Sick of being demonized

[MamaRymes]

I'm really annoyed right now. A friend posted an article about ecigs not being as safe as we think, then said they don't help you quit. I told him they had indeed helped me as well as other friends of ours quit smoking. He told me because you are still using hand to mouth motoring that is an addiction and I should just stop all together. Cold turkey worked for him, it should for everyone, even me, who has done 1+ years of cold turkey 3 times and always went back to cigs.

I don't think it's worth calling him out, but his argument has me really miffed, because, under that line of reasoning, he, a recovering alcoholic, should just stop all drinking(soda, water, etc.)-that's just continuing his compulsive hand to mouth addiction. Am I out of line with that thought process?

I guess, ultimately, I'm sick of being demonized. I made a choice to do something healthier and I still end up being the horrible person for making a better choice for myself and those around me. Rant over.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Call him on it using the reasoning in your second paragraph... Slap him down

 

[Baditude]

Most of the danger of smoking tobacco is from the tars and other chemicals found in cigarette smoke. Nicotine by itself, in the quantities that we consume, is no more dangerous than caffeine, which millions of people use on a daily basis, sometimes without being aware that they are consuming it.

The very reason that e-cigarettes work is because they replicate the nicotine replacement, the hand to mouth behavior (which is part of the addiction), and the inhaling/exhaling of a vaporous substance. This is why the Patch, Gum, prescription meds, and hypnosis don't work.

The only person that needs to be convinced that e-cigs work is you. Who gives a bleep what your friend believes. Not everyone can quit cold turkey. Chances are he is covertly jealous that you were able to quit so easily with e-cigs and he had to struggle with withdrawal symptoms.

 

[WattWick]

Hand-to-mouth is a habit, not an addiction.

I think your friends brain is filled with standard issue information-mash. As in: Nicotine = tobacco. vaping = smoking. Habit = addiction. Addiction = bad. Thus habit = bad. Not easy for non-vapers to see the trees for all the forest. It's like shoes. Look at them. To me they look like shoes. A shoemaker sees leather, threading, workmanship, etc. It's all in the details. Details your average non-vaper simply don't see.

Anyway... Virtual cup of cocoa for you. Don't let them get you down.

 

[Papa_Lazarou]

Well, in my experience, ex-smokers are the worst for being pious. I think they're proud of having passed the rite of passage to abstinence and some don't want us labelling ourselves as non-smokers in the same way as they are, so there's that.

Secondly, what we do fools people the same way we fool (placate, actually) ourselves - this is smoking without the smoke (and tar and other stuff). It supplants our need to smoke but maintains much of the ritual. Non-vapers see us as behaving like smokers to a large degree and, since they can't relate to the vapor not being smoke (whether they never smoked or quit smoking, they've never vaped), they do not have our appreciation of the differences.

Lastly, you have been conditioned to loath yourself. Or at least told you should loath yourself when you smoked. Smoking is bad, ergo smokers are bad, whether it's stated explicitly or implied (with a heavy hand). Now here you do something that you (we) feel should count as credit towards being a solid citizen and people still want to poop on your new hairdo. No credit given for going from a negative to... well, at least something not nearly so negative. It's frustrating., and the implication is that you should still loath yourself. In fact, another couple of lashes should be administered for your denial/ignorance/arrogance.

Add all the above up and you encountered the perfect storm - self righteousness (on his part) mixed with ignorance (ditto) and a side of old wounds (on your part).

Only you know what you've been through and where you're at now - you are the expert on your story. They don't get to define you. Now, you're (we're) never going to win them over or debate them into submission. You (we) just need to feel good about the person looking back in the mirror.

 

[Rickajho]

Ah - you got slammed by a Cold Turkey Nazi. They can be the worst. As with anyone else who knows exactly how you should manage your life - ignore the fool. It's not worth the effort. (I hope their blood pressure is ok. Sounds like it might not be so much...)

 

[Midniteoyl]

Very well said, Papa..

 

[dragonpuff]

It is really hard to argue with cold turkeys sometimes they quit the most socially acceptable, and hardest, way, so they're the ones who are the most likely to assert that anyone can do it. It really isn't fair, because nicotine affects everyone in different ways, and you can't assume that what works for you is going to work for everyone. At the same time, it is very hard for some people to walk in another's shoes and see things from their point of view.

You know you are doing the best you can for your health and your well being don't ever forget that. If you need some more cannon fodder, point him to some resources listing the benefits of nicotine also keep in mind that if you had this argument on his wall, many other people saw it, and you may have encouraged another smoker to try electronic cigarettes without even realizing it

 

[peterforpats]

you're only a horrible person if you think you are-what someone else thinks is irrelevent when it comes to smoking vs. vaping. keep doing whatever you want to do and enjoy it....worrying about some other person's opinion is what is horrible....

 

[Racehorse]

I'm really annoyed right now. A friend posted an article about ecigs not being as safe as we think, then said they don't help you quit.

Remember the Bob Dylan song?

Well, they’ll stone ya when you’re trying to be so good
They’ll stone ya just a-like they said they would
They’ll stone ya when you’re tryin’ to go home
Then they’ll stone ya when you’re there all alone

Well, they’ll stone ya when you’re walkin’ ’long the street
They’ll stone ya when you’re tryin’ to keep your seat
They’ll stone ya when you’re walkin’ on the floor
They’ll stone ya when you’re walkin’ to the door

They’ll stone ya when you’re at the breakfast table
They’ll stone ya when you are young and able
They’ll stone ya when you’re tryin’ to make a buck
They’ll stone ya and then they’ll say, “good luck”

Well, they’ll stone you and say that it’s the end
Then they’ll stone you and then they’ll come back again
They’ll stone you when you’re riding in your car
They’ll stone you when you’re playing your guitar


etc....

Just a commentary on opinions/judgements. Everybody does it.

 

[Vaslovik]

Your friend just really needs something to be against and is front-loaded with prejudice. Why does he even care? Doesn't he have anything better to do than rant about e-cigs? Seems to me he's pretty narrowly focused on petty issues he can be negative about. For people like him nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits. Maybe he should just mind his own business.

 

[Asbestos4004]

I'm guessing we all hear that from time to time. It seems to be a lot louder than the many others who say they're glad I quit smoking. I don't really care what they think. If they're ignorant enough to try to convince me how bad vaping is, then they're too ignorant to be swayed by sound reasoning. People like that don't generally come around until they start smoking again. Then, he'll be all ears.

 

[coalyard]

Why do people say, "cold turkey" as if it's a bad thing? I love a nice cold turkey sammich with lettuce, tomato and mayo! Lots of black pepper too.

And yes, well said Papa L. OP, keep your head up, and don't allow others to define you. Your body, your life, your rules.

 

[crxess]

Cold Turkey usually comes with a Superiority complex which must be maintained by the Quitter for FEAR of FAILING and Going Back. The find a small relief in Belittling those around them in order to make themselves seem Better than others.

I think if you spend enough time around your friend, you will see he/she finds some fault in everyone they know and enjoys pointing it out.
Those really are not friends............just acquaintances. Friends support.

 

[inswva]

I tried the cold turkey thing several times. Each time I experienced acute homicidal urges. Vaping prevents me from dispatching innocent bystanders into the netherworld. So, not only is it saving my life, it is saving the lives of all those around me.

 

[cocuZZa00]

who cares what other people think. Let them be ignorant.

 

[mac63]

yyuuummmm... turkey sammich

Smoking and vaping does not a horrible person make.
Been called horrible (and worse) for lots of things.
Did I do horrible things? No, maybe and probably.
Does that make me horrible? No - maybe the Devil, but not horrible.

 

[Towmotor]

Yeah, I have had the "cold turkey" lecture from reformed smokers too. Dig a little deeper and find that they "went cold turkey" after smoking 5-10 cigarettes a day for 2-3 years. hah, you were'nt even really a smoker. Bust a 30+ year, pack a day+ habit then get back to me.

 

[Equilibrium]

Meh... work what works for you and don't worry about what other people think.

 

[tj99959]

Give him this:

Roly Gate: The problem is not tobacco, the problem is smoking it. There is no difference to tea in this regard. Tea contains nicotine and you can smoke it to obtain the nicotine (as they do in prisons when tobacco is barred). By a quirk of history we ended up drinking tea not smoking it. If we had instead smoked tea, exactly the same issues would be present as for smoked tobacco. The same diseases, the same commercialisation, the same protection of smoking by pharma. Anyone suggesting drinking it (tea harm reduction) would be treated in the same way by government and commercial front orgs as THR is - because it would threaten vast incomes. The problem is not tea, it''s how you consume it. The problem is not tobacco, it's how you consume it. They don't have a problem with tobacco in Sweden because the immense volume of facts and evidence show that the average lifespan reduction from long-term Snus consumption is 6 weeks - probably less than for coffee. People should not say tobacco when they mean smoking, and that includes David G. Using 'tobacco' as a synonym for 'smoking', which is what is meant, is a tobacco control industry ploy and part of their propaganda war.
August 10 at 5:55pm