Help with an article

[MannyMI]

To everyone who has chimed in, thank you so much - really helpful and interesting stuff (even if it is to say that you don't believe it is a 'subculture' as such). Really appreciate your answers. I may contact some of you as this comes together for further information or to ask if you're happy to be named/or your noms de guerre.

More structured questions - No need whatsoever to answer all of these (there are a lot of them), but whatever you’re happy to/have to time answer would be great!

· How long have you been vaping, and why did you start? I’d be very interested to hear from anyone who never smoked, though I understand that will be the biggest motivator.

· Smoking has always been – though of course this is being eroded more and more – considered cool and rebellious. Do you feel that vaping has the same connotations? If not, what sort of connotations do you think it has, both for you and in wider society?

· Do you consider vaping to be primarily a quitting aid, or is it something some people does simply for the love of it? Apart from the hand-to-mouth aspect (which is why it worked for me after 15 years of smoking roll ups), is there any reason why you think it has been more successful for so many people?

· How big an appeal does modding or making your own equipment and juices have for you, if you do that? If not, do you like to have the best new kit or are you content with anything that allows you get nicotine into your system?

· Do you find it is in any way a way of expressing yourself?

· Do you think there is any kind of stigma attached to vaping in your experience/knowledge? (Pubs in the UK tend to frown upon indoor use). Is the general public well clued up about vaping

· Is there a language around vaping, with specific terms that would be difficult to understand to the layperson?

· Are there trends in terms of flavours/equipment/anything else that you have perceived?

· Do you think there is a sense of community around vaping (online and/or in real life)? Is it inclusive with regard to race/gender/sexuality/religion etc. or is that something that never really comes up? What is the age range - is it mainly older ex smokers or are younger people driving it, or a mixture?

· Do you think current/proposed regulations are fair (I read there was going to be a ban of flavoured liquids in San Francisco for example)?

· Are you worried about unknown health risks or are you confident that vaping is safe? Is there a danger that young people who have never smoked might get addicted to nicotine through vaping? Is that even a problem?

if you have anything you’d rather say privately for whatever reason, just send me a message. Any questions about my questions are welcome. Thank you once more.

And regarding the following...

What is your Last Name or what Byline Name do you use? My name is Mansoor Iqbal
What area(s) of Journalism to you specialize in? Over eight years, I've written about restaurants, music, woodwork, business education and branding, among some other things! I wrote an article about fitness once, but that was sort of a joke. Business and education-related stuff predominantly.
If you Freelance, who has Published your work? This piece is for Canvas8, but that's subscriber only. You'll find my work on TopMBA.com, the East End Review, and Drunken Werewolf. Do a lot of work with UK universities too.

Fair?

 

[zoiDman]

...

If you Freelance, who has Published your work? This piece is for Canvas8, but that's subscriber only.
...

Fair?

Sound fair to Me.

And now that I see you are doing this for Canvas8, many of your Question make More Sense.

 

[Alien Traveler]

· How long have you been vaping, and why did you start? I’d be very interested to hear from anyone who never smoked, though I understand that will be the biggest motivator.

3+ years of vaping. Started (and continue) to vape not to smoke.

· Smoking has always been – though of course this is being eroded more and more – considered cool and rebellious. Do you feel that vaping has the same connotations? If not, what sort of connotations do you think it has, both for you and in wider society?

Smoking was rebellious, when everybody smoked? Are you joking?
And vaping is not rebellious, just silly for non-smokers

· How big an appeal does modding or making your own equipment and juices have for you, if you do that? If not, do you like to have the best new kit or are you content with anything that allows you get nicotine into your system?

I make my coils and my juice. It has about the same appeal as mowing my lawn. Not really enjoyable, but should be done. It's good I need only 30-40 minutes per month to tend my vaping needs.

· Do you find it is in any way a way of expressing yourself?

Can I express myself through smoking? mowing my lawn? Think no.

· Do you think there is any kind of stigma attached to vaping in your experience/knowledge? (Pubs in the UK tend to frown upon indoor use). Is the general public well clued up about vaping

I would not visit a restaurant where vaping is allowed. With high wattage devices vaping became annoying (when it is done by other people).

· Do you think current/proposed regulations are fair (I read there was going to be a ban of flavoured liquids in San Francisco for example)?

Current regulations are fair (at least in my state). Proposed regulations are too big in brotherly love. Vaping regulations should be the same as alcohol regulations.

· Are you worried about unknown health risks or are you confident that vaping is safe? Is there a danger that young people who have never smoked might get addicted to nicotine through vaping? Is that even a problem?

I am i bit educated in vaping research. Had read a lot of related peer reviewed papers (full texts, of course). I am sure vaping is much safer than smoking. So, I am not worried at all. But I do not like spreading of vaping among non-smokers.

 

[BrotherBob]

Hey all,
I'm a journalist, based in the UK, currently working on a piece looking at the subculture of vaping. Would anyone be up for answering a few questions either by email or even on here?
Will be a positive piece (I vape myself, as it happens) and I won't be asking anything too intimate. Interested in things like how you got started, the cultural associations, whether you mod/mix your own flavors, what your attitudes are towards regulations, the language, whether you think people are well educated, what the community is like, and how you think vaping is perceived. Will be more specific if and when someone is up for talking to me.
You can certainly be anonymous if you prefer. The publication is around behavioral insights, and I can answer questions you have for me.

Welcome and glad you joined.
Depends on how severely you plan to slant your final submit. Do you have a piece you are proud of and has sold well?
Posting an example would be nice.

 

[djsvapour]

Interested in things like how you got started,
Saw an e-cig in a supermarket. It was very bad and very expensive plus they lied about the capability of the refills (40 cigarettes/400 puffs) .. kept plugging on. Realised the truth soon enough - shady products, scam marketing, lies - basically.

the cultural associations,
No idea on that one

whether you mix your own e-liquid/flavors,
Yes, often

What your attitudes are towards regulations,
Some of it is unnecessary and harmful. Anything which deters people is plain stupid and ill-conceived.


The language, whether you think people are well educated, what the community is like, and how you think vaping is perceived.
The language is of course a part of the culture, as with almost anything 'hobbyist' really.
Most people are poorly educated. The British press did an excellent job of convincing people e-cigarettes were worse then smoking. The gutter press (sensationalist fake 'quality' newspapers) are actually responsible for many people not taking up vaping and discouraging people from quitting smoking - an absolute travesty.
The genuine community is kind, supportive and encouraging. Too many non-genuine supposed 'experts' in Vaping are fraudsters; people looking to make money by recommending certain products for financial gain - again, an absolute travesty. These people should be eliminated and expelled instead of mildly admired. People who recommend rip-off brands on their disgusting fake websites so they don't have to get a job are low-life leeches. This applies to the self-proclaimed #1 online Vaping magazine.
They are so greedy and evil, they actually don't bother to remove reviews from 3-4 years ago so people actively search out and buy legacy (read; bad and expensive) products.

Can you imagine a mobile phone review website leaving reviews for 2011 3G bricks up for people to be fooled into buying outdated hardware? They would be slaughtered by the outside world. Not in vaping. Considered normal. I call it DISGRACEFUL.

Vaping is perceived quite badly in the non-smoking community and revered in the smoking community, apart from the smokers who like to believe the bad press so they can feel better about their smoking.

 

[Eskie]

· How long have you been vaping, and why did you start? I’d be very interested to hear from anyone who never smoked, though I understand that will be the biggest motivator.

I've been vaping a little over a year and a half. I accidentally fell into it when I bought a little cheap e cigarette for travel, deciding it might be easier than always trying to find a place to smoke. Surprisingly I took to it, and after several months did some online digging found this place and learned a great deal to keep me vaping. I am one of those "if I never smoked" people who be very unlikely to otherwise be at it.

· Smoking has always been – though of course this is being eroded more and more – considered cool and rebellious. Do you feel that vaping has the same connotations? If not, what sort of connotations do you think it has, both for you and in wider society?

I do not consider it cool. I consider it a way to hopefully not die of a smoking related illness. The only rebellious side I find is by following a currently contentious method to stop smoking, rather than the standard treatments, all of which I tried and none of which worked. I think there are many misconceptions, particularly by non-smokers, of what vaping is about. Yes, there are those who vape as a hobby, typically without nicotine in the various e juices available, my my familiarity is with ex-smokers. But I was also an atypical smoker, coming to it later in life (unlike the teenage exposure and experimentation) and that was to help keep me awake during very long hours of work I used cigarettes and coffee. It worked, but by the time I didnt need that anymore, well, too late for me.

· Do you consider vaping to be primarily a quitting aid, or is it something some people does simply for the love of it? Apart from the hand-to-mouth aspect (which is why it worked for me after 15 years of smoking roll ups), is there any reason why you think it has been more successful for so many people?

I view it as both. It's enjoyable and keeps me from wanting to smoke. I think it works better as you can "adjust" your nicotine dose, not only in the juice selected, but by how frequently you vape. It is similar to regulating the dose by often you reached for a cigarette.

· How big an appeal does modding or making your own equipment and juices have for you, if you do that? If not, do you like to have the best new kit or are you content with anything that allows you get nicotine into your system?

A lot. I enjoy it but have primary gone that route to be self sufficient should poor or over regulation severely damage the marketplace and both drive up prices and decrease options. I do mix my own juice for personal use, again motivated by fear that choices will be greatly reduced, if even available, and along the line discovered it's a big cost savings method that requires very little effort.

· Do you find it is in any way a way of expressing yourself?

No. Sorry, short answer for that one.

· Do you think there is any kind of stigma attached to vaping in your experience/knowledge? (Pubs in the UK tend to frown upon indoor use). Is the general public well clued up about vaping

Oh, there's great stigma attached and rampant misinformation. There are smokers who will see you vape (in my areas in the US, vaping is as restricted in public places as smoking, so you usually end up standing outside in the cold with them) who will say something like "those things are worse for you than smoking!". There are public health statements stating "vaping is still smoking". That's from folks who should be aware of the research information available to date. It is, however, becoming more common to find medical professionals who if not outright suggesting it to their smoking patients, support them in the choice.

· Is there a language around vaping, with specific terms that would be difficult to understand to the layperson?

Not difficult to understand, but sometimes insufficiently precise so even vapers can confuse each other in discussions.

· Are there trends in terms of flavours/equipment/anything else that you have perceived?

Yes, higher power and more vapor producing products keep being released in a seeming arms race as to who can produce the most vapor at the highest power settings possible.

· Do you think there is a sense of community around vaping (online and/or in real life)? Is it inclusive with regard to race/gender/sexuality/religion etc. or is that something that never really comes up? What is the age range - is it mainly older ex smokers or are younger people driving it, or a mixture?

I think there is a sense of community, online and real life. I have found it inclusive of all who wish to post here or strike up a conversation in the real world. I have not seen any discrimination in the community. As for the age distribution, I believe it is likely a two humped graph, clustered around younger and then older vapers. I have no data I could point to to support that, so it's my only my opinion.

· Do you think current/proposed regulations are fair (I read there was going to be a ban of flavoured liquids in San Francisco for example)?

No. Vapers should have access to the products they prefer, not products a city government prefers. I would like to see San Francisco produce their data testing flavorings and deciding they are dangerous. I'm not even sure they legally have standing on the issue in the first place.

· Are you worried about unknown health risks or are you confident that vaping is safe? Is there a danger that young people who have never smoked might get addicted to nicotine through vaping? Is that even a problem?

I'm confident it's markedly better than smoking. The precise amount remains to be determined. I would not encourage a young adult non-smoker to use nicotine juice, but not out of concern for possible addiction (there has been no evidence of nicotine dependence occurring with vaping just as none with NRT products on the market). I would point out to any young adult that long term exposure for THEM is not as certain for safety a just breathing clean air. There may be some slight risk we currently cannot prove, let alone quantify.


Oh, you're free to use any of the above. You might as well stick with my screen name as no one would recognize a quote as coming from me with my real name. If you believe real names are important for quote attribution PM me and I'm happy to respond.

 

[Tonee N]

To everyone who has chimed in, thank you so much - really helpful and interesting stuff (even if it is to say that you don't believe it is a 'subculture' as such). Really appreciate your answers. I may contact some of you as this comes together for further information or to ask if you're happy to be named/or your noms de guerre.

More structured questions - No need whatsoever to answer all of these (there are a lot of them), but whatever you’re happy to/have to time answer would be great!

· How long have you been vaping, and why did you start? I’d be very interested to hear from anyone who never smoked, though I understand that will be the biggest motivator.

I started playing with different cigalikes in 2010, after no luck there on Christmas Eve of 2015 I met an older woman who was at our family gathering. Mid 70s, using a Ego battery with a tank, and she had 2 of them, 1 flavor in each. I had put up my nail when she came outside and introduced me to what I would end up buying the next month. Past my 2.8 year mark now. In 2011 I was diagnosed with some neuromuscular and spinal problems and decided that I didn't need to add lung cancer to the list(plus I moved here from Chitown to help my mother). I will never go back to the coffin nails.

· Smoking has always been – though of course this is being eroded more and more – considered cool and rebellious. Do you feel that vaping has the same connotations? If not, what sort of connotations do you think it has, both for you and in wider society?

I think you are going to have a few rebellions out there but for the rest I don't see it going that direction. People will continue to watch and read misleading news and for the rest they will question it because they want to see the hard evidence of the pros and cons of vaping.

· Do you consider vaping to be primarily a quitting aid, or is it something some people does simply for the love of it? Apart from the hand-to-mouth aspect (which is why it worked for me after 15 years of smoking roll ups), is there any reason why you think it has been more successful for so many people?

I see vaping as a quitting aid and also a way to keep enjoying what you have been used to doing(with me it was 22+years). My nicotine intake is less than half of what I started, my energy level is much higher than before. If I become really involved in a project or the like I don't really think about it like i did with traditionals. Once a person has made the transition to vapor I believe there is a sense of relief, especially with their health not to mention what they can smell now and how much better food tastes!

· How big an appeal does modding or making your own equipment and juices have for you, if you do that? If not, do you like to have the best new kit or are you content with anything that allows you get nicotine into your system?

After all the kits, attys, mods, etc that I haved gone through or sold I finally looked at the big picture. Do my tanks have rebuildable decks in case the oem coils are not available? Is it cheaper to make my own builds? Does it taste better? How much money would I save making my own liquid? Is having the newest kit necessary? If it ain broke, don't buy another, but we all have a weak moment(s).

· Do you find it is in any way a way of expressing yourself?

Nope. I'm doing it for me and my family. I wish my puppy would quit smoking though.

· Do you think there is any kind of stigma attached to vaping in your experience/knowledge? (Pubs in the UK tend to frown upon indoor use). Is the general public well clued up about vaping

In the area I live in people really don't say too much at all about vaping in public, but then again 75% of my state owns or carries a firearm. The vapors and smokers do coexist with each other they just don't talk alot.

· Is there a language around vaping, with specific terms that would be difficult to understand to the layperson?

Yes and no. Education is important, Google can help but like all things, when in doubt, ask.[emoji106]

· Are there trends in terms of flavours/equipment/anything else that you have perceived?

As myself being a scout for certain people and stores there is a trend in manufacturers and sometimes what line of flavors they carry. But then it's always about what's sells, what's shiny, what's available, and are the replacement coils readily available. To each their own though.

· Do you think there is a sense of community around vaping (online and/or in real life)? Is it inclusive with regard to race/gender/sexuality/religion etc. or is that something that never really comes up? What is the age range - is it mainly older ex smokers or are younger people driving it, or a mixture?

Religion, sex, etc doesn't apply. The age range is very wide, 18-80. Community? At shops a bit but way more online. But that's where things go south, FB, YT. Some people love to be the center of attention, and, sometimes post videos of their epic fails which end up on the news.

· Do you think current/proposed regulations are fair (I read there was going to be a ban of flavoured liquids in San Francisco for example)?

Banning flavors is a big mistake. The press twists everything the wrong way. Cereal flavors? I see more people over 35 using those flavors than anyone else. The more variety of flavors is what the vapor or interested current smoker wants, wit h traditional cigarettes you have an A and B, that's it.
As far as the big regulations the only thing I can see them helping is to keep the cheap, made in a moldy basement, 30 gallon bucket liquid that contains toenail clippings off the market. Currently the FDA just slaps warning labels on everything and calls it a day. I personally would like to be assured that if I was buying eliguid that it was done correctly.

· Are you worried about unknown health risks or are you confident that vaping is safe? Is there a danger that young people who have never smoked might get addicted to nicotine through vaping? Is that even a problem?

I worry about as much as I do with the food I eat. There would only be a danger to anyone, not necessarily younger people, due to being uneducated with vaping.



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[Aus11]

you could ask me anything you want via PM. Just message me if you are still interested.

 

[Aus11]

· How long have you been vaping, and why did you start? I’d be very interested to hear from anyone who never smoked, though I understand that will be the biggest motivator.

1 Year just about and I started after putting down cigarettes for a while. I started even though I had quit cigarettes because I wanted to start smoking again and thought this would be a good alternative.
Plus I have Type 1 diabetes and I can avoid nicotine entirely with vaping, which messed with my blood sugars heavily.

· Do you consider vaping to be primarily a quitting aid, or is it something some people does simply for the love of it? Apart from the hand-to-mouth aspect (which is why it worked for me after 15 years of smoking roll ups), is there any reason why you think it has been more successful for so many people?

I would say its a healthy mix. Plenty of people come here simply for help quitting and many more are here to stay. I enjoy vaping purely for the love of it and the community.

· How big an appeal does modding or making your own equipment and juices have for you, if you do that? If not, do you like to have the best new kit or are you content with anything that allows you get nicotine into your system?

I wouldnt build my own mods, however making my own juice was a fantastic experience that I would love to do again sometime. As for having the best new kit, I do like new stuff, but not to show off. Its usually just for my own appreciation.

· Do you think there is a sense of community around vaping (online and/or in real life)? Is it inclusive with regard to race/gender/sexuality/religion etc. or is that something that never really comes up? What is the age range - is it mainly older ex smokers or are younger people driving it, or a mixture?

There is definitely a community around it, and things like Race, gender, etc have not ever really been brought up. The community is about vaping and what it can do for the world. I myself am 18 and I believe I have not seen anyone really under 24, so from my perspective everyone is older.

· Do you think current/proposed regulations are fair (I read there was going to be a ban of flavoured liquids in San Francisco for example)?

Regulations on Ecigs are at times overboard, such as things like proposing 40% taxes on anything vaping or the above flavor ban you mentioned. Its destroying jobs and businesses.

· Are you worried about unknown health risks or are you confident that vaping is safe? Is there a danger that young people who have never smoked might get addicted to nicotine through vaping? Is that even a problem?

There is a risk in anything anyone does. I believe vaping is much more safe than cigarettes, however I know nothing is 100% safe. As for young people and nicotine, again I am 18 and started vaping with no nicotine months after quitting. It is extremely obvious at this point in time when nicotine is included in products. I believe if people want nicotine they are going to have it, I dont see people "accidentally" getting a nicotine addiction from an obviously labeled nicotine product.

I tried to stay brief so you didnt have to read an essay but I hope this helps. I would be more than willing to share anything else about me you might want to know through PM. Have a fantastic day/night.

 

[DancingHeretik]

Hey all,

I'm a journalist, based in the UK, currently working on a piece looking at the subculture of vaping. Would anyone be up for answering a few questions either by email or even on here?

Will be a positive piece (I vape myself, as it happens) and I won't be asking anything too intimate. Interested in things like how you got started, the cultural associations, whether you mod/mix your own flavors, what your attitudes are towards regulations, the language, whether you think people are well educated, what the community is like, and how you think vaping is perceived. Will be more specific if and when someone is up for talking to me.

You can certainly be anonymous if you prefer. The publication is around behavioral insights, and I can answer questions you have for me.

Cheers,
Manny

Are you still here? I was meaning to get around to answering your questions. But, now I don't know if you're even still here. If you are, let me know. Otherwise, I'm not gonna waste my time.

 

[ChelsB]

Hey all,

I'm a journalist, based in the UK, currently working on a piece looking at the subculture of vaping. Would anyone be up for answering a few questions either by email or even on here?

Will be a positive piece (I vape myself, as it happens) and I won't be asking anything too intimate. Interested in things like how you got started, the cultural associations, whether you mod/mix your own flavors, what your attitudes are towards regulations, the language, whether you think people are well educated, what the community is like, and how you think vaping is perceived. Will be more specific if and when someone is up for talking to me.

You can certainly be anonymous if you prefer. The publication is around behavioral insights, and I can answer questions you have for me.

Cheers,
Manny

Feel free to PM me, I'm happy to help!

 

[retired1]

Are you still here? I was meaning to get around to answering your questions. But, now I don't know if you're even still here. If you are, let me know. Otherwise, I'm not gonna waste my time.

MannyMI was last seen:
Sunday at 11:54 AM

 

[Tonee N]

That's almost considered stalking.[emoji6]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[Opinionated]

MannyMI was last seen:
Sunday at 11:54 AM

I just spent a lot of time answering his questions then I saw this.. not posting a thing til we know if he's coming back then..

 

[listopencil]

· How long have you been vaping, and why did you start? I’d be very interested to hear from anyone who never smoked, though I understand that will be the biggest motivator.

As a second generation 32 year old Jamaican woman with an eye patch and a wooden leg that makes crystal infused pottery I learned to make at my father's knee after we immigrated from Ireland, I smoked for a very long time to deal with the stresses of assimilation into the American culture.

·

Smoking has always been – though of course this is being eroded more and more – considered cool and rebellious. Do you feel that vaping has the same connotations? If not, what sort of connotations do you think it has, both for you and in wider society?

As a second generation 32 year old Jamaican woman with an eye patch and a wooden leg that makes crystal infused pottery I learned to make at my father's knee after we immigrated from Ireland, I feel that vaping is seen by many as a hobby or a fun thing to do. I use it to avoid smoking and I'd like to see more of an emphasis on that aspect of vaping because I think that it would be more generally beneficial.

·

Do you consider vaping to be primarily a quitting aid, or is it something some people does simply for the love of it? Apart from the hand-to-mouth aspect (which is why it worked for me after 15 years of smoking roll ups), is there any reason why you think it has been more successful for so many people?

As a second generation 32 year old Jamaican woman with an eye patch and a wooden leg that makes crystal infused pottery I learned to make at my father's knee after we immigrated from Ireland, I need to keep my hands busy and vaping replaced that hand-to-mouth ritual.

·

How big an appeal does modding or making your own equipment and juices have for you, if you do that? If not, do you like to have the best new kit or are you content with anything that allows you get nicotine into your system?

As a second generation 32 year old Jamaican woman with an eye patch and a wooden leg that makes crystal infused pottery I learned to make at my father's knee after we immigrated from Ireland, I am a very expressive person so I enjoy the creative aspect of modding and juice making.

·

Do you find it is in any way a way of expressing yourself?

As a second generation 32 year old Jamaican woman with an eye patch and a wooden leg that makes crystal infused pottery I learned to make at my father's knee after we immigrated from Ireland, I do find that the style of my equipment expresses my artistic preferences.

·

Do you think there is any kind of stigma attached to vaping in your experience/knowledge? (Pubs in the UK tend to frown upon indoor use). Is the general public well clued up about vaping

As a second generation 32 year old Jamaican woman with an eye patch and a wooden leg that makes crystal infused pottery I learned to make at my father's knee after we immigrated from Ireland, I deal with stigma on a regular basis-so while vaping does have its own stigma attached I don't allow it to affect me.

·

Is there a language around vaping, with specific terms that would be difficult to understand to the layperson?

As a second generation 32 year old Jamaican woman with an eye patch and a wooden leg that makes crystal infused pottery I learned to make at my father's knee after we immigrated from Ireland, I am used to esoteric terms and I find that they exist in the vaping world as well, but experience is the best teacher.

·

Are there trends in terms of flavours/equipment/anything else that you have perceived?

As a second generation 32 year old Jamaican woman with an eye patch and a wooden leg that makes crystal infused pottery I learned to make at my father's knee after we immigrated from Ireland, I keep abreast of popular trends and I have definitely seen a push towards high Wattage vaping.

·

Do you think there is a sense of community around vaping (online and/or in real life)? Is it inclusive with regard to race/gender/sexuality/religion etc. or is that something that never really comes up? What is the age range - is it mainly older ex smokers or are younger people driving it, or a mixture?

·

Do you think current/proposed regulations are fair (I read there was going to be a ban of flavoured liquids in San Francisco for example)?

As a second generation 32 year old Jamaican woman with an eye patch and a wooden leg that makes crystal infused pottery I learned to make at my father's knee after we immigrated from Ireland, I prize my freedom of choice and I don't think regulations are fair.

·

Are you worried about unknown health risks or are you confident that vaping is safe? Is there a danger that young people who have never smoked might get addicted to nicotine through vaping? Is that even a problem?

As a second generation 32 year old Jamaican woman with an eye patch and a wooden leg that makes crystal infused pottery I learned to make at my father's knee after we immigrated from Ireland, I engage in behavior that I know carries risks but I am interested in vaping as a harm reduction technique. I also believe in keeping children away from all (for lack of a better term) mind altering substances like nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, etc.

 

[suprtrkr]

· How long have you been vaping, and why did you start?

Dear Lord, has it been 6 years now? (Looks at gigantic pile of formerly state of the art vape gear.) I suppose it has. I started because I wanted to quit smoking. I have always had the willpower, what I lacked was the desire. I could and did quit, two or three times for over a year. But I always went back, and precisely because I like smoking. I can't say I have never had a smoke since I started vaping. But neither am I dual user any more. This seems to work for me; as well as, or better, than anything else I have tried.

· Smoking has always been – though of course this is being eroded more and more – considered cool and rebellious. Do you feel that vaping has the same connotations? If not, what sort of connotations do you think it has, both for you and in wider society?

Now, that is a very good question. Now you mention it, that's probably why teenager-me started smoking. Moreover, as I alluded in my earlier post, something of the same thing applies to the-- mostly young-- never-smokers who take up vaping, or so I believe. For many of us, though, it's a cessation tool or a replacement tool. I think the only honest answer is the reasons vary, with there being approximately as many reasons as there are vapers. From the broader, societal aspect, I also believe it is in the eye of the beholder. It isn't hard to imagine a(n adult) child seeing a beloved parent finally off the sticks after a half-century of abuse and being grateful to vaping for the change. For many others, I think they see it as "Smoking-- The Sequel," insofar as they possess sufficient knowledge to differentiate the two. For many others still, in the immortal words of Rhambo, "You never want a crisis to go to waste." They see nothing wrong with vaping a few tens of thousands of federal regulators and several hundred billion good old US tax dollars can't fix.

· Do you consider vaping to be primarily a quitting aid, or is it something some people does simply for the love of it? Apart from the hand-to-mouth aspect (which is why it worked for me after 15 years of smoking roll ups), is there any reason why you think it has been more successful for so many people?

I answered the first above; it's both, and more, depending on the person. But I do think you're right on the hand-to-mouth aspect. I am quite certain that's part of why it worked for me. It is not impossible some of the "cool and rebellious" aspect may play a role for the less than totally committed quitter like, for example, your humble servant. Nobody made me do this, I did it on my own; and I didn't have to go crazy taking Chantix, either.

Another point I have been mulling for some time-- this is just an idea, I stress I have no evidence and am far too lazy to conduct a study and write the book-- is many people use a cigarette as "time out" from life for 5 minutes. If you're tired, stressed, disgusted, annoyed, frustrated, anything at all, taking 5 minutes out for a smoke can rejuvenate you enough to go back in there and try again. I believe vaping serves the same purpose. I do not necessarily mean the nicotine, albeit I am not biochemist enough to speak either way. I mean the having something to do for 5 minutes, rather than stress over whatever is bothering you, helps restore one's mental balance.

· How big an appeal does modding or making your own equipment and juices have for you, if you do that? If not, do you like to have the best new kit or are you content with anything that allows you get nicotine into your system?

Lol, all of the above. I like to make my own gear, when I have a cool idea and time to deal with it. I eschew pre-fab coils, preferring to roll my own. While I use both types, I prefer mechanical mods to regulated ones. I make my own juice. I like to have the best new (and old) kit, although I am pickier than some about what I think is the "best." And yes, I'll take my nicotine any way I can get it. Ask me, one of the best things about the advent of really good regulated mods is, they being so easy to use, many people are unloading some really classic mechanical mods at fire sale prices. I like mechs a lot, having moved to them from eGo pens so long ago there were no regulated mods then available capable of more than 15 watts of power. Heck, just today I snagged an El Siglio "USA Ultra Edition" from Wutang House of Mods, with a low serial number, off eBay. I can't wait until it gets here. It won't be anywhere near new. But it will be a good one

· Do you find it is in any way a way of expressing yourself?

Bet on it.

· Do you think there is any kind of stigma attached to vaping in your experience/knowledge? (Pubs in the UK tend to frown upon indoor use). Is the general public well clued up about vaping

Yes there is, and not they are not. I don't care. I vape when I want and take great pride when mothers shield the eyes of their children from my horrifying visage.

· Is there a language around vaping, with specific terms that would be difficult to understand to the layperson?

Clouds, Bro! Yes, of course. Any technical field has its own jargon. The thing is, though, it doesn't necessarily prohibit non-vapers from understanding. I spend a good deal of time right here in the New Members section of this board, which is often populated with persons not acquainted with the terminology. I have no trouble making myself understood.

· Are there trends in terms of flavours/equipment/anything else that you have perceived?

Yes. I don't know about flavors so much. I make my own and don't have to try everything. I like fruits and spices and stick there. Equipment, now, is another story. One good review can sell a lot of tanks, which is why reviewers, including occasionally myself, get free vape gear. To offer an example: I remember when Temperature Control mods first came out. It's a neat idea, actually, and has now become so prevalent it isn't easy to find a regulated mod not offering it. But at that time the technology was immature and the only wire the boards would work on was Ni200. My friend, Ni200 is about the worst thing to happen to vaping since it began (with apologies to those-- I'm sure there's some out there somewhere-- who love it.) I was an early adopter, and proudly bought one of the first TC mods available. And was so turned off by the wire I don't use TC to this day, despite having a dozen or more mods capable of the trick, and despite routinely using SS316 wire in my coils, which is one of the wires now capable of TC performance. There are many other examples: one can still see advertising for RBAs with a "Velocity Style Deck." They aren't a Velocity RDA, but the arrangement of the posts has become quite common. Like any other field, when somebody has a good idea-- particularly if it makes money-- everybody else hurries up to copy it.

· Do you think there is a sense of community around vaping (online and/or in real life)? Is it inclusive with regard to race/gender/sexuality/religion etc. or is that something that never really comes up? What is the age range - is it mainly older ex smokers or are younger people driving it, or a mixture?

In many ways, yes there is a sense of community. This board is a good example. It's one of the very few places in the internet not routinely dissolving into flame wars over anything at all. Oh, we do catch the odd troll, but we've got good-- some might say draconian-- mods and we don't get a lot. And there are deep and divisive bodies of opinion, but these are mostly confined to deeply technical threads, not of any particular interest to and occasionally beyond the understanding of the casual vaper. So it is IRL. I often hear comment: "That's a nice vape" or "Where did you get that" or "What kind of mod is that." Sometimes no more than a nod from somebody else vaping in the smoking area.There is some exclusivity among the younger vapers I have noticed, but it isn't about -isms as far as I can see. Mostly it's about whether or not your mod is capable of producing 7 terrawatts of power from 2 AA batteries, or can you make clouds dense enough to constitute a hazard to navigation in a seaport. If you can answer yes, you're in. If not... too bad. The age ranges from underage to nonagenarians, or at least I haven't met a vaper over 100 yet.

· Do you think current/proposed regulations are fair (I read there was going to be a ban of flavoured liquids in San Francisco for example)?

You just pushed one of my buttons, but I'm going to let you live. Let me just say I'll let you know when I see a vaping regulation I think is a good idea. Or any other kind of regulation.

· Are you worried about unknown health risks or are you confident that vaping is safe? Is there a danger that young people who have never smoked might get addicted to nicotine through vaping? Is that even a problem?

People haven't been vaping long enough yet for any long-term health consequences to be visible. I am personally convinced vaping, while probably not as good for you as not vaping, isn't anywhere near as bad as smoking. To this end, I routinely counsel never-smokers who want to vape-- I told you I spend a lot of time in the New Members section-- they should avoid it. I honestly can't say how likely nic addiction is for never-smokers. There appears to be some question as to just how addictive nicotine is itself (here's a good thread.) I personally think it is-- I'm an addict-- and nicotine is an alkaloid, so it seems likely to me. But I am not a biochemist.

Hope that helps. Feel free to use any or all in your piece. If you are the kind of honest journalist who prefers to avoid anonymous sources, shoot me a PM and I'll give you my name.

 

[MannyMI]

Hi all, sorry for the radio silence (been a busy couple of months) and thank you once more to everyone who replied. Even where I'm not quoting directly, reading what you've had to say has really helped me to get an idea.

I'm actually just in the process of writing this up now so won't be able to use anything new from this point, just to clear that up.

 

[-InTheMist-]

I just got back from the UK - a Scotland tourist tour FWIW - and bought my starter first vape in Tesco. It happens to be illegal to buy juice in Switzerland with Nicotine.

If my experience helps, I would be glad to help.