Smoking Prerequisite?!

[briantodd20]

Hello everyone, I'm a noobie, and I rarely post on any sort of forums, but I am finding myself more and more passionate about e-cigs as an alternative to conventional tobacco products, and would like to be a part of the community. I am not a former smoker and I find it interesting that there seems to be a reluctance on the part of the ex-smokers I come across to accept me as part of the club, so to speak.

My experience has been with chewing tobacco, and when I explain that to people I get the strangest looks! I served in the military where tobacco products are practically served with meals, and I have always been amazed how the military will provide unlimited access to all kinds of tobacco products, and at the same time invest millions of tax-payer dollars on tobacco sensation programs. I served overseas in Afghanistan, and while supplies of toilet paper and razor blades may have been hard to come by, cigarettes and dip were always on hand. I truly thought I would be able to quit using chewing tobacco when I came home, but I quickly found myself at liquor stores looking for my fix.

When I was introduced to e-cigs by co-workers, I scoffed and laughed, but once I gave it a shot I realized that I could get the nicotine I was looking for without burning my gums off and rotting my teeth out. I was sold! I can't help but wonder, why ex-smokers (In my experience) seem to not accept my reasoning for using e-cigs when my motivation to move away from tobacco products and save myself from disease and cancer is the same? Sorry if this is an ignorant question, but I would love to here some thoughts from the community.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[yotasavg]

Welcome to the community, and I hear you on the not being accepted. I was a very light smoker, but it was a habit that escalated over almost a decade since I was like 13... So it was much more of a habit to break than a nicotine addiction, which made me feel like I didn't belong to the smoker club with people burning packs in a day that would take me 3 weeks. I love ECF and feel totally at home because I'm interested in the same thing as others here. Relax and vape on!

 

[DocNukem]

I don't think you'll find many people in this forum who wont accept your reasoning for vaping instead of using tobaco in any of its traditional forms. Most of the people here like vaping as an activity that is, as far as we know, minimally harmful and satisfying.
In short, people here don't care why you vape. It's true that most of us were smokers. The only club that puts us in is the club for people that thought they could walk away from a habit that they couldn't walk away from. Welcome to the club!

Doc

 

[evan le'garde]

Sorry , deleted comment. I misunderstood the question.

 

[nahoku]

Well, I'm one of those that wouldn't advise a non-smoker to start vaping. Many agree with me, some disagree. However, my opinion strictly applies to people who never smoked conventional cigarettes, cigars, pipes... things of that nature and not to someone who chews tobacco. The idea behind vaping is for it to be a lower risk alternative to tobacco products, and using it to get off chewing is fine with me as I also understand that people can be hooked on chewing just as much as smoking.

Again this is just my opinion, and with that, I welcome you to ECF!

Vape on!

 

[Kanj.nguyen]

I hear you. There certainly is a sort of reluctance to accept non-smokers, like you said. I think its complete crap. Vaping is not like a help group for smokers trying to quit. It can help with the quiting, sure - but it can be a hobby by itself.

Vape on.

 

[ClippinWings]

I'm confused... could the people who have an issue with a chewing tobacco user, using vaping to get off tabacco, please chime in?

Cause i can't imagine that contingent is very large... and any who fall in that group are not only ignorant, but hypocrites.

Welcome to ECF... briantodd20

Keep
Calm
and
Vape
On

 

[madstabber]

Welcome to the forum and thanks for your service for me and my country. Their are some vendors who give discounts to our service men and women so when your ordering something check to see if you can get a discount.

 

[IntelligentDesigner]

Welcome to ECF. If you think the vaping will deliver the nicotine you want and get you off of the dip or other forms of tobacco, give it a shot. You won't be the first to come here with the same problem, and if vaping works for you, that won't be the first case either. It's not that expensive to get started if you do some reading and get the right setup and can save you tons of money down the road. There are a lot of people everywhere that will tell you that you should not take up vaping because you've never smoked regularly. I ignore them. Vaping can be enjoyed by anyone and it's, at least from what's been shown in the short term, much less harmful than any form of traditional tobacco. A week later, they forget who you are and they'll help you with your vaping just like anyone else.

 

[RosaJ]

Hello everyone, I'm a noobie, and I rarely post on any sort of forums, but I am finding myself more and more passionate about e-cigs as an alternative to conventional tobacco products, and would like to be a part of the community. I am not a former smoker and I find it interesting that there seems to be a reluctance on the part of the ex-smokers I come across to accept me as part of the club, so to speak.

My experience has been with chewing tobacco, and when I explain that to people I get the strangest looks! I served in the military where tobacco products are practically served with meals, and I have always been amazed how the military will provide unlimited access to all kinds of tobacco products, and at the same time invest millions of tax-payer dollars on tobacco sensation programs. I served overseas in Afghanistan, and while supplies of toilet paper and razor blades may have been hard to come by, cigarettes and dip were always on hand. I truly thought I would be able to quit using chewing tobacco when I came home, but I quickly found myself at liquor stores looking for my fix.

When I was introduced to e-cigs by co-workers, I scoffed and laughed, but once I gave it a shot I realized that I could get the nicotine I was looking for without burning my gums off and rotting my teeth out. I was sold! I can't help but wonder, why ex-smokers (In my experience) seem to not accept my reasoning for using e-cigs when my motivation to move away from tobacco products and save myself from disease and cancer is the same? Sorry if this is an ignorant question, but I would love to here some thoughts from the community.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Welcome to our community. Your question was extensively covered in this thread just recently http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...o-many-people-against-non-smokers-vaping.html.

Enjoy!

 

[DuckysBooBoo]

Hi and welcome to the forum Brian. Thank you for your service! Enjoy and good luck!

 

[hvac999]

Welcome to the forum and you will NOT be judged here for having chewing tobacco as your reason to vape. People on this forum are well aware that ANY tobacco product is addicting and will be more than happy to help you transition with e-cigs. Just ask and we will do our best to assist you.

 

[POSEIDON]

I also came over from chewing to vaping. And since then I have found this little line to be quite helpful when dealing with the ignorant people that might try to look down on MY choice for getting MY nicotine:
.... you I'm a grown ... man I will do what I want when it comes to me getting my nicotine.
If someone wants to look down the bridge of their nose at me, they aren't worth my time beyond that little statement.

 

[eratikmind]

Hello, briantodd20 . . . Welcome to ECF. Thank you for your service. You will find safe haven here in these boards. There is much to read and learn, here. Please do not hesitate to ask questions, as they come to you.

Andy

 

[Kloyn]

I think there is some ambivalence as to the fact that chewing tobacco can be addictive. And it is different from inhaling smoke. So there is this reluctance. But one should do what one feels is good as long as it does not harm others.

 

[mkbilbo]

Hello everyone, I'm a noobie, and I rarely post on any sort of forums, but I am finding myself more and more passionate about e-cigs as an alternative to conventional tobacco products, and would like to be a part of the community. I am not a former smoker and I find it interesting that there seems to be a reluctance on the part of the ex-smokers I come across to accept me as part of the club, so to speak.

My experience has been with chewing tobacco, and when I explain that to people I get the strangest looks! I served in the military where tobacco products are practically served with meals, and I have always been amazed how the military will provide unlimited access to all kinds of tobacco products, and at the same time invest millions of tax-payer dollars on tobacco sensation programs. I served overseas in Afghanistan, and while supplies of toilet paper and razor blades may have been hard to come by, cigarettes and dip were always on hand. I truly thought I would be able to quit using chewing tobacco when I came home, but I quickly found myself at liquor stores looking for my fix.

When I was introduced to e-cigs by co-workers, I scoffed and laughed, but once I gave it a shot I realized that I could get the nicotine I was looking for without burning my gums off and rotting my teeth out. I was sold! I can't help but wonder, why ex-smokers (In my experience) seem to not accept my reasoning for using e-cigs when my motivation to move away from tobacco products and save myself from disease and cancer is the same? Sorry if this is an ignorant question, but I would love to here some thoughts from the community.

I, for one, would be absolutely baffled at anybody objecting to this. Chewing may be less harmful than smoking but it's not safe. If vaping gets you away from the risks, I'm all for it! Back in college, I knew a guy--and we were all in our early 20s--who'd already had reconstructive surgery to his face because of cancer. He was just lucky to have been born in an upper middle class family that had good insurance and some money. Yeesh.

Any opposition I have to non-smokers taking up vaping concerns people who are not using tobacco products of any kind who consider taking up vaping for... I dunno... because it's cool? Could that even be a motivation at this stage of things? Whatever their reasons, I can't see it. If you're not moving down in risk, why do it? If somebody is using conventional tobacco products whether smoking, chewing, dipping or whatever else, switching to vaping is reducing risk. Dramatically. Even though we may not at this point know if vaping has long term risks or what they are, there's no doubt in my mind the risks are magnitudes less than regular tobacco products.

Also, far as a "club" or anything clique like, I don't do that dreck. I did high school once. Didn't care for it. I'm 51. I ain't interested in those kinda games.

Any form of tobacco is more risky than vaping and if vaping helps you keep away from the stuff, fine with me...

 

[Ryedan]

Welcome to ECF and to vaping Brian! Pull up a chair and make yourself at home

 

[subversive]

I'm a poster from the thread linked who thinks non-smokers taking up vaping is a bad idea. What wasn't clarified in that thread is that most of us who feel that way probably mean "never-nicotine user". Meaning someone who has NEVER used nicotine or tobacco products in any form. So if there is an exclusive club, chewing tobacco works.

I do want to point out that there is a small subforum of smokeless tobacco users, and some of them would argue that dip isn't as harmful as it is made out to be, though Swedish snus is supposed to be much better than any American products and has been shown to be very safe. There is probably a link somewhere to nitrosamine levels in chewing tobacco compared to other products. I, personally, am a definite believer in nicotine addiction regardless of the source, though many on here have different ideas.

Even if you had never chewed tobacco, once you start vaping, you're part of the club, personal objections aside. Welcome to ECF!

 

[DrMA]

Welcome to the forum, Brian! and thank you for your service! I, for one, have nothing against any kind of tobacco user giving vaping a try as a reduced-harm alternative. So, take vaping for a spin...

 

[michmich]

From what I've heard chewing tobacco/dip/etc. is even more addictive than smoking. I'm all for reduction of the use of any form of tobacco through the method of e-cigs. So, welcome!!!!