New to vaping, question about Nicotine

[vulcanoes]

Hi! I'm a Washingtonian who has had a vaporfi vaporizer for a few weeks now. I got it to vape instead of eating when I got food cravings, which is a lot. It's been helping. I'm at 0 nic as I'm a non-smoker. But I had a question, and hopefully people in this forum will know.

The other day a friend gave me a coffee juice she disliked that I loved, that's got a big 8 on the side for nicotine. I've been vaping with it for a while, and not felt a thing. Am I playing dice with the devil here? Caffeine doesn't affect me, so I figured low amounts of nic wouldn't either. There are nic-only flavors I would like to try, but have passed up so far. Am I in over my head here? Some would say nicotine has benefits (appetite supressing ones), especially if I use lower amounts and would be fine, but am I in over my head?

 

[David Wolf]

The choice is yours but I would not have started vaping except I wanted to quit smoking (and I did). If I was going to vape for other reasons I would use 0 Nic. Unless I wanted Nic for other reasons, since it's potentially addictive, then I might use a very low Nic like 3mg. How's that for a kinda answer? Haha.

 

[Izan]

Hi! I'm a Washingtonian who has had a vaporfi vaporizer for a few weeks now. I got it to vape instead of eating when I got food cravings, which is a lot. It's been helping. I'm at 0 nic as I'm a non-smoker. But I had a question, and hopefully people in this forum will know.

The other day a friend gave me a coffee juice she disliked that I loved, that's got a big 8 on the side for nicotine. I've been vaping with it for a while, and not felt a thing. Am I playing dice with the devil here? Caffeine doesn't affect me, so I figured low amounts of nic wouldn't either. There are nic-only flavors I would like to try, but have passed up so far. Am I in over my head here? Some would say nicotine has benefits (appetite supressing ones), especially if I use lower amounts and would be fine, but am I in over my head?

Hi and welcome,
Nicotine is not addictive. What is the question?

Have fun
I

 

[CopaDot]

What you do to your body is your choice. Juice with nicotine is less harmful than cigarettes. I can't say I know the differences between 0 mg juice vs nicotine juice, as far as health is concerned. But nicotine is an addictive substance and although it might have benefits, it has negative effects as well.

Ultimately, if you're not sure about using nicotine juice then I encourage you to research the long term effects of nicotine itself on the human body and then decide for yourself.

 

[VNeil]

Nicotine Propaganda

 

[djsvapour]

Gosh, this is a sad tale.

You are spending your hard-earned money on Vaporfi to vape zero Nicotine.

You do know about Vaporfi, right?

Anyway, back on topic, a short period of vaping 8mg on some 'small' e-cigarette is probably not the end of the world, as long as it's temporary.

Let me try and explain something, it could be 100% accurate or a figment of my imagination.

1. I vape, not smoke. Whatever we get in cigarettes not including the nicotine, (the other chemicals) I no longer have in my system. I think that's fair to say.
2. When I smoked, Nicotine Replacement Therapy didn't really help me.
3. Now I vape, I can go for days without vaping IF I have the Nicotine in my system, provided by the NRT.
4. If Nicotine wasn't addictive, then there would be no cravings for anything at all, but sadly my behavior tells a different story.
5. I conclude I need Nicotine to feel normal. That makes me addicted by my definition.

I would not recommend you vape Nicotine, eventually you will get hooked.
Most flavours are available in either 3mg, 6mg, 8mg and unless you have a powerful e-cig, then those are small amounts of Nicotine. (Vaping is not that efficient, which is why so many vapers prefer more power and more liquid vaporized - It's also why Tobacco companies use liquids up to 48mg to help smokers stay on the Vapes).

Some good news
Those small amounts might be beneficial to curbing your hunger.
Those small amounts won't get you hooked as fast as buying some cowboy-killer cigarettes and going from 1 to 3 to 5 to 10 to 20 to 30 smokes a day over a lifetime.
Eventually, there will be a price to pay, but not yet.

Caffeine is physically addictive, you may not be so (an addict), but people go through all sorts of trouble to get off Caffeine when they discover it's causing them problems. It never caused me problems, but Nicotine did. Everyone is different.

Go forward with you mind open and your logic in place. Either way, don't throw good money at rip-off products - we can all do without that, unless you are very wealthy.

Good luck.

 

[NightShadow]

The short answer IMHO is using one bottle of juice with nicotine in it will not result in addiction. As long as you are not getting any overdoing it symptoms such as lightheadedness, nausea etc I would think it is fine.

The decision to go forward with buying juice with nicotine in it is of course yours. Having been a smoker (along with most on this forum) it is hard for me to suggest anyone start using it when I and most here have been trying to stop using it. granted my personal experience was 1-2 packs a day for 20+ years, then started vaping and stopped smoking that instant, then went to 0 nicotine in a few months afterwards. Others have not had such an easy road.

I would hope that a zero nicotine juice would suit your needs, but if you find the usage of a low nicotine juice to be helpful in your appetite reduction, then you will have to weigh carefully the potential benefits against any pitfalls yourself.

I have not seen what I would call any definitive studies that say nicotine actually causes weight loss, it MAY help. Cigarette smoking for weight loss - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I think a big part IMHO of the weight thing had more to do with smoking in combination with nicotine, where the reduction of taste and smell made food less appealing. The opposite often holds true, people who quit smoking and regain their taste and smell can often gain weight simply because of the "oh wow, this food smells and tastes great now" factor.

In closing, fact find, experiment, make an informed choice that is right for you. You might keep a journal to track nicotine use vs what you ate, how you felt that day etc. Might be useful for comparison to 0 nicotine juice.

 

[suprtrkr]

Speaking from experience, nicotine addiction is a major ....., and not the sort of thing I would recommend to anyone. That said, it does suppress appetite.

 

[djsvapour]

Speaking from experience, nicotine addiction is a major ....., and not the sort of thing I would recommend to anyone. That said, it does suppress appetite.

That's why I was so hungry using cig-a-likes.

 

[VNeil]

Gosh, this is a sad tale.

You are spending your hard-earned money on Vaporfi to vape zero Nicotine.

You do know about Vaporfi, right?

Anyway, back on topic, a short period of vaping 8mg on some 'small' e-cigarette is probably not the end of the world, as long as it's temporary.

Let me try and explain something, it could be 100% accurate or a figment of my imagination.

1. I vape, not smoke. Whatever we get in cigarettes not including the nicotine, (the other chemicals) I no longer have in my system. I think that's fair to say.
2. When I smoked, Nicotine Replacement Therapy didn't really help me.
3. Now I vape, I can go for days without vaping IF I have the Nicotine in my system, provided by the NRT.
4. If Nicotine wasn't addictive, then there would be no cravings for anything at all, but sadly my behavior tells a different story.
5. I conclude I need Nicotine to feel normal. That makes me addicted by my definition.

I would not recommend you vape Nicotine, eventually you will get hooked.
Most flavours are available in either 3mg, 6mg, 8mg and unless you have a powerful e-cig, then those are small amounts of Nicotine. (Vaping is not that efficient, which is why so many vapers prefer more power and more liquid vaporized - It's also why Tobacco companies use liquids up to 48mg to help smokers stay on the Vapes).

Some good news
Those small amounts might be beneficial to curbing your hunger.
Those small amounts won't get you hooked as fast as buying some cowboy-killer cigarettes and going from 1 to 3 to 5 to 10 to 20 to 30 smokes a day over a lifetime.
Eventually, there will be a price to pay, but not yet.

Caffeine is physically addictive, you may not be so (an addict), but people go through all sorts of trouble to get off Caffeine when they discover it's causing them problems. It never caused me problems, but Nicotine did. Everyone is different.

Go forward with you mind open and your logic in place. Either way, don't throw good money at rip-off products - we can all do without that, unless you are very wealthy.

Good luck.

@djsvapour - the science is very clear that while cig smokers become heavily dependent on cigarettes, never smokers that uptake nicotine without tobacco do not become addicted. At least none of the hundreds of never smoking test subjects that were given nicotine in the form of NRT's, such as the patch. Those subjects reported no withdrawal symptoms after uptaking nicotine levels similar to smoking, for a period of 6 to 9 months.

The matter of very long term usage, such as after many years of vaping, will have to await studies of never smoking vapers or perhaps NRT users.

ETA: I have seen one study of long term NRT users, suggesting nicotine dependency is extremely rare. As I recall, among something like 400 never smoking NRT users, they found one or two claiming dependency based on a survey.

The important point here is that your experience, and your recommendations based on your experience, are irrelevant to the never smoking OP here. It just repeats basic nicotine propaganda, that nicotine is highly addictive, without any regard for the thousands of other chemicals involved in smoking, plus the behavioral dependency issues.

Recommended homework for the OP as well as every other vaper: Nicotine Propaganda

 

[djsvapour]

The important point here is that your experience, and your recommendations based on your experience, are irrelevant to the never smoking OP here. It just repeats basic nicotine propaganda, that nicotine is highly addictive, without any regard for the thousands of other chemicals involved in smoking, plus the behavioral dependency issues.

Recommended homework for the OP as well as every other vaper: Nicotine Propaganda

Thanks! Nice comment.

I am now worried I might been spreading propaganda... ouch, you didn't hold back.

I won't make that connection again. I count myself educated in this matter.

So - I only need Nicotine now because I was once a smoker? That is a very confusing situation; I need to think how this should affect the way I behave.

 

[Topwater Elvis]

All decent e liquid manufactures offer nic mg/ml choices including a 0mg (zero) nicotine option.

Might be time to find better/different e liquid sources.

 

[VNeil]

Thanks! Nice comment.

I am now worried I might been spreading propaganda... ouch, you didn't hold back.

I won't make that connection again. I count myself educated in this matter.

So - I only need Nicotine now because I was once a smoker? That is a very confusing situation; I need to think how this should affect the way I behave.

You should worry, because most of the advice given in this very forum is primarily propaganda. Especially all the assertions that "vaping must be harmful (in some way, to some degree)". Don't take offence at that, you are in good company here.

This thread should be required reading for anyone interested in nicotine dependence....

Vaping for nicotine advantages?

The primary focus of the thread is the mental health benefits associated with nicotine. The OP is a professor of neuroscience, specializing in addictions (in a general way, not just nicotine/cigs). Buried in this thread are his ideas on the "addiction" issue. To summarize, he believes it is mostly or all behavioral, verses chemical. He believes even cigarette smoking requires many years to develop a strong dependence and he gives his evidence of that. He also believes that nicotine may be a form of "placebo", where we have all been so propagandized, since childhood, that nicotine is the evil addictive substance, that our brains demand nicotine when smoking ceases. IOW it is all in our heads

I am not stating any opinion on his ideas. I am only suggesting that this is a required read, and anyone still capable of critical thinking may get find it quite interesting, to say the least.

I will say that when I got to the point of vaping (after total cessation from the smokes for 15 months now) that I was down to 3mg nic, I did some "experiments" with vaping 0mg that suggest to me that my own dependence issues are now all or mostly behavioral, and has very little to do with nic. But I am but a sample of one. Because of that thread, and some other things I've read here (mostly counter to the standard party line you hear here) my belief in the evilness of nicotine has declined greatly. I believe it is a far more complex subject. But that is purely my own opinion and therefore worth little.

It is also my opinion, based on strong observation here, and some tests I've done in the form of forum exchanges here, that people clearly propagandized rarely if ever accept the fact that their opinions (ETA: and firm beliefs of Ultimate Truths) are based on propaganda. It is not unlike people moderately inebriated with alcohol refusing to believe they are impaired and should not be driving a vehicle.

 

[David Wolf]

Hi and welcome,
Nicotine is not addictive. What is the question?

Have fun
I

Nonsense.

 

[David Wolf]

Hi! I'm a Washingtonian who has had a vaporfi vaporizer for a few weeks now. I got it to vape instead of eating when I got food cravings, which is a lot. It's been helping. I'm at 0 nic as I'm a non-smoker. But I had a question, and hopefully people in this forum will know.

The other day a friend gave me a coffee juice she disliked that I loved, that's got a big 8 on the side for nicotine. I've been vaping with it for a while, and not felt a thing. Am I playing dice with the devil here? Caffeine doesn't affect me, so I figured low amounts of nic wouldn't either. There are nic-only flavors I would like to try, but have passed up so far. Am I in over my head here? Some would say nicotine has benefits (appetite supressing ones), especially if I use lower amounts and would be fine, but am I in over my head?

Before you buy claims that nicotine isn't addictive, do a google search and read some of the scientific studies, In cigarettes nicotine combined with other compounds is highly addictive. In limited studies with patches it may not be addictive. In inhalation as in vaping it's certainly addictive for former smokers, just read the forum about people gradually reducing nicotine-there's a reason for that. if nicotine was not addictive I should be able to go to 0 immediately with no effect, it's been a year since I've smoked- I can't, I'm addicted and so are most of the people here. For people who have never smoked vaping with nicotine we would have to see studies regarding nicotine concentration vs symptoms of addiction. Next time someone tells you vaping with nicotine is not addictive for never smokers ask to see those studies. Be prepared to wait a long time for a reply that has a scientific study linked as I've described.

 

[Skunk!]

Everybody is different. I would not have smoked for years after I wanted to quit if nicotine wasn't addictive. I have friends who occasionally smoke. You may not have a problem, or you may end up with a monkey for your back. I wouldn't risk it personally, find out where to get that liquid in zero Nic. The nicotine is the expensive part of e liquid, so I am sure they wouldn't mind making some without if they don't have it in stock...

 

[edyle]

Hi! I'm a Washingtonian who has had a vaporfi vaporizer for a few weeks now. I got it to vape instead of eating when I got food cravings, which is a lot. It's been helping. I'm at 0 nic as I'm a non-smoker. But I had a question, and hopefully people in this forum will know.

The other day a friend gave me a coffee juice she disliked that I loved, that's got a big 8 on the side for nicotine. I've been vaping with it for a while, and not felt a thing. Am I playing dice with the devil here? Caffeine doesn't affect me, so I figured low amounts of nic wouldn't either. There are nic-only flavors I would like to try, but have passed up so far. Am I in over my head here? Some would say nicotine has benefits (appetite supressing ones), especially if I use lower amounts and would be fine, but am I in over my head?

No.

 

[VNeil]

Everybody is different. I would not have smoked for years after I wanted to quit if nicotine wasn't addictive. I have friends who occasionally smoke. You may not have a problem, or you may end up with a monkey for your back. I wouldn't risk it personally, find out where to get that liquid in zero Nic. The nicotine is the expensive part of e liquid, so I am sure they wouldn't mind making some without if they don't have it in stock...

Actually, untaxed, flavoring is the most expensive part. Nic is more than pg/VG but far less than flavoring

 

[leftyandsparky]

Everybody is different. I would not have smoked for years after I wanted to quit if nicotine wasn't addictive. I have friends who occasionally smoke. You may not have a problem, or you may end up with a monkey for your back. I wouldn't risk it personally, find out where to get that liquid in zero Nic. The nicotine is the expensive part of e liquid, so I am sure they wouldn't mind making some without if they don't have it in stock...

I have a monkey on my back!

 

[Fadooken]

If you never smoked stay away from the Nic!