Considering vaping, have many questions, help appreciated

[SweetBearCub]

Hi.

I was chatting with a friend today about quitting smoking, and it sort of ended at an impasse. I have smoked for 19 years, and despite several attempts to quit using variations of cold turkey, patches, Zyban, gum, lozenges, hard candy, and carrots, it has never worked for longer than 1 week. During these quit attempts, it provoked a depression, which interacted with my regular clinical depression, and basically made me shut down.

Oddly enough, a few hours later I found a website about e-cigarettes. I started reading, and am quite amazed. I watched this ~55 minute video with a goth girl (Forget the name, sorry!), and she made it sound like a very reasonable alternative. I have some questions that I would like to have answered, if possible:

1) Given that my current habit is an average of 24 Marlboro Reds 100's per day, with an average of 12 puffs each, how big of a cartridge, and by extension, e-cig would I need to make it a full day (worth of nicotine, if not battery power)?

2) What strength of (refill) liquid would be appropriate? 11? 16? More? Less? Does a stronger liquid translate to less liquid used, or not?

3) The goth girl made a good point - When you start vaping, an analog eventually tastes bad, therefore very few people actually want a flavor such as 'Marlboro' for very long. With that in mind, does anyone here think it would cause problems for me (staying off of analogs) if I went directly to flavored liquid? The thought of smelling like chocolate, caramel, or a bunch of other flavors sounds nice, and I'm sure it would give the nannys one less thing to b**ch about.

4) I have heard that e-cigs are still quite new, and also that they are made primarily in China, with all the lack of quality that entails. Using the e-cig model suggested from question #1, what are the most common points of failure?

5) Price. Assuming that I'm ready to buy a starter kit of the e-cig suggested in question #1, plus the parts suggested in question #4, plus my choice of flavored liquid (Say, enough for a month?), about how much would this cost me, S/H/T included, to the US?

6) I have read much of retailers getting reviews of various quality and warranties varying just as wildly. Is there a generally recognized company that a first time e-smoker should consider over the competition, and if so, why?

7) Over time, are e-cigs cheaper to use than analogs? For the record, the current daily cost to me using analogs is about $4.83, and will probably only head higher over time, as governments look to tobacco taxes to close budget gaps.

8) Legality. In the US, and specifically in the state of California, are e-cigs legal? If so, are there restrictions on where they are not legal, such as in a bar, or anywhere a no smoking sign is posted? (even if the e-cig looks nothing like an analog)? What about the flavored liquid? Are there any risks that the government might soon decide to make them illegal?

9) Long shot, but worth asking. Is there anyone in San Francisco that can perhaps agree to let me demo an e-cig to see if I like it, before I pay out for one?

10) Is there anything else I should know?

I will be reading more of the forums as I can. It's so crammed with information that it overloaded me today.

Thanks!

 

[Kate51]

Hi and Welcome SweetBearCub, that was probably Spikey's video, she covers all the basics well! You would do well to search some other ECF famous person's posts.
As of today, e-cigs are not Illegal, and I have a feeling if more people are tempted and fall for them, these Personal Vaporizers' (PV'S) may just take off before anyone can stop them. And since they do become a fantastic Technological Cigarette Replacement Device I think they make make the grade of "do they work, and do they do no harm?" I think Yes. Make that, I KNOW yes.
At the top of this page is a very large list of Retailers, under the tab "SPONSORING SUPPLIERS", it is worth looking in on them as a "browser", something may catch your eye. It will give you a very good idea of the cost variations, the model variations. and you will be asking more questions after than you even could imagine. Don't be afraid to ask questions to Vendors, they are all interested in giving good service with good products. Which is a good thing here, some of us were out there on our own and spent way too much to "see" what it was all about. Everyone eventually finds their own answer to fit them. You'll find a lot of information for free in the "New Member's Forum" for starters, a lot of helps and hints. As with everything new, you won't know the questions you need to ask until you make a few trips around the Forum.

 

[prof beard]

Hi.



1) Given that my current habit is an average of 24 Marlboro Reds 100's per day, with an average of 12 puffs each, how big of a cartridge, and by extension, e-cig would I need to make it a full day (worth of nicotine, if not battery power)?

2) What strength of (refill) liquid would be appropriate? 11? 16? More? Less? Does a stronger liquid translate to less liquid used, or not?

3) The goth girl made a good point - When you start vaping, an analog eventually tastes bad, therefore very few people actually want a flavor such as 'Marlboro' for very long. With that in mind, does anyone here think it would cause problems for me (staying off of analogs) if I went directly to flavored liquid? The thought of smelling like chocolate, caramel, or a bunch of other flavors sounds nice, and I'm sure it would give the nannys one less thing to b**ch about.

4) I have heard that e-cigs are still quite new, and also that they are made primarily in China, with all the lack of quality that entails. Using the e-cig model suggested from question #1, what are the most common points of failure?

5) Price. Assuming that I'm ready to buy a starter kit of the e-cig suggested in question #1, plus the parts suggested in question #4, plus my choice of flavored liquid (Say, enough for a month?), about how much would this cost me, S/H/T included, to the US?

6) I have read much of retailers getting reviews of various quality and warranties varying just as wildly. Is there a generally recognized company that a first time e-smoker should consider over the competition, and if so, why?

7) Over time, are e-cigs cheaper to use than analogs? For the record, the current daily cost to me using analogs is about $4.83, and will probably only head higher over time, as governments look to tobacco taxes to close budget gaps.

8) Legality. In the US, and specifically in the state of California, are e-cigs legal? If so, are there restrictions on where they are not legal, such as in a bar, or anywhere a no smoking sign is posted? (even if the e-cig looks nothing like an analog)? What about the flavored liquid? Are there any risks that the government might soon decide to make them illegal?

9) Long shot, but worth asking. Is there anyone in San Francisco that can perhaps agree to let me demo an e-cig to see if I like it, before I pay out for one?

10) Is there anything else I should know?

1 No cartridge will last you all day in terms of nicotine capacity. No normal e-cig will do the same in terms of battery either - options are: carry spare batteries, get something like the Titan/510 PCC to cahrge on the move, or buy a "big battery" e-cig (Screwdriver, Prodigy etc)

2 I'd start with 18mg given your smoking habits


3 I still smoke tobacco flavours and I'm been vaping for just short of 6 months

4 Batteries and atomisers. Go for a manual battery for best reliability, but these still fail - I've good reliability from my 901 batteries but I suspect I've been lucky. The big battery models are reliable in terms of batteries. Treat atomisers as disposable - may last two weeks or two months or more.

5 - 6 Prefer not to comment

7 Should be cheaper than smoking once you are set up (unless you become an e-cig hobbyist and start buying every model and juice there is)

8 Can't comment

9 Can't comment

10 My advice is start simple with something like a 901 and THEN if you like vaping go for a big batter model

 

[SueandCootie]

I know since it seems a large up front investment that everyone, as I did, wants to know as much as possible before ordering, but in the end it comes down to getting a modestly priced, well reviewed model from a supplier with a good reputation here, then just taking the time to play with it. How you smoked and how you vape are usually in the end entirely different..I smoked ultra-light menthol, now often vape high nic sweet tobacco flavors. I ended up making all my own power supplies and mixing much of my own juice, hobbies within a hobby that I enjoy, but that might not be your thing..or maybe you'll be suprised and do those things. I'm spending more on juice but less on hardware, since I'm making power supplies, than I thought I would...it's a hands on thing for most people. If you give it a chance you'll likely be very glad you did, lots of amazed and happy people here!!

 

[SueandCootie]

I might add, if you don't enjoy vaping, or don't like the model you buy, you can always either pass it on to someone you care about, or sell here on the classifieds page (and shop there as well!). It's still worth trying for your enjoyment, health and budget!!

 

[lookin2quit]

Welcome! I'm still new to this so I won't try to answer your questions because others here are better qualified for that. I just wanted to say that your situation is similar to mine and I've managed, so far at least, to get off analog cigs with no problem. I, too, have depression problems (Bipolar type 2) and have tried just about everything out there with limited success. The only suggestion I can make is not to push yourself to give up the analogs too quickly. Cigarettes, particularly the nicotine in them, help with Serotonin levels so they also help with depression. But if you decrease the level of nicotine more quickly than your body can tolerate you might end up in a depressive episode. Anyway, welcome, and be sure to take advantage of all the great knowledge here.