Pros and cons of vaping

[The metal mom]

Hello all. This is my first post. I just wanted to share some things I've learned along the way, and wish I had known when I was a newbie. If you have started vaping because you have quit smoking -good for you! If you have never smoked and are considering vaping- I would really advise against that. For a few reasons - First while I think it is thousands of times safer than cigarettes it has not proven to be entirely safe yet. Also, it is definitely not a cheap habit. And let me tell you it is difficult to quit! Also it's messy. If you are a new vaper my advice to you is to get the very very best battery and atomizer you can afford. I would have saved so much money if I would've just spent the $200 it takes to have a decent set up in the first place. Also I would've saved myself many trips to the vape store and a lot of frustration and hassle. If you have multiple vapor stores in your area I would recommend shopping around. I purchased a battery and atomizer from one store for over $100. When I dropped it and it became a glorified paperweight and could not be fixed I went to another store and was able to get a comparable set up for $40 on sale. Get something with adjustable voltage and temperature. This way your battery will "grow with you" meaning as you get used to them you can gradually increase the power that you want without having to buy a whole new set up. For the love of all that's holy get a case or something to keep it in do not drop it! I have learned the hard way twice now. It's also not a bad idea to get a system that has a rechargeable battery. Then you can buy multiple batteries and have them all charged so you never run out of power. Just my two cents. Congratulations on the huge decision to quit smoking!

 

[retired1]

Also, it is definitely not a cheap habit.

While the initial startup cost may not be cheap (it is if you compare it to a few packs of cigarettes), the costs are extremely low if you approach it correctly. My per month costs are probably around 10 bucks (DIY supplies, wire, mesh, etc.). Most months, I don't spend anything unless I have to order to restock.

 

[mattiem]

Hello all. This is my first post.

Welcome to the forum. You have come to the right place

I just wanted to share some things I've learned along the way, and wish I had known when I was a newbie. If you have started vaping because you have quit smoking -good for you! If you have never smoked and are considering vaping- I would really advise against that. For a few reasons - First while I think it is thousands of times safer than cigarettes it has not proven to be entirely safe yet.

Nothing in life can be guaranteed to be 100% safe but research has shown this to be AT LEAST 95% safer than smoking.

Also, it is definitely not a cheap habit.

it can be. Once you are set up it can be much much cheaper than smoking.

And let me tell you it is difficult to quit!

I agree that it might be for someone switching from smoking but I don't believe that to be true for never smokers

Also it's messy. If you are a new vaper my advice to you is to get the very very best battery and atomizer you can afford. I would have saved so much money if I would've just spent the $200 it takes to have a decent set up in the first place. Also I would've saved myself many trips to the vape store and a lot of frustration and hassle. If you have multiple vapor stores in your area I would recommend shopping around. I purchased a battery and atomizer from one store for over $100. When I dropped it and it became a glorified paperweight and could not be fixed I went to another store and was able to get a comparable set up for $40 on sale. Get something with adjustable voltage and temperature. This way your battery will "grow with you" meaning as you get used to them you can gradually increase the power that you want without having to buy a whole new set up. For the love of all that's holy get a case or something to keep it in do not drop it! I have learned the hard way twice now. It's also not a bad idea to get a system that has a rechargeable battery. Then you can buy multiple batteries and have them all charged so you never run out of power. Just my two cents. Congratulations on the huge decision to quit smoking!

The only thing I would add is backups, lots of backups and get informed on what the FDA is trying to do. All of this information will be moot if the deeming regulations stick, as written.

Please take a moment to read, sign and share This Petition

 

[Vandal]

I find vaping to be extremely cheap. However, if the FDA and the states get their way, it won't be for much longer.

Welcome, Metal Mom!

 

[r77r7r]

Welcome metal mom. Ty for sharing your experience to help others.

 

[Baditude]

I also agree that aside from startup costs, vaping can be quite inexpensive. Especially when compared to smoking. Even more so if you learn to make your own coils and e-liquids.

Once you have 2 or 3 durable "setups" (I loved the above comment about having backups for your backups), meaning battery devices and juice attachments, your subsequent costs should only be for e-liquid and replacement coils.

The issue the OP seems to be referring to about expensive costs is not doing adequate research and not shopping around for the better deals on gear. For many who take up vaping, it becomes a "hobby" and folks may tend to collect gear or want to try out the next new thang to hit the market in the search for a better vape.

The only "con" I can think of concerning vaping is it is not as "easy" as smoking. Vaping takes some planning and forethought. You have to have charged batteries, a working battery device, a working juice attachment, and a supply of e-liquid ... or you can't vape. It's not like you can go to the vape shop at 11 pm to get what you need when you run out, unlike going to the 24 hour convenience store or gas station to grab a pack of smokes.

 

[dbrandt01]

Great post. All of the stuff you figured out, I had to learn the hard way like you. My dad was a bit luckier because I was smarter when he finally got into it. I think the point about it not being a cheap thing is true and wrong. Initial start up, you're right. Just spend the money and get something good. Me personally for the past year and a half or so. I've spent maybe $250 on one full set up and maybe $200 on nicotine, vg, and pg. Still cheaper than $40 for a carton of cigarettes haha.

Quitting isn't easy, I feel it's more of a mental game also. I've learned with my mom, if you want to "quit" but you're not determined to quit, then it probably won't happen in your favor.

Especially the part about shopping around is VERY smart for any new vaper. I'm all for supporting vape shops and I do with e-liquid when I use flavors and such. With actual devices or tanks and such. You can save so much from even ordering online. I've been to a shop where they sold a device for $80 but I could buy the same thing online for $35. Even with shipping and waiting 2 days, it's saving money.

 

[Bob Chill]

I don't think it has been any easier and cheaper as it is today. When I started in 2013, evods/protanks/spinners etc were "high tech". Then things kept evolving so fast it was hard to keep up. Variable wattage wasn't out yet. Folks who started back in 2009 have gone through much more than I did.

Nowadays, you can get a solid performing mod with all the goodies built in and removable batteries for $30-40. There is a tank or dripper for everyone's style for the same or less cost. I spent almost all of 2015 not buying any hardware because what I had worked great and didn't need anything new.

Getting good advice when starting out is very important. Everybody has their own preferred style. I like kayfuns @ 10-15 watts and single coil drippers at 20 watts. I can be happy with them forever. I've been using a 3 year old IGO-L clone lately. One of the first I ever bought. Vapes great and was cheap as heck.

There are 3 things a new person needs to decide first before buying anything. Are you a mouth to lung or direct lung inhaler? Are you interested in flavor or clouds? Do you prefer small stealthy gear or are you good with larger stuff with big battery life and minimal refilling? If someone can answer those questions for themselves upfront they will break into the habit/hobby pretty easy as long as they get good advice.

My wife works with an ex-army guy who's biggest issue in his marriage is his inability to quit smoking (kid on the way). He was fascinated with my wife's pico/kayfun. She asked him how he inhaled cigarettes and he said straight down start to finish. lol. They went to a vape shop and he bought a pico/subtank combo at the advice of the shop owner after listening to my wife's input. Hasn't touched a cigarette in 4 weeks and is off the rails happy about vaping. His wife is too. Now he has 2 picos and 2 subtanks and 4 good batteries. Basically all set for under $200 @ retail B&M prices and never had to waste money buying stuff that doesn't work. I didn't have that opportunity. lol

 

[Vaslovik]

Let's see here....

Doug and I were spending over $500 a month on cigarettes before we started vaping. That was as much as our rent! I had peripheral arterial disease and we both had chronic bronchitis. After we switched to vaping all that went away, and we saved a ton of money. It was not messy, it was fun and a learning experience. As soon as I had a vape that lasted all day I never had another cigarette. That was 3 years ago. I feel far better, I have vastly improved lung function, never have bronchitis, and now I can walk miles, where before I could not walk more than 100 ft. before my legs cramped up painfully on me.

I've not had any of the problems you describe at all. Sorry you had such troubles, but compare those to chemo and a progressive incurable lung disease like Emphysema. It's really no contest. You should stick around here, there's a host of helpful people here and all the answers you could want.

 

[VNeil]

The only thing bad about vaping is the politics... And the govt lies.... And corruption... And you get my point

 

[Forkeh]

Well right now it's not a cheap habit, because I'm stocking up on everything I possibly can, due to impending regulations. But had I not been stocking up, since I switched to mostly rebuildable toppers and juice diy, I would have spent almost nothing on vaping.

The initial buy in cost of decent equipment is high. But once you get it set up it's totally possible to do it really cheap.

 

[Forkeh]

And of course vaping is not better than completely abstaining from tobacco and nicotine products. However, for someone who doesn't smoke, if they're going to pick up one or the other, I'd recommend vaping over smoking any day.

It happened to all of us at some point didn't it? We were all non-smokers at some point in time. Things happen. People start smoking.

 

[bnrkwest]

I don't think it has been any easier and cheaper as it is today. When I started in 2013, evods/protanks/spinners etc were "high tech". Then things kept evolving so fast it was hard to keep up. Variable wattage wasn't out yet. Folks who started back in 2009 have gone through much more than I did.

Nowadays, you can get a solid performing mod with all the goodies built in and removable batteries for $30-40. There is a tank or dripper for everyone's style for the same or less cost. I spent almost all of 2015 not buying any hardware because what I had worked great and didn't need anything new.

Getting good advice when starting out is very important. Everybody has their own preferred style. I like kayfuns @ 10-15 watts and single coil drippers at 20 watts. I can be happy with them forever. I've been using a 3 year old IGO-L clone lately. One of the first I ever bought. Vapes great and was cheap as heck.

There are 3 things a new person needs to decide first before buying anything. Are you a mouth to lung or direct lung inhaler? Are you interested in flavor or clouds? Do you prefer small stealthy gear or are you good with larger stuff with big battery life and minimal refilling? If someone can answer those questions for themselves upfront they will break into the habit/hobby pretty easy as long as they get good advice.

My wife works with an ex-army guy who's biggest issue in his marriage is his inability to quit smoking (kid on the way). He was fascinated with my wife's pico/kayfun. She asked him how he inhaled cigarettes and he said straight down start to finish. lol. They went to a vape shop and he bought a pico/subtank combo at the advice of the shop owner after listening to my wife's input. Hasn't touched a cigarette in 4 weeks and is off the rails happy about vaping. His wife is too. Now he has 2 picos and 2 subtanks and 4 good batteries. Basically all set for under $200 @ retail B&M prices and never had to waste money buying stuff that doesn't work. I didn't have that opportunity. lol

Back in the day, 2009, a crappy little cig a like in 3 parts that lasted for 5 puffs cost $100! I agree vaping has never been cheaper than it is today. I spent around $200 for a Provari mini, a couple batts and charger in 2012, today a Provari mini is $29 to $34, talk about cheap! LOL

 

[Two_Bears]

While the initial startup cost may not be cheap (it is if you compare it to a few packs of cigarettes), the costs are extremely low if you approach it correctly. My per month costs are probably around 10 bucks (DIY supplies, wire, mesh, etc.). Most months, I don't spend anything unless I have to order to restock.

I agree completely. Here cigarettes are $4.50 and up.

I went Nicotine free last December. I can make a 30 ml of Juice for about $1,30-1.50 and will last me 6-7 days. I vape 4-5 mls a day. If i was still smoking that would be $9 a day. For $9 i can vape almost a month.

 

[The metal mom]

I totally agree it's waaaay cheaper and healthier than smoking. But I've found it hard to quit because it's so good! Some of the flavors out there....even at 0 nicotine- delicious. How do you stop vaping strawberry custard??? My experience is you don't! I tried the DIY making your own juice, because of cost, and it just wasn't for me. I followed the recipes and ordered all the right stuff...but alas none of my juice was as good as the spendy stuff I like. I think cost depends on- how much you used to smoke (cigarettes) and how good you are at DIY, and how much you vape. The cost is VERY low after the initial investment if you're good at it. I hope you guys don't think I'm dissing vaping- I LOVE it and it has kept me from ever wanting another cigarette. But for people who have never smoked- there are some things to think about before heading down that delicious road. Agree or nah?

 

[The metal mom]

Also- my cost is high because I vape A LOT. I'm wondering if I need to go up on my nicotine. I'm currently at 3.

 

[Tempesta]

Welcome, Metal Mom! I guess we all learn the hard way, but the folks here on this forum can give a lot of good advice.

 

[The metal mom]

 

[Tommy-Chi]

I agree completely. Here cigarettes are $4.50 and up.

I went Nicotine free last December. I can make a 30 ml of Juice for about $1,30-1.50 and will last me 6-7 days. I vape 4-5 mls a day. If i was still smoking that would be $9 a day. For $9 i can vape almost a month.

$4.50 for cigarettes? They are more than $13.50 per pack here in Chicago. At a pack a day that is a $5,000/yr habit. No way you are going to spend more vaping...nowhere near that.

 

[The metal mom]

Holy crap