, such as yourself, who is not an addict, would want to pick up vaping. Smoking isn't "cool", so how could proxy smoking be "cool"? I'll allow that others may disagree with me. These are my thoughts on your query.

EDIT: Sorry, you never said you enjoyed it because you thought it was "cool". Still, you'd be playing with fire, IMHO, because you aren't presently addicted.

[ejoker]

ditto: ncc pretty much nailed it.

[tarheeldan]

I agree with NCC. What I would give to have never gone beyond being an occasional smoker back when I was 13. If you truly vaped solely 0 nicotine liquids where otherwise you would have been smoking a cigarette, then I would feel better about that. But you are in a position where you could easily choose to do neither.

I may not be overly concerned about the health risks attached to my nicotine addiction, but that does not mean I would rather not be addicted.

All this being said, I do want to address your concern. Vaping tastes nothing like smoking; no combustion means no flavor will match that part of the experience. The smell is completely different; there hardly is one if any is noticed at all. Ecigs don't produce sidestream smoke so you don't see those wisps wafting up during a vaping session unless they're coming from you. You won't feel the compression of the filter on your lips, rather unyielding plastic. You won't hear the approaching coal as it burns up tobacco, maybe a mechanical atomizer sizzle. You won't have the finality of putting out your cigarette on an ashtray, nor see that glowing ember in the dark grow brighter as you take a puff.

There are myriad ways in which the vaping experience is different from the smoking experience. Having smoked for 12 years, the similarities are enough that it's been easy to make the switch - there's something that looks like smoke, my hands, lips, and diaphragm perform similar actions, and I get the nicotine I crave. But in so many ways they aren't the same and don't feel the same either - many alkaloids in cigarettes are missing, and nicotine delivery doesn't seem to be either as efficient or as rapid.

However you choose, I respect your right to make that choice. The above are just my two cents (and maybe worth less than that) in an effort to help you make an informed choice.

[Silverthorn181]

I kinda agree and kinda don't. First getting e-cigs in Aus is not a problem I Health Cabin in China (About a week 4 delivery).

The relaxing etc you speak about may very well be as a result of the nic in the cigs and that may be what you are enjoying. You may not be a nic addict but you are a nic user.

Yes they are very similar and very different as well. I find I get all the positives of smoking with none of the negatives. I would not ever go back I now find cigarettes disgusting and I was and am a heavy nic addict.

If social smoking is what you are doing be prepared to have your piece and quiet disrupted with a continuous barrage of questions. I vape in pubs and clubs in Brisbane without any problems but you do get a lot of questions. Great for meeting people but not so good for having a quiet smoke and a beer!!

[stiv]

Thanks everyone, some really great info there for me to consider.

NCC - I understand your point of view. I suppose for anyone who smokes, even if it is light / occasional as is the case with me, that an alternative like e cigarettes still has benefits.

Tarheeldan - Thank you so much. You gave me all the details I wanted to know. I'm not sure if I would miss the familiar experience and how easily I'd substitute analogue cigarettes for an e cigarette. Given the number of people on the forum it seems to be a relatively easy transition even for people who have smoked for 40 years.

Silverthorn181 - I can imagine having an e cigarette in a pub here aus must get a lot of weird looks and comments! Good on you for sticking with it anyway. I a pretty quiet kind of guy so I don't know how I'd feel about that.

Everything considered I think that it may be worth trying... to get the benefits without the negatives is not something I can't walk past even if I don't consider myself addicted.

I will post an update if I go ahead with it

[Silverthorn181]

Thanks everyone, some really great info there for me to consider.

Silverthorn181 - I can imagine having an e cigarette in a pub here aus must get a lot of weird looks and comments! Good on you for sticking with it anyway. I a pretty quiet kind of guy so I don't know how I'd feel about that.

If your into having a smoke on the back deck with a cold one this is the gear!!!! If you like wine and cheese (Like I do) the flavor combination are awesome. I never thought ANYTHING could come close to a nice port and a good cigar but Vaping offers so many new flavor combinations that do not dull your little taste buddys!!!

[lightinup]

I know you can't make everyone happy all the time and sorry if I step on someone's toes but I have to say it. I totally and completely agree with NCC, Tarheeldan, eJoker and fully disagree with Silverthorn.

Stiv, vaping is not child's play. It is not cool. It is not a toy to gain social attention. It is not candy and it certainly is not an appetizer. The ecig is a device that nicotine addicts use to receive nicotine in a healthy manner that does not include 4000 chemicals, carcinogens and all the other health problems and issues associated with smoking. Yes, the e cig is a smoker's, or should I say ex-smoker's, miracle. It is a God send to us. But you yourself said that you are not addicted and go weeks without having a cigarette which tells me that you are NOT addicted to nicotine. So why start? Instead have a beer, a glass of wine but the electronic cigarette is not the way. Of course, I also respect your right to choose and I respect everyone's opinion.

I believe that ALL Vaper's have the responsibility to not "glorify" the ecig to individuals who are truly not addicted to nicotine and do not wish to use the ecig as it was solely intended for.

I guess I will get off my horse now and get ready for the firing squad.

[stiv]

Somehow I seem to have left you all with the impression that I think smoking or vamping is cool? Perhaps if I was in high school it might appear that way to some of the other children because it's illegal for minors in Australia.

I smoke at home, outside in my garden. Most often by myself while relaxing with a book. Occasionally I will smoke at a BBQ or something similar if I feel the desire to.

I suspect most of you will think it naive but I believe I am very unlikely to become addicted to cigarettes as I have smoked in the same pattern (light / occasional) for 9 years. Hopefully I won't get too much grief for saying I don't think I will become addicted.

I'm actually surprised by some points of view here. It sounds as though because I'm not a two pack a day smoker that I should continue to smoke analogue cigarettes. I thought that ANY smoker would want ALL smokers to take advantage of a device that prevents exposure to the 4000 harmful chemicals I'm told about. With a device like an electronic cigarette I even have the option to transition to 0mg liquid and remove exposure to nicotine totally and prevent a possibly future addiction.

I hope that better explains my point of view. I'm still undecided about purchasing a device.

[Kilroy]

In short, no, electronic cigarettes do not offer the same experience. They can be a lot better, if you're willing to admit burning weeds might not be a good thing for you to do. There are amazing experiences to be had, things analogs just cannot do.