Need Help figuring this all out

[PoeticVirgo]

I have been a smoker since I was 19... I'm 36 now, and I really do want to cut back and quit! I've tried patches (that made me break out in rashes), the gum and inhalers that did nothing, I've even tried the Chantix which in general seemed to work, but then started having reactions because of other medications I was on for my back so I had to stop taking them... So now I'm still smoking, and up to almost 2 packs a day!

I've been looking into the e-cigarettes and something does worry me about things I have read so far... I'm seeing articles about the use of anti-freeze in the products... is this true? I worry if I take them that 5 years from now something will be published saying people were having serious health issues, much like smoking actual cigarettes... Has anyone that has used them for a few years noticed and negative health issues from using the e-cigarettes?

I'm am getting over whelmed by the vast amount to choose from out there and finding the one that is right for me...Does anyone have advice on what brand I can look at for me, currently as I said I smoke almost 2 packs a day (normally I only smoke a pack) but during stressful moments in life I tend to smoke alot more than normal... I smoke Marlboro Light 100's and Marlboro Light 100 Special Blends so I'm looking for a e-cigarette brand that will offer the same type and mg levels I smoke now, but with cartridges that I can over time ween off of to eventually quit all together. Anyone that can help me, it would be GREATLY APPRECIATED!

 

[uba egar320]

A couple of companies got busted using things they were not supposed to. That's all I really know about the antifreeze question.

As far as a decent starter kit goes. PureSmoker.com - USA Electronic Cigarettes & USA Made eLiquid!!! sells an cig sized ecig called the ace. The starter kit runs about 30 bucks. Pick up at least one of the extended life batteries for like 13 dollars or so. They have pretty good cartomizers as well. But I'm currently in love with Electronic Cigarettes By Bloog 's cartomizers. Very good taste. And they give a great hit. Lots of others will chime in before to long with their 2 cents. Good luck, and I hope this helps some.

 

[StuckinLA]

Welcome ECF PoeticVirgo, you'll find the Joye 510 , Joye eGo, Kr808D and the DSE 901 the most popular. It's all very subjective and any of them are great starter kits. I started with the Joye 510 and then went to the Joye eGo and just got the Ego-T tanks and atties which I think are really great. If you decide to go with the Joye products Liberty-Flights has a pretty good deal and you get 20% off their at E-Liquid and Electronic Cigarette Shop - Category Listings and for your e-liquid I recomend FreedomeSmokes USA or FSUSA for short at FreedomSmokeUSA but there are other great sites as well. Thats just my 2 cents

 

[StormFinch]

FDA dis-information strikes again. *sigh*

All of the *reports* on antifreeze comes from one FDA press conference. What they didn't tell you, and proven by their own lab tests which they didn't publish, is that there was an extremely small percentage of diethylene glycol in 1 cartridge out of 18 or 19 that they tested from only two manufacturers. Also, that amount of DG was so small, that you would have to vape something like 1000 cartridges to get the same amount that you would out of a single Marlboro which uses DG to keep the tobacco moist. We can't say that e-cigs are 100% safe, but when you compare the ingredients of e-juice, nicotine, propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerin and flavorings to the some odd 4000 chemicals in a cigarette, we feel that e-cigs are the better choice. The FDA has tried to find anyone with serious health issues attributed to e-cigs and have yet to turn up a single case.

As for starting brand, the most common for moderate to heavy smokers is the eGo or the Riva, which are basically the same thing, just different companies. They have a good battery life and can be found at a large number of suppliers. Any of the suppliers listed here on ECF are forum approved and have good reputations. Since e-juice comes in several different strengths, once you find the one that closely matches your current nicotine level you can eventually start stepping it down until you are at 0 mg, and then phase out the hand to mouth habit.

Here are a couple of excellent resources for you to check out;
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/new-members-forum/120044-i-made-videos-newbies-particular-broke-newbies.html
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/ecf-library/36180-wonderful-world-vaping-illustrated-guide-e-cigs-part-1-6-a.html

Although the videos start out with the basic e-cig types, which are a little low in battery life for the amount you currently smoke, I believe Mistress Nomad does get into the bigger battery types like the eGos and Rivas. Aside from that, both resources will give you a lot of what you need to know about starting out with e-cigs.

Welcome to ECF btw, and good luck switching. Feel free to ask any questions you may have, there's always someone here willing to help.

 

[Numevexo]

Hi PoeticVirgo. Welcome to the forum!
What StormFinch said.
I also recommend reading this: http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...st-electronic-cigarette-first-time-vaper.html

Other good vendors of e-cig starter kits and supplies to check out:
http://www.litecigusa.net/
and http://www.madvapes.com/

Best of luck in all your future vaping endeavors!

 

[Hoosier]

I came to say exactly what Stormfinch has already said so well.

So multiply that post by 2.

And I'll add: Have Fun with it! You'll catch on quick and there are plenty of folks here ready to help when you need a hand with the next step.

 

[StormFinch]

I'll let ya catch the next one Hoosier, since we do tend to be each other's echo.

 

[RedhddOne]

I'm relatively new here, but I have come to this conclusion.... ask a question like that and you'll get 324523423 answers, each one of them different. I have also come to the realization that it's not because any one is trying to confuse you, it's because each individual has their own tastes on what they are looking for to kick the analogs in the face. I'm only on day two with my KR808-D1 so I'm no where near as educated or experienced as some of the members here.

However, my advice is do enough research for you to make an informed decision, choose a type, and try it. You may hate it eventually or want to try something new (that seems the case for most people here) but at the very least you can know that you made an informed decision and it wasn't wrong at the time.

 

[JupiterV]

Welcome!
It's a lot of trial and error. No right answer really. Like everyone says - 510 or 510 mega are easy starters. You'll be so shocked at how successful you'll be! I just love it to pieces!!
You'll find your own vendors that you like. I started with Electro nic Stix. Jason is very helpful and got everything there to start. Still go there for the basics but have really branched out.
Good luck!!

 

[dormouse]

Two most popular starting ecigs are Joye 510 and the 2-piece model KR808D-1 (also sold in colors by Vapor4Life and Bloogplanet). For heavy smokers and those who or want extremely long battery life, there are fat-battery versions of those two (Ego or Riva 510 for the 510, and CigEasy's Elegant Easy for the KR8)

Nice article comparing 510 and KR8
http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...st-electronic-cigarette-first-time-vaper.html

There are plenty of people here who easily switch from smoking cigarettes to vaping. I smoked 1.5+ PAD for decades and switched to vaping pretty easily. What you do not want to do is buy something at a mall or a slick "name" website without some research because many of those places just want to lock you in to buying everything from them, sell hard-to-refill carts and don't sell blank ones, charge $40-50 for parts that should be $10-20 etc. And unless you are an ultralights smoker you should not even consider the tiny ecigs the same size as a regular Marlboro because they have the weakest hit, the smallest most annoying carts, and a really meager battery life.

The standard 510 and KR8 are a bit thicker than a cig (and KR8 might be the thicker of the two) and about the length of a 120 cig. Of the two, the 510 is more flexible, and the KR8 has longer battery life because more of its length is battery.

re juices - nothing will taste exactly like a cigarette but it won't matter. If you try a bunch of Marlboro-alike and other tobacco taste/aroma juices from US vendors you will find some with a TH you like and an aroma that reminds you enough of your cigs that you should not miss them. And there's better - try vaping a caramel vanilla tobacco (like FreedomSMokeUSA's oRYental 4), ro some Raspberry Tea from the same place - flavors like that give the TH but add must nicer flavors your tongue will sense. But always remember to let your nose smell some of the vapor (because ecigs don't cover you in vapor the way cigs do with smoke, and aroma is a huge part of taste.)

After a couple of weeks of vaping, a cigarette will taste awful to you because now you will taste the 1000 chemicals etc that are in cigarettes.

 

[Rosa]

Here's a very recent article:

E-Cigarette Study Suggests Relative Safety - FDA Lawyers Blog

QUOTE:
"electronic cigarettes ("e-cigarettes") are a much safer alternative than conventional tobacco-based cigarettes. According to the study (and perhaps, unsurprisingly), e-cigarettes appear to be only 1/1,000 as carcinogenic as their conventional counterparts. The study further indicates that e-cigarettes pose no greater risk than other nicotine replacement devices currently regulated by FDA, such as nicotine patches, gum, inhalers, lozenges, and nasal sprays."

 

[Rosa]

also: the "anti-freeze" stuff they use is the stuff that they make the safe anti-freeze out of (it's non-harmful so that if the kids and animals get into it they won't die) it's not the poisonous, lock-up-the-antifreeze stuff.

There isn't anything in e-cigs that's not also in regular cigarettes (even the "anti-freeze" stuff), but e-cigs have about 1000 times less of it and none of the really bad stuff like cyanide, formaldehyde, and etc..