URGENT: Residents of Virginia Please Respond

[Vocalek]

If you live in the Commonwealth of Virginia, please respond with the number of packs of cigarettes you did NOT consume during the year 2009 as a direct result of having started to use an "electronic cigarette".

I'll kick things off. I used to smoke 1/2 pack a day and started using on March 27, 2009. I'll round that off to April 1, which would give me 275 days in 2009 when I did not consume 1/2 pack, for a total of 137.5 packs.

I have information from the VDH Web site that states:

Smoking-caused health costs and productivity losses per pack sold in Virginia: $6.27

So by my calculations, I single-handedly saved Virginia over $928 in 2009.

Let's total it up. I need this information for a project that I am working on. Thanks!

EDIT: While we are at it, if you have experienced any changes in your health that you attribute to this, would you mention that in your response as well.

In my case, stopped wheezing, can laugh without going into a coughing jag, no more morning yuck, and lowered blood pressure.

 

[KitKit]

Vocalek take a look at my sig line quit date was Sept 16 2packs a day.

 

[Belletrist]

in just a week i've saved VA $56.43.

 

[Vocalek]

Vocalek take a look at my sig line quit date was Sept 16 2packs a day.

Super! But if I get the hundreds of responses I hope to get, it will save me a boatload of time to see each person's total number of packs for 2009 in their response. Pretty please?

That way all I would have to do is to go through each response with Excel open and transcribe the total number of packs displayed in each response, not have to stop and calculate the number of days, multiply, and then type in the number.

 

[KitKit]

Take off today that 202 packs right?

 

[Guineahill]

I avoided 151 packs of cigarettes in 2009.

That is a total cost savings to Virginia of $946.77.

Go me!!!



I no longer cough all the time and there is much less icky stuff going on (or out of) my throat and lungs! My allergies have subsided to a manageable level!

 

[Michelle43]

I just started a week ago so I would say 7 packs.

 

[mergryphon]

So far I've not smoked 168 packs. I'll leave the rest of the rest of the math to you, I'm horrid at it.

I no longer have a persistent cough or allergies.

Jen

 

[mpetva]

240 days, 21 hours - 15658 cigs = 783 packs

If my Math is correct, I saved the state Virginia at least $4,909 since I started using Electronic Cigarettes in 2009 and have had no regular tobacco cigarettes at all.

 

[Grammie]

165 days, 4980 cigarettes = 249 packs @6.27 = $1561.23

No more morning cough/hacking, 100% improvement taste and smell, lower blood pressure and allergies have really improved.

Houses and vehicles don't smell like smoke anymore, me either for that matter!

 

[voltaire]

It's not surprising that they would include ecigs in the ban, being a/the big tobacco state, they threw the tobacco companies a bone by not giving ecigs a chance to gain a foothold in the places where people are no longer allowed to smoke. It has nothing to do with health and safety - it's all about business/politics.

 

[yvilla]

It's not surprising that they would include ecigs in the ban,

For the benefit of anyone else who hasn't seen the threads discussing this topic, the Virginia legislation DOES NOT include electronic cigarettes in the smoking ban!

If you look at the statute itself, you can see that. LIS > Code of Virginia > 15.2-2820

The issue is the Virginia Department of Health taking it upon itself to MISinterpret the law to the public, on its website. This is being worked on by many. Plus, if it ever came down to it, any infraction given out for "violating" the smoking ban with an electronic cigarette ought to be laughed out of court.

 

[critterbug]

Happily vaping and analog-free since Dec. 23rd. That would be... 200 analogs avoided and, if the 11 minutes of life lost per cigarette is right, that's 2200 minutes which is over a day and a half more to spend producing or, um, more likely, hanging out with the loved ones.

 

[MercyPoetic]

I've not smoked 3 packs (yeah, I've just started vaping) so I've saved Virginia about $18. Not much, but every little bit counts!

I've already noticed a difference in my health - I feel so much better, I'm not coughing nearly what I was before and I can chase my daughter all over the place without feeling winded

 

[Storyspinr]

Yvilla, I agree completely - this isn't about "health", but about control. The antis, in and out of the Health Dept., don't want "smoking" of any kind...even if it's much healthier. I suspect there is far more behind the Health Department's "ban" on e cigs than meets the eye.

As for their misinterpretation - upon which we also agree - the woman in the Speaker's office told me they had the authority under Virginia health codes. I don't think she realized what a can of worms she was opening; if one Dept. can change laws to suit their whims, then every department can do the same and any law passed by the General Assembly becomes nothing more than "guidelines" rather than law. I imagine a lot of legislators wouldn't see it that way.

Having said that, what Vocalek is doing can't hurt. There might actually be some reasonable people at Health who will pay attention and any approach is worth trying. We can also hope the new GOP administration will put some new leadership in that Dept. who prefer to follow the law as written and who have no problem with something that has the potential to improve the health of Virginians...which, after all, is the purpose of that department, isn't it?

 

[Charley]

Ok, I joined this forum just because of this thread!

I started vaping on Nov 1 2009 and smoked 2 packs of Camel Lights a day so I'm estimating 124 packs of tobacco cigarettes avoided @ $5 a pack which (according to my handy dandy Windows calculator) is $620.

In the short time I've been vaping, I have noticed a remarkable improvement in my breathing and energy level. I was even able to go out and shovel snow without getting winded, and at 50 years old, I'm proud of that! My lungs feel clearer, no morning hack and I'm coughing up the tar from over 30 years of analog cigs. My doctor has been on me about quitting for a few years, and I've tried Chantix, the patch, nicotine gum, and cold turkey multiple times with no success. The last time I was in the doc's office, I even took a puff off of my e-cig and the doc was curious and also made mention that I didn't smell like a walking ashtray. I also have noticed that my thought process is more focused and my house and car don't smell like nasty stale cigarette smoke.

Hope that helps!

 

[KitKit]

Welcome Charley based on the cost factor of $6.27 that would be a cost to VA of $777.48 saved.

 

[Vocalek]

I've not smoked 3 packs (yeah, I've just started vaping) so I've saved Virginia about $18. Not much, but every little bit counts!

I've already noticed a difference in my health - I feel so much better, I'm not coughing nearly what I was before and I can chase my daughter all over the place without feeling winded

Yay! Hope to see you at the East Coast Meet in Fredricksburg on March 13. http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/us-e-smokers/49717-reservations-east-coast-meet-up.html

 

[dubnluvn]

Oh this is great!! I'm going to see if other states have published a value like this. Also, don't forget to tell them about the the thousands of cigarette butts that won't end up in landfills, beaches and sidewalks!!!!!!

IIRC, the insurance industry places a tag of about $40 per pack of cigarettes. Non-smokers absorb about 20% of that cost.

 

[conrad]

Ok, I joined this forum just because of this thread!

I started vaping on Nov 1 2009 and smoked 2 packs of Camel Lights a day so I'm estimating 124 packs of tobacco cigarettes avoided @ $5 a pack which (according to my handy dandy Windows calculator) is $620.

In the short time I've been vaping, I have noticed a remarkable improvement in my breathing and energy level. I was even able to go out and shovel snow without getting winded, and at 50 years old, I'm proud of that! My lungs feel clearer, no morning hack and I'm coughing up the tar from over 30 years of analog cigs. My doctor has been on me about quitting for a few years, and I've tried Chantix, the patch, nicotine gum, and cold turkey multiple times with no success. The last time I was in the doc's office, I even took a puff off of my e-cig and the doc was curious and also made mention that I didn't smell like a walking ashtray. I also have noticed that my thought process is more focused and my house and car don't smell like nasty stale cigarette smoke.

Hope that helps!

I started vaping in Nov. have not smoke 107 packs
My blood pressure is back to normal levels