first time vaper but non-smoker

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bwh79

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if there are any ill effects, then I will quit, cold turkey. any words of wisdom?

If you're concerned about safety, then you're probably best off sticking with unflavored juice. The food-grade additives used to flavor e-liquid are meant only for ingestion and are not rated for inhalation*. There's a whole group of them (called diketones) that are of questionable safety and at least one in particular (diacetyl, used to create a "buttery" or "creamy" flavor but also naturally occurring in many other common foods and flavorings -- even some of those labeled "no diacetyl" only means that none was added to the juice but it may still be present in the "natural and artificial flavors" from which it's made) that is known to have caused irreversible lung damage (look up "popcorn lung") when inhaled in large quantities by workers in the factories where microwave popcorn is made.

Even discounting those, however, the fact is that we just don't know what is safe to vape and what isn't. vaping is still in its infancy, and we simply don't have the long-term data like we do from centuries of tobacco use. In ten or twenty or a hundred years it may turn out that diacetyl is the least of our worries and it's actually the fruit flavors, for example, which are the real killers after all.

*Menthol is considered safe for inhalation, and propylene glycol has been used in medical inhalers for years. You could probably vape menthol-flavored PG-based nic juice (or non-nic juice, if that's what floats your boat) and still be generally assured of relative safety. Anything beyond that, however, is a total crapshoot. If you're already hooked on the nic, or you just crave that hand-to-mouth action, then it's (probably) a safer alternative to combustible cigarettes, but nothing that you put into your lungs is going to be as safe as pure, fresh air.
 

Maiar

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As long as you don't do anything stupid to give the feds more fodder to try and over regulate it or ban it totally and aren't using nicotine juice then I really don't care. I'd advise against it if you're concerned about health effects as the science isn't in yet in regards to long term effects. Most of us do it to quit smoking, and there is almost no way that it can be any worse than tobacco. So for most of us it's risk reduction. For you it's risk increase. But as long as you're aware it may not be 100% safe and are old enough to decide, then go for it if you want.
For example, say if i continued to smoke heavily and got emphysema at age 60. But by switching to vaping I still got emphysema from it, only at 75 instead because it wasn't as bad as tobacco, that's still risk reduction for me and I'll take that deal any day. But for you... why would you go from not getting it at all to getting it when you're really old?
Think about it.
Whatever you choose, welcome aboard! And I'm glad you came and asked before diving right in too!
Good luck!

Why the .... did I even start smoking in the first damn place....
 

Alto101

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http://www.drugandalcoholdependence.com/article/S0376-8716(14)01986-3/abstract#/

The study concluded that e-cigarettes may be as or less addictive than nicotine gum, which isn't very addictive. The people telling you to stay away from e-liquids containing nicotine are likely thinking that vaping with nicotine is as addictive as smoking. I believe (and the studies are starting to show this) that vaping with nicotine is much less addictive than smoking. There is a lot more going on that causes the addiction with traditional cigarettes that doesn't happen with vaping.

All that being said, I would still recommend that people who were never smokers start with nicotine free liquid and only add a little nicotine if they desire the throat hit or a little boost from the nicotine.
 

Dyanne

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I disagree with the other posters. You are an American, you have free will, if you want to vape go ahead and vape! Just because you were smart enough to not start smoking doesnt mean that you shouldnt be able to enjoy vaping.

If your going to be a vaper, act like a vaper and dont do anything to ruin it for all of us. Other than that, enjoy your new hobby!

I agree with this comment from Tom, who are we to say you shouldn't do something when we have been doing something much more silly for our health for many years! However I do wonder what you get out of it if you have never smoked? Do you vape for the experimental experience of smoking but without the nicotine to avoid addiction? IF so maybe you are clever, I doubt the 0 nic level vapour you inhale is addictive but the majority of vapors here are trying to quit life long habits to save their lives and we really wouldn't want to encourage non smokers to start vaping for fun if it has any risks as that could cause world wide bans on the ecigs and perhaps send many of us back to the killer habit of smoking real cigarettes. Please try it out if you must but dont promote it to other non smokers for our sakes? The ones trying to save their lives by quitting smoking and relying on ecigs to help to them. Just my opinion.
 
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