Ex smokers. Do you plan to keep vaping?

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house mouse

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I started vaping almost 5 years ago at 36mg. I quit smoking instantly after a 33 year pack and a half/day habit. Weaned myself down to 0mg over 18 months or so. Kept it there for quite awhile but I felt bad. Sluggish, hard to concentrate. Went to the Dr. for an unrelated issue and found out that my thyroid had stopped working. Eureka! That explains it. Nope. Even after the thyroid was straightened out I still felt pretty lethargic a lot. Chalked it up to getting older and kept on with my 0mg routine. I never wanted the nic during this time but I always wanted to vape and was going through mass quantities of e-liquid.

A friend of mine gave me a bottle of 6mg liquid she had picked up accidentally(she vaped 24mg) and since I really wanted to try the flavor I vaped it. It was absolutely unreal the difference in how I felt after just a day of vaping the 6mg.I had so much more energy and felt much more alert and I put nicotine back in my life from that point on. And my daily liquid consumption decreased quite a bit to boot.

Since then my Mom has been diagnosed with alzheimers and since the studies out there suggest that nic may confer some protection against alzheimers, there is no way in everlovin hell that I'm stopping the nic again. Since I don't want it from cigarettes anymore I plan to continue on vaping for the rest of my life.
 

Adrienne1001

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I'm a 20+ year, 1 PAD smoker. Make that, FORMER 1PAD smoker. I picked up vaping last year just about this time. I didn't have much to invest in getting started and the cheap digital I was using leaked and we're just a general nuisance, and the shop nearest to me had awful flavors, so I went back to analogs. This time around, I've picked up better equipment, found a shop with fantastic flavors and will never go back to analogs. It's been a great first week back in the digital age. I don't see myself quitting vaping at all. I enjoy it a lot. The nicotine keeps me sane, which my family appreciates, so I don't know that I'll give that up either.
 
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I used to smoke half a pack a day and now I'm quit. I'm vaping 12mg now. I used to do 24. Granted I do sub ohm now. My main question is do you ex smokers ever plan on cutting down to zero nic if you haven't already. Do you ever plan on quitting altogether? Vaping for me has become a hobby and here's second part of my question. Do you consider vaping a successful quit of smoking? Many say not enough studies to say whether it's safe. But I think it's like saying if you smoke it's like souping up sports cars and street racing. Sure it's fun but super dangerous. Vaping is like souping up your car but instead going to car shows and drives. Much safer and a healthy hobby.

First let me come clean and confess that, as an on/off smoker of nigh on 30 years, I have "quit" smoking successfully 3 times in my life to this point:

1) For the first excursion, I took up pipe-smoking and let that gradually peter out until I no longer needed the hassle and lost the cravings. That lasted 7 years until a bereavement happened. The most successful "quit" to date.

2) The second time-out, I used BP Niquitin lozenges to quit for a couple of years, again quite successfully. Until some more intense stress occurred.

3) The third time, ditto with Niquitin pastilles until supply totally dried up (they were "recalled" by the government or something) here in Co.

Niquitins were good and I actually enjoyed sucking on them. I still miss them a bit because it was pleasant not to have anything polluting my breathing apparatus.

4) Recently and quite by chance, vaping replaced the absent BP products and put paid to a year-long relapse back to cigs. It's too early to tell whether this is another successful "quit" but, just as with Niquitin, I feel no irrational urges to tear open a packet of Kools - they're still in my cupboard - and take a toke. I know that if I did, they'd make me want to vomit because after vaping, their taste really is that disgusting. Still, I don't need to tell anyone here that one soon develops tolerance to the nausea they cause.

The difference now is: Vaping represents a total cigarette-replacement therapy, filling all those behavioural gaps that the lozenges couldn't. I enjoy vaping more than I enjoyed smoking, and it is becoming a hobby - a pleasant side-activity in its own right. A minor miracle. Now I am aware of so many more facts, the principal one being that nicotine is actually cognitively beneficial, far from being the addictive drug it is still demonized by BG as being.

I'm vaping 9-10 mg/mL DIY at the moment. I have no plans to reduce nic intake and may well even increase it in the future: ie. as I grow older and my mental capacities inevitably deteriorate, I will need more of nicotine's benefits to help offset that. Quitting vaping would therefore be as absurd as ripping open one of those white and green packets waiting in the dark.

Can I categorize this as another "successful quit"? I'm not far enough along yet. As with all things, time will tell. But I think the prognosis is good, until or unless the entire world bans the purchase of vaping products and the means to make e-juice.
 

Scotticus93

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First let me come clean and confess that, as an on/off smoker of nigh on 30 years, I have "quit" smoking successfully 3 times in my life to this point:

1) For the first excursion, I took up pipe-smoking and let that gradually peter out until I no longer needed the hassle and lost the cravings. That lasted 7 years until a bereavement happened. The most successful "quit" to date.

2) The second time-out, I used BP Niquitin lozenges to quit for a couple of years, again quite successfully. Until some more intense stress occurred.

3) The third time, ditto with Niquitin pastilles until supply totally dried up (they were "recalled" by the government or something) here in Co.

Niquitins were good and I actually enjoyed sucking on them. I still miss them a bit because it was pleasant not to have anything polluting my breathing apparatus.

4) Recently and quite by chance, vaping replaced the absent BP products and put paid to a year-long relapse back to cigs. It's too early to tell whether this is another successful "quit" but, just as with Niquitin, I feel no irrational urges to tear open a packet of Kools - they're still in my cupboard - and take a toke. I know that if I did, they'd make me want to vomit because after vaping, their taste really is that disgusting. Still, I don't need to tell anyone here that one soon develops tolerance to the nausea they cause.

The difference now is: Vaping represents a total cigarette-replacement therapy, filling all those behavioural gaps that the lozenges couldn't. I enjoy vaping more than I enjoyed smoking, and it is becoming a hobby - a pleasant side-activity in its own right. A minor miracle. Now I am aware of so many more facts, the principal one being that nicotine is actually cognitively beneficial, far from being the addictive drug it is still demonized by BG as being.

I'm vaping 9-10 mg/mL DIY at the moment. I have no plans to reduce nic intake and may well even increase it in the future: ie. as I grow older and my mental capacities inevitably deteriorate, I will need more of nicotine's benefits to help offset that. Quitting vaping would therefore be as absurd as ripping open one of those white and green packets waiting in the dark.

Can I categorize this as another "successful quit"? I'm not far enough along yet. As with all things, time will tell. But I think the prognosis is good, until or unless the entire world bans the purchase of vaping products and the means to make e-juice.
What are these beneficial qualities of nicotine. I'm quite young but have heard several people mention them in tre forum? Is it kind of like that glass f red wine a day? Do you have any sources? Not that I don't believe you. I am just merely curious. This sounds like good news to me.
 

DC2

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What are these beneficial qualities of nicotine. I'm quite young but have heard several people mention them in tre forum? Is it kind of like that glass f red wine a day? Do you have any sources? Not that I don't believe you. I am just merely curious. This sounds like good news to me.
If you want a lot to read, just Google "nicotine performance enhancing"...

But here are a couple, the first one short and to the point, the second one more scientific...
Nicotine could be put on list of banned substances - Olympics - ESPN
Will a Nicotine Patch Make You Smarter? [Excerpt] - Scientific American

Also, this is one of my all-time favorites...
Nicotine, the Wonder Drug? | DiscoverMagazine.com
 
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Kasanova

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I stopped smoking December 2013, I've been vaping since then. I will never put down the vape, it has become more of a hobby now and at the same time, keeps me of the stinkies. I'm afraid if I ever do stop vaping(which I won't) I would have the urge to pick up smoking again 6-7 months later. Can't take that chance.*clicks on a website for updated products :)*
 

Scotticus93

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If you want a lot to read, just Google "nicotine performance enhancing"...

But here are a couple, the first one short and to the point, the second one more scientific...
Nicotine could be put on list of banned substances - Olympics - ESPN
Will a Nicotine Patch Make You Smarter? [Excerpt] - Scientific American

Also, this is one of my all-time favorites...
Nicotine, the Wonder Drug? | DiscoverMagazine.com
When I get a moment I'll give that a read thanks. I know nic cuts peoples appetite. Something important in a world full of food. The only bad thing. I have found is some study that says nicotine hardens your blood vessels and causes heart disease. Feel like you gotta use a lot to do that tho
 

AndriaD

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When I get a moment I'll give that a read thanks. I know nic cuts peoples appetite. Something important in a world full of food. The only bad thing. I have found is some study that says nicotine hardens your blood vessels and causes heart disease. Feel like you gotta use a lot to do that tho

It does not cause heart disease, BUT, if cardiovascular disease exists, particularly hypertension, nicotine may make it worse. That really seems to be the only downside to nicotine, it's a mild vasoconstrictor, which means it can raise blood pressure (much like caffeine). For someone like me, that's a good thing -- without nicotine, I barely HAVE a blood pressure! :D

Nicotine seems to have an "organizing" effect on neurotransmitters, hence its beneficial effect on concentration and focus, and even relaxation -- it's easier to relax when your brain chemistry is working properly. Which means it's also useful in treating ADD, ADHD, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, and a host of other brain-chemistry disruptions and disorders -- including senility and Alzheimers.

When reading about any effects of nicotine, be sure they are actually talking about NICOTINE, and not smoking; smoking can be deadly, but, at the percentages of nicotine in smoking, vaping, or all the assorted NRT products, nicotine is not harmful -- unless you have uncontrolled hypertension.

Andria
 

Verb

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I didn't think I'd stop smoking when I started vaping. I did. I didn't think I'd ever lower my nicotine intake. It has dropped on its own over the past year by a substantial amount. I'm at 15-20ml of 1.5mg a day. If I make it to zero mg, I'm sure it will just be a matter of time before my brain learns there's no chemical reward in the behavior and the frequency declines.
 

DC2

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I'm sure it will just be a matter of time before my brain learns there's no chemical reward in the behavior and the frequency declines.
That's kind of where I've been at for probably more than a year now...

I have been using 12mg strength ever since I started vaping six years ago.
I have never lowered it and never intend to lower it.

But I keep using it less and less, and really never crave it unless I'm drinking.
And even then, it's not the nicotine I am craving but something to do with my hands.

I have gotten to the point where I have to actively remind myself to vape.
I have no doubt I could quit altogether if I wanted to, provided I stopped drinking of course.
:)

But yeah, I don't intend to ever stop using nicotine because I believe wholeheartedly in the benefits.
 

AndriaD

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Started a year ago with 36mg in a C4 atty, went to dripping 6mg and with the new tanks I've been stocking up on lately have dropped to 3mg....but I have no intention of stopping...part of my smoking addiction was the "ritual", so I can get that in a healthier version with vaping.

Didn't you used to have a different username? I recognize your avatar, but can't remember what username used to be attached to it.. :D

Andria
 

AndriaD

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Same user name, I was just away since May of last year. I wasn't buying any new stuff for a while and was in the dripper doldrums until a few weeks ago.

Ahh.. well nice to see you back! I guess that means I'm visually oriented, since I recognized your avatar but not the username. :D

Andria
 
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Scotticus93

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I didn't think I'd stop smoking when I started vaping. I did. I didn't think I'd ever lower my nicotine intake. It has dropped on its own over the past year by a substantial amount. I'm at 15-20ml of 1.5mg a day. If I make it to zero mg, I'm sure it will just be a matter of time before my brain learns there's no chemical reward in the behavior and the frequency declines.
I pray you either a very wealthy person or for the sake of your wallet you make your own juice. I just started diy. Cuz the subtank uses a lot of juice.
 
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