My Uncle...

[firefox335]

My Uncle is 64 years old and has been smoking for most of his life. My mother (his sister) and My Grandmother before she passed away have been trying to get him to quit for decades. When I took up the habit, they started in on me. We used to both leave family meals to go smoke. I no longer do that. I haven't come out to my step dad yet. I've never even told him that I was a smoker. This was at my mother's request. He hates smoking, but he's not an idiot! I've told her over the past decade that he has to know! I smelled like a friggin' ashtray for years! Once my pack of cigarettes fell out of my pocket in front of him! But my mom seems to live in a fantasy world. And between my step dad and myself, I think it's always been a "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

I have made it known to all of my friends that I have started vaping. All of them are quite interested. 3 are planning to purchase their own PVs soon. I've even got a friend who is on the patch. His mother informed him that she would no longer loan him any money if he was going to spend it on cigarettes. She insisted that he go on the patch. So of course, he just wears the patch around her, the pulls it off when he leaves and lights up. He's unemployed and can't afford a PV (and I can't afford to help him out at this time - plus he has no internet and no credit card, so it would be a little difficult), But even he has tried mine and has said "Wow, that's not bad. Yeah, I think I would try this."

Every friend I've talked to that is a smoker has really been interested. In fact, my band played a festival yesterday and my wife and I passed around our PVs to the other band members and their wives/girlfriends. We got positive feedback from everyone.

So I received my bottle of Atomic Cinnacide today and was so completely blown away by the flavor that I stopped by my Uncle's today and asked him if he wanted to try it. I got a very nasty and snide "NO!" I couldn't believe it! What the H-E-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS is this man afraid of? I was kind of hurt by his reaction, not to mention a little ...... off.

I'm sorry for this long post, I guess I just needed to vent. It's just really frustrating. I know I can't force him to quit. But to not even TRY it? I mean is he afraid to stop killing himself? What's the worst that could happen? He doesn't die of lung cancer or emphysema? DOUBLE-YOU TEE EFFF!?!

 

[D4rk50ul]

A lot of people are very set in their ways, and some are anti-technology. You might have more success if you approach him differently. Have you tried letting him "discover" it with you? I'd try something like "Hey Uncle, I can't tell if this thing tastes like a real smoke can you give it a shot and let me know what you think?". You just have to modify your approach and be persistent.

Good luck, you will be doing him a huge favor if you can get through his stubborn attitude.

 

[SnowDragon]

Old folks are funny that way. My wife told my mother-in-law who just had a battle with breast cancer and is a smoker of 40 years that I had quit ciggies and started vaping. Her reply, "Why are you telling me, I'm not going to try it". Whatever...she's 67 years old and I have learned long ago that some folks, especially older ones need to discover things on their own terms. Not once has my mother-in-law called to congratulate me on quitting ciggies or inquire about vaping.

So be it, she's visiting in a couple of weeks and I have every intention of completely ignoring her on the subject of vaping. If she asks or wishes to try mine I will oblige her, outside of that she'll be smoking alone out in my garage for a week.

I guess in an ever changing world, smoking her favorite brand of cigarettes is a constant she may possibly take to the grave. The oddest part of it is mother-in-law and I were golfing buddies for years before I met and married her daughter...go figure.

 

[Firefly13]

Every time you see him, keep commenting how good the flavor is that you're hitting, and sit away from him so you can say 'you stink stay over there'..... one day his curiosity will get the better of him...

 

[txtumbleweed]

I am 70 and I had smoked over 50 years and have the beginning stages of COPD but I started vaping a year ago and haven't smoked a cigarette since. I no longer wheeze and cough. Ask him if he wants to pack around an oxygen bottle everywhere he goes just to breathe. That is where I was headed but after seeing other members of my family struggle with oxygen I knew I had to quit and I'm thankful I found E-Ciggs. By the way I got my 25 year old Niece to try them and now she has been vaping instead of smoking for two months now.