Vaporizing to quit smoking but now a Vapor addict?!

[going_to_quit]

Hello everyone and I am new to this forum. I am planning on quitting smoking and was recommended e-cigs from a friend. While I did a search, I found this great message board with reviews of certain e-cig brands.

I congratulate all the wonderful people in here for their strong will to quit and someday I will be smoke-free as well.

What bothers me the most about these e-cigs is the fact that it will help me quit smoking and turn on to another habit. Yes, I won't smoke anymore with the help of the e-cigs but I will become addicted to e-cigs.

I have notice that a majority of members have quit smoking but they have made vaporizing into a hobby. This is an alternative to other ways of smoking and I am afraid it's going to turn me into a e-cig addict.

Thoughts? Is this a solution to stop smoking or alternative?

Thanks in advance.

 

[alvitae]

New to vaping myself, It's just a week or two.

When this crossed my mind What I thought was worst case scenario I get addicted to vaping. I trade an addiction that was feeding my body with 4000 chemicals many of them known carcinogens for one that has just the nicotine and a food grade additive.

I think it's a good trade.

 

[SudokuGal]

Truly, it's up to you. I use it as alternative...it's cut my smoking from 2-3 packs a day down to 2-3 cigs a day.

You can always vape zero nic...so it that becomes an "addiction" it's no big deal.

 

[going_to_quit]

Very well put alvitae.

The whole idea of trying to quit is so I can be healthy once again and not be dependent on cigarettes.

I feel like if I tried vaporizing it would be a very very small step forward or many steps backwards, as I would still be dependent on something.

I am trying to weigh my options to see if this is a soloution to stop smoking or an alternative to smoking.

 

[going_to_quit]

Truly, it's up to you. I use it as alternative...it's cut my smoking from 2-3 packs a day down to 2-3 cigs a day.

You can always vape zero nic...so it that becomes an "addiction" it's no big deal.

What is a normal routine for you?

Let's just say I smoke a pack a day, with vaporizing would that equate to 3-5 puffs on the vaporizer a day and lower the nicotine level till my body doesn't need it?

I read on this forum that some members puff all day, perhaps a puff every 10 minutes?....would that be too excessive, in my opinion. Since it's odorless, I am afraid that I would be puffing that thing every minute in the office, bathroom, restaurants and other places.

 

[ProfessorDaffy]

Hello everyone and I am new to this forum. I am planning on quitting smoking and was recommended e-cigs from a friend. While I did a search, I found this great message board with reviews of certain e-cig brands.

I congratulate all the wonderful people in here for their strong will to quit and someday I will be smoke-free as well.

What bothers me the most about these e-cigs is the fact that it will help me quit smoking and turn on to another habit. Yes, I won't smoke anymore with the help of the e-cigs but I will become addicted to e-cigs.

I have notice that a majority of members have quit smoking but they have made vaporizing into a hobby. This is an alternative to other ways of smoking and I am afraid it's going to turn me into a e-cig addict.

Thoughts? Is this a solution to stop smoking or alternative?

Thanks in advance.

The more you read the more you'll realize your questions have no single answer. Everyone's experience is different.

E-Cigs are hands-down the best way to free yourself from your cigarette addiction. I had no intention of quitting cigarettes. I wanted a cheaper alternative. The fact that I have opened myself up to a world of flavors, removed 4000 chemicals and all carcinogens from my nicotine addiction is just a bonus. There are people who liked "smoking", but hated everything else.

Once you start replacing smoke with vapor, you'll find it's not just nicotine. It's how cigarettes supply nicotine in such an additive way AND the other addictive chemicals in a cigarette that are the major problem. You crave how cigarettes make you feel, not just the nicotine. Those 4000 chemicals are there by accident! I feel that it would be easy now that I've freed myself from cigarettes to gradually reduce the amount of nicotine I vape and eventually quit altogether. Quiting e-cigs would be so much easier then quitting smoking.

But I really don't want to quit. I didn't want to quit smoking, either. I enjoy the act of vaping. I like vaping with my friends at work. I like turning the world off for a few minutes to vape and gather my thoughts. I love vaping on my way to work (since I never drove and smoked at the same time)! I liked the effects of nicotine, I just hated the smell my hands and clothes and breath, stains on the wall, coughing when I woke up, burns everywhere, going to get cigarettes, feeling guilty for wasting money, etc.

It's not just a "hobby". It's doing what you enjoy. There are a lot of people vaping 0-nic juice. Even making their own. They're free of cigarettes and nicotine and yet still enjoy the act of vaping.

The truth is, even you don't know what you will want 6 months from now. But if you're determined to quit cigarettes, you're on the right path. Once you do that you'll know you can do anything.

So the answer to your question: Is this a solution to stop smoking or alternative? Yes.

After smoking for 25 years, vaping is not an addition for me. It's a pleasure.

--Prof Daffy

 

[alvitae]

Well the first thing that came to my mind after my first day of vaping was after 35+ years of smoking this is the first day I have ever went with out a cigarrete.

I had pretty much resigned myself to smoking for the rest of my life. Vaping has at least given me hope of quitting. And I think it will be fairly painless just easing up on juice strengths.

 

[going_to_quit]

The more you read the more you'll realize your questions have no single answer. Everyone's experience is different.

E-Cigs are hands-down the best way to free yourself from your cigarette addiction. I had no intention of quitting cigarettes. I wanted a cheaper alternative. The fact that I have opened myself up to a world of flavors, removed 4000 chemicals and all carcinogens from my nicotine addiction is just a bonus. There are people who liked "smoking", but hated everything else.

Once you start replacing smoke with vapor, you'll find it's not just nicotine. It's how cigarettes supply nicotine in such an additive way AND the other addictive chemicals in a cigarette that are the major problem. You crave how cigarettes make you feel, not just the nicotine. Those 4000 chemicals are there by accident! I feel that it would be easy now that I've freed myself from cigarettes to gradually reduce the amount of nicotine I vape and eventually quit altogether. Quiting e-cigs would be so much easier then quitting smoking.

But I really don't want to quit. I didn't want to quit smoking, either. I enjoy the act of vaping. I like vaping with my friends at work. I like turning the world off for a few minutes to vape and gather my thoughts. I love vaping on my way to work (since I never drove and smoked at the same time)! I liked the effects of nicotine, I just hated the smell my hands and clothes and breath, stains on the wall, coughing when I woke up, burns everywhere, going to get cigarettes, feeling guilty for wasting money, etc.

It's not just a "hobby". It's doing what you enjoy. There are a lot of people vaping 0-nic juice. Even making their own. They're free of cigarettes and nicotine and yet still enjoy the act of vaping.

The truth is, even you don't know what you will want 6 months from now. But if you're determined to quit cigarettes, you're on the right path. Once you do that you'll know you can do anything.

So the answer to your question: Is this a solution to stop smoking or alternative? Yes.

After smoking for 25 years, vaping is not an addition for me. It's a pleasure.

--Prof Daffy

Thank you Prof. Daffy for your experience and insight.

I think even if it's an alternative it would still be much safer than cigarettes.

 

[cityboy]

Very well put alvitae.

The whole idea of trying to quit is so I can be healthy once again and not be dependent on cigarettes.

I feel like if I tried vaporizing it would be a very very small step forward or many steps backwards, as I would still be dependent on something.

I am trying to weigh my options to see if this is a soloution to stop smoking or an alternative to smoking.

I think its a no brainer, because you are doing something that is far less harmful to your body than smoking. It isnt QUITE the same as smoking, and I dont believe it is as addictive.

The reason is, when I smoked, I needed one every hour at least. When switched to vaping, I can go hours without even thinking about it. I dont reek like an ashtray, and I feel better, I can jog if im gonna miss the train without getting winded, and I feel better and more alert at work.

You might be trading one habit for another, but its like trading extreme snowboarding for golf, its much safer

Just my two cents, hope it helps.

CB

 

[jerrydon10]

Wanna quit everything?

Read the forum and you will see how to start at whatever level of nic you want, then cut your juice by 10% a week or so until you are down to 0 nic juice. Can you stop smoking with the e-cig? YES!

 

[Sumratio]

Nice reply Daffy, you sound like me. I did not really want to quit smoking. I liked to smoke.

The long term threats did not scare me. I have no family history of smoking related illnesses in a family of smokers and even if so I wasn't worried about giving up a few of my frail years anyway. I have always avoided smoking around none smokers so that wasn't an issue. I am glad to get my sense of smell and taste back, as well as some of my old lung capacity. It certainly wasn't the fear of having an addiction, humans by nature are addicts IMO. No what broke the camels back (Turkish Silver preferably) for me was the oppression tactics from our wonderful "free" country. Sorry for the sarcasm but I think we lost the title America the Free and it makes me a little sad, kind of like when I first found out Santa and the Tooth Fairy were both Dad.

I too switched to vaping because it is cheaper, after only a few days I preferred the taste, I do feel and smell tons better and I feel like I am stiffing the Man which makes my feel warm inside If they ban it, I guess they will just be making another hard working, tax paying American into a criminal cause I am not stopping till I want to stop.

It ultimately comes down to personal choice. If you are worried about being an addict don't forget caffenine, alcohol, sex, exercise, food etc etc all can be addictive. Even moods can be addictive. To break all addiction is not to be human just try and not let your addictions to take control or kill you. lol

Well thats my rambling thoughts for you anyway.

 

[hifistud]

Let's just examine what we quit and why we quit when we quite cigarettes/tobacco, shall we?? Do we quit nicotine? The answer is no, we don't, as nicotine is a naturally occurring substance in more than just tobacco.

We DO quit infesting other people with noxious second-hand smoke.
We DO quit smelling like an ashtray
We DO quit ingesting major contributors to painful death
We DO decrease our chances of contracting cancer and other nasty diseases.

Look all those "We DO" sentences - they apply as much to replacing cigarettes with PV/e-cigs as they do to using approved NRTs and quitting cold turkey.

It seems to me, therefore, that, unless you simply don't want the hand-to-mouth thing any more, it doesn't matter whether you quit completely, or simply substitute e-cigs for the real thing - you can always cut down the nicotine level in your e-liquid if nicotine worries you, but as studies have shown, nicotine is probably the very least harmful aspect of a real cigarette.

Or to put it another way, I'll happily keep vaping until they come to nail the lid down - and I reckon that'll be much later than would otherwise have been the case.

 

[mzruzz]

I am new as well and at first had the same thoughts as going_to_quit. There are many things to hate about smoking analogs; this list is very long. In addition to all the filthy and deadly reasons the thing that I hated most was that my addiction controlled me. In other words I couldn't just quit. But the truth is, I am already addicted and it is too late to change that. If I could go back 39 years, I would. I view this as baby steps. I am very excited about getting rid of all the nasty and deadly effects of analogs; I can then deal with the addiction to nicotine later. I am just grateful for the hope.

 

[Nepenthy]

True, you will be replacing one habit with another. Im not going to repeat what so many others have said about how much better vaping is than smoking. However, Im finding it much easier to cut back my nicotine addiction through vaping than it was with smoking. Smoking one or two less cigs a day was just making me grumpy and felt like the urge to smoke actually ramped up. And nicotine free cigs are nasty. With vaping, you can vape the same amount, but just cut the strength back. That way you arent impacting your smoking routine, just the amount of nicotine you are taking in.

I wasnt planning on quitting smoking, but after only two days of vaping and smoking cigs, smoking cigs became obsolete. No more late night runs to the carry out, no more using the toaster to light a cig when I couldnt find a lighter, no more ashes everywhere, and no more nasty smell. Even though I went balls to the wall with vaping, Im still ahead as far as cost, $6+ a day is insane.

Several of my friends have quit smoking/vaping altogether once they weened themselves down to 0 nic. Once the need for nicotine is gone, the vaporizing maintenance and prep work made them decide it just wasnt worth it anymore. In my opinion, vaporizing frees you from the grip analogs has/had on us all and allows you to step away from the habit on your terms. I myself have a very addictive personality and found it impossible to quit smoking with commercially available NRT's or quitting cold turkey, without turning into a complete jerk towards everyone close to me. Even the ppl that wanted me to quit the most, would eventually suggest I just start smoking again since I was such a pain in the ... to deal with.

With vaping, quitting was effortless and as easy as picking the method that was more enjoyable. Good luck in whatever route you decide to take.

 

[Modapa]

I tend to feel the same way as Sumratio. I decided to try e-cigs because of the way the anti-smoking groups have changed attitudes in this country so that I'm made to feel like a leper and somehow not good enough to be around "regular" people. Anytime some politician thinks he needs more money for another project, one of the most likely targets will be cigarette taxes. When they built the new stadium in Cleveland it was paid for partly with cigarette taxes and then when it was done, they didn't allow smoking. Go figure. Every time they decided to raise taxes on cigarettes, I just got more stubborn and determined to never quit. I HATE people trying to tell me what to do. Now I have an alternative to smoking that I CHOSE for myself. I'll not only save money, (at least for now) improve my health, and be able to walk among "polite" society again.

 

[bigfatguy]

I'm down to zero nicotine. I still enjoy vaping. I was able to quit smoking and then quite using nicotine. I would never have been able to do that without e-cigarettes. After just a few months, my blood pressure was back to normal ranges for the first time in years...my doctor is impressed, too.

From what I have read, being addicted to nicotine is no more harmful than being addicted to coffee...some studies even suggest several benefits to each of these drugs.

In the end you have nothing to lose...no matter how you cut it, vaping is better for you than smoking...so give vaping a chance.

 

[Jim Davis]

The e-cig was never designed as a quit smoking device. It was developed as an alternative to smoking. Is it healthier? Common sense may say yes, but the scientific results are not in yet.

 

[Kent C]

Let's just examine what we quit and why we quit when we quite cigarettes/tobacco, shall we?? Do we quit nicotine? The answer is no, we don't, as nicotine is a naturally occurring substance in more than just tobacco.

We DO quit infesting other people with noxious second-hand smoke.
We DO quit smelling like an ashtray
We DO quit ingesting major contributors to painful death
We DO decrease our chances of contracting cancer and other nasty diseases.

Look all those "We DO" sentences - they apply as much to replacing cigarettes with PV/e-cigs as they do to using approved NRTs and quitting cold turkey.

The first one is a lie. Secondhand smoke isn't noxious. It just smells bad to some like the second one. The third one is handled with drugs and the last one, like the above poster indicated, was already handled in the minds of most smokers. You've almost convinced me to start smoking again ;-)

 

[Kent C]

Nice reply Daffy, you sound like me. I did not really want to quit smoking. I liked to smoke.

The long term threats did not scare me. I have no family history of smoking related illnesses in a family of smokers and even if so I wasn't worried about giving up a few of my frail years anyway. I have always avoided smoking around none smokers so that wasn't an issue. I am glad to get my sense of smell and taste back, as well as some of my old lung capacity. It certainly wasn't the fear of having an addiction, humans by nature are addicts IMO. No what broke the camels back (Turkish Silver preferably) for me was the oppression tactics from our wonderful "free" country. Sorry for the sarcasm but I think we lost the title America the Free and it makes me a little sad, kind of like when I first found out Santa and the Tooth Fairy were both Dad.

I too switched to vaping because it is cheaper, after only a few days I preferred the taste, I do feel and smell tons better and I feel like I am stiffing the Man which makes my feel warm inside If they ban it, I guess they will just be making another hard working, tax paying American into a criminal cause I am not stopping till I want to stop.

It ultimately comes down to personal choice. If you are worried about being an addict don't forget caffenine, alcohol, sex, exercise, food etc etc all can be addictive. Even moods can be addictive. To break all addiction is not to be human just try and not let your addictions to take control or kill you. lol

Well thats my rambling thoughts for you anyway.

+1 on all of the above.

 

[Archer]

It's more of an alternative to me. I'm sure it's easier to quit e-cigs than tobacco.
Just think of all the money and research that's gone into producing the right chemicals to add to tobacco to keep you addicted.