What is it we've been addicted to for all these years?

[Belhade]

I know exactly why it was so easy for me to switch from cigarettes to vaping right away. I was only ever a light smoker; no more than half a pack a day (unless I was out drinking and getting bummed on). After making the switch I went from a moderate nic level (12-18mg) all the way down to 0 nic for awhile and then recently upped to 1-3mg. So it's not that. It's the physical act, the hand-to-mouth and the inhale/exhale that I need. Busy hands, that's the thing; I need to be holding or manipulating something all the time. And I'm usually driving a lot for work; field technician not trucker. ~2 hour stretches on the road at a time, often several times a day. If it wasn't for cigarettes (e- or otherwise) I'd be on my phone - and we all know that's a bad idea. When I'm at home and watching TV or a movie, I'm huffing on an EVOD like a pipe. Cooking? I put down a spatula and pick up a vape. I crack my knuckles, I twirl pens, I spin my rings, waggle my e-cig, whistle into my beer; you get the idea.

And the oral fixation? I *love* vapor. Lung hits, MtL, french inhale, blowing rings, billowing clouds! I eat a lot, too, though you'd never know it (thanks to a super-charged metabolism) so I'm always snacking or chewing on things.

Finally, the mechanical aspect. Now, I know absolutely nothing about electricity - anything I know about Ohm's Law I learned in the past three or four years - but as a hardware technician I love tinkering. And building coils is perfect. Rebuilding Protank heads for four years, and recently RBAs, is a great hobby. I hoard old coils (some still wicked!) and random parts. Some projects in mind for the future, namely wood-cut displays. Drilling out air holes. All good stuff.

So I guess this has been a look into an entirely non-chemical-addiction side of the vaping and smoking world. Hope it's shed some insights. To my own persona, if nothing else.

 

[Rotowoman]

Well, all I can say is that I'm still struggling. Although I have cut back from 2 packs a day to 1/2 a pack a day, I'm still finding it hell to totally give up the cigarettes. I've been prone to depression all my life. Maybe that has something to do with it. I just don't know anymore.

 

[WharfRat1976]

Well, all I can say is that I'm still struggling. Although I have cut back from 2 packs a day to 1/2 a pack a day, I'm still finding it hell to totally give up the cigarettes. I've been prone to depression all my life. Maybe that has something to do with it. I just don't know anymore.

Great work! Down to half a pack a day. What mg nic are you vaping? Keep up the good work!

 

[Rotowoman]

Great work! Down to half a pack a day. What mg nic are you vaping? Keep up the good workd

I started at 18, but had to up it to 24.

 

[gpjoe]

Well, all I can say is that I'm still struggling. Although I have cut back from 2 packs a day to 1/2 a pack a day, I'm still finding it hell to totally give up the cigarettes. I've been prone to depression all my life. Maybe that has something to do with it. I just don't know anymore.

Even though quitting is the goal - not everybody does. I am a dual user for almost two years now. From 20+ cigs a day for 45 years to 2-3 per day. I can live with that.

Don't beat yourself up - you are not failing. You have made great progress in getting healthier.

 

[Jman8]

Even though quitting is the goal - not everybody does. I am a dual user for almost two years now. From 20+ cigs a day for 45 years to 2-3 per day. I can live with that.

Don't beat yourself up - you are not failing. You have made great progress in getting healthier.

Totally agree. I enjoy (immensely) being a moderate smoker these days. I've done cold turkey. I get the joy that comes with cessation / liberation. Been there, done that.

But moderation, with smoking? Seemed impossible to me, and now I'm living it.

For first couple years of vaping, I was dual using at a pace between 2 to 3 daily and up to a half pack. Even now, that strikes me as significant reduction, and worthy of honest celebration rather than embracing smoker's guilt, leading to depression, lack of self esteem. Now, in my 4th year of vaping, I smoke around a pack a month (sometimes less). Just last night I was hanging out with older friends who were aware of me previously as a smoker, now aware of me as a vaper, and I informed them of my desire to smoke. I conveyed the pack of month usage to them, and all of them viewed as non-issue, or doesn't count. That is always refreshing cause the perception in today's world is ANY level of smoking is bad, but when non-smokers get the moderate smoking notion, it tells me there is hope for humanity in overcoming the collective indoctrination of anti-smoking rhetoric.

 

[gpjoe]

Totally agree. I enjoy (immensely) being a moderate smoker these days. I've done cold turkey. I get the joy that comes with cessation / liberation. Been there, done that.

But moderation, with smoking? Seemed impossible to me, and now I'm living it.

For first couple years of vaping, I was dual using at a pace between 2 to 3 daily and up to a half pack. Even now, that strikes me as significant reduction, and worthy of honest celebration rather than embracing smoker's guilt, leading to depression, lack of self esteem. Now, in my 4th year of vaping, I smoke around a pack a month (sometimes less). Just last night I was hanging out with older friends who were aware of me previously as a smoker, now aware of me as a vaper, and I informed them of my desire to smoke. I conveyed the pack of month usage to them, and all of them viewed as non-issue, or doesn't count. That is always refreshing cause the perception in today's world is ANY level of smoking is bad, but when non-smokers get the moderate smoking notion, it tells me there is hope for humanity in overcoming the collective indoctrination of anti-smoking rhetoric.

I highlighted a couple of points.

On the first one: This is EXACTLY how I feel. Some would argue that it's easy to use this as rationalization for not quitting completely, but people that know me are shocked when I tell them that I only smoke a few butts per day. They (and I) would have never thought that possible. I am very pleased with the fact that I have NOT smoked thousands of cigarettes over the last 20 months. That is to be celebrated and should not be a cause for guilt or shame.

On the second point: I recently went to my doctor's office for something minor and while I was there they did the usual chart information update. Asked me all the normal questions including "Do you drink?", "Do you use recreational drugs?", "Do you smoke?" - to which I answered honestly - no, no, three cigarettes per day.

I was shocked when I logged onto my account and looked at my chart to see: "Tobacco Abuser". Yep. Three butts a day and I am labeled as an abuser. That's ridiculous but that is the perception. If I drank two glasses of wine per week does that make me an "alcohol abuser"? What if my BMI is over the suggested limit, am I a "food abuser"?

 

[mattiem]

Well, all I can say is that I'm still struggling. Although I have cut back from 2 packs a day to 1/2 a pack a day, I'm still finding it hell to totally give up the cigarettes. I've been prone to depression all my life. Maybe that has something to do with it. I just don't know anymore.

I only liked this one for moral support. I was one of the lucky ones. the switch was easy but my hubby, on the other hand, not so easy. He both vapes and smokes but he has cut down to a carton of smokes every 2 weeks instead of 2 cartons a week. I am very proud of him and am very proud of you too. did you get your WTA yet? Hopefully it will be what you need.

 

[Jman8]

I was shocked when I logged onto my account and looked at my chart to see: "Tobacco Abuser". Yep. Three butts a day and I am labeled as an abuser.

Disgusting and shameful assessment on their part.

 

[Martin Tenbones]

My 2 cents...

What we are addicted to? Nicotine, weird other chems in analogues, oral fixation, not to mention all the fetish/ideology that surrounds cigarettes which can be the hardest. I can't find one picture of Joe Strummer with a mod in his hand.

 

[Alien Traveler]

What I've learned since I came to ECF is that Big Tobacco has deliberately put MAOI drugs in cigarettes to get and keep you addicted to them (they make you feel better when you smoke), plus other deadly poisons, and lied about it to the government.

Sorry, I stopped to read when I saw that ^^^.
Can you prove that "Big Tobacco has deliberately put MAOI drugs in cigarettes"? MAOI is a natural component of tobacco, in this part everything is natural and organic.
I am a bit tired of blaming BT exclusively for all the smoking and forgetting that it is a smoker who smokes.

 

[mojofilter]

No, I can't prove it, and I said as much in a subsequent post. I read it either in an article hosted on this board, or linked to from this board. I asked to be corrected if I stated anything that was untrue. I was corrected by a moderator. But thanks for your aggressive and confrontational rebuttal to my honest attempt to learn the truth.

 

[Martin Tenbones]

I must say I find It hard to imagine that with the resources at their disposal tobacco companies wouldn't strive to make their product more "satisfying" (addictive).

With all the money they put into the psychological side of their product, they wouldn't spend a dime making the product itself more "appealing" (addictive)?

 

[Alien Traveler]

I must say I find It hard to imagine that with the resources at their disposal tobacco companies wouldn't strive to make their product more "satisfying" (addictive).

With all the money they put into the psychological side of their product, they wouldn't spend a dime making the product itself more "appealing" (addictive)?

We can say the same about vaping industry. So what?

 

[PermaPuff]

The reason you didn't cough up black crud is because the temperature of vaping doesn't allow the microcilia in your lungs and throat to regenerate completely. Coughing up black crud is a sign that your microcilia have begun the scrubbing process once again.

 

[mojofilter]

Thanks for that information. It's been five months since I quit, and four months since I stopped inhaling the vapor, and I still haven't coughed up any black crud, although my lungs have completely stopped wheezing. Should I be worried about not expelling the gunk that surely must be in there yet?

 

[AndriaD]

Well, all I can say is that I'm still struggling. Although I have cut back from 2 packs a day to 1/2 a pack a day, I'm still finding it hell to totally give up the cigarettes. I've been prone to depression all my life. Maybe that has something to do with it. I just don't know anymore.

Even though quitting is the goal - not everybody does. I am a dual user for almost two years now. From 20+ cigs a day for 45 years to 2-3 per day. I can live with that.

Don't beat yourself up - you are not failing. You have made great progress in getting healthier.

I only liked this one for moral support. I was one of the lucky ones. the switch was easy but my hubby, on the other hand, not so easy. He both vapes and smokes but he has cut down to a carton of smokes every 2 weeks instead of 2 cartons a week. I am very proud of him and am very proud of you too. did you get your WTA yet? Hopefully it will be what you need.

Since I actually had to do it twice last year, since I had that "summer-do over", I've actually had it both ways -- the first time, it was so easy I just laughed everytime I realized, I wasn't smoking -- and didn't give a rip that I wasn't smoking! It was just flat-out amazing, just switch smoking to vaping, over the course of a month, and smoking was just GONE. But coming back from the smoking relapse, it was harder to make up my mind to just do it, though once I did, I was very glad, very happy to be smoke-free again -- for 10 days, then the cravings struck again, just as bad as those that initially caused the relapse -- so I added WTA, and the cravings vanished and haven't returned, making it just as easy as the first time -- but without the WTA, the 2nd time would have become a 3rd and a 4th and... etc.

But any amount that a smoker can cut down, is a great and wonderful thing, and I strongly believe that pressuring and beating up on yourself about it is counterproductive in the extreme; stress makes one want, need, a cigarette, so stressing yourself about it is entirely the wrong way to go about it. Don't worry about it -- if you can substitute a vape for the smoke you want *right now*, great! If not, oh well, maybe the next one. Don't call yourself a failure if you're still trying.

Andria

 

[Martin Tenbones]

I haven't the knowledge, the time or the inclination to debate the transparency of the vaping or the tobacco industry.

I don't trust any capitalists, but I sure enjoy my new Subtank Mini!

 

[PermaPuff]

Most of it cannot be removed, although that doesn't stop your lungs from healing. Its also very likely you expelled it in other ways, i.e. spit, snot, and even your ...., when you swallow it into your stomach.

 

[edyle]

Something else I want to mention is tar. When I smoked factory cigarettes, using the same ashtray for years, an accumulation of tar would build up on the place where the cigarette sat, and every so often I'd have to scrape it off. Oddly, when I switched to RYO tobacco, this was never an issue. I used the same ashtray here at my desk for 17 years. Never had to scrape it once. I don't know how much science is behind it, but my anecdotal experience suggests that there is far less tar in RYO than the other kind of smokes. Any idea why this would be?

Yes I think I know the answer to that.
Since you use RYO tobacco maybe you can confirm yourself, that RYO if left sitting in an ashtray might actually go out, whereas the factory made cigarettes will almost always burn all the way on its own.

I believe the factory made cigs have just enough fuel added to them to enable the cigarette to burn slowly on its own without just dying out if you're not actively smoking it.