Vaping as a recreation. Thoughts?

[beebster]

new here to posting - been lurking for over a year.

What do you think of vaping as a recreation? I used to smoke analogs in the summertime (don't ask me why, maybe it was a social thing) but i have stopped doing that for over 2 years now having found vaping. But i vape more then i ever smoked..so what do you think of vaping as a recreation. for that is what i feel i am doing. i am not really replacing it for a nicotine substitute, more just as a way to experience flavors with this medium. i typically go for a 11/12 mg/ml nicotine strength. i feel it's basically like a hobby. what are your thoughts on this.

is this common among the people you have met? does this desicrate what you feel vaping is all about? do you feel this is ok, better then smoking? any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Warren D. Lockaby]

new here to posting - been lurking for over a year.

What do you think of Vaping as a recreation? I used to smoke analogs in the summertime (don't ask me why, maybe it was a social thing) but i have stopped doing that for over 2 years now having found vaping. But i vape more then i ever smoked..so what do you think of vaping as a recreation. for that is what i feel i am doing. i am not really replacing it for a nicotine substitute, more just as a way to experience flavors with this medium. i typically go for a 11/12 mg/ml nicotine strength. i feel it's basically like a hobby. what are your thoughts on this.

is this common among the people you have met? does this desicrate what you feel vaping is all about? do you feel this is ok, better then smoking? any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Man, I *love* questions like this! I'd never thought of it before but now that you mentioned it, yeah... it's almost like "real life" isn't it? Hmmm... I suppose I should explain myself for the benefit of any sane folks who might read this....

For me, "real life" is largely about doing the things I find enjoyable, like learning, and about learning to enjoy doing the things that I'm going to have to do whether I enjoy them or not. So in the final analysis, for me "real life" is *supposed to be* recreational. Any time I feel that quality trying to slip away I'd better look into it fast before it becomes a problem.

Just a few thoughts from my cave. Happy Vaping!

 

[Ladypixel]

If I didn't enjoy it, if it hadn't become a hobby for me, it probably wouldn't have made me quit. I enjoyed smoking, too. I don't think it desecrates vaping, because frankly, most of the vapers I've met also treat it as a hobby. Yes, it can be utilized as a smoking cessation tool. I'm using it that way. I'm also REALLY enjoying the experience, and am now fascinated with the potential of DIYing, coming up with good-tasting yum, etc. Some of my nonsmoking friends are really getting curious by all the yum I keep talking about, and I'm probably going to have to invest in zero-nic juices that THEY can taste (well, and a clean, un-nicotine'd atty for them to taste on)... and they wouldn't be curious if it weren't for the fact that it sounds interesting and tastes interesting.

So, to sum it all up: yeah, I think it's pretty common, and yeah, I think it's a recreational activity, just like recreational smoking is for some.

 

[beebster]

Yeah, i have also run into people who seem intrigued by the whole thing. interested to try it, just for the flavors. but are put off by the fact theres nicotine in it. i do have some non nicotine samples they could try.

i do wonder if vaping will become under the spotlight on the same grounds as smoking has, health-wise. even though there isn't really health risks that we know of, besides what the nicotine does to you, people parallel vaping sometimes with smoking analogs. even when you explain to some people the function of how it works, they still heap it together with smoking. that is slightly annoying, but it's like that with all things that people don't understand i suppose.

I envision a day when it just becomes common place and accepted much like eating a ice cream cone on the street. hah. that is, if long term vaping gets a clean bill of health. but i guess it probably will always come under some scrutiny because of the nicotine. but hey, it's GOT to be better then smoking analogs, and ill take 'better' over 4000 chemicals any day.

 

[monkeytube138]

Just stopped lurking today too. I agree about the hobby. It sort of makes me feel more like a coffee lover, where as smoking makes me feel more like an addict. Smoking was the same dirty habit every time, vaping is about new flavours and new devices. And it has a learning curve like good coffee does.

 

[Topper]

Just like hobby - and pleasure to vape something ownmade

 

[nansc]

The hobby is what it has become for me.Like surffing all the websites to see what else I can buy.Just kidding but yes it has become a hobby.

 

[wv2win]

I do not see it as a hobby for the vast majority. People don't equate a "hobby" with saving one's life. For the majority it is the last option to stop killing themselves. That's not a hobby, that is a serious life altering need.

 

[PoliticallyIncorrect]

Nicotine isn't a carcinogen, isn't anything like the horned, cloven-hoofed beast the anti-smoking Nazi regime would have people believe. But it is a vasoconstrictor, and it's very addictive. At the end of the day, it isn't good for you.

For my own part, I don't have a problem with that. Life is short, simple pleasures few—and you can plausibly argue the case for counting nicotine one among and embracing it, even if it shaves minutes off the back end of your life.

Or so I do argue, for my own purposes.

If, however, you truly vape only for recreational purposes, to "...experience flavors," you sound like a good candidate for zero-nic, zero harm vaping.

 

[Randyrtx]

I think smoking for me was always about the pleasurable aspects of smoking at least as much as the nicotine. I think I could never quit because I enjoyed it too much.

Vaping provides ALL the pleasurable aspects of smoking, without the harm. I didn't start vaping to quit smoking... I did it to replace smoking with something I enjoy as much, and in this case, far, far more.

I'm not very concerned with any possible negative aspects of nicotine. Most of what we know of the harm in smoking has never been adequately studied in the absence of the harm caused by smoke itself.

 

[I_Guy]

Very new to Vaping. 1 week, 5 days in fact.

successfully put down the analogs (packaday) with out a second thought. In fact it was so fkn easy it feels like cheating.
That being said im now submerged in a vaping world having clocked a good 20 to 30 hours of youtube review
watching and just as much Forum reading.

Im hell bent of finding that ideal experience. I am vaping more in concentrated chunks than I would have ever smoked. However, while at work or out and about im reaching for my e-cig less and less.
Happy with 10 -12mg nic for now. Given the homework ive done don't see any pressing reason to cut down right away.

I feel a little like I have found the holy grail of smoking.

 

[Darkstarncw]

Pretty much agree with I_Guy, you start it to quit smoking and end up with a new and exciting hobby. Looking at new pv's and reviews on ejuice is as enjoyable for me as all the other electronic purchasing I do. I never buy anything without investing 5-20 hours of research into the product, and for me that's half the fun. Granted these aren't 1 grand led tv's, but the research is still quite amusing.

 

[TonyTT]

I thought this thread was about something totally different. Vaping is the first hobby I've sunk so much money into, that I'm not participating in at a competitive level. I think we need a vape olympics, or some sort of sanctioned vaping competition...

 

[acorn54]

i started vaping to stop smoking. now i enjoy it and don't find analogs satisfying.

 

[Patrick21]

Nothing wrong with it, after all smoking cigarettes started off as a recreational activity

 

[beebster]

Just stopped lurking today too. I agree about the hobby. It sort of makes me feel more like a coffee lover, where as smoking makes me feel more like an addict. Smoking was the same dirty habit every time, vaping is about new flavours and new devices. And it has a learning curve like good coffee does.

I can relate to this - i acquired a taste for coffee and continue enjoying trying new blends. i don't drink more then 1-2 cups a day. same with vaping, i enjoy searching and researching and trying new flavors and mods.

Pretty much agree with I_Guy, you start it to quit smoking and end up with a new and exciting hobby. Looking at new pv's and reviews on ejuice is as enjoyable for me as all the other electronic purchasing I do. I never buy anything without investing 5-20 hours of research into the product, and for me that's half the fun. Granted these aren't 1 grand led tv's, but the research is still quite amusing.

I do this also, like i said above, half the joy for me about vaping is the 'window shopping' aspect of it.

I thought this thread was about something totally different. Vaping is the first hobby I've sunk so much money into, that I'm not participating in at a competitive level. I think we need a vape olympics, or some sort of sanctioned vaping competition...

HAha! definitely something to be considered for vapecons and other vaping get-togethers. some i'm sure wouldnt think its cool. but thats how it goes with most things.

Thanks for all the feedback. I look forward to more ecig discussion on ECF. a great vaping resource from all walks and thoughts.

 

[monkeytube138]

I do not see it as a hobby for the vast majority. People don't equate a "hobby" with saving one's life. For the majority it is the last option to stop killing themselves. That's not a hobby, that is a serious life altering need.

I don't think anyone meant "hobby" in a trivializing way. I completely agree that these devices are life-savers. Cigarettes would have killed me. But at the same time, there's no reason why they shouldn't be enjoyed. The hobby factor is part of the reason why these devices worked where inhalers, gum, cold turkey, and all the other methods I've tried, didn't work.

 

[cunningham91]

I definitely started as a hobby, coming from smoking hookah and such. I have got to say that I enjoy this even more. You don't have to spend 10-15 minutes setting up and cleaning a hookah haha. Plus it tastes better!

 

[Warren D. Lockaby]

I do not see it as a hobby for the vast majority. People don't equate a "hobby" with saving one's life. For the majority it is the last option to stop killing themselves. That's not a hobby, that is a serious life altering need.

Good point. OTOH, for lots of people our 'hobbies' themselves are killing us, and for some of us, smoking, along with its assorted paraphernalia, was certainly a hobby. While I mostly smoked cigarettes for convenience I also have a collection of pipes, and occasionally enjoyed a fine cigar. At one time I was into exceptional liquors. All these things, I think, qualified as "hobbies" for me, and every one of them was killing me in its own good time.

My point is, if a deadly hobby can be replaced with a non-deadly one that is a good thing. I think Life is supposed to be fun; I *don't think* everything that's fun is supposed to be in Life.

Vape Happily!

 

[Randyrtx]

There's no denying for most of us the positive health benefits of vaping over smoking. But it's also hard to deny the "hobby" aspects than many of us find as well... like trying different flavors, collecting different devices, building mods, mixing our own liquids, etc. Smoking cigarettes is boring by comparison