Are you weening down? Why not?

[Jman8]

Around the moment I consider weaning down or off, is around the same moment, I'll consider going cold turkey. Feeling very confident it'll be easier than smoking and I done did cold turkey 3 times with smoking, each time for more than 1 year.

I enjoy vaping, and I like that I enjoy it, rather than needing it as a non-smoking crutch.

As I've become proud moderate smoker, it is truly an alternative to smoking for me. I do both, I highly prefer vaping. But I enjoy smoking still. Best of both worlds.

To each their own, without judgment.

 

[BillyWJ]

Part of the purpose of quitting smoking, is no longer being addicted to a drug. We all had such trouble quitting, because the nicotine was so highly addictive. Just think about how it felt, all those times you tried to quit cold turkey. So you must admit, that part of the reason you quit, and why you kept smoking, was the addiction. The addiction is tied directly to the negative health effects of smoking, because if you weren't addicted, you would have been able to quit much easier, and we wouldn't have nearly as many vapers as we have today. Also vaping may not have ever been needed, as quitting cold turkey would have been a lot easier.

That said, why do so many vapers (probably nearly all of you) continue to just vape at whatever nicotine levels you were smoking at? Its so easy to just ween down now. I started at 18mg, (iirc) and slowly, over time, got down to 0mg. This did take a few years. But I did it. There are plenty of places out there that will let you go in intervals of 2mg, up or down. The place in town where I buy most of my vape juice also does this. I went down to 16, 14, 12, 10, etc etc until I got to zero. If for whatever reason, I can not vape, no big deal. So why don't most people do this? Why would you want to remain addicted, so that if something happens where you just can't vape, you go into freakout mode? Its actually disgusting to watch. There are plenty of situations that could arise that could prevent you from being able to vape, possibly for days at a time. Nicotine has also been linked to stomach cancer so that's another reason.

I had an epiphany about this a while ago. I'll be straight up honest, I'm GLAD I found a way to continue enjoying nicotine (and it is enjoyable), without the health risks attached. I'm in no rush to ween off. It's happening on it's own, now that I'm off the chemical loop that real cigs put you on - I don't reach for my PV first thing when I wake, and I often go long periods in the day without vaping, and have no cravings. I'm not chain vaping as much, and my juice is lasting longer - and it's only been 2 months. My body is finding it's own levels of need for nicotine, and I'm not stressing about it.

Will I ween off this completely? I don't know. The issue isn't that important right now.

 

[Zealous]

I'm not weening myself from nicotine because I like nicotine. It was the affects from smoking I did not like. And if there comes a time when I can't vape any longer I won't like it but I will quit & I don't think I'll have any trouble with it other than a few days withdrawal maybe. There are other ways to deal with anxiety so I'll have to look into dealing with it in another manner. Until then nicotine does a fine job & it's cheaper than some other medication I might otherwise be taking.

 

[freeatlast!]

Many of you who responded to OP's question have had such interesting and valid points to make! I personally still marvel at how the act/experience of vaping could so completely and quickly eliminate the desire for a cigarette for so many of us. I realize it doesn't work that way for everybody; I wish it did. Obviously there are a lot of things about vaping that add to its pleasantness for us, but it just seems to me that there might be something as yet unidentified that works the "magic." I mean, it just took one puff for me to know my smoking days were behind me (and after 47 years!!) Nicotine replacement sure didn't have that effect!! Has anyone else ever wondered about this?

It also seems that some people may be much more vulnerable to nicotine than others. My experience makes me think I was not much affected by nicotine; I can't tell the difference whether my vape has nic in it or not. Consequently, now when I buy, I buy 0 nic if it's available....but there was SOMETHING in cigarettes that made it most unpleasant to go without for a while, let alone quit. Without vaping, I'd probably never have quit.

So yeah, I'll be at 0 nic soon, and probably eventually not vape at all any more - or less, anyway. Or maybe not. But I don't worry at all about it - either the nicotine or the vaping experience - I just don't believe it's dangerous after everything I've read about it. If anything, I wonder about the inhaling, but since I don't inhale anyway but use my devices more like a pipe, that doesn't personally concern me either.

 

[DoogieTony]

A little high an mighty there aren't we?

 

[BillyWJ]

This is something that crosses my mind more than occasionally as well. I am not at all certain that nicotine had anything at all to do with the difficulty I had breaking my tobacco habit. I am not at all certain my continued use of nicotine has anything to do with addiction. I've read hundreds, if not thousands, of times that nicotine is addictive, but I have seen first hand how addiction works and how it can make people behave... and forgetting my PV on my desk when I leave for work does not cause me to act any differently or have any particular stress - knowing my favorite juice vendor was not selling juice for a few months did not cause me any particular stress or cause my behavior to change or cause any physiological changes to me - etc etc etc.

I'm finding this too - the issue of how this is so much different than when smoking Big Tobacco's products has been a focus of mine since starting this. I do consider myself a nicotine addict, but it's more like a caffeine addiction - the cravings are smaller (a LOT smaller), and it doesn't take over your mind like cigarettes do.

One of the things that smoking always bothered me the most was how overwhelming it was - I never found myself looking for my car keys at 2am because I ran out of coffee. (And I think juice would be the same) I don't think all day about when I can vape, do I have enough, I don't think about traveling or going anywhere and worrying about vaping. Smoking ran my life. Vaping doesn't.

And, it's not us. Cigarettes have been engineered to make you want more. That's why, as a two pack a day smoker, it still wasn't enough. It was never enough. I'd finish a cigarette, and wonder how long until the next one. Or light up another. I'd get involved in a project, like a drawing or painting, and find I'd smoked a pack in a couple of hours. Now, I have to remind myself while doing something, that I can vape. And, yes, I've chain vaped, but it's about the flavor, I'm conscious of ENJOYING it. I never did with cigs.

We were using a product that was made specifically to take over our lives. This, vaping, helps break that severe addiction, and does it cleanly, with no stress, and with a lot of satisfaction. Honestly, it's a miracle. The media should be promoting how much of a miracle it is, for a lot of people. I think it's that we're enjoying it makes it bad in a lot of people's eyes - it's almost like we have to suffer and be punished for being bad smokers, and this isn't punishment, and they don't like that.

 

[metrabolic]

I started vaping to quit smoking. I think one day I will quit vaping as well. I started at 18mg and slowly got down to 6 mg and have been holding there for quite a while.

 

[BillyWJ]

A little high an mighty there aren't we?

Eh. It's an honest question.

 

[Gary Mcroy]

Part of the purpose of quitting smoking, is no longer being addicted to a drug. We all had such trouble quitting, because the nicotine was so highly addictive. Just think about how it felt, all those times you tried to quit cold turkey. So you must admit, that part of the reason you quit, and why you kept smoking, was the addiction. The addiction is tied directly to the negative health effects of smoking, because if you weren't addicted, you would have been able to quit much easier, and we wouldn't have nearly as many vapers as we have today. Also vaping may not have ever been needed, as quitting cold turkey would have been a lot easier.

That said, why do so many vapers (probably nearly all of you) continue to just vape at whatever nicotine levels you were smoking at? Its so easy to just ween down now. I started at 18mg, (iirc) and slowly, over time, got down to 0mg. This did take a few years. But I did it. There are plenty of places out there that will let you go in intervals of 2mg, up or down. The place in town where I buy most of my vape juice also does this. I went down to 16, 14, 12, 10, etc etc until I got to zero. If for whatever reason, I can not vape, no big deal. So why don't most people do this? Why would you want to remain addicted, so that if something happens where you just can't vape, you go into freakout mode? Its actually disgusting to watch. There are plenty of situations that could arise that could prevent you from being able to vape, possibly for days at a time. Nicotine has also been linked to stomach cancer so that's another reason.

Its so obvious from your post that you never vaped from years and weaned down. I have my doubts as to whether you even were a smoker or vaper. If you were then you surely would have known that cigarettes were much more addictive than vapin at any nic level because theres something other than nicotine in them that makes you have to consistantly smoke them. Anyone that was really a vaper that vaped for years wouldnt be disgusted at others than use it in any way they please. I dont know what your issue is or why you signed up here but your whole thread/post is insulting and should consitute banning In my opinion

 

[BillyWJ]

Many of you who responded to OP's question have had such interesting and valid points to make! I personally still marvel at how the act/experience of vaping could so completely and quickly eliminate the desire for a cigarette for so many of us. I realize it doesn't work that way for everybody; I wish it did. Obviously there are a lot of things about vaping that add to its pleasantness for us, but it just seems to me that there might be something as yet unidentified that works the "magic." I mean, it just took one puff for me to know my smoking days were behind me (and after 47 years!!) Nicotine replacement sure didn't have that effect!! Has anyone else ever wondered about this?

It also seems that some people may be much more vulnerable to nicotine than others. My experience makes me think I was not much affected by nicotine; I can't tell the difference whether my vape has nic in it or not. Consequently, now when I buy, I buy 0 nic if it's available....but there was SOMETHING in cigarettes that made it most unpleasant to go without for a while, let alone quit. Without vaping, I'd probably never have quit.

So yeah, I'll be at 0 nic soon, and probably eventually not vape at all any more - or less, anyway. Or maybe not. But I don't worry at all about it - either the nicotine or the vaping experience - I just don't believe it's dangerous after everything I've read about it. If anything, I wonder about the inhaling, but since I don't inhale anyway but use my devices more like a pipe, that doesn't personally concern me either.

I've been thinking a lot about why I knew from first try (with a real PV, not the cigalikes) this was going to work. I don't have an answer yet, but I have some ideas...

 

[CrazyDamon]

I honestly have no plans to, stuck @ 24mg. Much healthier than analogs, why should I have to give up nicotine too?

 

[DC2]

I've been thinking a lot about why I knew from first try (with a real PV, not the cigalikes) this was going to work. I don't have an answer yet, but I have some ideas...

I wished for quite some time I could find a way to quit smoking.
Not because I wanted to quit, but because my wife would always complain about the smell.

I knew the only way I could quit was if I could find something that satisfied these criterion...
--Something that allowed me to take a break from life as needed
--Something mindless to occupy my hands, while affording me the chance to think
--Something that provided a simple and relaxing routine

What I got from vaping was all of that and so much more that I didn't even realize was so important...
--Something that continued my focused inhale/exhale breathing
--Something that simulated the smoke I loved to watch while I relaxed and thought about things

I tried the harmonica, Rubik's Cute, drinking tea, and anything else I could think of.
None of it came even remotely close to giving me what I needed.

I took my first drag off an electronic cigarette and knew instantly that I was done smoking.

 

[emus]

I vape what I want.
These days I want 4mg w/ RBA.
Not so long ago I wanted 8mg w/ RBA.
Before that I wanted 12mg w/ CE2.
In the day I wanted 24mg w/ cigalike.

 

[freeatlast!]

BillyWJ said: "I think it's that we're enjoying it makes it bad in a lot of people's eyes - it's almost like we have to suffer and be punished for being bad smokers, and this isn't punishment, and they don't like that. "

I have had that same thought more than once!!

When my husband had lung cancer (from smoking) 11 years or so ago, his surgeon seemed kind of like that; terrible bedside manner, anyway. And some of his procedural practices seemed downright masochistic - he could have done them in a more humane manner but chose not to; I wondered then if he thought smokers who got lung cancer deserved to suffer!

Even now, I feel just a bit guilty myself for finding something that made it so easy to quit (experiencing my husband's lung cancer suffering did NOT convince me to quit, sadly). He quit cold turkey when he got the phone call from his dr. that he had a spot on his lung - and craved a cig for a long long time.....me, found vaping and it's been pretty darned smooth sailing....how dare I not have to suffer!!

 

[patkin]

You have one of the most unique writing styles I've seen on this forum. That's about all I have to say.

 

[Ahoy]

I have actually slowly weened down. But I also have gone back to smoking 2 times since I tried ecigs (sadly)...

*started with 24mg for about 2 months
*went to 18 for a long time
*now at 11/12mg

The 18mg was so harsh on my throat...I honestly couldn't even stand it anymore. It was just tearing my throat up and I had no idea why until I found a bottle of 11mg china liquid I bought many moons ago..and it is so nice

I don't really want to stop vaping at this point in time, but I would assume some day I will.

 

[TheIronBuddhist]

I need something to keep my demons at bay. I was an addict to much harder things than nicotine for a long time but now all I got is nicotine and caffeine thankfully. Nicotine helps me stay sane. I know the bad effects of nicotine but it helps me in other ways.

Sent from my SPH-D710VMUB using Tapatalk

 

[danny4x4]

Nicotine is not as addictive as it's made out to be. If it's so additive, why is it that so many people are able to cut down on their nic levels within a couple of months? It's all the other chemicals/additives in cigarettes that are additive.

Consequently, the bad press that nicotine gets is all bs to me. So I don't worry about my nic levels.

 

[rodsky77]

You have some links to back up that statement?

The only info I've found has evidence (albeit inconclusive) that Nicotine can promote cancerous cell growth, but have not found anything that concludes that Nicotine is a carcinogen. Perhaps I did not look hard enough.

 

[Spazmelda]

Ooh, I have to get myself another cup of coffee before I tackle this answer. Ah, coffee. Caffiene. I'm such a junkie.

First off, I'll agree with others that nicotine isn't the bogeyman it's made out to be. We have known for a long time that nicotine isn't the most damaging thing in cigarettes. It's the tar and carcinogens in the smoke that is the real killer. As to exactly how risky it is to use clean nicotine, the jury is really still out, but nicotine by itself simply does not seem to be very harmful (at the levels we are using). We are also beginning to learn now that nicotine isn't as toxic as conventional wisdom claims (original reports of lethal dose of nicotine are from sketchy self experimentation years and years ago, and current reports of attempted suicides with nicotine make it clear that the lethal dose of nicotine is likely at least 20x higher than previously thought). We are also learning that nicotine probably isn't as addictive by itself as was previously thought. The conventional wisdom says that nicotine isn't the harmful part of a cigarette, but it's what keeps us coming back to smoking. Several lines of evidence (anecdotal and scientific) bring this conventional wisdom into question. I think it's safe to say at the least that clean nicotine is not nearly as addictive as cigarettes are, and how much less addictive it is will have to be determined in the future.

As for me, I started vaping with 24 m/ml. Went quickly down to 18, 16, 14, and then 12. I stuck with 12 for a long time, but have recently been vaping 10 and 8. Personally, I would be okay with sticking to a higher level indefinitely. Unless some reliable evidence came along that made me reconsider my position, I just don't think it's that bad. My first drops in nicotine were kind of because I had to. My tolerance for nicotine seemed to decrease and I had to cut down. The last two drops were just to see if I can. Also it cuts my costs for DIY down and makes my stash last longer.