The Path of Resistance - Smokers Who Don't Want to Vape

[Stephra]

The first few weeks I was vaping, I was astounded by how many people we converted in a short period of time. It seemed like all of our friends were hopping on the vapor train.

Now I'm starting to notice the opposite - smokers who want nothing to do with the vape. One gentleman I know talked of buying a kit last year. He used it briefly and put it down. He said he didn't like it.

My boss was open to trying it, but after her first puff, she wrinkled up her nose and wouldn't try another flavor - dismissed it out of hat.

My father-in-law expressed interest in e-cigs, so we were pretty confident he'd be into it, but when we showed him, he seemed non-plussed and went back to his Marlboros after about two puffs. The subject was just closed (the mother-in-law was surprisingly into it though).

I understand you can't change a mind that doesn't want to be changed. What I'm trying to understand is the why. Some smokers seem downright disdainful of the things. Why? It seems like non-smokers think vaping isn't really quitting, and smokers think vaping isn't smoking, like either proposition is us vs. them.

Can anyone help me understand why smokers would laugh off the vape so easily, given the promise of both keeping their hand-mouth-nicotine habit, and eliminating practically all the health detriments of said habit? How could anyone turn that down?

 

[plantlvr]

Been dealing with the same stuff too. I guess it's because some people are more open to the idea and some less so. But then again I think most people are just plain asshats, that's my opinion and I'm stickin to it

 

[v1John]

One thing that I've been recently thinking (in nearby threads) is that smokers may not fully understand the dangers of their smoke. For example, there is no cure for emphysema.
Ask an Expert: Emphysema: Curable or not?
How many smokers know that?

 

[El Dee]

I guess it's best not to worry about other people. I grew up and live in Central N.C..The home to BIGG TOBACCO. My Grandfather was a tobacco farmer and I worked in tobacco every summer until I graduated high school. I promised myself I'd rob banks before I did that again. Needless to say the attitude toward tobacco is somewhat different around here. I get strange looks and questions daily. A couple of days ago a complete stranger called me a nicotine crack head. I call myself an ex 2.5/3 pack a day chain smoker so the crack accuser got laughed at...It is what it is...you have to keep an open mind...and be willing to change...I've turned my more enlightened friends on to it and my cousin has also quit. Neither of us would have stood a chance at quitting without that magical vape. My vape is so good it could have crack in it..No cat PP FSC either not to mention the 4000 other chemicals. I saw e-cigs a couple of years ago and dismissed them myself. It wasn't at this level though and those types of e-cigs probably should be banned. I'm not smoking a damn thing from China. Still you want to help people see the light..Some will be open to it..Some won't.. Keep up the good fight..Especially try and help the people you care about....I will..........

 

[Skyler]

I think some smokers just simply do not want to quit. We seem to only find things when we are looking for them. I was looking for an out so my mind was open for the change. Some people flat out do not want to change. My point is that I was looking for this when I found it.

Some will eventually be ready for this and then some will never change to try it.

 

[Mary Kay]

I have a theory, I researched these things..I went crosseyed reading what the old timers on this board had to say and searched the internetz for any info on my choosen subject. I can spout facts like a demented radio announcer on the subject!
Then I tried to lure my family and friends into vaping. For several I bought the starter kits and several types of P.V.'s. They had all the do it yourself stuff, chargers batts and attys as well as liquids in lots of Steve's 5 ml bottles to try. (This was before I was a full on V4L convert and just used his Liquids.) My son and friend do have some cartos and VK's now.
My son is a part time vaper, my best friend only vapes while on the computer or in the car..mom hated it and Mike is still wishy washy about it. Others just got cards and the lecture.
I think the reason is that they didn't do the work! They didn't put the time in reading and learning. Most of all they didn't come here for support and fellowship while they quit.
Quitting analogs and embracing vaping is a lot like those diet clubs. When you do it on your own there is a bigger failure rate. When you join a group your sucess rate shoots way up! Also groups like AA and drug rehab work in the same way.
Maybe if I lived nearer my son and friend it would be different. Although that hasn't worked with Mike.

 

[maxx]

It's fear...

People are genuinely afraid to quit. It's like asking some people to cut their lifeline while dangling from bridge. Even with a net beneath, they can't do it until they have no choice to do it. The laughing or poking fun at vapor is a defense mechanism. They laugh and ridicule rather than admit the fear. I don't really encourage anyone over to vapor since this is something that people need to come to on their own feet, or they will fail. If someone approaches me about it....different story. I will endeavor to help.

 

[rickyman]

I think some smokers just simply do not want to quit. We seem to only find things when we are looking for them. I was looking for an out so my mind was open for the change. Some people flat out do not want to change. My point is that I was looking for this when I found it.

Some will eventually be ready for this and then some will never change to try it.

I agree. I also think there is a lot of disinformation going around. I often get comments from smokers like "Those things are dangerous", "You don't know what kind of crap is in those things". Several months ago I was getting positive reactions, but now it seems they are more negative.

 

[Furius]

I was at a party last weekend and my friend's drunk cousin saw me smoking my ecig and he laughs at me a bit and says "I don't care what anyone says, its not like a cigarette". It was a pretty bold statement from someone who has never tried it, but I wasn't in the mood to talk about it or defend it so I just ignored him. But he kept on most of the night, and I just would laugh along or look the other direction. Eventually he says, "Hey, so you really quit smoking with that?" and I say "Yes". Next thing I know he's asking me to write the website down for him and give him a top 3 favorite flavors of mine. It really does lend credence to the theory that those smokers who ridicule the vape are usually the ones who are the most full of angst and jealousy over not being able to quit themselves.
My Uncle is another one who likes to take jabs at me by saying "Oh, when I'm gonna quit, I'm just gonna stop smoking, I'm not gonna start smoking that". He makes quitting sound like its a switch he can just turn off, but really, he knows he can't just stop. Which is why he continues to smoke.

 

[CES]

Furius, the drunk cousin was right. It's not like a cigarette. IMO it's much, much better.

But I was skeptical when i first heard about it. Some skepticism isn't a bad thing. But I was also in the I'd rather die than quit frame of mind, though i was also starting to see that smoking really was "starting" to harm me. I was also ready to immediately reject ANYTHING anyone said about smoking/stopping smoking. At this point in the game it's hard to believe that anyone wouldn't know the dangers of smoking- but I was incredibly tired of people telling me about stuff for my own good. I heard all of those well meaning conversations through the lens of all of the anti campaigns. If the friend who told me about ecigs had said "wow this is a great way to quit", instead of "look at the cool device" I would not have heard a word he said. He didn't even give me the forum address until a couple of weeks later when I was starting to get a little interested.

Obviously i did decide to give it a try, and have been stunned that it worked- especially because all I was trying to do was find a way to save a little money and smoke in places I couldn't smoke. I did have to convince myself.

I guess my point is (finally!) that we can't convert people. We can demonstrate, and answer questions, but pushing too hard is probably counter productive (at least for oppositional people like me). If people see it work and don't feel coerced then they can make their own choices, in their own time. Obviously I'd prefer to see people make the choice that i think is best- but I can't make choices for anyone else.

 

[da dude's girl]

As with anything (changing unhealthy eating habits, exercising, advancing one's education, improving attitude, etc...), you've "gotta wanna." I really wanted to quit smoking and, while others have been successful "cold turkey," on the patch, and otherwise, I needed something different and I found it with V4L!

We may not convert others immediately and some we will never convert, but at least we are planting the seed.

 

[Defiantgroundhog]

One thing that I've been recently thinking (in nearby threads) is that smokers may not fully understand the dangers of their smoke. For example, there is no cure for emphysema.
Ask an Expert: Emphysema: Curable or not?
How many smokers know that?

One of my teachers, in highschool I think, had all of us put a drinking straw in our mouths and take breaths in and out with it. She told us that's what it felt like to have Emphysema. That always stuck with me...scary stuff.

 

[Ddubya]

It took me awhile to convert. I initially bought a 510 kit, some liquids, and said, "Hey I can quit with this!" Didn't happen--too much work with inconsistent performance. I hated the short life of the batteries, fussy atomizers, and leaky carts. I kept on smoking analogs.

Fast forward 8 months...I buy an Tornado kit. Solves the battery issue, but still dealing with leaky carts, burnt taste, etc. I am modding away on the carts--blue foam, ptb, straws...Still didn't quit analogs.

Fast forward 2 weeks. I am on this site looking for mods for my carts again. I see a video--not sure who it was by, but it was for the V4L contest. He went through getting ready to vape with all the stuff that I had--and then compared it to Vapor king from V4L . I ordered a kit, some sample cartos, some juice for refilling. I was analog free the day after I got it. Its been 3 days.

It has been 100 times easier than with patches or gum or lozenges. I have tried to quit several times in the past. This time I am excited and cautiously optimistic--I think its going to work this time.

For me--and I would bet alot of other smokers--convience, ease of use, and performance right out of the starting gate would make many converts. I could have saved some serious cash had I started with V4L. Although, I don't know about saving money--I already placed my second order for other cartos Changing flavors so quickly rocks!

 

[bornagainst]

One of my teachers, in highschool I think, had all of us put a drinking straw in our mouths and take breaths in and out with it. She told us that's what it felt like to have Emphysema. That always stuck with me...scary stuff.

One of the major signs/symptoms of emphysema is something called "pursed lip expiration" so that's a brilliant way to demonstrate it!

 

[lairkeeper]

I was one of those that said "I really think I can lay them down if I want to." One day my brain turned on and I responded to myself with "Well then WHY are you still sucking on a cigarette?"

Some times humans are a bit dim

 

[jeffree]

We're all so full of contradictions and self-protection mechanisms, especially related to addictions, that I'm not surprised when a few folks smile or laugh at my vaping. But most want to know more.

Like Seinfeld says... "people are the worst!"

 

[Pokeygizmo]

I have done tons of reading and research involving e-cigs -- nobody I know in the "real world" has or uses a PV. Being able to find answers, opinions and camaraderie on this forum is a key factor to my personal success at quitting analogs. I am fueled by the desire to make this "lifestyle change" work for me (it WILL work for me) even it means wading knee-dip in juice, cartridges, batteries, atties, cartos and other accessories that I don't like or just didn't work out on this part of my trial and error adventure. It is all worth it at a personal level.

That's the kind of motivation you can share with others, but not give to another person if it isn't already inherently present.

My husband is one of those people. He thinks he is going to "get it" by osmosis and that I will magically find what works for him. Sigh... somethings you just gotta do for yourself and by yourself (with the help of friends at ECF )!

 

[lonercom]

HELLOOOOO?

How many people offered us advice on how to quit smoking? How did we react? What makes them any different?

Way back when I started vaping, 3 months ago, I did the whole preachy thing that I always do when I get enthusiastic. Fortunately, I have a few friends that are honest enough to tell me to ..... When I backed down folks started coming to me for advice. Seems that this was a lesson I had to learn before.

We've all seen fads and trends, we've all wasted tons of money on failed quit smoking attempts and we've all been a bit jaded about every new idea. I'm hoping that I can remember the fear, self loathing, and hopelessness that I felt last Christmas so that I can always understand how that other smoker feels today. Kinda like I have to remember the dumpster that I lived in 25 years ago. Some days it's still the only thing that stops me from buying a beer. Sorry, Now that the meeting's over. (Born's my sponsor)

Relax, and let the folks see your success. They will come around; or not.

 

[lizziebith]

I have done tons of reading and research involving e-cigs -- nobody I know in the "real world" has or uses a PV. Being able to find answers, opinions and camaraderie on this forum is a key factor to my personal success at quitting analogs. I am fueled by the desire to make this "lifestyle change" work for me (it WILL work for me) even it means wading knee-dip in juice, cartridges, batteries, atties, cartos and other accessories that I don't like or just didn't work out on this part of my trial and error adventure. It is all worth it at a personal level.

That's the kind of motivation you can share with others, but not give to another person if it isn't already inherently present.

My husband is one of those people. He thinks he is going to "get it" by osmosis and that I will magically find what works for him. Sigh... somethings you just gotta do for yourself and by yourself (with the help of friends at ECF )!

Pokey we must be twins!

I threw myself headlong and enthusiastically into researching this new world. I've been the sole source of e-cig information for my dear, sweet Luddite friends and family. One has quit analogs, but has yet to place an order by himself (OMG he's 45!), and of course hubby has cut down, but shows no real interest in quitting completely -- last night he smoked in the car and I had to roll down the window and hang my head out like a dog LOL. Actually, I think that was a little test -- to see if I'd turned into an anti-smoking crazy. I kept my mouth shut!

The other friends who begged me to place orders for them have yet to pick them up, OR pay me! Seriously, only cards are getting handed out now!

But yeah -- it seems as if they expect to "get it" with no work on their part. Hubby expects me to find the magic strength/flavor for him. Or, *of course* it won't work!

Me? I was motivated -- I feel I'm too young to be coughing until I have a blinding headache each morning. I'm gladly trading that experience for being knee-deep in vaping gear (or as my son says: "nice .... lab, mom!" -- oh, but he's so pleased!). And I agree -- these fora provide excellent support, along with all the great information!

Anyway -- great to meetcha here on ECF, and happy vaping!

 

[Vapin Da Bullet]

It's funny. The friend that gave me my first analog 21 years ago also told me what ecig to buy last month. I ordered it and haven't looked back. Funny how things work.