I have to say that I was really surprised to read your post, because I've always found your posts to be edifying and greatly worthwhile... but it does appear to be the very epitome of irrationality that when presented with facts, verified by many independent sources -- even those, such as the FDA, who would be much better served, given their hysteria over vaping, to report the exact opposite -- you stubbornly cling to what you acknowledge is opinion. To me, that is irrational -- like certain religious people who insist that the earth is only 6,000 yrs old, or back in ancient times, that the earth was flat. It is one thing to note that one's own experience may be different from that observed by science... and quite another to go on believing an unverified opinion when confronted by facts which contradict it, in fact not only to go on believing it, but to flatly contradict what has been observed by science.
If nicotine was really "addictive" when taken alone, it would not be available OTC. The fact that it is no more dependence-producing than caffeine is why it is as easily available as caffeine.
The experience of a great many vapers who have found it astonishingly easy to reduce nicotine, many down to 0mg, is merely anecdotal, particularly since most of us are former smokers, and thus our experiences have absolutely no bearing on nicotine's addictive potential to never-smokers... but the findings of science have no reason to lie, when those never-smokers who've engaged in trials of nicotine as medication do not go on to crave nicotine and seek to obtain it by any means possible. If nicotine, used alone (in the absence of everything else that's in tobacco) by never-smokers truly was "addictive," those who've been part of those medication trials WOULD have developed dependence, if not outright addiction. But they have not. If they had, the ANTZ would have been ALL OVER! it, reporting it as far and wide as they could POSSIBLY spread it -- but they haven't said one word about it, because the finding contradicts everything they've said for so long about nicotine being as addictive as street narcotics.
In the face of that, to continue to believe that nicotine, when used alone by never-smokers, is addictive, is simply irrational -- there is no other word for it.
Andria
I must point out that it is not me who holds a conviction (in the "science" of Financially Driven Agenda (a.k.a FDA)) sufficiently deeply rooted to give advice on a compound of topics ranging from of CNS stimulants to "addiction"/dependence/deeply rooted habits.
That is as much of a Source War as I'm willing to entertain; a subtle swipe with the ol' Undermining Pickaxe. It is not an argument for or against nicotine. It's more an argument in the 6000 year old Earth debate - or a stab at Blind Faith, if you will.
I am not taking part in the debate on the addictive or non-addictive nature of nicotine. Not now - not with my post that caught all this flak. While our views on the matter may not be all that different, I (try to) be open to the possibilities - of both me being wrong, and me failing to see a bigger picture. The post was my reaction to others; who may not entertain such possibilities - giving bombastic One Truth advice.
I think the root of the matter is me unintentionally out-trolling a troll (not you, mind you
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