Myself, I have no doubt that I am a grade A nicotine junkie.
However, blending (1) a nicotine junkie with (2) one who hates and resents smoking cigarettes within the same person creates a whole bunch of psychological stress and tension. For 20+ years I have detested the stink, filth, stigma, health issues and inconvenience of analogs, and attempted to quit them every other month. The past two years has seen me dependent on nicotine gum and patches (talk about expensive!), yet still smoking analogs occasionally during the day. My spouse is the other side of the coin: he has smoked non-stop for years, never minded the filth or negative health effects, and has never even considered quitting.
"Discovering" e-cigs has been a complete trip. At times I've been struck with a sense of the ridiculous at how a whole technological industry has arisen around a slick, techie way to deliver us our fix of vaporized nicotine. Most of the time I feel only gratitude that these devices have made it possible to get my fix without the filth and stink of burrning tobacco.
"Wouldn't it be simpler and cheaper just to quit?", I can imagine non-addicts wondering. Perhaps, except that I enjoy nicotine, and have no interest in the moment at giving it up. Nicotine is the very least of my addictions--my other "drugs of choice" I choose simply to abstain from, in order to preserve my life and sanity.
I don't know if twenty years in the future will still find me partaking some form of clean, electronic nicotine. I hope not, my opinion is that a drug-free life would be preferable. Yet today I find myself addicted to nicotine, and to a lesser extent, caffeine. I can accept that without shame, and thoroughly enjoy e-smoking today.
However, blending (1) a nicotine junkie with (2) one who hates and resents smoking cigarettes within the same person creates a whole bunch of psychological stress and tension. For 20+ years I have detested the stink, filth, stigma, health issues and inconvenience of analogs, and attempted to quit them every other month. The past two years has seen me dependent on nicotine gum and patches (talk about expensive!), yet still smoking analogs occasionally during the day. My spouse is the other side of the coin: he has smoked non-stop for years, never minded the filth or negative health effects, and has never even considered quitting.
"Discovering" e-cigs has been a complete trip. At times I've been struck with a sense of the ridiculous at how a whole technological industry has arisen around a slick, techie way to deliver us our fix of vaporized nicotine. Most of the time I feel only gratitude that these devices have made it possible to get my fix without the filth and stink of burrning tobacco.
"Wouldn't it be simpler and cheaper just to quit?", I can imagine non-addicts wondering. Perhaps, except that I enjoy nicotine, and have no interest in the moment at giving it up. Nicotine is the very least of my addictions--my other "drugs of choice" I choose simply to abstain from, in order to preserve my life and sanity.
I don't know if twenty years in the future will still find me partaking some form of clean, electronic nicotine. I hope not, my opinion is that a drug-free life would be preferable. Yet today I find myself addicted to nicotine, and to a lesser extent, caffeine. I can accept that without shame, and thoroughly enjoy e-smoking today.