FINALLY Threw out the ashtray.

[zemajXD]

Me too...but...but...still haven't figured out what to do with the 20-30 Bic lighters I had stockpiled...

..

Sell them to friends that still smoke for $1 each and buy a (couple) new attys. Everyone wins.

 

[JULIA HUGGINS]

[QUOTE="DaveP, post: 21561495, member: 37016"

Did I mention the health benefits? Your life will be better with vaping and you'll live longer![/QUOTE]

I have two mean and arrogant doctors -- one GP and one eye specialist. (BTW, for you younger folks, if your doctor is mean/arrogant you're probably getting the best care because they have no compunction about beating your brains out to get the message across). It'll be nice to walk in this time without a guilty conscience

 

[Mimi25]

When I first saw vaping devices I thought they were a joke. NOthing was going to replace my Pall Mall Menthol 100's, nothing. RJ Reynolds was clever, though. After years of sending me big $$'s-off-a-pack coupons, they sent me an offer I couldn't refuse; an Alto AND a Vibe, complete with flavor cartridge packs, for $10 total, free shipping. They sat, unopened,in my desk drawer for months. "I'm not toking on a black plastic tube!" Finally decided to give them a go, after all, I spent a whole dix on them. Took an occasional draw and that was it.

Then, winter came. It was nice not freeze outside. Then I discovered it was nice not to need to "time" getting dressed so my work attire didn't stink (I was a secret smoker). It was nice not to worry about a smoldering cigarette in the ashtray. It was nice not to worry if I would get dirty looks from my doctors. It was nice not to worry about running out of smokes.

..and it was nice for RJR to keep sending me 40% off deals every month....

I never thought it was possible, but finally threw out the ashtray last weekend.

If you're a new vaper transitioning, don't worry, it takes time to get used to it, believe it. I never thought I would do it but it just happens on your own schedule.

Apolgies, I didn't mean to write a blog entry but no one knows these circumstances better than fellow vapers, and I hope it helps new folks who are thinking of making the switch.

So there.

That was my brand also. I hated freezing or burning up smoking outside too and dreaded running out of smokes all the time. Great post. Almost one year and I would never go back.

 

[Mimi25]

Sell them to friends that still smoke for $1 each and buy a (couple) new attys. Everyone wins.

You have to light the grill or fireplace sometimes. Birthday candles.

 

[Falconeer]

Well done you and thanks for posting. I'm convinced that stories like yours help encourage others to believe that making the Big Switch is possible for them too and can also help those struggling in the early stages of giving up smoking.

Your post in some ways took me back a few years to when I first moved to this town where vaping had really taken off big style. I was walking down the main street smoking my pipe and saw many people with vapes and said to my wife "God, look at these sooking away at those silly boxes, you'll never catch me doing that!"

I'd to eat my words - three months later I too was vaping. That was about 40 months ago and I have never gone back to tobacco nor wanted to.

Thanks again for your post, and stick with it!

 

[DaveP]

Once you finally decide that vaping is giving you the nicotine and replicating the way you smoked, inhaling and exhaling, all that's left to lose from quitting smoking is the stench that tells you tobacco has been burned. My house hasn't smelled like cigarette smoke since sometime in late 2010, after I quit smoking those few cigs a day that I held onto after starting to vape.

The funny part is that I thought I'd miss those 6 a day I thought I had to have after quitting the 2 PAD habit. The day I decided not to buy another pack wasn't stressful at all. I just vaped a little harder for a day or two. Easy Peasy. If you are getting the nic you need you won't have a desire for a smoke, then you can eventually begin to lower the nic over time until you arrive at a nic level that keeps you satisfied without wanting a smoke. Lots of us started at 24mg nic and lowered it over time to 3mg strength without issues. A little nic is a good thing.

 

[stols001]

Congrats. When it comes to smoking paraphanalia, lighters are my Achilles heel. I was always losing them and whatnot, so whenever I "found" oh, say a lighter in the washing machine (they usually still work, has been my experience) my joy knew no bounds.

I still have a hard time ridding myself of them. I currently own two (that I know of). I'm sure they are useful for SOME THINGS, but not really for me, I don't go out into the wilderness and try to start fires, anymore anyway.

Anna

 

[JULIA HUGGINS]

Once you finally decide that vaping is giving you the nicotine and replicating the way you smoked, inhaling and exhaling, all that's left to lose from quitting smoking is the stench that tells you tobacco has been burned.

I'm glad you mentioned that; for the first few weeks (almost a month) I wasn't getting much satisfaction but figured that was because a) I was still smoking and b) I wasn't inhaling an exhaling as I would a regular cig. I finally got that sorted out.

Also, I was told to expect to vape more than I was expecting to while transitioning but that would even out as I got used to not smoking anymore. Looking forward to that!

 

[AngeNZ]

I'm glad you mentioned that; for the first few weeks (almost a month) I wasn't getting much satisfaction but figured that was because a) I was still smoking and b) I wasn't inhaling an exhaling as I would a regular cig. I finally got that sorted out.

Also, I was told to expect to vape more than I was expecting to while transitioning but that would even out as I got used to not smoking anymore. Looking forward to that!

Never worry about how much you vape. A year in and I still chain vape my .... off in the mornings. It was when I used to chain smoke, so I don't expect it to change much

 

[gerrymi]

I was told to expect to vape more than I was expecting to while transitioning

from Spinfuel:

There is something, some truth that is spoken about in e-cigarette forums dozens, maybe hundreds, of times a day that for the most part all Vapers know to be true but others, non-Vapers, do not know. It is this; Vapers vape a lot more than smokers smoke.

We all know this to be true. Hell, if I counted the number of puffs/drags I take everyday from my e-cigarette and applied that number to tobacco cigarettes I would be in the category of a “4+ packs a day” smoker.

I’m a chain Vaper, like tens of thousands of others, I vape all the time. Why not? It’s safe. Harmless even. Hell, maybe even beneficial to lung health. And cheap. There isn’t a single reason that I can see for not vaping anytime I have the urge. I call it ‘pacify vaping’

..

 

[MJCSD]

Congratulations

 

[Nermal]

Prolly too late to do any good, but those ashtrays are soon to be collector's items.

 

[Michael_S]

I kept my ashtray. I use it now for the waste when I rewick and rebuild my RTAs.

 

[charlie1465]

Welcome Julia and great that you're finally of the cancer sticks....those smoker's excuses are clever aren't they

But seriously this kind of post is always good as there are a lot of people who will read it and take heart....well done

Keep up the vaping...you'll live longer

 

[Harlen]

When I first saw vaping devices I thought they were a joke. NOthing was going to replace my Pall Mall Menthol 100's, nothing. RJ Reynolds was clever, though. After years of sending me big $$'s-off-a-pack coupons, they sent me an offer I couldn't refuse; an Alto AND a Vibe, complete with flavor cartridge packs, for $10 total, free shipping. They sat, unopened,in my desk drawer for months. "I'm not toking on a black plastic tube!" Finally decided to give them a go, after all, I spent a whole dix on them. Took an occasional draw and that was it.

Then, winter came. It was nice not freeze outside. Then I discovered it was nice not to need to "time" getting dressed so my work attire didn't stink (I was a secret smoker). It was nice not to worry about a smoldering cigarette in the ashtray. It was nice not to worry if I would get dirty looks from my doctors. It was nice not to worry about running out of smokes.

..and it was nice for RJR to keep sending me 40% off deals every month....

I never thought it was possible, but finally threw out the ashtray last weekend.

If you're a new vaper transitioning, don't worry, it takes time to get used to it, believe it. I never thought I would do it but it just happens on your own schedule.

Apolgies, I didn't mean to write a blog entry but no one knows these circumstances better than fellow vapers, and I hope it helps new folks who are thinking of making the switch.

So there.

Way to go
Have you started to cut down the nicotine intake yet?

 

[JULIA HUGGINS]

@Harlen - Yes, it's getting better but when there's a "trigger" (when I get stressed -- usually work-related), I go running for the pen. Never thought of it like that when I was smoking. Now that I recognize it I can manage it better.

 

[Hbuddha]

Good on you mate. I am barely a few weeks tobacco free, but its a good feeling. I used to laugh when people discussed the dangers of smoking. I used to think its all conspiracy bs, I am smoking a dried plant (tobacco) FFS how can that be bad. Its au natural. Then I started vaping to substitute 50% of the cigarettes. When I started, even a mild 6 mg of nicotine would scratch my throat like crazy and I'd been smoking for 20 years. Then I found about what not the cigarettes are laced with !

A consultation with the local vape shop guy who said this was normal for beginners (and who could vape from my device to confirm I wasn't experiencing dry hits or had gone crazy with nicotine) and really looked me in the eye and said "smoking and vaping dont go well together mate. Just leave tobacco. I still got my open packet of durries back home when I started vaping - that was 3 years ago". Some research said smoking and vaping don't go well together for some. So I gave up on Saturday - hoping to weather through the effects on the weekend. I was absolutely fine. And I love to vape. Never thought the DTL would be so satisfying. I make my own juice and I love what I am able to put together. Found myself weaning off the nicotine too. Hopefully I will quit vaping one day. The only expense really are the coils and the power used to charge batteries. Which is nothing compared to $35 for a packet of 25 cigarettes (Australia - we rock baby).

 

[JULIA HUGGINS]

.... $35 for a packet of 25 cigarettes (Australia - we rock baby).

$35 AUS for one pack **that's, what, about $25 US** -- I think I just had a seizure.....

 

[Hbuddha]

$35 AUS for one pack **that's, what, about $25 US** -- I think I just had a seizure.....

You guys have it good. Last I was in the US (~2011), I think I paid $4.45 for a packet of Marlboro Golds.

Oh and allow me to shock you some more.
Juice WITH nicotine is illegal to buy and sell here. So all of us end up importing nicotine from other countries and go through the process of mixing our own nic. Its only dangerous in the beginning - but then you get used to it. Adults who are dickheads cannot store nicotine safely, which then comes in contact with pets and kids and kills them. Heavily concentrated nic in large quantities is poison.

In one particular state you can buy nicotine online but the moment you are in possession of it, its a crime. Its a different thing no one implements it (QLD).

Its illegal to buy or sell anything related to vapes online or brick and mortar in another state (SA).

And in another state (NT), come July, vapes and ecigarettes and everything related to vaping is going to be regulated as a 'tobacco product'. Because, well, our idiot elected reps think so. So there is no tobacco in this .... but its going to be regulated as tobacco.

Just idiots. Who have sold their balls and their souls to tobacco money.

 

[Hbuddha]

Sorry I forgot to add this bit. Because the cigs are now so expensive and we have got dole bludgers everywhere - you cannot even smoke in peace. The moment you light up a cig, you will have a hand asking for a spare smoke. Very soon, cig cartons are going to be like gold bars. You will have to protect them cos they can be stolen anywhere on the way between the super market to your car.