Older Folks and Vaping

[Arnie H]

Thanks for the welcome everyone.

I was a smoker for around 28 years (am now 43) and quit recently thanks to e-cigs.

I firmly believe that these devices really do have the potential to save lives, that would otherwise be lost to cigarette/tobacco smoking related diseases.

I am very concerned about my mother. She is 65 and has been smoking for more than 40 plus years. She is something of a chain smoker (she smokes multiple cigarettes in a session) and smokes 2 or more packs a day. I have bought her some disposables, and promised to get her something better if she would but try them. They have went unused, and I feel as though I have failed her somehow. My fiancee on the other hand, I am converting sucessfully. She's taking awhile, but she will soon be one of us. - MUH HAH HAA HAA!

There may indeed be some truth that older people have a harder time adapting to new technology. What should I do about my mother? I am concerned about her health. Are some people just doomed to smoke till they die? Are there people who will just never quit? Is it harder for older folks to kick the habit? She has indicated to me, that she does not want my me to buy her any more e-cigs. Is there a vaping support group for older people (she knows little about computers and such)? Should I just respect her choice and leave her alone?

Thanks.

 

[malkuth]

Thanks for the welcome everyone.

I was a smoker for around 28 years (am now 43) and quit recently thanks to e-cigs.

I firmly believe that these devices really do have the potential to save lives, that would otherwise be lost to cigarette/tobacco smoking related diseases.

I am very concerned about my mother.

What should I do about my mother? I am concerned about her health. She has indicated to me, that she does not want my me to buy her any more e-cigs. Is there a vaping support group for older people (she knows little about computers and such)? Should I just respect her choice and leave her alone?

Thanks.

YES!!!! You have provided what you can. It is time to "respect her choice and leave her alone". It is not that she is too old, or too set in her ways or that she needs a vaping support group. It IS that she has made a choice and does not want to change.

The old saying holds true: You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make them drink. You need to realize that your mother had enough sense to raise you and help turn you into the person you are today. Respect her good sense and allow her to make HER choices.

NOTE: I am 62 myself, and have probably smoked as long as she has. I understand technology as well.

 

[DancingHeretik]

There may indeed be some truth that older people have a harder time adapting to new technology. What should I do about my mother? I am concerned about her health. Are some people just doomed to smoke till they die? Are there people who will just never quit? Is it harder for older folks to kick the habit? She has indicated to me, that she does not want my me to buy her any more e-cigs. Is there a vaping support group for older people (she knows little about computers and such)? Should I just respect her choice and leave her alone?

There is always hope. But, she has chosen to resist. All you can do now is to not push.

Just keep on vaping and be the inspiration that you are, but quietly, without any pressure. If your fiancee vapes around your mother with some of the pretty, girly ecigs that might also catch her interest. Yummy smelling flavors might also attract her. Either way, she will have to be interested first. Until then, just don't push.

The most I might do is to:

• offer to let her take a puff of any yummy new flavor you happen to be using
• suggest she learn to use what she already has - but just for emergency situations when she absolutely cannot smoke otherwise

At this point, it's going to have to be her idea.

 

[Myrany]

Let me also add the following.

All of us that used to smoke have experienced that person harping on us to quit. Think about how that felt. DO you want to make your mother feel that way?

You have planted the seed. It is always possible it may grow later on. Leave it there.

 

[BacsiBob]

Vaping is for those who want it, not those who need it.

 

[MikeE3]

Thanks for the welcome everyone.

I was a smoker for around 28 years (am now 43) and quit recently thanks to e-cigs.

I firmly believe that these devices really do have the potential to save lives, that would otherwise be lost to cigarette/tobacco smoking related diseases.

I am very concerned about my mother. She is 65 and has been smoking for more than 40 plus years. She is something of a chain smoker (she smokes multiple cigarettes in a session) and smokes 2 or more packs a day. I have bought her some disposables, and promised to get her something better if she would but try them. They have went unused, and I feel as though I have failed her somehow. My fiancee on the other hand, I am converting sucessfully. She's taking awhile, but she will soon be one of us. - MUH HAH HAA HAA!

There may indeed be some truth that older people have a harder time adapting to new technology. What should I do about my mother? I am concerned about her health. Are some people just doomed to smoke till they die? Are there people who will just never quit? Is it harder for older folks to kick the habit? She has indicated to me, that she does not want my me to buy her any more e-cigs. Is there a vaping support group for older people (she knows little about computers and such)? Should I just respect her choice and leave her alone?

Thanks.

Sure wish there was the perfect solution/answer for you Arnie but the responses you've gotten so far are pretty darn good. It's tough when you know it 'worked for you' and you want it to work for someone else too and they resist. Best you can do is lead by example without being pushy and hope she follows.

YES!!!! You have provided what you can. It is time to "respect her choice and leave her alone". It is not that she is too old, or too set in her ways or that she needs a vaping support group. It IS that she has made a choice and does not want to change.

The old saying holds true: You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make them drink. You need to realize that your mother had enough sense to raise you and help turn you into the person you are today. Respect her good sense and allow her to make HER choices.

NOTE: I am 62 myself, and have probably smoked as long as she has. I understand technology as well.

There is always hope. But, she has chosen to resist. All you can do now is to not push.

Just keep on vaping and be the inspiration that you are, but quietly, without any pressure. If your fiancee vapes around your mother with some of the pretty, girly ecigs that might also catch her interest. Yummy smelling flavors might also attract her. Either way, she will have to be interested first. Until then, just don't push.

The most I might do is to:

• offer to let her take a puff of any yummy new flavor you happen to be using
• suggest she learn to use what she already has - but just for emergency situations when she absolutely cannot smoke otherwise

At this point, it's going to have to be her idea.

Let me also add the following.

All of us that used to smoke have experienced that person harping on us to quit. Think about how that felt. DO you want to make your mother feel that way?

You have planted the seed. It is always possible it may grow later on. Leave it there.

 

[Janet H]

Thanks for the welcome everyone.

I was a smoker for around 28 years (am now 43) and quit recently thanks to e-cigs.

I firmly believe that these devices really do have the potential to save lives, that would otherwise be lost to cigarette/tobacco smoking related diseases.

I am very concerned about my mother. She is 65 and has been smoking for more than 40 plus years. She is something of a chain smoker (she smokes multiple cigarettes in a session) and smokes 2 or more packs a day. I have bought her some disposables, and promised to get her something better if she would but try them. They have went unused, and I feel as though I have failed her somehow. My fiancee on the other hand, I am converting sucessfully. She's taking awhile, but she will soon be one of us. - MUH HAH HAA HAA!

There may indeed be some truth that older people have a harder time adapting to new technology. What should I do about my mother? I am concerned about her health. Are some people just doomed to smoke till they die? Are there people who will just never quit? Is it harder for older folks to kick the habit? She has indicated to me, that she does not want my me to buy her any more e-cigs. Is there a vaping support group for older people (she knows little about computers and such)? Should I just respect her choice and leave her alone?

Thanks.

I smoked for almost 50 years before switching to vaping and only tried it to help cut down on the cigs. Surprise! I quit smoking the same day. I'd thought about looking into vaping for a year or 2 while hubby kept saying we should quit. So I said lets try it and we've been vaping only for 1-1/2 years now. Guess we were just ready. I don't know how successful we would have been without ECF though.

Remember when you smoked and somebody would start talking to you about quitting? First thing you wanted to do was have a smoke right? Could be the same for your mother. Let her be and just continue to vape around her. When and if she's ready you'll have a lot of experience to help her along. You can't force it. Yes, she may never stop smoking, but there's a lot of people who never stopped and died of other things beside cigarette related reasons. You never know, she could outlive you!! Just relax about it and be an example and who knows, she might just decide to try it.

 

[txtumbleweed]

Thanks for the welcome everyone.

I was a smoker for around 28 years (am now 43) and quit recently thanks to e-cigs.

I firmly believe that these devices really do have the potential to save lives, that would otherwise be lost to cigarette/tobacco smoking related diseases.

I am very concerned about my mother. She is 65 and has been smoking for more than 40 plus years. She is something of a chain smoker (she smokes multiple cigarettes in a session) and smokes 2 or more packs a day. I have bought her some disposables, and promised to get her something better if she would but try them. They have went unused, and I feel as though I have failed her somehow. My fiancee on the other hand, I am converting sucessfully. She's taking awhile, but she will soon be one of us. - MUH HAH HAA HAA!

There may indeed be some truth that older people have a harder time adapting to new technology. What should I do about my mother? I am concerned about her health. Are some people just doomed to smoke till they die? Are there people who will just never quit? Is it harder for older folks to kick the habit? She has indicated to me, that she does not want my me to buy her any more e-cigs. Is there a vaping support group for older people (she knows little about computers and such)? Should I just respect her choice and leave her alone?

Thanks.

I was 69 when I started vaping so there is still hope she will change her mind. If she begins to have problems breathing like I did she may decide it is time to give up the cigarettes and you will be there to help her.

 

[ennagizer]

I am very concerned about my mother. She is 65 and has been smoking for more than 40 plus years. She is something of a chain smoker (she smokes multiple cigarettes in a session) and smokes 2 or more packs a day. I have bought her some disposables, and promised to get her something better if she would but try them. They have went unused, and I feel as though I have failed her somehow. My fiancee on the other hand, I am converting sucessfully. She's taking awhile, but she will soon be one of us. - MUH HAH HAA HAA!

There may indeed be some truth that older people have a harder time adapting to new technology. What should I do about my mother? I am concerned about her health. Are some people just doomed to smoke till they die? Are there people who will just never quit? Is it harder for older folks to kick the habit? She has indicated to me, that she does not want my me to buy her any more e-cigs. Is there a vaping support group for older people (she knows little about computers and such)? Should I just respect her choice and leave her alone?

Thanks.

I feel your pain, I really do. My mother is 84 and in bad shape healthwise. Most, if not all, of her health problems come directly from smoking. I'd say she smoked for a good 60-65 years before she stopped, and she only stopped when she did a 3 month stint in a hospital where she couldn't smoke, not even outside. Prior to that when she had extended hospital stays she could go outside and smoke, but new rules meant she could no longer do that. Messed up, huh? In & out of hospitals due to smoking related illness and she would still continue to smoke while there.

The bottom line is that nobody can be forced to stop smoking, unless (like my mother) they're in a situation where they absolutely can't smoke. As ex-smokers we all know this. In my opinion all you can really do is introduce alternatives and plant some seeds. It is up to the individual to want to quit the analogs.

Every smoker knows it's bad and knows they should quit. No smoker needs to be told this. It took a friend 3 months to convince me to buy an ecig kit, and the reasons I did was because I saw how well he was doing with it and I wanted to quit analogs, again, for the um-teenth time.

As someone who's living through seeing a parent die of smoking related illness, I know your concern. It sucks that there's an alternative that really helps, but she refuses to try it. But, if you continue to push she may become more resistant to the idea and never pick one up on her own. You introduced it, planted the seed & now it's her turn. She has to want to stop analogs and it has to be her idea to try it with ecigs. All of this is, of course, my opinion based on my own experiences.

 

[balwin]

Welcome Rinswind, Ennagizer and Arnie. I hope you'll enjoy our little group here, we are a friendly bunch with lots of ideas and comments.

Arnie, I think it has pretty much all already been said. I do think sometimes it helps a bit to hear the success stories and too the almost successful stories, it helps to know that there are others out there who are still trying. My husband and I agreed to try e-cigs and I was fortunate enough to quit the day we got them. Bruce is still working on it. We agreed from the start, there is no pressure to quit but each cigarette that is avoided is a good thing. Perhaps it would be a good idea to let her know that if she wants to try one or even a few hits of a flavor, you are good with that and that you won't pressure her to quit. Personally, the more you push me the more I push back. I'm hard headed that way!

 

[Janet H]

Hey there Ennagizer, welcome to our little corner of the vaping world. So sorry to hear about your mom. I totally agree with you about planting the seed and hoping it will grow. We all make our choices for our own reasons. I sure wish vaping had come along before I spent so many years smoking, but who knows, I might not have made the choice until I was 61 anyway...

And to all our new people - This thread is pretty much kept to vaping, but we've got another thread where we can talk vaping AND whatever else comes to mind. It's our magic front porch that's always big enough for whoever shows up if you'd like to drop by http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/lounge/289745-older-people-55-up-798.html

 

[rinswind]

I can understand your concern, that being said the advice of the others is the best, I was pretty much like your mother 62 and really bull headed when anyone including family tried to get me to quit. I came to it myself when it started to affect the way I wanted to live. You have to quit for you, keep the vaping tools around let her see how much you enjoy it and maybe curiosity will get her to try, i failed miserably with lookalikes by the way it wasn't till I found this site and learned there were options that I decided to give it another go, haven't looked back.

 

[Iffy]

Vaping is for those who want it, not those who need it.

Ummmm... gotta disagree wid ya here. Vaping is a viable risk reduction opportunity regardless of da smokers' willingness! Yes, if one doesn't want to quit 'bakky, then there is lil' we can do to mandate such.

I do get a bit offended when I read of da older folk not being receptive as to an alternative. Hell, dat should be da 'target' population! This thread is more than 'nuff evidence as to 'our' capabilities and understanding.

As to those that can't/won't use da available 'puter access to vaping solutions, then do what ya can to assist our parents/elders. Just be THERE for 'em and let 'em see your success!!!

 

[Arnie H]

Thanks to all for your caring and understanding replies. She did try one disposable while I was with her, she huffed and puffed and said she got a headache. She was hitting it too hard, trying to get the same satisfaction as you do with a cig. I got the highest nic level I could find for her. You know with the quality of disposables being what they are (mostly crap), I feel if she had started with an Ego and a clearo or tank she might have had a better experience. It is important that smokers get the best first experience with vaping they can.

She is really old fashioned, I mean she refuses to drive a car or get a driver's license, and my brother and I had to practically force her to get a telephone, so that she would be able to communicate in the event of an emergency. It's not like she was born before the age of the telephone or the automobile. A lot of it comes from where we are from. Living in NYC for so long, people get used to taking the trains and buses. But down here in Greensboro, NC, a car is very much important. There is no subway here, and public transportation is not like it was in New York City, where it runs 24/7.

I feel as though, she did not get a good first experience with e-cigs, and this is making me feel guilty (I feel I have failed her!). I am well aware that there are lots of people who smoke till they literally drop dead, and never get cancer and other illnesses related to tobacco. The one good thing is all the walking she does to the bus stop and so forth, however she gets winded incredibly fast and must rest every so often.

But you guys are right. It is ultimately up to her. I must accept the fact and respect her wishes. I must convince myself that I have done what I could.

 

[Rat2chat2]

Thanks for the welcome everyone.

I was a smoker for around 28 years (am now 43) and quit recently thanks to e-cigs.

I firmly believe that these devices really do have the potential to save lives, that would otherwise be lost to cigarette/tobacco smoking related diseases.

I am very concerned about my mother. She is 65 and has been smoking for more than 40 plus years. She is something of a chain smoker (she smokes multiple cigarettes in a session) and smokes 2 or more packs a day. I have bought her some disposables, and promised to get her something better if she would but try them. They have went unused, and I feel as though I have failed her somehow. My fiancee on the other hand, I am converting sucessfully. She's taking awhile, but she will soon be one of us. - MUH HAH HAA HAA!

There may indeed be some truth that older people have a harder time adapting to new technology. What should I do about my mother? I am concerned about her health. Are some people just doomed to smoke till they die? Are there people who will just never quit? Is it harder for older folks to kick the habit? She has indicated to me, that she does not want my me to buy her any more e-cigs. Is there a vaping support group for older people (she knows little about computers and such)? Should I just respect her choice and leave her alone?

Thanks.

Well first of all I want to say welcome and we are glad you are here. Your little predicament has had me thinking for a while (which is pretty hard for me as you will find out). I am thinking of my mom and how I would have handle my mom at 65. Stubborn little bit of a woman. If she was awake... she was smoking. If I had given her something that looked like her dearly loved cigarette, she would have found fifty eleven reason why it was not as good as her real one. But...... if I had given her something that was a little different and unique (like maybe a ego kit with a evod atomizer and of course a lanyard to wear around her neck..... she would have thought it was cool and probably given it more of a try than a cigalike. And although I agree with all the others when they say you can only plant the seed. But maybe she would be more willing to try if you gave her a potted plant. heehee A little psychology might help. I don't know. I'm pretty much sleep deprived right now and I am just trying to help you and your mom. I don't necessarily agree with just dropping it totally. If I had done that my mom would have never tried to quit. But maybe a little inconspicuous nudging might do the trick. Just don't give up on her even though I know that would be less stressful for you. The things we do for love........... it's wonderful. Sorry for my rattling on and don't let this turn you against this forum. Hope to see you around here often and please keep us posted on your mom.

 

[FranC]

This is not good news folks.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ces-discontinuing-online-vaporizer-sales.html

 

[Janet H]

This is not good news folks.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ces-discontinuing-online-vaporizer-sales.html

Whoa! Not a good thing to wake up to this morning, but thanks for the heads up. At least for us in PA it would be possible for us to drive there - ROAD TRIP!!

 

[FranC]

Ah that's lucky for those in PA.

 

[MikeE3]

This is not good news folks.

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...ces-discontinuing-online-vaporizer-sales.html

Yikes - not good news indeed. Doesn't look like Isaac is considering a B&M outlet. Hope this isn't the beginning of something that will spread to other on-line vendors.

 

[FranC]

From what I gather others are starting to have problems also.