Cost vs. health - serious thread.

[BillyWJ]

I've read a couple threads about how much this costs, and how much we spend. I'd like to share something personal I've avoided completely now, to put it in perspective. Warning, this is not going to be a happy post, it involves some very serious and sad issues. A lot of time is spent here sharing our discoveries of gear and juices and the positive benefits of vaping, but less the health aspects. It's fine, but I need to share this, for a lot of reasons.

So, here we go. The REAL reason I'm vaping, and very happy about doing it, is from the experiences in my life in 2012. I was the primary caretaker for my mother, who was diagnosed with stage 4 small cell lung cancer, which, if you know anything about lung cancer, it's a death sentence.

I won't go into details, it's still painful, and personal, and not fun to write, or for you to read, but I will say this: after going through what I did, I don't care about the cost. ANYTHING that stops me from smoking cigarettes is a good thing, and I'll pay whatever it costs. I tried gum, patches, hypnosis, and cold turkey, nothing worked. It's an extremely addiction to quit, we all know it, even in the best of times. So I tried e-cigs, and have accepted that I'm still a nicotine addict, but the delivery method is infinitely better and safer for my health, which is more important than the smell, or taste, or cost.

I smoked for a long time, and heavily towards the end, so I'm not safe from cancer myself, but every cigarette I don't smoke is a step towards not going through what Mom did. My opinion on smoking changed throughout it all, it's not a hatred of the smokers, it's a hatred of the product, and a need to remove it from my life.

The health benefits so far outweigh the costs, it's not even a debate. Don't get too wrapped up in the costs, if you take any advice from me, that would be it. Your life, and NOT getting cancer, is worth every penny you have, trust me on that. Again, I don't care how much it costs. It's worth every penny, and more.

If you read this, thanks for reading. I'm not looking for sympathy, I want to just share that this is more than just a hobby for me.

 

[DetraMental]

Thank you for sharing. I too started vaping for health reasons and agree with you that the costs are not the concern, one's health is. It's worth every penny!

 

[anthonyjl]

Amen and best wishes and prayers for you and your family

 

[Blkwdw86]

Sorry to hear about your tribulations, and to know how unnecessary it is compounds the issue. Feeling your pain....

Fortunately, the costs of vaping are considerably less than smoking, which was why I got into it. Health was really secondary. When I found out that for the cost of a couple of months of smoking I could vape for a couple of YEARS, that was what did it for me. It's the chief advantage I tout when trying to convert smokers. Even going minimal, with commercial juices, it's still less than half the cost; when I started, the money I would have normally spent on two weeks of smokes to get to the next paycheck went to a starter kit and two weeks worth of juice. It was a painless transition.

Fear is what keeps the smokers from swapping over. Fear that vaping will not be as satisfying as smoking. It is that fear that needs to be overcome more than cost.

 

[Pav]

Thanks for sharing those tough circumstances. I think we can all relate on one level or another.

 

[Mark Anthony]

It was definitely an eye opening read and one that can't help but sadden me as well. I lost my father to lung cancer as well as my grandmother. My father smoked, my grandmother never did. I congratulate you on your willingness to share this testimonial with us.... If it is the final push that someone needs to give up cigarettes then it is a life saver. Thank you for your heartfelt post and I am indeed sorry for your loss.

 

[Thunderball]

Im with you on this and have some personal reasons why myself. The cost is nothing to me now as well, and Im not a wealthy man.

Im "all in" with Vaping for me and my family of 3 recently "ex smokers" and one that still smokes. An uncle that use to smoke out of his "air hole" in his throat....and me with white spots on my lungs. Yeah.. Im with you.

A few hundred on DIY gear and flavors.... Provari's and Semovars, Kayfun's, MVP's, tanks of all types and kinds...Mechs... RBA's. To hell with the costs. I feel Ive saved my family YEARS off their lives, including my own.

Vaping and these forums have been a God send to me.

Good luck to you and your family !!

 

[Amraann]

Thank you for sharing your story with us. Health is a major reason why I began vaping.

 

[patkin]

I'm sorry for your loss and what you went through. I hope you gently heal more with each day. I started vaping for health reasons and to save some money. It was a good decision on both counts but there have been so many other bonuses I never expected that I can't count them with out sitting down to do a list.

 

[john333]

understand

 

[Anjaffm]

I am sorry for your loss, dear.

Yes, vaping can save our health and our lives. That is why many of us are so happy that we have found this wonderful way to keep us away from tobacco cigarettes.

 

[WindyCityJoe]

Amen brother, thanks for sharing and best of luck to you!!

 

[Toyotaslave]

I'm right there with you on the health effects and personal touch. For me, it was my grandfather many years ago. I've battled the addiction for 10 years since (before that I had no real desire to stop smoking). Vaping is the only thing that's worked for me for a period of more than a few weeks. I get the nicotine and somewhat the physicality of smoking without the tar and chemical carcinogens. Who knows, maybe eventually people like us will use lower nic juices and/or ween ourselves off of the habits on our own terms. Best of luck!

 

[ccubed]

I feel for your loss and appreciate your willingness to share a very personal story. Words can seem inadequate in situations like you've experienced.

Your share struck me as both one of loss and of hope. Your loss is a tough one. And yet hope is a part of your story because you are here, vaping and no longer smoking. Your experience is sure to help others in ways you may not ever be aware of.

I lost my mother to cancer when I was 9...a smoker. My dad had a lung removed and eventually died...quit smoking after his lung was removed. So what happened with me ? I started smoking at a young age, knowing it was bad for me, but thinking I could quit anytime. Many years later I was still a smoker. Like you I tried to quit many times. Patches, gum, lozenges, medication, quitline, etc. I've only been smoke free for 7 weeks and I don't take that lightly. Vaping is working for me and I am grateful for ECF and the folks here.

Not counting health risks and costs, vaping is saving me quite a bit of money. Taking into account the health risks and costs, the savings and benefits (not just money) is more than I can even count.

Glad you are here and sharing your story has helped me this evening.

 

[ShariR]

I am sorry for your loss. I lost my dad that way many years ago. I kept smoking. Until I decided to try vaping I had not been able to quit the cigarettes for any significant amount of time. This vaping has worked for me and I thank God for it every day. Hopefully I will be lucky and not get lung cancer from the 45 years I did smoke.

 

[RedNBlack]

BillyWJ,
Know we are with you,.....
The Better Half and I have been through something similar, with her MOM.
Anniversary Mass for her was 11/17.

We both still feel a touch of gulit,
cause we did not seriously pursue vaping until...........
may have made a difference, if we could have converted her.
Set in her ways....she was.

You are correct...."...every cigarette I don't smoke is a step towards..." something healthier.
Thanks you for sharing............

 

[ConradM]

Thank you for sharing your story....

 

[Poet]

Health is also the main reason I switched. Quit many times with different nicotine replacements, always went back, think I just like blowing smoke and this seems to be a safer way.

 

[Catuela]

Billy,
Thank you for this thoughtful thread. What I have seen so far shows that vaping has the ability to cost less than smoking, it's just that people enjoy the hobby of it so much that cost quickly becomes secondary. I am only starting my second week and already I have spent right at 200.00 on vaping equipment. The cost as you say, can never be too high in order to not fill my lungs with tar and carcinogens.
-Will

 

[edyle]

Health certainly was the motivating factor for me, but then again, you might say an unsatisfactory cigarette was quite important too.

The tobacco industry just like the fast food industry can make more profit by slowly poisoning people; not that the intention is to poison people, the intention is to make profit, and it just so happens that making more profit by finding cheaper ways to produce stuff, often comes at the expense of safety and health.

When it comes to costs I strongly caution any new vaper to thread carefully, especially young vapers. For old folks like me we've already dumped so much of our labor into the cig industry, plus our health concerns are going to be more immediate.

Check how much you would have spent on cigarettes and compare the prices to go with ecigs; chances are you will end up buying a few different things, trying different things just like you might have tried out different brands of cigarettes when you first started smoking, so you probably don't want to jump in too big at the start and later regret that you bought stuff you'd never use.

And I like to point out - your biggest cost is going to be in rechargeable batteries, so I suggest you invest in a couple of these:

http://fasttechcdn.com/products/138/1382500/1382500-4.jpg