Are we smokers or non smokers?

[Scottitude]

I've shared my experience with human resources executives, insurance carriers, and their healthcare "professionals" with the [removed] process they use to classify individuals with a positive cotinine screen in past threads, but here are a few highlights:

• None of them knew what a nightshade is or that nicotine was present in, or could be extracted from, anything except the tobacco plant.
• Even with documentation that scientifically demonstrated the similarities between nicotine and caffeine they thought my suggestion that they similarly penalizing coffee-drinkers was silly.
• They also thought it was silly charge higher premiums to employees with high-risk lifestyles and hobbies. i.e.: skydiving, base jumping, riding motorcycles or ATVs/snowmobiles on or off road with or without a helmet, excessive drinking, more than one DUI/DWI conviction, significantly overweight, etc.
• The CASAA material I gave them and reviewed with them caused confusion beyond belief.
• They could not grasp my argument that I would willingly pay whatever penalty they deemed necessary if they were to classify me as a nicotine user but I would not, under any circumstances, admit to or allow them to classify me as a smoker or pay any fees ($1,800 a year, minimum) they may charge an actual smoker.
• They also could not understand (or accept) that for people without mitigating health issues, nicotine could have a positive effect and enhance people quality of life.

You'll never believe the HR talking heads' suggestion when all was said and done:

"Why don't you just quit vaping or use zero nicotine long enough to pass the cotinine screen and then go back to using nicotine until next year's open enrollment?"​

To my benefit, they made this suggestion in front of seven other managers, the regional HR manager, and the president of the division at which I'm employed.

I'm not suggesting that everyone follow my lead, I'm simply stating that until the idiots that parrot junk science and studies paid for by companies that will lose ....-loads of cash if everyone stopped smoking, one never knows what will happen until one confronts the ignorance with actual facts.

The sad thing is, employees on the lower end of the pay scale simply waived the insurance coverage and only a handful got basic, minimal policies from the (un)Affordable Health Care program.

 

[David Wolf]

I've found that most of the life insurance policy forms that get mailed to me ask about nicotine use instead of smoking.. I trash them all anyway. Giant freaking scam if you ask me. The insurance I get through work requires bloodwork, health check.. blah blah blah.. I just said I'm a smoker and cough up the extra 600 (900 now that the wifes on there too) bucks a year and don't worry about it. Last time I saw a Doc they already had me down as a Non-smoker from the previous checkup where I said I vaped and told em I still do.. Still a non-smoker to them. Insurance companies just look to squeeze every penny out of you to feed their overhead.

Same here, they ask about nicotine products, not just smoking.

 

[93gc40]

Technically I might not be a smoker, as a vaper. I no longer use combustion, therefore not smoking. But, using the logic of drug and alcohol addiction I am. Because I still use both flavors and nicotine derived from tobacco. I vape almost exclusively tobacco flavors most of those being NET extractions. The only difference today is that instead of a smoking Marlboro cigarette, I'm vaping a juice flavored by 4 different tobacco leaf extracts. the nicotine delivery device has changed. Not so much the activity.

 

[choochoogranny]

Isn't there a difference between cooking on a campfire and cooking on an electric range? Why does smoke inhalation from a house fire kill you vs living through an hr. in a sauna? Why do people move upwind from a campfire but don't mind being downwind from a bakery? Why is it I can stick my nose close to my simmering spaghetti sauce, but can't do that to my steak on the grill?.........Why do I feel that "numbnuts" are trying to control our lives from "cradle to grave"?

 

[Bunnykiller]

Isn't there a difference between cooking on a campfire and cooking on an electric range? Why does smoke inhalation from a house fire kill you vs living through an hr. in a sauna? Why do people move upwind from a campfire but don't mind being downwind from a bakery? Why is it I can stick my nose close to my simmering spaghetti sauce, but can't do that to my steak on the grill?.........Why do I feel that "numbnuts" are trying to control our lives from "cradle to grave"?

cuz your hair catch on fire

 

[Woofer]

I've shared my experience with human resources executives, insurance carriers, and their healthcare "professionals" with the [removed] process they use to classify individuals with a positive cotinine screen in past threads, but here are a few highlights:

• None of them knew what a nightshade is or that nicotine was present in, or could be extracted from, anything except the tobacco plant.
• Even with documentation that scientifically demonstrated the similarities between nicotine and caffeine they thought my suggestion that they similarly penalizing coffee-drinkers was silly.
• They also thought it was silly charge higher premiums to employees with high-risk lifestyles and hobbies. i.e.: skydiving, base jumping, riding motorcycles or ATVs/snowmobiles on or off road with or without a helmet, excessive drinking, more than one DUI/DWI conviction, significantly overweight, etc.
• The CASAA material I gave them and reviewed with them caused confusion beyond belief.
• They could not grasp my argument that I would willingly pay whatever penalty they deemed necessary if they were to classify me as a nicotine user but I would not, under any circumstances, admit to or allow them to classify me as a smoker or pay any fees ($1,800 a year, minimum) they may charge an actual smoker.
• They also could not understand (or accept) that for people without mitigating health issues, nicotine could have a positive effect and enhance people quality of life.

You'll never believe the HR talking heads' suggestion when all was said and done:

"Why don't you just quit vaping or use zero nicotine long enough to pass the cotinine screen and then go back to using nicotine until next year's open enrollment?"​

To my benefit, they made this suggestion in front of seven other managers, the regional HR manager, and the president of the division at which I'm employed.

I'm not suggesting that everyone follow my lead, I'm simply stating that until the idiots that parrot junk science and studies paid for by companies that will lose ....-loads of cash if everyone stopped smoking, one never knows what will happen until one confronts the ignorance with actual facts.

The sad thing is, employees on the lower end of the pay scale simply waived the insurance coverage and only a handful got basic, minimal policies from the (un)Affordable Health Care program.

Well done Scott! <applause>

 

[sofarsogood]

We're neither, we're vapers. In German the word for vapers translate to steamers. I kind of like that.

 

[gingertalk196]

Went to the doctor and told him I was vaping and he and the nurse put down that I'm a non-smoker. Ginger

 

[Mike Geaney]

I consider myself proudly a non smoker.

 

[edyle]

When you are filling out a form, and the only choice is yes or no, sometimes you just gotta leave it blank.

Things change; technology changes, and the old forms need a nudge to get with the times.

 

[ellejewell]

when I mention vaping to my doctors they mark it as non smoker on my form. But I guess it depends on where you live and their view point on the whole vaping issue. Best to call and ask.

 

[Canadian_Vaper]

Hi vapers,
If I'm filling in a medical or a life insurance form etc, and the question smoker or not is asked which box should I tick?

If there's nothing burning ITS NOT SMOKE!

 

[Martnargh]

Smoking is smoking... technically we are not smokers, since we dont smoke.
Nicotine intake does not constitute as smoking.

Sent from my SM-N920T using Tapatalk

 

[Hokabe]

when I mention vaping to my doctors they mark it as non smoker on my form. But I guess it depends on where you live and their view point on the whole vaping issue. Best to call and ask.

The doctors around here seem to think vaping is worse than actually smoking. So ridiculous and a little disconcerting that they haven't done any more research than what they hear in the media. One doctor asked me "aren't you worried about all the formaldehyde??"

 

[Canadian_Vaper]

The doctors around here seem to think vaping is worse than actually smoking. So ridiculous and a little disconcerting that they haven't done any more research than what they hear in the media. One doctor asked me "aren't you worried about all the formaldehyde??"

Had one doctor here thinking we were burning the juice, he just couldn't get the concept of it being aerosolized into a vapor......

 

[Mowgli]

If you smoke then you're a smoker.
If you vape and don't smoke then you're not a smoker.
If they ask if you vape then tell them that you vape.

I haven't had a puff of smoke in 35 months.
I'm a vaper, not a smoker.
I answer that I'm an ex-smoker when asked on a questionnaire when that's the answer closest to my reality.

 

[mountaingal]

My old insurance company asked if I used a NRT (nicotine replacement therapy). This company, and I think it was Prudential, made NRT a middle of the road cost, not a premium cost for actually smoking. They said the whole difference is that using a NRT (gum, patch, vape) meant we had goven up tobacco but still relied on nicotine. SO, their whole basis was that NRT is great and they are glad you do not SMOKE. If the NRT was not around, HOWEVER, you would PROBABLY go back to smoking. I use both vaping and gum as I do not like to be without the nic. I use the gum in movies, on planes, in restaurants, and then vape as soon as I get outside. If NRT's were NOT around, they are right, I WOULD go back to tobacco. Such is my need for nicotine. Since, my parents both smoked around me as a kid and I started smoking at 15yrs, I have been a nicotine user my entire life. Vaping is not smoking, but it is an addictive substance for me.

 

[plumeguy]

If anyone tells you that vaping is the same as smoking tell them "that's like saying being
married to a woman is the same as being married to a man".

See if that doesn't improve their ability to differentiate.

 

[zahzoo]

Slow your roll there bub. They haven't been deemed yet...

Correct, the "deeming regulations" haven't been finalized.

But... the 2009 court case that overturned the outright ban on e-cigarettes the FDA attempted to impose... Ruled them tobacco products rather than medical or "quit smoking devices". This made electronic cigarette subject to the proposed deeming regulations under the The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act that went into effect in 2009 also. Until overturned by legislation... e-cigarettes and associated products are tobacco products.