Official Spin: Nicotine is more addictive than ......

[shanagan]

Good points, Shanagan.

And not only that, the continued demonization of nicotine use/users - even absent the smoke - affects how society treats us a vapers. I guess that was my whole point all along.

So, I'm not saying "be proud of being a nicotine user," but just don't feel shame and buy into the myths and misconceptions and blindly repeat the anti mantras - the future of vaping is on the line and your attitude as a vaper and smokeless nicotine users makes a difference.

Exactly. My attitude is that I'm advocating FOR something, not against anything.

I'm at the point where I'm starting to hear "so when are you going to quit that thing?" from family.. and my answer is not in the foreseeable future. (Funny how no one ever asked me that about the patches or the gum.)

 

[The Fool]

It seems like those of us who have embraced this new technology have an opportunity, or rather, a responsibility to stay on top of this and make sure that the general public has the correct information.

In the 1920's alcoholics were demonized. They were looked upon as weak, bad people, who only cared about themselves. In the 1930's, when AA first started, they had to work hard to educate the masses that alcoholics were not bad, they were sick. It took the media and the medical profession to help finally get the point across. No one of any intelligence today would point at an alcoholic and shame them, but that is exactly what had happened to alcoholics for centuries.

I may be comparing apples to oranges here....don't know. Part of what we're up against is the fact that the e-cigarette LOOKS so much like a real cigarette! And if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck....well then, it must be quacking

 

[kristin]

Ironically, where nicotine is concerned, nicotine isn't the disease, it's actually the treatment for many users.

For smokers, smoking may have been like chemo for a cancer patient - there is a high likelihood that it may kill you, but it's worth the risk.

Now, there is a way to get nicotine and the smoking experience without the smoke - for me, that's nearly like finding a cure for cancer! (Yes,I know it's not even close, but as a former smoker, that's what it feels like!)

It seems like those of us who have embraced this new technology have an opportunity, or rather, a responsibility to stay on top of this and make sure that the general public has the correct information.

In the 1920's alcoholics were demonized. They were looked upon as weak, bad people, who only cared about themselves. In the 1930's, when AA first started, they had to work hard to educate the masses that alcoholics were not bad, they were sick. It took the media and the medical profession to help finally get the point across. No one of any intelligence today would point at an alcoholic and shame them, but that is exactly what had happened to alcoholics for centuries.

I may be comparing apples to oranges here....don't know. Part of what we're up against is the fact that the e-cigarette LOOKS so much like a real cigarette! And if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck....well then, it must be quacking

 

[D103]

Good points, Shanagan.

And not only that, the continued demonization of nicotine use/users - even absent the smoke - affects how society treats us a vapers. I guess that was my whole point all along.

So, I'm not saying "be proud of being a nicotine user," but just don't feel shame and buy into the myths and misconceptions and blindly repeat the anti mantras - the future of vaping is on the line and your attitude as a vaper and smokeless nicotine users makes a difference.

Excellent point Kristin...and Shanagan. It is very important, in my opinion, that we as the consumers of this new product have the facts clearly in mind. And some have veered from the truth about nicotine.
The long held and promoted myth about nicotine and the "benefits" users reported was that they were just experiencing "relief" from withdrawal symptoms. And it has been stated on this thread that even ex-smokers are prone to "relapse" when under significant stress because of this learned expectation of relief - from withdrawal symptoms (even though an ex-smoker is presumably over the withdrawal period).
This has been proven to be FALSE. There are reliable and legitimate, peer-reviewed, studies that have shown this to be false and further have shown there are significant "benefits" nicotine users experience apart from nicotine withdrawal relief. These can be found in the "Tobacco Harm Reduction Yearbook" and I apologize for not having specific page numbers to list here. The more consistent we can all be regarding the facts the better.

 

[THE]

Okay.. I don't have a point at all. Nothing I said was worth responding to. Run right over me.

I've had it with this whole discussion!

I'm with you on educating those who demonize nicotine addicts. I am on your side whether you realize it or not.. but I'm not accustomed to nor will I be involved in any discussion where no one appreciates what I have to say.

 

[kristin]

I read your reply, THE, but it was just a rehash of your points. I honestly didn't know what else to say to it, so we'll just have to agree to disagree on some points.

But I hear you - we are all on the same side. We just have to all realize what that means - there are differences to why people need nicotine and we have to acknowledge and accept those differences - and not buy into what the antis say - in order to not play into their hands. No two people smoked for the same reasons and no two people vape for the same reasons. So, nicotine use is simply not as black and white as they'd have us believe and we have to watch that what we say is actual fact and not just anti rhetoric. (Speaking of the post that inspired this thread, not your posts.)

 

[THE]

I read your reply, THE, but it was just a rehash of your points. I honestly didn't know what else to say to it, so we'll just have to agree to disagree on some points.

But I hear you - we are all on the same side. We just have to all realize what that means - there are differences to why people need nicotine and we have to acknowledge and accept those differences - and not buy into what the antis say - in order to not play into their hands. No two people smoked for the same reasons and no two people vape for the same reasons. So, nicotine use is simply not as black and white as they'd have us believe and we have to watch that what we say is actual fact and not just anti rhetoric. (Speaking of the post that inspired this thread, not your posts.)

Fair enough .. What I say comes from research I've done, but mostly my own experiences and what I've seen first hand .. I didn't know I'd rehashed so much of it, I meant to challenge your idea that "most" people smoke because it's beneficial to them.

I really don't feel that I'm productive in this thread, because I don't think most of those who responded have read what I've been saying.. so that is why I'm going to get out of the way.

 

[bassnut]

Fair enough .. What I say comes from research I've done, but mostly my own experiences and what I've seen first hand .. I didn't know I'd rehashed so much of it, I meant to challenge your idea that "most" people smoke because it's beneficial to them.

I really don't feel that I'm productive in this thread, because I don't think most of those who responded have read what I've been saying.. so that is why I'm going to get out of the way.

You're doing just fine. I think what you're missing is acknowledgment and validation.
We don't always get that here and it's something we've all had to get used to. That's just not the dynamic here. For lack of a better term, we're all different.
I've read your posts and agree with some of your points. Please don't hold me to all of them. We don't live in that kind of world.
In a perfect world everybody would agree with me!

 

[cozzicon]

Okay.. I don't have a point at all. Nothing I said was worth responding to. Run right over me.

I've had it with this whole discussion!

I'm with you on educating those who demonize nicotine addicts. I am on your side whether you realize it or not.. but I'm not accustomed to nor will I be involved in any discussion where no one appreciates what I have to say.

Perhaps a little tact might be in order.

You do tend to steamroll threads pretty good (to the point of ending them), type with a loudish attitude, and come off like you know everything (expertitus).

Sometimes it's the *way* you say something- not what you said.