Getting someone to start vaping.

[BEEFENHAUZER]

I have recently begun vaping and love it. My father is 77, and has smoked for a HELL of a long time. The doctors have been on him to quit smoking and he refuses. He has the attitude of, what good will it do to quit now, is what is keeping him smokeing. When i got a disposable e cig, as i was deciding to switch, he tried it and liked it.

I thought this would be great for him, healthier but still enjoying it. Since then i have got the KR808D-1 and every cart flavor i got, he doesn't like, even though i do. He has always smoked Winston reds, however, Lately he seems to smoke whatever is cheap. Every cartomizer he has tried has made him cough like the first time smoking a cigarette. I want to find a flavor that is smooth, as little TH as possible, yet will work very simple like the KR808D-1. If its not simple, he wont do it.

I plan on getting him set up for fathers day, and I am looking for recomendations that might work well.

 

[Hellen A. Handbasket]

I'm not surprised that at 77 he refuses to quit! The older we get, the harder it is to make a change of any kind. Tread lightly, have it available and let it be at his pace and with his input! Even if it replaces 5 cigarettes a day for him, it is a victory.

The flavoring is key I think. If he doesn't enjoy the taste, it isn't going to be something he'll even use enough to give vaping a fair shake.

Prefilled cartomizer flavor isn't for everyone (I can't take them either, and I'm not 77! *grin*). Perhaps filling cartomizers yourself is a better idea for him? The tobacco flavors are best for beginners, and a good non sweet flavor such as Heavy Shag/Cigar seems to work well. Watch for reviews on ECF for tobacco liquids: E-Liquid Reviews - E-Cigarette Forum

Does he enjoy coffee? The Café Sumatra from VaporStation is divine (and the only coffee flavor I've found that is truly good and not perfumy or chemical tasting... I can recommend most all his flavors with the exception of the wood smoke flavors as being great without the perfume and chemical taste in most imported liquids. His are from India).

RY4 has a sweet caramel flavor with a tobacco and is a favorite for most beginners and long time users alike. If he has a sweet tooth he might enjoy that also. Find a few samples or look on the Classifieds for inexpensive bottles from other members to purchase. There also is a liquid exchange social group on ECF that you could join.

The coughing is probably one of two things, though most of us cough a little the first few days. If he is drawing the vapor directly into his lungs (a common new user error) direct him to hold the vapor in his mouth first and then slowly draw into his lungs.

The coughing could be caused from a reaction to the PG in the liquid which is common for a small percentage of new users. There are several companies that sell 100% Vegetable Glycerine liquid on ECF, so that would be worth trying. Even a 50/50 mix of PG/VG could ease the coughing and associated throat irritations that many find with PG.

Keep a selection of medium and high nicotine strengths around. Higher for when he really wants a cigarette is good... 24mg might be the ticket to start him off with. If he takes to the e-cig, you can cut it back later.

I think you are spot on with the idea of cartomizers for him. You could fill enough for a week for him so he has little effort except to pick it up .

While I didn't care for the vapor or flavor of the KR808 (or even how the blanks performed with vapor) I've recently tried the blank 510 cartomizers and like them very much. I found them to have very good vapor and translate what ever flavor I use well. Look for the ones that have the removable tops since that makes them easier to fill up. The hard tops aren't easy to remove and I fill them through the battery side with the silicone cap fill method. The 510 cartos will work with all 510 batteries and you can buy adapters for other KR808 batteries if you have those already (KR808 to 510).

Drew at NHaler has the mega size 510 cartomizers. Might be worth trying for him since they are a larger size. I haven't tried those... yet.

If he doesn't take to the e-cig at all, you might want to look into Snus for him. It seems to replace all we need from cigarettes and many vaping have switched over to it, leaving vaping and smoking behind. It is inexpensive and not messy. More information can be found in the Smokeless section of our forum: Smokeless tobacco - E-Cigarette Forum

You get "good kid points" in my book for your Father's Day gift. Good for you! Let us know how he is doing?

 

[DonDaBoomVape]

In response to my PM'd request for additional information, BEEFENHAUZER added:

The disposable one was a cigalectric "regular." It was smooth, very very little throat hit. The flavor tasted like tobacco with a little bit of a swisher sweets after taste. I don't think using a manual battery would be a problem for him, but the dripping method is something he won't do.​

This additional information, unavailable to Hellen when she posted her excellent answer, influences this supplemental post of mine...

I see that the nondisposable cigalectric is a cartomizer-based unit, probably a Kr8 (short battery version), since DNA Distributors also sells the Kr8 PCC for use with it. I'm not sure about the disposable version.

Be that as it may, because of their simplicity, I do think that a cartomizer-based model would be best for him ... and Hellen's suggestion about the 510 cartomizers is a good one. The larger capacity hard black cartomizers (which may be the same as NHaler's "mega size" cartomizers referenced by Hellen) – and 510 starter kits – are sold by such suppliers as LiquidXpress, LiteCigUSA, VaporKings, and ElectroNicStix. This type holds more than the soft tan ones (also carried by Nhaler). [When you order from New Jersey-based NHaler, remember that you can “SAVEinNJ” – 10% off. It helps make up for their $7 shipping cost.]

But, with the right cartos, the Kr8 model might work for your father as well. Many suppliers sell the Kr8, often under different brand names.

• Vapor4Life (Vapor King) has the greatest selection of cartomizers (flavors and nicotine levels) and batteries (three lengths and many colors), but is one of the priciest (including $7 shipping). [However, if you are “SMILIN” when you place an order, you’ll receive 10% off. During the month of May, coupon code "ROCKSTAR" will get you 15% off.] V4L offers two different high-end cartomizers: Premium and WOW Vapor. I've not yet tried the latter, but the former is a definite improvement over the standard cartos. Initially, you may want to order the "Premium Tobacco Shop Sampler # 2 Cartomizers" (Hilton, Kant, RY4, 555, and Dunhall), Premium blank cartos, and/or "WOW Vapor Wowboy* Cartomizers" five-packs.

* Any tobacco flavor with a name that misspells (deliberately) 'Marlboro' or is some variation on 'Cowboy', 'Western', 'Red', or 'USA Mix' is a very popular, nicely balanced flavor, which reminds some people of Marlboro analogs. Based on your description of the cartridges in that disposable, I think your father might like it.​

• VaporNine (Nebula) and CigEasy (Easy) also sell improved cartomizers, their Turbo and Gold Label Deluxe, respectively. I've not yet tried them, but from what I've read, I suspect that they are similar to V4L's Premiums.

• NHaler's new KR808D-1 Mega Cartomizers may also be in that league. All of those suppliers also sell Kr8 starter kits.

• Other U.S. suppliers of Kr8 starter kits and cartomizers (some of which are low cost and/or provide free shipping) include AltSmoke (KR808D), Cigtechs (KR808D), GoodProphets (VapoRite), LeCig (D1), LiteCigUSA (KR808D-1), Mist-Stix (Mist-Stix), PureSmoker (Ace), The House of Vapor (KR808D-1), and VaporKings (KR808D-1).

Your comment about the carts in the disposable tasting "smooth, very very little throat hit" (and which your father liked) leads me to suspect that the nicotine level was not very high. If so, you may want to tweak Hellen's otherwise wise suggestion about ordering medium and high strength. Perhaps 8-12mg and 18mg.