Vaping to Diet (Non-Smoker)

[tehki]

Would like to hear any thoughts or opinions on what to tell non-smoking friends interested in vaping. The friend in question does occasionally smoke non-tobacco products... but otherwise has not smoked cigarettes for 20 years. While watching me vape, they decided they wanted to try vaping no-nic juices to attempt to control food cravings in an attempt to lose weight.

Has anyone tried this? Does anyone have experience with non-smokers wanting to start vaping? How significant of lung damage do you think this person would have if they started vaping regularly? Any thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[GitMoe]

A friend of mine started vaping after I did and he never smoked in his life. He did have an occasional cigar or pipe but that was rare. He vapes a decent amount now but only zero nic juice. He hasn't noticed any effects.

 

[db13berry]

Personally, I would never encourage a non-smoker to start vaping.

As far as lung damage goes, I think everyone here was a smoker. And 90% of us have found that with vaping and quitting smoking our lung function has improved. Would vaping damage a non-smokers lungs? I do not know. There is not enough research to say what the long term effects of vaping will be as vaping has not been around long enough to know.

I have lost some weight since I started vaping. I am almost down to zero nic levels and I have found that the flavors do curb my craving for desserts and other sweets.

But, again, I would not encourage a non-smoker to start vaping.

 

[TNT]

To me, this is one of the toughest questions in the vaping world, and one for which I still don't have an answer. The other day, a friend of mine who has only smoked a few cigs over the years asked to try my e-cig. I let her -- she's an adult -- and she said, "hey, I like this. I might buy one."

What should my response be? People like to inhale flavorable stuff. I've seen a zillion documentaries on aboriginal cultures, and I can't recall a single one where smoking something wasn't a part of that culture, at least for some. Are e-cigs worse than chewing gum or drinking coffee? I don't know. I don't have the answer.

I wish I did.

 

[permafrying]

honestly if they want to do it just let them. if they smoke "non-tobacco" products theyr already doing damage to there lungs in some way or another. i would just try and tell them not to get into anything with nicotine because of obvious reasons. you were a smoker tell them what its like to fiend for a cigarette and im sure itll keep them off the nicotine part of it. and if that doesnt nothing will. my girlfriend will take a couple puffs off my pv without inhaling every once in awhile and she only smokes when shes drunk and has never really consistently smoked in her life as far as i know

 

[TNT]

Sorry... random thought which I've decided to delete because it wasn't worded correctly.

 

[tehki]

Darn, TNT - I missed it... hehe. It is hard to know how to respond though! My non-smoking boyfriend (who I don't worry about picking up the habit because he has super human discipline) has also sat with my e-cig and puffed for a couple hours, and he liked it a lot, and thought it was fun. And smoking is fun and enjoyable, you'll hear that over and over even from smoke-hating ex-smokers. It's just enjoyable, which is why the hand to mouth aspect being addictive is also such a factor. Not a good habit to encourage. Though luckily she's not interested in nic-juices at all so that's one less concern.


Thanks for all the great responses so far, everybody!! It's so helpful to hear your experiences with this.

 

[ShannonA]

I wouldn't encourage a non smoker to vape... on the other hand don't we as vapers want our rights as adults to make our own decisions concerning our health to be respected? I would encourage someone who wanted to vape but did not smoke to talk to their physician I think and leave it at that.

 

[CBB]

I have to agree with several of the previous posters, I would never encourage any non-smoker to start vaping, there are too many unknowns with vaping. It certainly seems better than smoking but only time will tell. At the same time they are an adult and can choose to do what they like, but I certainly would not encourage it.

 

[robocig]

I haven't had any non-smokers tell me they wanted to start vaping, but doing it for a diet seems kind of silly to me. I only say this because it's very dependent on how a person actually eats- I vape sweet stuff mainly, but I find myself craving more salty/savory food as a result.

 

[MickeyRat]

Some people do vape to diet. I'm not sure it's a good idea. There's plenty of reason to believe that vaping does less harm than smoking. That's a long way from saying it does no harm.

 

[AttyPops]

I've heard of people vaping to diet... with nicotine... since it is supposedly a slight appetite suppressant. That said, IDK if vaping helps the "eating out of bordom/stress" thing or not; it very well may.

I wouldn't want someone to become addicted to nicotine as a solution to weight control. Putting on A LOT of weight is probably more dangerous than vaping zero nic if you are otherwise healthy. However, I think there are better ways (and most of them have fiber... like celery). lol.

This stuff is untested. We don't have 20 years of data yet.

 

[Stevew443]

My doctor mentioned that one of the easiest ways to lose weight was to smoke. He wondered aloud if perhaps vaping would be a way to lose weight. I told him that I would never encourage a non-smoker to take up vaping for that reason. I will be seeing him again this week, and he really seems to be interested in my e-cig, so maybe we can have a deeper discussion on vaping at that time.

 

[ShannonA]

I haven't had any non-smokers tell me they wanted to start vaping, but doing it for a diet seems kind of silly to me. I only say this because it's very dependent on how a person actually eats- I vape sweet stuff mainly, but I find myself craving more salty/savory food as a result.

Yes but there are saltier more savory vapes as well such as bacon... Again I wouldn't suggest it to anyone but the way I see it non smokers have just as much right to decide to risk their health to vape as we did to smoke if there truly is no secondhand risk from vaping possibly moreso.

 

[WomanOfHeart]

I would never encourage a non-smoker to take up vaping, even if just to lose weight. I would encourage your friend to take up exerciser and look at their diet. If they really need to, consult with a nutritionist.

 

[quittin4mykids]

I agree that there are differnt alternatives- but I will also say that I would love for my husband to be able to loose weight somehow- we are talking about a mad who works (physicially most of the time) for 15-17 hours a day, eats less than 2000 calories, excersises, and has had every test ran known to man- He is about 60lbs overweight- although I have gotten it off him before- a few times- and I honeslty eat more than him.

HE DID do better with his weight when he 'smoked' cigars (he never inhaled) - He doesnt take diet pills or see the local fat dr. Because we feel those meds are just speed and with his family history of diabeties and heart problems we dont want to push it.

Of course, two of his brothers smoke, one is a toothpick- the other is as big as he is-
He on the other hand has never smoked. (other than puffing on a cigar)

But like has been said- He is an adult, if he took up smoking I would ask him to rethink it, but in the end I couldnt change him. same with vaping- I would give all the information I could, and drop it. If she asks for help in picking one out- I would help- simply so she didnt get the shaft.

 

[beandean]

I quit analogs over 3 years ago,but weight gain and the constant want of being able to smoke had me depressed for years.I picked up vaping about a couple months ago, ive lost weight(not munching all day to subdue the cravings)and i feel like im smoking again, without all the stigma and stink!.I started with 0 nic juice, but there was no th or lung feel,and there were very limited choices of flavors in 0 mg.I tried a wild berry from my local smokeshop and felt the throat ,the lung hit, and the awesome flavor.Ive been chain vaping for the whole time and i love it!I smoke bowls of fruit now and it smells and tastes wonderful!I wouldnt suggest anyone whos never smoked or someone whos quit nicotine to do it just for weight loss, a sensible diet and getting off the couch wiull do that itself!

 

[n2danexxus]

My wife mentioned this a few days ago (she doesn't smoke or vape). She thought it would help some people curb the taste of desserts or food, or even keep their mouths busy enough to not eat. Is it worth the switch? Not sure. Could they put it down when they feel they've made progress? I suppose it's all in the mindset, but I certainly do see the potential.

 

[Sandfury]

My wife started vaping about 3 weeks after I started, only 0nic juice mint flavor. She loves it and as a side note I have seen her eating a lot less candy. (She is a candy fiend)

 

[krijmo]

That happened to me when I started vaping too. I noticed I didn't eat as much, which is a blessing to me because I work at one of the best Italian restaurants in Chicago and there's an unlimited supply of pizza bread, soup, salad, and pasta available to me. And I think of all the chocolate, tiramisu and cinnamon rolls Ive vaped instead of eating. I've saved myself thousands of calories. Not to mention that I can exercise again now that my lungs arent incapacitated and my blood vessels are getting oxygen again