new here, ex-smoker...thinking about becoming a smoker again with e-ciggs...

[ShannonS]

Oh good, a fight!

Hi ShannonS,

I disagree and I don't see anything hypocritical about begging an ex-smoker not to do this. I think we are all sympathetic to his feelings. Most of us have quit before, know how he feels, but we failed and he hasn't (yet). We are all on the voyage of the damned because the vast majority of us CAN'T quit. If Deez was saying that he is at the breaking point and about to poke his own eyes out on the way to the gas staion to pick up a pack, maybe I would give different advice. I'm getting the vibe that he would occasionally like a relaxing smoke. That comes with the territory. He quit, I think it is best to stay quit and not tempt fate.

Put up yer dukes!

I quit smoking for 18 months, cold turkey and there was never a moment that I didn't long for a cigarette. I eventually started smoking again and was soon back to 3 PAD. I know people who have quit 20 years and still long for one. In terms of time, 3 months and 18 months smoke free were no different in terms of my wanting to smoke.

My opposing view: Why should anyone suffer through that if they didn't have to? The OP will likely crave cigarettes for the rest of her life. The OP can be free of that longing, as you are. You would sit there, vaping and deny her the same relief?

I know I can quit. I know I will be indefinitely miserable if I did. You CAN quit, but you would be indefinitely miserable too. Just because the OP has a higher tolerance for miserable than the rest of us doesn't mean that she isn't entitled to have relief from it as we enjoy if she wants it.

 

[n2xe]

OK, I have a black eye...

However, Deez (not sure of gender, my apologies) isn't complaining about constant craving, just the occasional. I know well the daily constant torture of tobacco lust being a quitter who quit, well... failed. So if it's constant and she is about to crack, as caption on the voyage of the damned, I say come aboard, if not, run away.

The bear wins...

 

[ShannonS]

OK, I have a black eye...

However, Deez (not sure of gender, my apologies) isn't complaining about constant craving, just the occasional. I know well the daily constant torture of tobacco lust being a quitter who quit, well... failed. So if it's constant and she is about to crack, as caption on the voyage of the damned, I say come aboard, if not, run away.

The bear wins...

Aww man I was looking forward to a tussle!

You would think that this group would be the most sympathetic about the urges an ex smoker deals with since they are actively enjoying the most successful relief for them ever invented. I hate the whole "vaping is evil, just less evil than smoking" thing.

You are a good person, n2xe, thanks for considering my point of view.

 

[Throat hit]

Any chemical or experience that brings pleasure is not forgot and may be repeated. Once you have looked inside pandoras box you know it is out there for you to choose to use. Addiction and pleasure run hand in hand if it was not nice we would not be addicts. Once you open the box you can never forget it. If we were talking about a Her*in addiction we would all say stay away but as smoking is accepted by the masses our opinions differ. The thing is it is not good to take drugs and nicotine is a strong drug and causes health problems. Stay away if you can but if not vape it is cleaner than smoking I BELIEVE.

 

[n2xe]

Aww man I was looking forward to a tussle!

You would think that this group would be the most sympathetic about the urges an ex smoker deals with since they are actively enjoying the most successful relief for them ever invented. I hate the whole "vaping is evil, just less evil than smoking" thing.

You are a good person, n2xe, thanks for considering my point of view.

Well, I gave up easy because I didn't want to get killed with your bear hands but your victory speech actually completely swung my opinion. I guess I hate the vaping is evil just less evil thing too. I think maybe I was a little too conditioned by 20 years of political correctness to see it. So...

Deez, do thorough research and do what is best for you.

Thank you ShannonS

 

[JudgeVape]

That's right, I quit smoking 2 years ago...was really hard. But I miss the refreshing/relaxing effects of nicotine and the more I read about electronic cigarettes the more I am thinking of starting back up using them. The harmful effects of traditional ciggs on my body is what made me quit...but now we have these and I'm thinking of starting again.

Anyway, I'm new. Just saying Hi.

To be honest, I did the same thing. Other than bumming an ultra light from my sister-in-law at social events maybe three times (they were always so disgusting I was never tempted to start again), I had not smoked in 2 1/2 years. The one time I tried to smoke a second one shortly after the first, the carbon monoxide made me so nauseous I stubbed it out almost immediately.

I started vaping again a few weeks ago, mostly because I just missed being addicted to nicotine. To be honest, I don't regret it at all, at least so far. I vape 18mg, btw, although I think I may drop to 12mg when I start putting in some big juice orders.

That being said, the people cautioning you against it aren't wrong for doing so. It is actually a very big decision you are making.

Edit: I cannot disagree with what ShannonS is saying either.

 

[NoMoZippo]

This may ramble but it is my take. I know people who only smoke socially, I can't. They smoke for a day or so and then not for months. I personally quit for 8 months, but thought about them all the time. Started back. Now that I am vaping and as long as vaping systems are avail I WILL NOT SMOKE analogs again. I was so fired up when I discoverd them that I was telling everyone that smoked and would listen. Is this somthing I would recommend to someone who wants to quit smoking YES! Cold turkey is not for everyone. I told my doc on a colesterol check up and told him and he said that this was great news. Course he said I needed to stop this too, but it is way way better than the analogs. Quiting is onething, staying quit is another. If you have the urge that will not go away, and you are miserable, get the low nic and vape, no analogs if at all possible. Good luck. Personally I am glad I found them and this site helps too.

 

[Rosa]

Put up yer dukes!

I quit smoking for 18 months, cold turkey and there was never a moment that I didn't long for a cigarette. I eventually started smoking again and was soon back to 3 PAD. I know people who have quit 20 years and still long for one. In terms of time, 3 months and 18 months smoke free were no different in terms of my wanting to smoke.

My opposing view: Why should anyone suffer through that if they didn't have to? The OP will likely crave cigarettes for the rest of her life. The OP can be free of that longing, as you are. You would sit there, vaping and deny her the same relief?

I know I can quit. I know I will be indefinitely miserable if I did. You CAN quit, but you would be indefinitely miserable too. Just because the OP has a higher tolerance for miserable than the rest of us doesn't mean that she isn't entitled to have relief from it as we enjoy if she wants it.

I'm in this boat. I know that when I quit 3 times for six months at a time it was horrible misery and didn't get any better. I dreamed about smoking every night. I was talking to this old guy who'd quit in his 20's and I asked him when I was finally going to be done thinking about and wanting cigarettes and he said that even 40+ years later he still wants a cigarette every day. Man, I just wanted to cry.

I finally decided a couple of years ago that I wasn't going to try quitting any more. I'd rather live a happy life and die a painful death at 55 than live the way I lived as a non-smoker and die in my sleep at 100. I figured, if I have to live that way forever, why would I want to prolong it?

The best thing about e-cigs for me is that, fingers crossed, I don't have to choose. I can still have my "cigarette" and die in my sleep at 100.

 

[WomanOfHeart]

Do I need to send you kids to your own corners? Just kidding, guys...please don't hurt me!

There's a part of me that really wants to talk you out of this, but another part of me completely understands where you're coming from.

I know that all the times I tried to quit smoking, all I wanted to do was smoke! It didn't matter which method of quitting I tried. I even smoked while using the gum and the patch. I tried Zyban and as soon as I was off the crap, I went straight to the store for a carton of cigarettes. The urge NEVER went away. Now that I'm vaping, I don't have to worry about the urge because I can just grab one of my PV's and vape my head off. It's far better than smoking again.

So here's where I'm going with this...

If you're still going through the urges, even after all this time, then vaping is going to be far better than buying a pack of smokes. Had you come here saying that you had never smoked, but wanted to try vaping, I'd be dead set against it.

 

[Rosa]

Had you come here saying that you had never smoked, but wanted to try vaping, I'd be dead set against it.

Totally agree on that one.

 

[Valentine Michael Smith]

I think that quality of life is a big part of being discussed here. If something is (relatively) benign (like vaping) and it increases ones quality of life, then why not do it? I really like reading the conversation that has taken place here and I am a big fan of the "harm reduction" tactics that I believe a PV offers.

I know that for me, I am scared to death of picking up a smoke in a moment of weakness and starting down that road again. In an ideal world people would be able to quit and never want another analogue again, however this world is far from ideal. Furthermore, the farther away from the time people quit is when they need to be even more hyper vigilant for the signs of straying. Since I recently (as in days) quit analogues altogether I am not that worried about my resolve right now. But what about in a year? Two years? Five years? People forget, and the more time that passes the less vigilant we are. If I even thought there might be a chance in five years that I would be tempted for an analogue, I would have my PV handy. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of correction.

Just my thoughts,

VMS

 

[respiratory]

I think Ecigs are a great alternative to analogs. They seem to be much safer. I would agree that anyone who doesn't smoke should not start even ecigs. I don't wish to restrict them from doing so though. Hopefully the FDA will stay out of the e-cig world.

 

[Xaria]

Welcome to ECF. Not one person here walks in your shoes. I really think if you have come this far and did some research then chances are you might be back on the fence with nicotine. I much rather see you pick up vaping which is so much safer than a cigarette. What ever you do decide, good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Amraann]

I see that except for the past two posts this thread was started in January.
I am curious to know what the OP decided to do.