At what point is somebody really a non smoker?

[Papa_Lazarou]

Well, there's kinda two responses...

1) If you're not inhaling smoke, then... you get the picture. Technically, you stopped smoking over a month ago. Give yourself a big ol' pat on the back .

That's significant, as the obvious badness of smoking is the harm that smoke does. It's why it's banned in public places. It's what your doctor refers to when suggesting you stop.

2) Nicotine dependance is another, slightly greyer area. This is NOT why smoking is banned. It is, however, a major factor in why some (most?) people vape and it carries the "dependance" stigma. Because it's always been associated with smoking and you used to smoke, continued use of nicotine must mean you're still a smoker (lurking somewhere inside of you), right? Well, many would argue "no", that it's a) a different thing, and b) not the demon smoking is. They've decoupled smoking from nic use - moved on from the former and are evaluating the latter separately. Loooots of interesting threads and articles about that.

So, I think it might help to adopt a new perspective: you have quit smoking and now you can/want/need to evaluate whether or not you choose to consume nicotine. This is new for our society - smokers, non-smokers/vapers, and the media don't have a clue. They can't wrap their heads around non-smoking nicotine use, but you can.

 

[ElConquistador]

I still had a few packs around when I switched. About a week into it, I tried one and it was nasty, I couldn't finish it, tried one about a week after that, and I knew I was an ex-smoker. Now, I don't condone having a smoke, but if you try one, you'll probably wonder why anyone would every smoke.

 

[twgbonehead]

Do you still feel a NEED to keep that pack "just in case"? If so, I would disagree. Just like an alcoholic will always be an alcoholic, regardless of quitting, because they will always have that attachment.It's not a bad thing. Quitting is still a great thing.

Not smoking is a great thing. Quitting is overrated.

 

[zoiDman]

Not smoking is a great thing. Quitting is overrated.

Why do you say this?

 

[SunshinePete]

Someone who doesn't smoke is a non-smoker, that must be reasonable. insurance companies have much tougher definitions, and some will penalise you for any nicotine use.

 

[Krashman Von Stinkputin]

Awesome question and intriguing answers.

The fact that you have a pack of cigarettes readily available and have not touched them is powerful stuff and a testament to your success. (I have a similar situation as my wife still smokes PAD.)

I'd say we are ex-smokers but still addicts.

 

[DaveSignal]

If you consider vaping not smoking. We are still igniting a substance and inhaling it. Its just not tobacco. So maybe it is healthier. It certainly feels and tastes great, though!

 

[ElConquistador]

My juice doesn't ignite.

 

[zoiDman]

My juice doesn't ignite.

Maybe your Ohms are just Not Low Enough?

 

[rurwin]

Medically, we are addicts, because we have the need to continue to use nicotine.

Sociologically, we are dependent or habituated. A sociological addiction is a behaviour that that wrecks lives. Cigarettes are at the light end of that if at all, vaping is well outside it.

Using the term addict is dangerous, because a (sociological) addict is behaving irrationally and self-destructively, and must therefore be helped to quit for their own good and that of people around them. Confusing the two uses of the term is one way those committed to banning e-cigs take our power from us.

 

[B2L]

I am most definitely addicted to nicotine but I am also most definitely not a smoker.

If vaping were outlawed, I would most likely try snus or something along those lines, and chew lots of straws

 

[pokemom]

The question asked by doctors is do you smoke? Right now the answer is no. The next question is did you smoke, and your answer is yes. The last question is usually when was your last cigarette? You haven't had one, so your give the date. I'd say that makes you a non-smoker.

I kept a pack of open cigarettes with me for nearly 6 months. I never had a cigarette, but I also was afraid of the "finality" of throwing the pack away after 35 years. I can't fathom that for that 6 months I was just a non-smoking smoker.


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[Davey59]

Wow, great responses guys!

I was at the local restaurant we frequent and one of the regulars asked me for a smoke, I said haven't had one in over three weeks. WHAT? he says. I then tell him my brief vape discovery story and he IMEDIATLY started in about something he saw on the news about how bad those things are. I kinda hate to admit it but really couldn't be bothered with explaining anything and just laughed at him, which apparently seemed to upset him.

I am amazed at how threatened some smokers seem to be about these things.

Spent most of the morning with my long time friend (42 years) and chain smoking drummer doing some jamming and frankly it did not bother me a bit. In fact I like the smell of burning tobacco, it is the linger and the ashtray that is gross. Pretty much impossible to vape and play at the same time though. How about a long flexible tube and a footswitch controlled mod?. Heh, you make a million on this and I want some of it

 

[skoony]

Have I quit smoking? or am I still quitting? at what point is somebody actually a non smoker?

Bought my last pack on 7/14/14 last cigarette smoked was a few days later. Still have an unopened pack. Not ready to throw it out or give it away. Not sure if it because I think I may want one, or that I spent 8 bucks on it.

on July 23,2013 i had my last cigarette.
since then i no longer smoke
regards
mike

 

[Krashman Von Stinkputin]

Medically, we are addicts, because we have the need to continue to use nicotine.

Sociologically, we are dependent or habituated. A sociological addiction is a behaviour that that wrecks lives. Cigarettes are at the light end of that if at all, vaping is well outside it.

Using the term addict is dangerous, because a (sociological) addict is behaving irrationally and self-destructively, and must therefore be helped to quit for their own good and that of people around them. Confusing the two uses of the term is one way those committed to banning e-cigs take our power from us.

Great clarification especially since the FDA deeming proposal is completely written from the standpoint of prevention (preventing the initiation of adolescents to nicotine and preventing smokers from quitting nicotine) than the standpoint of cessation or harm reduction.

 

[dshgr]

For me, I'm not a non-smoker until I've made it 6 months without a cigarette. 6 months is twice as long as I've ever made it in the past.

I'll hit 6 months at 2:00 pm on Tuesday.

 

[Subdivisions]

Wow, great responses guys!

I was at the local restaurant we frequent and one of the regulars asked me for a smoke, I said haven't had one in over three weeks. WHAT? he says. I then tell him my brief vape discovery story and he IMEDIATLY started in about something he saw on the news about how bad those things are. I kinda hate to admit it but really couldn't be bothered with explaining anything and just laughed at him, which apparently seemed to upset him.

I am amazed at how threatened some smokers seem to be about these things.

Spent most of the morning with my long time friend (42 years) and chain smoking drummer doing some jamming and frankly it did not bother me a bit. In fact I like the smell of burning tobacco, it is the linger and the ashtray that is gross. Pretty much impossible to vape and play at the same time though. How about a long flexible tube and a footswitch controlled mod?. Heh, you make a million on this and I want some of it

YES!!! Smokers are threatend by this. I even had a guy that had quit smoking 30 years ago tell me stories he heard on the news about how bad e-cigs are. I like the idea of the foot pedal. Really good for guitar players. LOL. It would be like a talk box but with a vaporizer on the end of it

 

[crxess]

When I stopped Lighting cigarettes.

No one else opinion of my action is relevant to my health

 

[dragonpuff]

YES!!! Smokers are threatend by this. I even had a guy that had quit smoking 30 years ago tell me stories he heard on the news about how bad e-cigs are. I like the idea of the foot pedal. Really good for guitar players. LOL. It would be like a talk box but with a vaporizer on the end of it

I've noticed smokers seem to be the most suspicious. They're the ones who are the most likely to argue with me about it, while my non-smoking friends usually just ignore my vaping. It does seem that smokers are feeling defensive. I'm not even saying anything, they're the ones who start about how dangerous it is when I pull out my vaporizer.

 

[MikenGA]

Seeing as how it took me from December 18, 2009 until September 25, 2011 to completely make 'the switch' to vaping, I have to say I stopped smoking long before I 'knew it'.

After my last analog (9/25/2011), I think I continued to be addicted to the nic for another 18 months. That's when I began to find myself in locations where I couldn't vape for very long periods at a time (such as a hospital). To my surprise, it was no problem NOT vaping for days. A few months later, my partner went back in the hospital, but this time in I.C.U. knocking on death's door...for approximately 23 days. I was beside him most of the time, and barely vaped at all for several weeks.

There were no withdrawals at all. I regularly vaped 6mg at the time, but I missed it about as much as my morning coffee...and to my surprise, I COULD live without it. I could also live without my morning coffee, or my Saturday evening ice cream...but why should I???

All things in moderation.

I cannot tell you the day I became 'un-addicted', but my path to literally 'BE a non-smoker' began September 25, 2011, cuz that's the day I smoked my last cig.

Now, i vape 0mg most of the time, but I do enjoy a bit of nic with a martini.

Like somebody wrote above, I'm DONE with analogs for good, and THAT makes me a non-smoker. Don't know when it happened, but I'm glad it DID!