The Dreaded Question Came Today

[Paramaniac413]

My Mom asked me the question I have been dreading today. We had been talking about 'smelling smoke' downstairs by my computer. It was actually from Dad's cigar upstairs, but my air filter was taking care of most of it. I said it wasn't my e-cig - I have blueberry juice in it. She frowned. Then asked the question:
"How long do you have to use it?"

I just shrugged and changed the subject. I didn't go through the, "At least I'm not smoking," or, "As long as it keeps me from smoking." I probably should have, but still. I enjoy vaping! If it keeps me from smoking, so what? I have 12, 6, and 3mg juice. Even if I vape 0mg, I'm still not smoking! So what's the harm?! Ugh!
Anyone else deal with this?

 

[VHRB2014]

Ya, I know.

I am addicted to air, food, love,
And nicotine. So get over it, LOL

 

[dangaranga]

i guess im lucky lol my mom quit smoking a couple years ago cold turkey and doesnt vape, but always enjoys taking a hit or two off my setup to tryout any new juice i bring back lol

 

[Smoking B]

Yes - I've fielded this question from my dad several times so far & he just doesn't get it no matter how I explain it... He still thinks it is smoke & believes all the stuff he hears & reads about vaping being much worse than cigs

 

[Rickajho]

i guess im lucky lol my mom quit smoking a couple years ago cold turkey and doesnt vape, but always enjoys taking a hit or two off my setup to tryout any new juice i bring back lol

Not to derail - but that's actually a good thing. I know a lot of cold turkeys who relapsed time and again. She's tried it, knows what to expect - and if she ever feels like a relapse is coming on she already knows she has a better option than returning to smoking this time.

 

[Jovey]

Unfortunately, i haven't had to experience too many questions or comments about my vaping. I have received a lot of support from my friends, but yesterday my 31 yr old son said "You know, you're still smoking!" *groan*

I informed him that i was not and that vaping is NOT smoking. He went on to say that PG is dangerous and has "formaldehyde" in it! Needless to say, my patience was growing thin and i calmly (with a smile) let him know he was in error (which children don't take kindly to being corrected...no matter how old they get).

So yeah, this was my first taste of the "ill informed" comments that most of you have probably already heard. Being that i'm still fairly new....not sure i'll have a smile the next time it happens!

 

[Kivrin]

My mom smoked from 18 to 51. Lit her first morning cigarette on her birthday and put it out and just quit. Just like that. She says she had no problems. Three years later I started smoking

When I showed her my vape and said I had quit the cigarettes, first thing out of her mouth was, "But when do you get off those?"

But I'm an older adult who doesn't live with her. Since then she's been pretty supportive and lets me vape in her house when I go over there to cook dinner or run the vacuum. But I'm sure once the weather gets nice, I'll probably go back outside, but by choice!

 

[Spencer87]

i hate that, my boss asked me when I was going to quit vaping. I said I wasnt. He asked why not, and I said because its healthy, and it tastes delicious

 

[Paramaniac413]

I was a firefighter, an emt, then a paramedic, so smoking was not only stress relief, but social, part of 'social stress relief' (kinda like group therapy lol), but it also became an oral fixation. For the foreseeable future, even if I drop to 0mg nic, I feel like I would be more likely to pick up an analog again if I stopped vaping. I did tell her that if I vaped a tobacco flavor, I would be more likely to smoke again, so she seemed to back off on that issue. I think she noticed a difference tonight with my vaping rather than smoking - Temper control! Mom's snowblower is old (probably 11 years or so) - it died 14 times while I was clearing the driveway (I counted). Rather than making Webster add words to the dictionary (that would impress any sailor) like I use to, I calmly took out my iStick from my pocket, took a few hits, and restarted the thing and kept going. I was never that calm when I smoked - even 5 months ago. I'm hoping she sees my vaping more and more as a good thing. If she doesn't, oh well, but I hope she does. Besides: vaping is just tasty!

 

[Mailablemage]

I have the same response for everyone

"how many studies have your read?"
"so what you are saying is that you actually have no idea what you are talking about? maybe you should do some research before commenting on a subject you are uneducated in."

 

[Big Me]

Tell them it works better than NRT and tastes better, too.

(Personally, I'd tell them to mind their own beeswax but you're probably more polite than I am! )

 

[Rickajho]

I was a firefighter, an emt, then a paramedic, so smoking was not only stress relief, but social, part of 'social stress relief' (kinda like group therapy lol), but it also became an oral fixation. For the foreseeable future, even if I drop to 0mg nic, I feel like I would be more likely to pick up an analog again if I stopped vaping. I did tell her that if I vaped a tobacco flavor, I would be more likely to smoke again, so she seemed to back off on that issue. I think she noticed a difference tonight with my vaping rather than smoking - Temper control! Mom's snowblower is old (probably 11 years or so) - it died 14 times while I was clearing the driveway (I counted). Rather than making Webster add words to the dictionary (that would impress any sailor) like I use to, I calmly took out my iStick from my pocket, took a few hits, and restarted the thing and kept going. I was never that calm when I smoked - even 5 months ago. I'm hoping she sees my vaping more and more as a good thing. If she doesn't, oh well, but I hope she does. Besides: vaping is just tasty!

Ya know... same thing here.

I didn't realize how 'jacked up' I used to get from smoking until after I had quit. I was prone to err... 'outbursts' like that here and there when I was a smoker. Vaping has definitely leveled the emotional playing field. Smoking is not just simply a matter of getting nicotine out of it.

 

[lefty23]

I haven't lived with my parents in many, many years, but this kind of thing is everywhere, Not long ago (sometime 2 summers ago) I was waking to work and vaping when I heard a little girl playing in the park yell "You should quit smoking." I couldn't believe it (as a side note, and trying to not sound like a cranky old man, we were all actually polite and respectful to strangers, especially adults when I was a kid and that is almost never the case now). Last week my doctor told me he was glad I quit smoking but that I should switch to gum, since vaping creates formaldehyde in your lungs. My doctor! And by the way, what's wrong with enjoying (that's right, enjoying) nicotine in a safe, pleasurable way? Should everyone stop drinking caffeine? Or give up their occasional drink? Keep it to yourselves, judgey.

 

[Paramaniac413]

I haven't lived with my parents in many, many years, but this kind of thing is everywhere, Not long ago (sometime 2 summers ago) I was waking to work and vaping when I heard a little girl playing in the park yell "You should quit smoking." I couldn't believe it (as a side note, and trying to not sound like a cranky old man, we were all actually polite and respectful to strangers, especially adults when I was a kid and that is almost never the case now). Last week my doctor told me he was glad I quit smoking but that I should switch to gum, since vaping creates formaldehyde in your lungs. My doctor! And by the way, what's wrong with enjoying (that's right, enjoying) nicotine in a safe, pleasurable way? Should everyone stop drinking caffeine? Or give up their occasional drink? Keep it to yourselves, judgey.

NO ONE wants to see me without caffeine! lol

 

[Rizzyking]

My daughter hit me with the rubbish after some magazine did an exposé on vaping total ridiculous fantasy science and after shooting her arguments down (well me and google ) I showed her some research and studies that were done scientifically com. petently and it's been a dead issue ever since. I get some comments when out and about and will engage people that make them calmly and politely explaining the lies and misinformation that surrounds vaping and the majority of people are ready to accept they got misinformed and many have either been smokers or people who have a family member or friend that vapes. Most of it is media generated fear mongering that plays on the ignorance of the people exposed to it deal with it calmly and politely and you can soon win people over I have always had that approach and have created a better atmosphere by helping people see past the rubbish.

It's easy to call people ignorant or uneducated but if they never smoked why would they use any of their limited free time to research something that isn't directly a part of their life when they have the usual worries of modern life to deal with. If we want people to support vaping we need to win them over and be open to doing that rather then seeing doubters as sheep, ignorant or enemies in general they only know what they read or hear and have no reason to be hanging out in forums like this.

 

[lefty23]

I think the whole point was if you don't know what you're talking about, which someone who hasn't taken the time to research something should admit they don't, then stay out of it. I don't know anything about field hockey, which is fine, but I don't go around telling people they should stop playing it because it's dangerous, because to do that you should know what you're talking about. No one should feel comfortable telling someone how to live their life unless they are actually informed on the subject. There's nothing wrong with people who don't know anything about vaping, until they decide you should stop or they're somehow better than you since they don't do it, that's all.

 

[VapnWitch]

I get it ALL the time from some people. My original idea was that I would use vaping to quit nicotine altogether, and then quit vaping. But I enjoy it and quickly realized that I don't actually want to quit. Now when people ask, I just tell them I have no plans to stop. I point them to resources to learn more about it if they're willing to listen, but most aren't and see no difference between vaping and smoking.

 

[bc indiana]

Its a shame. If vaping had the big buck lobbiers in DC as big tobacco and alcohol, as well as a media that doesn't prey on fear mongering the public, it would b a non issue.

 

[Hitmetwice]

I'm not smoking, that's all that matters to me. You have a different position? That's okay.
(but it doesn't matter to me)

 

[Rizzyking]

Whilst i understand what your sayinbg lefty governments and media haven't spent the last few decades demonising field hockey our biggest problem is Joe public has been indoctrinated to view anything smoking as bad and an activity that must be opposed by all for the good of all. I know vaping and smoking have zero to do with each other but to the public we put something to our lips, inhale and then breathe out what looks like smoke and in kicks in the decades of brainwashing. I'm not saying it's right or good but it's reality and like it or not we have to win over enough ordinary people so they speak up when vaping restrictions are suggested because being honest just vapers opposing is like ...... in the wind were too easy to dismiss enough non vapers speak up whole new ball game. So next time someone feels able to comment on your vaping smile walk towards them and engage them it's not hard it works more then it fails and we need all the support we can get .