From non-smoker to vaper. Am I the only one?

[HyOnLyph]

Chiming in on this one. I haven't posted for over a year... I have never been a smoker. Puffed on a pipe a few times in my teens and loved it but never adicted to the nicotine. My wife and I had a home for women in recovery and I researched e-cigs to give them an alternative. I vape zero nic from time to time because I enjoy the relaxing contemplative mood. I slow down when I vape. Folks in this forum have been very supportive and have cautioned me against nicotine. I'm not interested in nicotine and don't like throat hit. I just like relaxing and making clouds. And ... c'mon... ya gotta love the gadget component.

 

[Ravensfan]

I've never drank coffee. If I went to a Starbucks tomorrow and ordered an espresso would everyone come down on me and think I was crazy? Nicotine is a stimulant much like caffeine. The more people attach this crazy stigma to it the more acceptable it becomes for the government to tax and regulate it. Vape em' if ya got em'.

 

[Terrapin88]

I'm a 20+ year pack+ a day smoker who had been trying to quit the nasty butts for some time. I'd made it a few days without smoking a few times but I would always fail. Too many friends and family members smoking around me would make the cravings unbearable. I was no fun to be around when I was going through withdrawals either. One problem was that I LOVED to smoke, but now in my early 40's I am feeling the effects of feeding that habit for so many years.

I found cigalikes but after smoking American Spirits for 20 years I could not deal with the nasty taste of the cigalikes I tried. I got online and found ecigs like ego's and all the different ejuice flavors choices out there and thought that might just be what I need. 3 weeks ago I got my first ego kit and a few bottles of ejuice. Today as I write this I am puffing on the tasty 12mg Goji Mellonberry that's in the Davide tank on top of my MVP 2. Normally I'd have a manual dangling from my lips with it's acrid smoke forcing me to constantly twist my head to evade the painful plume from burning my eyes, but I quit smoking 3 days ago and now I enjoy the sweet scent of my vapor clouds.

I still have urges to smoke, believe me, but the vaping is a very useful crutch and has kept me moving forward and away from the ciggs. Yeah I'm still using nicotine, but I will ween myself off that when the time is right. I am SO happy I found vaping.

 

[Bunnykiller]

I think there are about 5 others ....

 

[^Top-Shelf^]

I've always enjoyed smoking hookahs but found them not very convenient. Never cared for cigs but started smoking while drinking and started dating a pack a day smoker. Then I found myself smoking one every hour or so throughout the day but always outside as I don't like my house to smell like them and something to do while conversating. Something I just really enjoyed about taking a break and having to step outside for a few minutes of piece and quite all to myself for a cig. Only smoked for about 6 months but then came the snow, and that's when I bought an ecig. Ahh now I could relax and vape inside lol but wasn't very satisfied. Wasn't 2 weeks and my cigalike charger took a crap, so made a 5v usb passthrough with a rechargeable usb battery. OH YEAH!!! Now I was finally getting a nice vape. Oh wait what is that? A mechanical ecig? No wires and stuff to crap out? So I ordered a mech mod and my new fun hobby began.
I've vaped 24 mg from the start and don't really see a need to reduce that as I'm not a chain vapor. Also If wanted I could quit whenever, doesn't seem to be a problem for me with anything addictive "don't think I've ever been addicted to anything other than going really fast lol" I just find it relaxing and enjoy the taste. Healthy way to relax, what's not to like about that

 

[Charley Crystal]

I know a lot of non smokers that beg me for cigarettes. I have a friend who considers herself a non smoker but often feels left out if the smokers are out smoking or the vapors are vaping and she used my zero nic hookah that I use before working out. She loved the hookah and loved that it didn't have nicotine in it and she could puff away with everyone else.

I'm hesitant to put down those who went from non smoking to vaping because for the very same reasons I started smoking someone may start vaping and if its healthier then why not? I know a lot of non smokers who smoke when drinking and I know a lot of smokers who started smoking because they were partying up and having a few cigarettes here and there, then bought a pack, then a carton, etc.

When I started smoking I was aware of how addictive it was but I was in high school and thought it would be a great coping mechanism and didnt care if I got addicted never thinking I'd ever want to quit and that I would be immune to any side effects. My parents were smokers eh hated that I was smoking, they tried to educate me but I knew better.

People look to all sorts of substances for their own reasons. I know people who do St Johns Wort or valerian root to deal with their anxiety. I know people who drink gobs of green tea to stimulate their metabolism. I know people who drink like crazy. I know people who take b-12 for the energy boost. We are all looking to find ways to either cope, escape or find enjoyment in life. So long as someone isn't doing illegal things I say let it be.

 

[Wingnut94]

I was a smoker for 39 years, quit the moment i got my first EVOD. 9 months later and I love vaping. Back on topic now, I have a friend who was never a smoker but is very overweight. He took up vaping for the oral fixation ALL smokers and vapors like. He has since been losing weight and I do care enough not to discourage him. He is at 0 nic and has a new hobby. Everyone has a reason to things I might not understand, Just go with the flow.

 

[Bmath340]

I was a casual smoker. Typical party clubs or in a group. I usually bummed them so I wouldn't have a whole pack handy. I would also do hookah once in a while. But vaping is also a hobby for me between building and hanging out at vape shops.

 

[ghost1552]

Smoked over a pack a day while running every day. I eventually realized I wasn't able to run as far or as much, and realized something had to be done. Switched to vaping and not only am I now back to where I was, I can run more than I did before!

 

[951vappin]

I didn't smoke before and I vape on 0 mg nicotine juice.

 

[Bramble]

I stated that way too. Now I'm on 18 mg. Not too good for a non smoker. The 0 nic was missing something. I needed the throat hit.

I'd be curious to know, of all those who started vaping nicotine, if you got addicted to it No judgement whatsoever, I'm just curious for science sake.

 

[Llanso]

I've never drank coffee. If I went to a Starbucks tomorrow and ordered an espresso would everyone come down on me and think I was crazy? Nicotine is a stimulant much like caffeine. The more people attach this crazy stigma to it the more acceptable it becomes for the government to tax and regulate it. Vape em' if ya got em'.

Exactly what I was thinking reading this whole thread, caffeine and nicotine are like cousins. The only difference between caffeine and nicotine (harm-wise) is politics and Nic's guilty-by-association rep for hanging out exclusively with Ciggy for so long, You think Big Tobacco/Pharma has pull in Washington? Have you heard politicians trying to outlaw caffeine to "save the children?" I sure haven't! I guess Pepsi and Coke must have bigger pull.....

So back to the OPs point: Enjoy whatever nic level you like. My research leads me to believe that non-smokers who decide to vape, regardless of their reasons, are lucky to have an alternative to tobacco, because otherwise those reasons may have led them to pick up an analog cig. Vape on!

 

[PeppermintPatty]

I hear you OP, I am a never smoked, no nic vaper for weight loss and fun. I am down 13lbs as of yesterday. I have tried 6mg juice from time to time, but usually stick with my no nic flavors. I do not like throat hit. You are not alone

 

[jcalis1394]

I also smoked analogs too little to actually call myself a smoker (probably, if anything, 1 analog/week, more of a social smoker).

Here's what got me into vaping: flavors. I cannot stand the disgusting taste of an analog anymore. It's overwhelming and just with one puff my whole senses are covered in that stink for a while. Now I've been vaping for 8 months.

I started with 6mg because my local B&M had no 0 nic at the time (new store). Um, too much throat hit, it was getting in the way of tasting the clean flavor. ASAP I got a hold of some 0 nic juice. Then the whole gear upgrade began, mod after mod and tank after tank, dripping, RTAs, mechanicals, sub ohm and whatnot.

I can't believe (too lazy to scroll back and quote) the guy that said that you might as well kept smoking analogs because it makes no difference. That's so ignorant. Regardless of the addiction, it's a million times better if someone ends up vaping instead of smoking. I wonder why some people give such a hard time to non smokers that start vaping, specially if it's 0 nic. Thousands of people of any age pick up smoking just for the hell of it or whatever reasons they may have, why not be happy that instead they pick vaping? The way I see it, that person could have potentially become a smoker, end up smoking more than a PAD for 20+ years, and then switched to vaping, but instead he skipped all of that and went directly to vaping, much healthier choice.

This is not the case that applies to everyone, but the most used arguments from those that passionately dislike non smoker vapers are these:
"Well, they shouldn't pick either anyways!" <----well, guess what tough guy, you shouldn't have started smoking in the first place either. You should know by now life doesn't work that way.
"Why get into vaping if you don't have an addiction to nic in the first place?!" <----Wonder if you asked yourself that same question when you lit up your first analog. At least with vaping, you have the choice to not even get involved with nicotine.