Vaping, and why its so successful for smokers

[ak907marine]

Hi everybody new to ECF here. I have been reading this site and vaping for about a year now, but have not gotten around to making an account until i read a thread called "Nicotine is not addictive" and thought wow this person is smart, until i read it and wow everyone is misguided from the facts of modern psychology and neuroscience, I guess it is time to write my thesis on this site

CONSUMPTION of nicotine is highly addictive, it is as CONSUMING "illegal narcotics",in some studies even more so.

NOW

The physical withdrawal symptoms are much less "intense". This is what most people associate to how "addicting" a drug is. When in fact the withdrawal symptoms are not what is measured when determining how addictive a drug is. In determining how addictive a drug is, we measure how much a substance displaces chemicals in the brains reward circuitry (mesolimbic pathway concept) when consumed, and how hard the brain fights to REPEAT THE BEHAVIOR to gain the same POSITIVE chemical displacement. Through the frontal cortex (dopamine pathways, decision making), and much of the brain (serotonin pathways, memory).

Nicotine is a short acting stimulant. When you vape (with nicotine) , it takes 7 seconds from inhalation the brain to release epinephrine (adrenaline). 10-20 seconds to releases dopamine and serotonin as well as other chemicals in the brain but we will stick to the basics. When dopamine is released your brain records whatever behavior you just did as "benefiting self-survival". When serotonin is released you feel "good".

We all have memory right? well when we consume nicotine, the brain "records" (remembers) how much dopamine and serotonin was released. The brain is constantly trying to rebalance itself, your sub-conscience pulls memory to find out how to re-balance itself (self-survival-instinct). If you have many memories of nicotine consumption (dopamine and serotonin increase). You will find that you frequently think about consuming nicotine. This is your sub-conscience telling you the best behavior to get the dopamine and serotonin increase. Because of these chemicals being released your sub-conscience thinks it is giving you (conscience) relative information to your self survival (dopamine increase), but its giving you the thought of however you consume your nicotine, because nicotine releases dopamine.

If you are a former smoker, when you consumed your nicotine you had something between your fingers (touch stimuli), you tasted the cigarette(taste stimuli), as you blow out the smoke (sight stimuli). These memories are what is recorded as the behavior that gave you nicotine that gave you dopamine. Since dopamine is the end result you get "addicted" to repeating this behavior of stimuli from the senses much like you are addicted to eating and breathing (chemical addiction of self-survival-instinct). Getting dressed in the morning, (behavioral). Now when you vape the stimuli are very similar to that of smoking. This is why is is much easier to quite smoking if you take up vaping as apposed to other methods(gum, patches). Because those do not have similar stimuli.

Now smoking nicotine is more addictive than vaping nicotine. This is because cigarettes contain monoamine oxidase inhibitors. These decrease MAO enzymes that break down dopamine, causing your dopamine level to rise even more. This leads to the smoking behavior to be more addicting than the vaping behavior. That is why some people "relapse" and smoke a analog. Becuase they "remember" the higher increase in dopamine.

So through the over-simplification stated above we see that the consumption of nicotine is addictive. BUT DO YOUR RESEARCH, there ARE benefits out there for nicotine use! One of the most popular being alzheimers prevention through protecting neurons from degradation that contribute to it.

HAPPY VAPING

 

[Skitty]

Wow, kinda over my head but very interesting! I do remember from doing a year of psych (study, not commitment!) about 'associative addiction', where the cravings would pop up when you did something that would normally be associated with the habit; I quit smoking once, and significantly reduced the urges by getting off a stop early (I'd always light up getting off the bus at this one stop) or changing to a different coffee shop or not going for that post-stressful-lecture drink. Mental, but works! It's why addiction is so complex, there are so many layers - physical reliance, mental 'training', behavioural associatives, etc. - that it is like being attacked from all angles.

 

[Ryedan]

CONSUMPTION of nicotine is highly addictive, it is as CONSUMING "illegal narcotics",in some studies even more so.

It took about two months for me to wean myself off cigarettes using vaping with nicotine to replace them. That was tough. I was able to reduce the nicotine level in my juice quite easily after that and have been vaping zero nic for a while now. I don't think the nicotine is the addictive substance in cigarettes. At least for me. YMMV.

Be careful of the research already done on smoking. A lot of it talks about nicotine addiction rather than cigarette addiction and people accept that because everyone knows it's the nicotine that's addictive. Has to be, if that's what everyone says, right?

 

[Apuredelite]

Im sure for many the nicotine plays a huge part but for me it was obviously way more the habit of smoking not the nicotine. I smoked over a pack a day and one day decided to buy CE4 bubble pack and just give vaping a try to see if I liked it. Didnt buy another pack of cigs after that. Its only been 2 weeks but nicotine level doesnt seem to be a factor for me. The flavors I wanted were only at the shop in 6mg and 0mg so I picked up one of each and honestly have had no withdrawal even when vaping the 0 mg. Evidently for me it was more of the stimuli addiction not the chemical one thankfully. Although I do think im getting addicted to certain flavors now that I try more and more hahaha

 

[daviedog]

A good test would be to mix two juice batches. One with nic & one without. No labels, identical bottles, let steep for a week. Vape exclusively from these two bottles till empty. Write thoughts & feelings, attach to each bottle. Results would be interesting. Sort of double blinding yourself.
Only caveat, I don't know how to test for the presence of nicotine ..

 

[Ryedan]

A good test would be to mix two juice batches. One with nic & one without. No labels, identical bottles, let steep for a week. Vape exclusively from these two bottles till empty. Write thoughts & feelings, attach to each bottle. Results would be interesting. Sort of double blinding yourself.
Only caveat, I don't know how to test for the presence of nicotine ..

Have your significant other label the bottles and know which is which. She can tell you at the end.

 

[Baditude]

There's more to addiction to cigarettes than just the nicotine. If it were not, why aren't the other nicotine replacement methods as effective as e-cigarettes?

• The nicotine patches and gum are not effective in relieving that smoker's craving for a cigarette. Rubbing the patch will not release more nicotine into your system when you most need it, it wasn't designed to work that way. Chewing more nicotine gum has too many side effects - upset stomach, nausea, or hiccups. Vaping heavier to relieve a cigarette craving works, because it provides more nicotine when you most need it.

• The patch and gum do nothing to replace that "holding a cigarette" or the hand to mouth ritual which became ingrained into our brains from years of practice and habit. E-cigs replicate the same motion involved to replace nicotine as smoking did.

• Many smokers get enjoyment with filling their lungs with smoke, and watching the smoke being exhaled. Vaping replicates this, also.

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

So, do you even vape? Or are you here solely for the purpose of your 'thesis'? Would be nice to know what your intentions are,although I highly doubt we will ever hear from you again.

 

[Vapeaddikt]

I don't care what your thesis says. It's so successful because it tastes better and feels better.

As for your over consumption of nicotine...your body will tell you when you've had too much. You'll get a headache, dizziness, and multiple other symptoms way ahead of being in danger from it. Unless of course you were being force fed nicotine.

 

[ak907marine]

My intentions? it was 2 am and I couldn't sleep

But really I was just trying to correct a popular thread out there that I read that some guy is saying nicotine is not addictive and alot of people are buying into it. I vape 36mg because its what works for me. I am going to start lowering it soon which will be the easy part.

 

[KjAthena]

interesting points that you make....I have weaned down to 18MG from 36MG a month ago...no other method ever got me off the smokes for this long...or as painlessly. Nicotine is addictive, I dont need anyone to prove that to me...I have lived it....I also know that if it were only nicotine then the numerous attempts using the patch/lozenges/gum or meds would have worked for me.

Stay warm up there in Fairbanks

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

My intentions? it was 2 am and I couldn't sleep

But really I was just trying to correct a popular thread out there that I read that some guy is saying nicotine is not addictive and alot of people are buying into it. I vape 36mg because its what works for me. I am going to start lowering it soon which will be the easy part.

Good to know, but wow to the 36mg. Nicotine alone when compared to caffeine shows about(not quite) the same levels of dependence. You need to do more research to find that big tobacco took a lesson from the illegal drug dealers in that they found ways to enhance that dependence thru many of the additional 4000 'other' chemicals they put in the finished product. Smoking in and of itself is an all emcompassing addiction. Its not just physical, it is also social, emotional, psychological(as you pointed out). But that addiction is not solely dependant on nicotine itself. Many of our members have an addiction to the 'other' chemicals, some of which are whole tobacco alkaloids. I hope to see more of your 'findings'. And check out CASAA for more up to date info.

 

[ak907marine]

Thanks for the posts. I am not a doctor so this is about as much as I remember to tell you. I have been studying addiction over the past year and sitting through classes after a stint in an unwilling rehab visit sparked my interest. Learning most this was mandatory for me being "chemically dependent" in the military, but just thought someone out there would like to know/learn something. Sorry if it came across derogatory in any way.

 

[StoneRuby]

I couldn't have stated your hypothesis better myself...just kidding. What a GREAT way of explaining it in simple layman terminology, so that ALL can comprehend just how addictive nicotine is to all of the neurotransmitters that make up the anatomy of the brain, the psychological aspect, etc. It's now easy to understand why it is so darn hard to quit. I certainly hope that they don't ban vaping, especially the "BIG BOYS" that stand to lose Big Bucks in the tobacco industry. They have snowed us for FAR too long, and they will try to push legislation through "UNDER THE TABLE" on the shirt tail of another law, just like they are doing other things currently, but that's another story...
THANKS for the info......HOPE EVERYONE READS YOUR POST.....

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

Thanks for the posts. I am not a doctor so this is about as much as I remember to tell you. I have been studying addiction over the past year and sitting through classes after a stint in an unwilling rehab visit sparked my interest. Learning most this was mandatory for me being "chemically dependent" in the military, but just thought someone out there would like to know/learn something. Sorry if it came across derogatory in any way.

No apologies necessary. You would be surprised at the amt of posts that are intended for spamming and/or inflammatory against vaping. The truth is always the best avenue. I wish you the best of luck in your journey to being chemically free. We are all striving for that.

 

[Ryedan]

Thanks for the posts. I am not a doctor so this is about as much as I remember to tell you. I have been studying addiction over the past year and sitting through classes after a stint in an unwilling rehab visit sparked my interest. Learning most this was mandatory for me being "chemically dependent" in the military, but just thought someone out there would like to know/learn something. Sorry if it came across derogatory in any way.

Not a problem, IMO you did not come across derogatory. Vape happy

 

[Amberina]

Thanks for the posts. I am not a doctor so this is about as much as I remember to tell you. I have been studying addiction over the past year and sitting through classes after a stint in an unwilling rehab visit sparked my interest. Learning most this was mandatory for me being "chemically dependent" in the military, but just thought someone out there would like to know/learn something. Sorry if it came across derogatory in any way.

I think that many are misunderstanding what you are saying. What I got from what you wrote is that the REASON nicotine is so addictive is our memory of how we consumed our nicotine: holding something in our hand, inhaling smoke etc.- meaning that all of the stimuli that remind us of smoking is what makes nicotine so addicting. The people responding by saying that the BEHAVIOR itself is what we are addicted to are not understanding that what you said is basically exactly that. Nicotine is so addictive because of our memory and makes us crave the behavior that ultimately led to us consuming nicotine. Even being in a certain place for example, or driving (one of my worst triggers) would make us want to smoke. It would also then make sense that what you said about MAO in reference to the intake of nicotine differing from smoking to vaping (making the vaping behavior ultimately less addicting behavior) would make it EASIER to reduce your nicotine intake after you start vaping. Thank you for all the great info!

Also to answer the person who asked if you even vaped yourself, I believe in your first post you stated you have been vaping for over a year. Am I correct?

 

[mykeyfinn]

I have found that quitting smoking is difficult in and of itself. But I was a pad smoker and now I have 1 or 2 a month when I don't have my tank, I'm out fluid, or the batteries are dead. atm I have gone 3 weeks without a cigg. I've been vapeing for about a year now, and I find that even vapeing pure VG with no nicotine relieves the occasional craving. So I think for me it has more to do with the act of smoking than any chemicals in the analogs themselves.

 

[nmackan]

Now for the addictive part, I bought a no name device and a good 18mg/ml (I think am not sure) and it was very effective I did not drag more within hours after 3-4 drags (Cigarette behaviour if you ask me) being new and knowing nothing I looked for juices some claimed 10-15 bucks for 10ml lots and found same bottle $5 bought immediately. after finishingt first bottles vendor provided I began to vape these new ones. I had analogues than because I felt I needed.. I found out there was no nicotine in the cheap ones and decided to buy genuine reardless how expensive they are. Found that a turkish ecigarette forum and saw that they are sold $5 each in the forum. Since than I did not (can not also) smoke an analog.
As for physical ceremonies it is told sucking a cigarette is remaining breast fed attitude. in short we smoked for the happiness of mother care feeling and a cigarette was a pacifier. Since I was not breast fed I was reluctant this idea for I could not satisfy something I dont know or feel before if it was not an instinct.
Most important effect was if you ask me Holywood effect. watch old movies and you should think they were about smoking. The first coffin nail is stuck in our brain by these movies. (The hero would always wake up look into pack and took the last one with delirious behaviour.)
In short I too believe Nicotine is addictive but it is reinforced with memories. Hence any nicotine treatment would not suffice to get rid of the addiction. So now that we have to replace nicotine in every form vaping is best known way to get rid of it.
But in my age I dont give a hood for why I vape. I vape because I like it and dont intend to quit.

 

[Denrock316]

I actually really enjoyed your post. I found it very informative and it pretty much backed up my own understandings on this subject. I think I actually tried to lower my nic intake too fast. I went from 24mg to 18mg and just recently to 12mg. Since going to 12mg I have been vaping like a madman and going through at least twice as much juice. In the morning when my mail gets here I am going back to 18mg for awhile. Eventually I will go to 12mg again. The best part is when I try 12mg again those juices will be really well steeped.