Views on vaping and electronic cigarettes

[Goofproof]

Just smoke "Crack", it's much faster. Jim

[Krelvin]

You can see all the employees gather outside in the smoking areas and easily see who is using electronic cigs. Funny to see them out there when it is 110°F or very cold. You have to work on that bad habit.

A smart thing to never start.

[palerider]

You don't have to quit overnight, you can taper down over time, as long as you keep going until you're off completely, but I don't believe the answer is more nicotine, a

the *point* of the ecigs, if used to wean oneself off cigarettes, is that the refills come with varying amounts of nicotine, and thus you DO taper down to nothing over time.

[Julie]

Well, I've heard that some do, but I've also seen many who just end up 'smoking' e-cigs... kind of like methadone - hooked is hooked, but I'm not trying to preach, just passing on what I've heard... and up here there's a lot of controversy (and pending laws) about e-cigs because of the possibly dangerous chemicals that are in plenty of them, so maybe I am biased.

[BlackSpinner]

Well, I've heard that some do, but I've also seen many who just end up 'smoking' e-cigs... kind of like methadone - hooked is hooked, but I'm not trying to preach, just passing on what I've heard... and up here there's a lot of controversy (and pending laws) about e-cigs because of the chemicals etc. that are in plenty of them, so maybe I'm biased!

Irrelevant. In any case both methadone and e-cigarettes work in dealing with the addiction. They prevent the worst health issues.

Smoking is not just a physical addiction, it is also a learned and social behaviour. With smoking there are many social triggers, like coffee and a cigarette after dinner. The e-cig satisfies that urge. Twelve years after quitting my daughter still finds that the most difficult part.

[Julie]

Absolutely agree that the psychological part is as least, if not more, of the problem... but there are also ways to deal with that - programs, CBT, substitutions (other than e cigs) - but if you don't do them, they can't help you. My point was more about trading one addiction for a new one and not being able to drop that, and that a lot of the e-cig 'juice' potentially has at least as harmful stuff in it as regular cigs. I don't think that's irrelevant. In the end you have to let go, of one or the other, unless you want to be a slave to e-cigs forever too.

[chunkyfrog]

Bullfrog quit (the last time) on Good Friday, 1972.
He went cold turkey.
A very grumpy turkey for a week or so.

[otrpu]

Julie. . .yur full of it this time. If you've never smoked, you probably haven't a clue. Not to be unkind, but generalizations rarely fly. I doubt I'll change your opinion much, but regrettably I smoked tobacco alittle more than 50 years. And was convinced I'd never quit. No brag, just fact.

About 8 years ago I accidently learned of e-Cigs. Ordered a very popular brand of that time. It arrived, I charged it up, loaded a supplied cartridge, took one puff. Told Wifey. . ."using this I can switch off tobacco".

Being the cheap SOG that I am, I ordered the base chemicals and flavors and mixed my own E-liquid. Mostly so I knew what was in what I was inhaling. Also, I could methodically taper my way out of nicotine content.

Long story shortened. . .took me years, but I haven't used tobacco or an E-cig for over 6 years.

What's absurd to me is now they want to make E-cigs illegal, yet want to legalize pot. JMHO

otrpu

[BlackSpinner]

Absolutely agree that the psychological part is as least, if not more, of the problem... but there are also ways to deal with that - programs, CBT, substitutions (other than e cigs) - but if you don't do them, they can't help you. My point was more about trading one addiction for a new one and not being able to drop that, and that a lot of the e-cig 'juice' potentially has at least as harmful stuff in it as regular cigs. I don't think that's irrelevant. In the end you have to let go, of one or the other, unless you want to be a slave to e-cigs forever too.

That is what controlling addiction is all about. Making small steps. If it was easy it wouldn't be so hard to do it . It is not easy, it is a long hard slog that never ends because the moment you lose focus you are back where you were. The slightest stress in the person's life can put them back where they were. E-cigs, methadone and other medication help along the way, they make the path a bit easier.

The problem you have is that e-cigs look like cheating to you, it looks like people can have their cake and eat it too. But that is YOUR problem, and your moralizing will actual cause more problems for people.

[Julie]

I think you mean 'Julie', and I smoked for over 50 yrs and went through various smokender programs and patches and pills and whatever. I quit when I had a reason to quit beyond health (I've never been affected at all that way so there was no push there), but the 'reason' went away very soon afterward, and I wanted to start again, but told myself how dumb that would be (and who the hell can afford it anymore anyhow), but it was never easy. I tried e-cigs but for me they did nothing (with or without nic. inside) because they weren't 'like' cigarettes... just heavy sticks that needed tending. I'm SO glad they do work for some people, but that doesn't change what I believe - that if you want to quit smoking, you have to quit nicotine and the psychol. part has to be dealt with separately. If e cigs work for some (congrats to you!) terrific, but for me they just added to the mess. CBT did help, as did other things, but I guess we all have to find our own motivation and methods.

You apparently agree with me that nicotine had to be cut back, only your way (instead of just using e.g. patches) was to mix up some DIY stuff that you, not an MD I presume, decided would work and it did, but the point is that you needed to quit tobacco/nicotine by tapering off, the same thing I suggested. Just because I disagree with your method doesn't make my way wrong!

Me moralize Blackspinner? You need to be here to understand just how ridiculous that is, but if I was inarticulate enough to sound that way I am sorry... not at all the point of anything I said or meant.

[otrpu]

Julie,
I apologize.
Cheers,
otrpu

[chunkyfrog]

I understand we have the technology to block the buzz,
but something is preventing products from being developed.
--just another conspiracy . . . ?

[Julie]

Accepted. Thanks.

[JasonK94Z]

Julie has already made up her mind that ecigs are bad and will only search out articles that will support her opinion.

Can't fix stupid.

[Stormynights]

Years ago, they started putting additives in the tobacco to make you crave more cigarettes. They have never stopped but when they advertised cigarettes on television Winston stated in their adds that they were now additive free. If they really wanted people to stop smoking, they would never allow any such additive to be added in the first place. I mixed my own ecig juice too. How can they tax what you can mix up yourself. If they could you would never hear any complaints at all. It is all about money. They want to shame you and tax you. I find it strange that now it is not harmful to smoke pot but secondhand smoke is worse than smoking. They say that women are more likely to get cancer from second hand smoke than men. How many men stick their heads in ovens and showers after spraying cleaners so strong you can't breathe? Smoking is supposed to be the only cause of lung cancer. I am not saying that smoking is not harmful. That is not my point at all. Money talks.