Newb vaper, very excited

[Shifter_scott]

I've been a 10-15 cigarette-a-day smoker for about 15 years. I've tried to quit many times, using all the normal methods, cold turkey, patch, gum, lozenge, etc. Nothing took.

I play in a weekly pool league and one of my teammates uses a 510, so I thought I'd give it a try. I purchased a starter kit at a local tobacco shop last week. It was $49.95 for a what I later figured out was a Dekang basic 510 kit with 2 batts, 1 atty, wall & USB charger, 5 carts, and a free case and 10mL bottle of juice. I told the clerk I was used to smoking Marlboro silvers (formerly ultralights, I had worked my way down to those over time), and they recommended their "USA blend" juice in 18 mg. I'm pretty sure this is also Dekang.

I have to say, so far my experience has been great. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders: I may actually be able to kick cigarettes for good!

So far I've already been back to that shop to pick up a pack of 510-T tanks and atomizer (this one is Joye-branded), and some of their "Cuba Cigar" 26mg juice, as I was looking for a better TH. That's an improvement. I also ordered some of the Dark & Mellow from vapor......com in a 30/70 blend. That hasn't arrived yet. I'm pretty sure the juices I have are all PG-based, but they're not labelled.

I think the real advantage that PV's have over all other nicotine-substitutes is that they provide for all the little aspects of smoking that are part of the addiction for a lot of people, including the hand & mouth actions, and even the social aspect of going out for a smoke. I haven't had an analog in several days, and I'm really excited and thankful that I discovered vaping.


I'm also glad I found this forum, which has already helped me so much to start learning the ins and outs.

 

[Renzuli]

Well Welcome to ECF , and congrats are in order , for getting off the stinky's . As far as juices , you don't necessarily have to go higher nic. content for throat hit . Usually a higher voltage will do it , as well as you can add a few drops of a menthol flavoring . It also sort of mimics throat hit , without the stronger nic. juice . Good Luck

 

[bnrkwest]

Welcome!! Vaping is a fabulous way to quit smoking, have fun!!! bnrk

 

[Shifter_scott]

Thanks for the welcome, and good info. I was reading earlier about how the standard 510 batts don't seem to make the full 3.7V. Do you have any recommendations for higher-voltage batts that aren't too much bigger?

 

[Done Deal DR]

Congrats on your decision to go with vaping. I smoked about the same as you (15/day) and I found it very easy to quit them the first day I started vaping. You're really going for the gusto going straight to 26mg nicotine, I started with 18 and got nicotine overload pretty often when I started, I don't think I would have wanted any higher but everyone is different.

I've got somewhere around 400ml of juice that's 18ml right now, with any future orders I will probably drop it down to 12mg as I'd like to break down my nicotine need at least somewhat.

 

[FiftybelowZero]

Congrats!
I Started vaping about 5 days ago. Just joined the forum today.
It's pretty great so far. I have been smoking a half a pack a day for the last 4 years. Tried quitting a few times unsuccessfully. Since I started I have had 5 analogues ( although I only managed to smoke half). My girlfriend is much happier and so is my landlord. I had to smoke outside and he was ok with that but it still smelt when he had his windows open. (Basement suite)
I am going home in 2 weeks and I am bringing my full kit to try to convert my dad. ( pack a day for the last 43 years)
I hope he enjoys it nearly as much as I and the users on this site do.
I have a 510 Joye mini and its great for now.

The community I find is much different too. It's a much more positive environment and I no longer have a stigma attached to my addiction.

My sincere thanks to everyone on this forum who helped me make my decision! ( I didn't post but I read quite a bit)

 

[Shifter_scott]

Yeah, I bought the 26 mg on the (bad) advice of one of the clerks at the tobacco store, who, while very helpful, did not have all the facts. She gave me the impression that the higher nicotine content would improve the throat hit. I have since learned that's not the case, so that will probably be the only bottle of that level I will buy. When I went to buy the tanks, this same clerk pointed out that, without the poly filling of the standard cart, the vapor wouldn't be "filtered". I knew that wasn't right as soon as I heard it. She obviously didn't really understand how the atomizer and cartridge work. But I'm still happy with the tanks, I like having more juice on board, and being able to tell at a glance how much is left. Also I prefer the round tips on the tanks to the whistle tips that came on the carts in the starter kit.

I am curious about one thing. While I was researching, I found some posts from as far back as 2009 that expressed concern about the FDA banning VP's. Of course, that hasn't happened, and to my knowledge nothing of that type has been introduced at the federal level. So I'm hoping maybe those fools in D.C. may have figured out how beneficial VP's are when compared to analogs and hopefully they won't try to screw with us. But I wouldn't put anything past any of them. I wouldn't be surprised if, as the popularity of vaping grows, they try and put under BATFE jurisdiction or some trick like that. I'm already pretty politically active on some other specific issues of individual liberty, so I'd like to know if there are any advocacy or watchdog groups currently on the lookout for any attempts to ban, tax, or regulate the PV industry.

 

[Done Deal DR]

From what I've read nicotine level can have some bearing on TH, but also PG level and specific flavor blends, along with most importantly the device being used contribute to TH.

That's what I've read, and seems to be true with my experience.

And yeah, that whole filters the juice thing is pure BS.

 

[VapingRulz]

Yeah, I bought the 26 mg on the (bad) advice of one of the clerks at the tobacco store, who, while very helpful, did not have all the facts. She gave me the impression that the higher nicotine content would improve the throat hit. I have since learned that's not the case, so that will probably be the only bottle of that level I will buy.

Actually, she was correct. If you want a better throat hit, one surefire way to get it is to up your nicotine level. Another option is to upgrade your e-cig, but that won't work very well either if your nic level is too low. Having said that, you can probably get a decent throat hit with a 24mg juice - or even 18mg. It depends on the person.

 

[niczgreat]

Yeah, I bought the 26 mg on the (bad) advice of one of the clerks at the tobacco store, who, while very helpful, did not have all the facts. She gave me the impression that the higher nicotine content would improve the throat hit. I have since learned that's not the case, so that will probably be the only bottle of that level I will buy. .

I have to disagree with you. The higher the Nic the stronger the hit. Possibly the 26mg wasn't really 26mg.
What you wrote doesn't make sense.

 

[SpicyMcHaggis]

Thanks for the welcome, and good info. I was reading earlier about how the standard 510 batts don't seem to make the full 3.7V. Do you have any recommendations for higher-voltage batts that aren't too much bigger?

Take a look at the eGo-C Twist. It's variable voltage and not much bigger than what you have. They have several sizes. With those you can go up or down until you get what you like. Linky

 

[synthros]

I am curious about one thing. While I was researching, I found some posts from as far back as 2009 that expressed concern about the FDA banning VP's. Of course, that hasn't happened, and to my knowledge nothing of that type has been introduced at the federal level. So I'm hoping maybe those fools in D.C. may have figured out how beneficial VP's are when compared to analogs and hopefully they won't try to screw with us. But I wouldn't put anything past any of them. I wouldn't be surprised if, as the popularity of vaping grows, they try and put under BATFE jurisdiction or some trick like that. I'm already pretty politically active on some other specific issues of individual liberty, so I'd like to know if there are any advocacy or watchdog groups currently on the lookout for any attempts to ban, tax, or regulate the PV industry.

As to this I would point you here : Legislation News

Read the stickies first (I.e. as regards the C.A.S.A.A.) tons of info here about vaping/legislation/advocacy.

You have a great attitude, you're going to love where vaping takes you! Best of luck!

 

[Done Deal DR]

I just don't think the answer to getting the TH you want is to just throw nicotine at it. All you are doing at that point is getting your body more addicted to nicotine. I'd sooner recommend getting a high(ish) PG blend with higher voltage before upping the nicotine.