I'm curious. When smoking cessation numbers are thrown around, vaping is generally regarded as "about as effective" as other programs (e.g., patches).
What that means is that about the same percentage of people become nonsmokers using vaping as other therapies. What that then implies is that those of us who vape exclusively are... wait for it... still smokers. At least, this must be the convention as I have a hard time believing that only ~7% of us vape exclusively. Those of us who still vape are not counted in the 'successful' cohort.
I get that 'cessation' has a 'stop using nicotine' component, which many (most?) of us have not done, but we are - by implication - not considered to have stopped smoking, which comes with a whole big bag of stigmatization.
When 'they' say that vaping is "about as effective as...", they are evaluating it as a transitionary state, a means to an end - not as an end state, and giving it, frankly, a failing grade. They're also - again, by implication - saying vaping should not be considered an end state.
This seriously undermines our cause, no?
We need to change that conversation.
Perhaps I'm late to the discussion of that thought. Perhaps I'm arguing a single tree in the forest of our battle. I would, however, love to hear your thoughts.
What that means is that about the same percentage of people become nonsmokers using vaping as other therapies. What that then implies is that those of us who vape exclusively are... wait for it... still smokers. At least, this must be the convention as I have a hard time believing that only ~7% of us vape exclusively. Those of us who still vape are not counted in the 'successful' cohort.
I get that 'cessation' has a 'stop using nicotine' component, which many (most?) of us have not done, but we are - by implication - not considered to have stopped smoking, which comes with a whole big bag of stigmatization.
When 'they' say that vaping is "about as effective as...", they are evaluating it as a transitionary state, a means to an end - not as an end state, and giving it, frankly, a failing grade. They're also - again, by implication - saying vaping should not be considered an end state.
This seriously undermines our cause, no?
We need to change that conversation.
Perhaps I'm late to the discussion of that thought. Perhaps I'm arguing a single tree in the forest of our battle. I would, however, love to hear your thoughts.