Hello from a non-smoker intrigued by e-cigs

[iVaporgirl]

First off this is a great and dynamic forum. I love the support and information that is offered here in the community! Fantastic resource.

So let me introduce myself a little here: like the title says I am a "non-smoker". I started seeing many friends and acquaintances smoking these intriguing little devices about 7 or 8 months ago. Recently I have been doing some freelance work for a company that distributes ecigs so I have been learning about the devices directly.

Since I've had many relationships with smokers while not actually smoking myself I really appreciate the "revolutionary" aspect of the ecig.

Besides, it looks so damn cool and I've already enjoyed feeling like a femme fatale using it on occasion

Anyway, I'll be posting q's here and there on the forum and hopefully getting to know some of you better.

In the meantime I'm enjoying reading about your experiences and I'd love to hear about what inspired you to get into this whole "vaping" thing

-A. Cat

 

[Sign-Man]

For me, after 35+ years smoking, the constant coughing as well as the cost.

For less than the cost of tobacco I get lots of new toys and potions to play with.

 

[Raenon]

Hello there!

First, welcome to the forum.
Second, I apologize in advance for anyone who tries to deter you (as a non-smoker) from vaping... it's nearly inevitable though.
In all seriousness, I hope that you're not using e-cigs that contain nicotine, unless you intend to get hooked (please don't). If it's more of the social aspect, I understand completely, and I think there is enough logic in saying that e-cigs will be healthier than picking up the smoking habit.

I smoked for several years, after growing up around it from my father and older sister. After a while, I was around my smoking friends so much that even though I'd never had a puff I started craving the smell and exposure. I also started having a bit of jittery nervousness that I assumed (and now confirm) to be nicotine withdrawal. So, I picked up the habit and started getting it directly instead of the sidedraft smoke.

I've now been vaping for 3 months, after a coworker mentioned that her fiance had quit smoking with them. I figured I'd just cut back, especially while visiting with my younger sister and her new baby. It took less than a day after recieving my e-cig for me to make the decision to fully switch, and although curiousity made me take a puff since then, I hated it. I honestly don't know what I ever liked about smoking.

(well, I might still want to enjoy a cigar now and then... ;p )

 

[blondeambition3]

For me, after 35+ years smoking, the constant coughing as well as the cost.

For less than the cost of tobacco I get lots of new toys and potions to play with.

same for me..... (only I smoked for 27 years)

Welcome!

 

[breakfastchef]

Besides, it looks so damn cool and I've already enjoyed feeling like a femme fatale using it on occasion

Many youngsters started smoking cigarettes because of images like that. It was a teriible reason to start smoking and is a terrible reason to start vaping.

 

[Drozd]

Greetings and welcome,
What inspired me and my fiance was the rising costs of regular cigarettes and the obvious health issues associated with them as well as not wanting to smoke around my children and expose them to any potential side effects..fully intended to use it to just cut costs and use it as an alternative while still smoking..well ended up smoking my last actual cigarette as the batteries of my first kit was charging..it just kinda tricked me into switching over full time as my senses of smell and taste came back and the coughing stopped...tried a regular cigarette on the third day and couldn't even choke my way through a 1/4 of it...and that was it..

 

[Chrissie]

Many youngsters started smoking cigarettes because of images like that. It was a teriible reason to start smoking and is a terrible reason to start vaping.

Completely agrees with breakfastchef.

Raenon

"I apologize in advance for anyone who tries to deter you (as a non-smoker) from vaping... it's nearly inevitable though.

" Lol not going to disappoint you then am I

One of the reasons (apart from the obvious pointed out by breakfastchef) some of us try to deter non smokers from taking up vaping is due to the fact that bodies like the FDA & ASH are constantly stating that the e-cig will encourage people to become addicted to the smoking/vaping habit. It's one of their main (stated) reasons for wanting the e-cig banned.

 

[Slea]

Many youngsters started smoking cigarettes because of images like that. It was a teriible reason to start smoking and is a terrible reason to start vaping.

Agreed, and alarming to hear.

I can justify messing with the unknown health effects of e-smoking, because I have great reason to *hope* that those effects are less than those of traditional cigarette smoking.

Why someone would want to inhale a substance with unknown side-effects for any other reason is beyond me.

 

[Chrissie]

Agreed, and alarming to hear.

I can justify messing with the unknown health effects of e-smoking, because I have great reason to *hope* that those effects are less than those of traditional cigarette smoking.

Why someone would want to inhale a substance with unknown side-effects for any other reason is beyond me.

Well said Slea

 

[scyllabub]

I am an avid e-cig user and fan after smoking for 50 years, so my only reasons for being appalled that anyone should encourage OP to take up electronic cigarettes are the same as Chrissie's and Slea's.

scylla

 

[daleenmarine]

In the meantime I'm enjoying reading about your experiences and I'd love to hear about what inspired you to get into this whole "vaping" thing

I enjoy smoking. I enjoy the way the smoke feels going down my throat. I enjoy the head rush that comes with my first cigarette of the day. I enjoy chain smoking with my girlfriends while we chat on the porch. I enjoy the breaks and quiet time I get when I smoke.

I am now at the point where I'm enjoying smoking less because of its side effects: I don't enjoy coughing up what appears to be pieces of my lungs all the time. I do not enjoy me and my car smelling like an ashtray. I do not enjoy the dirty looks I get from strangers for smoking, even if I am smoking in a designated smoking area. I don't enjoy paying $5.00+ for a pack of cigarettes.

I had seen spots on TV about electronic cigarettes and decided to find out what I could about this new "craze". From what I was able to find, I decided vaping may be the best of both worlds for me.

I picked up my JOYE510 from the Widow on Tuesday and have been reaching for my PV more often than my cigarettes and am down to less than 5 a day. Each cigarette is much less satisfying than the one before- I'm *liking* the vape better than smoking. I love to inhale the vapor and savor it in my mouth! Almost takes me back to the days before I was a regular smoker and would smoke cloves, beadies, flavored cigarettes, etc.

I'd be lying if I said everything was 100% perfect. I am having a slight issue with throat irritation, but it seems to have lessened over the last few days. And despite this, I am happily vaping away because the slight irritation is a HUGE improvement over the nastiness I was coughing up just a week ago.

Ultimately, the goal is to reduce my dependence on nicotine. But as someone who has an addictive personality (you should see my yarn stash, hahaha), I'll be happy if I can simply smoke at the reduced rate I've experienced since picking up my e-cig.

 

[Vapist]

I'll add my two cents. As a smoker (now former) of roughly 15 yrs, I look at it this way. Studies on vaping haven't really shown anything harmful at all, but in my mind even if some study definitively proved there were 5 carcinogens in vapes, that beats the 70+, or 600+ (depending on who you're talking to) carcinogens in the analogs.

For me, and a lot of people, it was mainly health, and secondly $$$ and not being taxed to death that made me switch first.

For a current smoker who wants to switch, it totally makes sense. The current score of zero carcinogens vs heaps of them for analogs is the smart choice. If you're not a smoker, I'd steer clear of inhaling anything. At the very least don't use nicotine and don't inhale. I never really considered this perspective though very interesting!

 

[iVaporgirl]

Hello there!

First, welcome to the forum.
Second, I apologize in advance for anyone who tries to deter you (as a non-smoker) from vaping... it's nearly inevitable though.
In all seriousness, I hope that you're not using e-cigs that contain nicotine, unless you intend to get hooked (please don't). If it's more of the social aspect, I understand completely, and I think there is enough logic in saying that e-cigs will be healthier than picking up the smoking habit.

I appreciate the concern and yes I do vape a zero nicotine fluid. I also don't really inhale - that technique is still a little foreign to me to be honest, lol.

I smoked for several years, after growing up around it from my father and older sister. After a while, I was around my smoking friends so much that even though I'd never had a puff I started craving the smell and exposure. I also started having a bit of jittery nervousness that I assumed (and now confirm) to be nicotine withdrawal. So, I picked up the habit and started getting it directly instead of the sidedraft smoke.

Yeah, I've found a lot of statistics that say many people get into smoking from their parents. Neither of my parents smoked so I guess I was lucky in that sense. Plenty of my peers/boyfriends have smoked however but it just never appealed to me personally.

I've now been vaping for 3 months, after a coworker mentioned that her fiance had quit smoking with them. I figured I'd just cut back, especially while visiting with my younger sister and her new baby. It took less than a day after recieving my e-cig for me to make the decision to fully switch, and although curiousity made me take a puff since then, I hated it. I honestly don't know what I ever liked about smoking.

That is awesome! Are you able to or do you "vape" at work?

(well, I might still want to enjoy a cigar now and then... ;p )

Lol, and I'm sure that's a whole other ballgame Thanks for the reply Raenon!

 

[iVaporgirl]

For me, after 35+ years smoking, the constant coughing as well as the cost.

For less than the cost of tobacco I get lots of new toys and potions to play with.

35 years is more then my entire lifetime! Wow! Great to hear you're enjoying your "toys and potions" now

 

[PaulaLynn]

Many youngsters started smoking cigarettes because of images like that. It was a teriible reason to start smoking and is a terrible reason to start vaping.

+1 absolutly agree with that statement!

 

[iVaporgirl]

Many youngsters started smoking cigarettes because of images like that. It was a teriible reason to start smoking and is a terrible reason to start vaping.

again I appreciate the concern about taking up the "vaping" habit. I must be honest though about the appeal, and explaining the psychology behind my own experience. in actuality I can't really claim that it is a "habit" for me since I barely pick up the thing more than a couple times a week and I'm using zero nicotine fluid

 

[Tanner S Hyde]

tried a regular cigarette on the third day and couldn't even choke my way through a 1/4 of it...and that was it..

I noticed that too! Analogues are NASTY after vaping so many wonderful sweet and clean flavors!
I can't believe I got SO much enjoyment from doing that to myself 25 times a day every day!!!

 

[iVaporgirl]

Greetings and welcome,
What inspired me and my fiance was the rising costs of regular cigarettes and the obvious health issues associated with them as well as not wanting to smoke around my children and expose them to any potential side effects..fully intended to use it to just cut costs and use it as an alternative while still smoking..well ended up smoking my last actual cigarette as the batteries of my first kit was charging..it just kinda tricked me into switching over full time as my senses of smell and taste came back and the coughing stopped...tried a regular cigarette on the third day and couldn't even choke my way through a 1/4 of it...and that was it..

That is very cool! This economy certainly has made it very appealing to make the switch I've noticed from many of you. Also it seems that often it's a combination of the cost + the health effects + concern over children/family members which all make for a powerful motivating trio. How long have you been "vaping"? And how long did you smoke tobacco?

 

[iVaporgirl]

Completely agrees with breakfastchef.

Raenon " Lol not going to disappoint you then am I

One of the reasons (apart from the obvious pointed out by breakfastchef) some of us try to deter non smokers from taking up vaping is due to the fact that bodies like the FDA & ASH are constantly stating that the e-cig will encourage people to become addicted to the smoking/vaping habit. It's one of their main (stated) reasons for wanting the e-cig banned.

That is a very compelling point. Thank you for bringing it up. I felt this was a forum where I could be honest about my "situation" as it were and I feel comfortable in doing so. Since some of my work involves marketing this device I will be careful about what I share with the general public. By no means do I want to publicly advocate that "vaping" if you aren't a smoker already is a fantastic idea and everyone should try it. I myself have taken precautions and responsibility in "experimenting" with the device personally. However I can't in good conscience promote this as a "must try" activity for non-smokers like say promoting an awesome new energy drink or something ("girlfriend you should try this new energy drink - it's got nicotine in it and that improves memory!").

Mostly I want to have a dialogue and get to know the psychology behind a smokers choice to vape. I also am very curious to the sociology of interaction between non-smokers and their smoking loved ones/friends/coworkers and how we all try to get along with each other in the world.

 

[dee5]

I can't help thinking there is a little hypocrisy being written here. Are some of you really saying that you can't become a vaper unless you become a smoker first? Do you think it's like a requirement or something? I get the feeling some of you think it's like a job promotion, ie: you can't be a doctor until you've been a resident first, you can't manage a McDonalds until you've assembled burgers first..etc.
I thought most of us agree that nicotine is not bad for you, it is possibly addictive but also possibly actually good for you. There have been studies that support these ideas. So, if someone finds the notion of inhaling nicotine attractive and wants to try it, and they are about to buy their first pack of cigarettes, you wouldn't try to steer them towards vaping instead?