Heavy smokers seem to have an easier time quitting for good?

[JMarca]

It's an addiction... you have to hit rock bottom.

A casual <insert drug of choice here> user will be less likely to quit than a very heavy user who's been through it and hit rock bottom.
Same logic can be applied to smokers, a heavy 1, 2 or even 3 pack a day smoker is more likely to quit and stick with it once they see the dramatic difference after switching. While a casual smoker won't really be as inclined to quit.

 

[Recycled Roadkill]

I had no intention of quitting. I had no doubt that my last breath would be with a cigarette to my lips. I bought the EVOD to just cut down on the amount of cigarettes I was smoking because I was tired of lighting a new one off the .... of the last.

About 30 hours after the EVOD purchase I realized I wouldn't need cigarettes ever again as long as I could vape. Quitting was never easier for me. Yes, I wanted to quit for good but I had realized long ago that was never going to happen, except that it did.

And oh, the benefits of quitting were just icing on the cake and not realized until weeks later.

 

[edyle]

I think there are a lot of different things that affect how well it works. In particular, I think you have to really want to quit. A lot of people think "I wish I was a non smoker", but they aren't really ready to try and quit. Many don't want it enough to go through the learning curve and such.

I think the right juice is very important, in particular the nic level. Most people should probably experiment with different nic levels when they first start, but that costs extra money, and nobody wants to spend the money.

One advantage that I think heavy smokers have is that if you've been smoking 3 PPD, even cutting out half your cigs means you can easily justify the cost of buying decent equipment and a small selection of juice. People that smoke 1/2 a pack a day may be looking at it as "This is so expensive, I can't afford to buy the stuff and get started". People that smoke heavier can justify it easier.

I think that's a big factor too.
I tried to convert a half packaday smoker, but it was just too expensive for him to get started; if everything was going to work perfect and no fiddling it would be a different story; but the cost and the learning curve make it worthwhile for the heavy smoker, whereas for the casual smoker, he's likely to give up at the first sign of problems; much easier to just get a pack of cigs at the grocery store than to scratch your head wondering what's wrong with your tank and maybe it's the battery that's the problem. or the ohms. or the coil is gunked. or the coil is flooded. or the centerpin is pressed in.

 

[DC2]

I've always thought that when you find the right equipment and flavors that work for you, quitting almost happens by itself.

But how much hassle and money are you willing to go through to find those things?
How willing are you to put up with setbacks and issues that vaping brings that cigarettes don't bring?

Some people may be more motivated than others.
Some people may be more patient or adventurous than others.
Some people may have more money or time on their hands than others.
Some people may be lucky and find something that works for them faster than others.

Heavy smokers might be more motivated, but I think there are a lot of other factors involved as well.

 

[Wow1420]

I have my own theory, based mostly on just reading different people's stories.

I think that the younger someone starts smoking the harder it is to quit. People who started in their early teens having the worst time of it.

 

[Cool_Breeze]

2 1/4 PAD of home-stuffed 'pipe tobacco' cigarettes. 42+ years. Picked up an 808D and never picked up a cigarette again. Near 3 1/2 years.

 

[alisa1970]

I have my own theory, based mostly on just reading different people's stories.

I think that the younger someone starts smoking the harder it is to quit. People who started in their early teens having the worst time of it.

I like that! Makes sense, as young brains aren't finished yet, and introducing everything that comes with cigarette smoke into the mix surely will mess up the brain chemistry and make it harder to wean off.

 

[DeliciousClouds]

I have my own theory, based mostly on just reading different people's stories.

I think that the younger someone starts smoking the harder it is to quit. People who started in their early teens having the worst time of it.

I think that holds true for most addictions, like for example binge-eating and the resultant obesity.

 

[Warpigs]

Im 46, I smoked ALOT since I was 16 years old. In the last 20 years I was smoking 3-4 packs of Marlboro Reds a day. During that time I used alot of drugs and booze. So the cig's just went with my other addictions. After I quit the booze/drugs I continiued to smoke. I figured, hey I quit all that other stuff I should at least have 1 vice that I like. But it got to the point after I had a heart attack and 2 stents in heart and 1 stent in lmy left leg. Cardiologist said if I continue smoking I will lose my legs. I was like oh my weighing the descision between cig's to being in a wheelchair. I picked vaping to take the place of smoking. He actually suggested me to look into it as an alternative. Been smoke free over a year now

 

[JimzDogz]

It's amazing how motivated one gets when their back's against the wall and options are running out. As a 1 1/2 pad smoker for 50 yrs. with declining health, that's where I found myself at age 62. So, I decided to try one more time to quit. After a lot of research on the new thing, e-cigs offered hope and a promise of success. What gave me hope was that I had been moderately successful using the prescription nicotine inhalers. But because of the expense and the fact that when I stopped using the inhalers I was right back smoking again, I was skeptical. I had never seen or tried using an e-cig, but decided to give it a go. I ordered a Provari and some atomizers and juice online. And I s-it you not, I smoked my last cigarette minutes before going to the mail box and taking out my new equipment. That was 1 1/2 yrs. ago. Was it easy? The last part would seem to indicate so, but that would be ignoring all the came before. I'm very proud and grateful for where I am today. It isn't important how you or I got here. The important thing is that we have finally arrived.

 

[PLANofMAN]

I have my own theory, based mostly on just reading different people's stories.

I think that the younger someone starts smoking the harder it is to quit. People who started in their early teens having the worst time of it.

It took me over a year to quit the smokes after I started vaping, and I started smoking when I was 18...

 

[airbrushaddict]

I've too smoked for quite sometime. About 14-15 years. I huffed down about a pack in a half a day. Once I started vaping, I quit smoking very easily. I tried everything from patches to chantex. All failures. Thank God for vaping.

 

[serenity21899]

I'm in my late 40s, and smoked 2 packs a day for a little over 30 years. When I started vaping, I had no intention of quitting smoking. After a couple of days, I ran out of cigarettes, and that was it. It has been 19 months for me.

Maybe because I'm older, I'm more willing to take suggestions and ask for help when I need it? Or maybe it is because the hobby aspect of it kicked in quickly for me? I don't know really.

 

[Recycled Roadkill]

I started at 16, shortly after I received my drivers license. Anti smoking legislation caused me to smoke more cigarettes prior to entering any building. The more I smoked in between the more I smoked at home.

Eventually no longer smoking in my home, I'd smoke two or three outside before going back in. I'm sure that as I raised higher and higher concentrations of nicotine in my system my needs eventually dictated the 2 1/4 PAD I was smoking prior to picking up the EVOD.

As someone mentioned before, I truly do believe it's different for everyone but I was seeing a small trend where those that were heavy smokers (as myself) seemed to have an easier time quitting with vaping.

Bottom line is, I'm pretty sure we'll never know for sure unless this is researched. The government should send me a million dollar grant, and I'll do it myself.

 

[GinnyTx]

I was a heavy smoker and while the first two weeks that dang morning coffee one, was tough, my eldest daughter (25yrs old) and her boyfriend have had a great time with it, no more smokes after day one, and they were smoking about 1/2 a pack a day or more if they were socializing. I think that's it "cool" and hipstery has has a lot to do with it, it's a new hobby and social for them too.

for me it was no headaches, and craving a ciggie and that and something's in my hand and mouth (hey George you know all about that oral fixation us smokers have, same here Psych RN CADAC for 10 years before going Concierge)

 

[want to quit]

I smoked a bit over a pack a day and I still smoke one here and there.

I was a 2 1/4 pack a day smoker, roughly. Wife was a pack a day, maybe. She's buying and smoking a pack or two a week now after abstaining for, maybe, 5 months prior. I've smoked none in over 9 months.

Another once heavy smoker I know quit, totally about 8 months ago. 2 of her friends which were lighter smokers have tried to quit but keep falling back. My wife will also bum a smoke whenever she sees an opportunity.

Of course, all of us are using ecigs as their aid or I wouldn't bother posting this.

Anyway, I'm beginning to believe that it's the lighter smokers that have the hardest time quitting and while nothing ever seems to be a hard fact, especially when dealing with people, I'm wondering if anyone else sees this type of pattern.

 

[Jman8]

One of the many reasons I still smoke (as a vaper) is because growing up I never had experience with a 'moderate smoker.' A person that continued to smoke (say daily) but didn't need to do it every chance they got. A person that could routinely smoke 4 a day, or less, and be very satisfied. Instead, it was all heavy abusers, with variation on the heavy part, but not on the abuse. So, while in my 'prime' I may have gotten up to 2 PAD, I generally hovered at the 1 to 1.5 PAD.

Now, I am the moderate smoker, and I find it very nice. I'm not constantly craving a smoke, and have many days in past 2 years where I have none and that is met with zero struggle. I'm currently doing a PAW, and have been a PAM smoker in past 6 months. I generally have zero issues sharing smokes with others and all around it is an experience of moderation rather than abuse. It's a nice train to be on, and one I'd like to ride awhile longer as it still seems new to me, even while I've been on this train for a little over a year now.

 

[Anjaffm]

Heavy smokers seem to have an easier time quitting for good?

That may be.
I smoked for 35 years - 25 cigs a day in the end, sometimes 50 - and I started to feel the negative effects such as morning smokers cough and shortness of breath. Bought an ecig to use in the evenings, so that I would smoke less (!) in the evenings (!) (carbon monoxide poisoning from chain smoking too much is no fun). And I made the transition to 100% vaping immediately, effortlessly and with great pleasure.

Because I had found something that gives me all that smoking gave me - but without any of the negative side effects.

And I have heard many of such stories. Same as me. Inveterate smoker, never intended to quit smoking, never ever, not once in our lifetime, but found something better and made the transition with pleasure.

Oh, I made my transition over 2.5 years ago - and I still love vaping. Have not had a tobacco cigarette since. Because I have something so much better

 

[jstraw20]

I can definitely get behind the concept of heavy smokers having an easier time because they tend to have been at it longer, are (generally) older, and more in touch with their own mortality. I quit at age 52 and had no problems going 100% no analogs after 3 days of mixing. My wife is 8 years younger than me and still needs to blend vaping and smoking. She's getting frustrated since she saw how easily I did it but I keep telling her that it isn't a contest and she'll stop the analogs when she's ready.

 

[Dampfsucht]

I'll be 51 this month. Was smoking 2+ pad until 10 months ago I was ready. Mel Gibson once said in an interview I saw on TV years ago that still sticks in my mind, "you can't quit if you don't smoke". I couldn't imagine not smoking.

I started with a simple ego and tank starter kit and haven't smoked since the day after getting it in the mail. The first weeks were difficult. Whenever I craved my Marlboro reds I'd take a toot on my new device, then another one. Quickly realized I needed a backup kit. Finding good juice and NIC levels was indeed a challenge. Figuring out coils, batteries, PG, VG, ohm's law...I found a forum...ECF...and now had a support network in place!

The benefits of being smoke free are awesome. The stank from smoke on clothing of current smokers is a constant reminder of what I can only imagine that I must have smelled like. I still occasionally find an unopened pack of smokes laying around and still have a few cartons in a closet. I'm simply amazed that I have zero cravings to smoke cigarettes today, as long as I can vape.

My addiction to cigarettes has definitely transferred over to addiction to vaping. ("Sucht" means addiction in German ie my username). I currently have backups of my backups, use RTA's and RBA's and am into DIY. Rebuilding and DIY was a game changer as a result I've reduced my NIC levels.

I quit, but I vape; I don't smoke.