Quitting smoking and ECigs (Vaping)

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  • Roni_M
    Roni_M Posts: 717 Member
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    Just an update on me... ordered my ecig and haven't had a smoke since it arrived (March 12... so shortly after my first post). They are amazing. I am working on tapering down my nicotine level but not in a huge rush to get to zero. Got my 19yo daughter switched over too. To the negative posts above.... no one claims ecigs are 100% safe, they just claim they are much safer than smoking. When you look at the studies that the articles above posted, it's very obviously skewed. One study shows "carcinogens" but they are in trace amounts, some no more than you would find of you were trapped in a small room with a heavy breather. It's interesting that there is so much controversy about them without proper studies being done. I've read all the pros and cons I could find and my conclusion is it's much better than smoking and of course not as good as going cold turkey. However, if going cold turkey worked well for everyone no one would be smoking now! LOL
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    Good job OP...I quit using a PV (e-cig) as well...best thing I ever did and actually kick started this healthier lifestyle I'm livin'
  • SJackson50
    SJackson50 Posts: 282 Member
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    I've never smoked, but both parents did. I have no idea what it is like to have such a craving. Much congrats to those of you who are not only on this site hoping to improve your health, but looking to healthier alternatives to cigarettes.
    I believe, no matter what, it is about making HEALTHIER choices--we are never going to be perfect (my McDonald's craving is a perfect example!)...but making healthier choices leads us in the right direction.

    Best wishes, all!
  • merlewalton
    merlewalton Posts: 43 Member
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    I've been vaping nearly a year and love it. I smoked for about 20 years before I started. I'm not going to get into your study sucks type of argument but this is on the NIH website about how the exhalation of vapor is not dangerous to human health and anyone who says vaping is worse than smoking is full of it. There are hundreds of chemicals and tar in a cigarette and you are breathing in smoke... Vape juice has 2 chemicals and flavoring...

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23033998

    Good job on putting down the smokes and going to something that is to a degree healthier.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I've been vaping nearly a year and love it. I smoked for about 20 years before I started. I'm not going to get into your study sucks type of argument but this is on the NIH website about how the exhalation of vapor is not dangerous to human health and anyone who says vaping is worse than smoking is full of it. There are hundreds of chemicals and tar in a cigarette and you are breathing in smoke... Vape juice has 2 chemicals and flavoring...

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23033998

    Good job on putting down the smokes and going to something that is to a degree healthier.

    This is an old thread, but one worth commenting on again. I posted on this thread last April and I'm still smoke free. I quit smoking right around the same time as the OP...September 25, 2012 was my last cigarette.

    For me, I had tried everything else...I tried cold turkey, patches, gums, prescription meds, etc...nothing worked. I was a 2-3 PAD smoker and almost gave up even trying to quit...thought I'd just end up dead...then a buddy introduced me to the e-cig. I took to it pretty easy...not so say I didn't want to pick up a cig, but every time I got that urge I just picked up my PV.

    For me it was about harm reduction first and foremost. I had a plan in place when I started vaping to ultimately get off the vape as well, and I have. I started out with the highest nicotine level possible and puffed away on my PV like no other early on. That was me for about 12 weeks or so and then I started incrementally cutting the nicotine back to zero. I hit zero nicotine in May of 2013 and continued to vape for a few months thereafter...eventually my battery completely pooped out on me in October of 2013 and I just never bought another one so I've also been vapor free since then.

    I give a lot of credit to the e-cig for saving my life and ultimately helping me get on the right track to health and fitness. I couldn't have imagined two years ago being where I am today. I went from a beer swilling (ok, I still probably drink too much beer..but not as much as I used to), chain smokin', couch sittin' sloth to a highly motivated, getting my fitness on and rocking my nutrition 40 Lbs lighter mofo....

    I would encourage anyone looking to quit smoking to at least look into it...it may or may not be for you...but like I said...life saver for me for sure.
  • sk_pirate
    sk_pirate Posts: 282 Member
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    I see this is an older post but just reading some of these comments I must add my 0.02..particularly with the last 2 comments...First, its not wise to comment on a subject you have little knowledge on...particularly like jam and deez..Vaping is not smoking..the definition of smoking is intake of tobacco products which Vaping does not consist of...yes you can purchase Vaping liquids that contain nicotine (1 component of cigarettes) but tobacco is absent, along with all the deadly chemicals that cause cancer and various other diseases. When you smoke cigarettes you are also becoming addicted to a multitude of addictive chemicals, not just nicotine. When someone quits smoking that means they quit smoking tobacco. Vaping is called Vaping because you are inhaling vapor, not smoke. So yes, those who stop smoking cigarettes are quitting smoking and starting to Vape, plain and simple. Comments below are just plain ignorant and should be ignored. Vaping goes much deeper then those Blu e-cigs, which incidentally create a false impression by using the term "E-Cig" because they aren't cigarettes at all. Mainstream Vaping tools like Blu are designed and marketed with that E-Cig term to merely help potential customers relate to their cigarette addiction, but in reality it is a personal vaporizer. Vaping is saving millions of lives everyday and will become mainstream culture in the near future due to its amazing harm reduction characteristics. I smoked analog cigarettes for 18 years and "QUIT" cold turkey when I switched to using a personal vaporizer with a liquid juice (produces the vapor-either PG or VG along with various levels of nicotine OR without nicotine completely ....PG stands for Propylene Glycol, while VG stands for Vegetable Glycerin. These two components are what make up most of the e-liquid. Both of these main components are essentially non-toxic, meaning that they are safe for the use of human beings.)
    If you are interested in quitting and love to smoke then this is the answer. Go and research the culture first, do not just go and grab the first E-Cig you find at your local drugstore because they more than likely won't help you. Buy a personal vaporizer that uses e-liquid, you will quit immediately as it gives you the same sensation as a real cigarette, i.e. throat hit, exhale...but with zero odor or toxicity. And folks, lets not be negative and down people for switching from cigarettes because the whole point is for people to stop killing themselves. Mark my words, Vaping will eventually KILL big tobacco, as soon as people wise up. PM me if you want some good links.


    THIS THIS THIS


    I also vape. Best decision of my life!!
  • Chain_Ring
    Chain_Ring Posts: 753 Member
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    I can't imagine being addicted to anything. That sucks.
  • IVMarkIV
    IVMarkIV Posts: 116
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    Always good to see someone overcome smoking.
    Pharmacologic wise, there are a ton of options with a wide array of dosage forms: nicotine TD, NS, lozenge, inhaler, e-cigarette/atomizer, and gum, bupropion, varenicline, and then clonidine and nortriptyline both off-label use.

    The problem is always getting the right dose form and finding what best suits the person compliance wise!
  • lizpitts
    lizpitts Posts: 67 Member
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    I was finally able to quit cigarettes with an e-cig almost 4 years ago. Best thing I've ever done for myself. Currently I'm cutting down the nicotine so eventually I'll vape a non-nicotine solution. No more cough, no more cig odor, no more upper respiratory infections - plus it's WAY cheaper than cigs!
  • theguy12
    theguy12 Posts: 156
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    So I quit smoking regular cigarettes on Jan 1st. Have not smoked yet.

    With that being said my finace and I do smoke vaporizer pens BUT they are the no nicotine kind. So we are not still addicted to nicotine - just the act of smoking. We rarely use them except when we drink or around people who are smoking and get tempted. It keeps us on the right track.

    I have read every story around. There is no way that a e-cig with 3-4 chemicals if worse for you than regular cigarettes (1000's of chemicals). Granted the best option is to put nothing in your lungs but for those who aren't quite there yet - I think an e-cig is a great option.
  • blueskiesnatw
    blueskiesnatw Posts: 18
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    Nicotine is as harmful as caffeine. So not very really!
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,005 Member
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    blueskies, are you seriously saying drinking coffee is as harmful as smoking cigarettes?????
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I can't imagine being addicted to anything. That sucks.

    Yeah, it's a *****...and it never goes away. i'm almost a year and a half smoke free and I still get those urges, and often they are strong. There have been numerous occasions where I've considered just going and buying a pack just to have one cigarette and promising myself I'd throw it out after that one...but deep down I know that's now how it would go...so I just look into my kids eyes and find my strength. It does get easier, but it never goes away completely I don't think...

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  • seamonster1203
    seamonster1203 Posts: 118 Member
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    I smoked for 15 years
    Vaped for 2 years

    Currently nicotine free for almost 3 months!!! I used the taper down method to stop. My body never noticed i was trying to quit :)

    I disagree that it never goes away. I've bee craving free for about 2 months. about half the people I've known quit say they craved forever, the other half stop craving.
  • sisterlilbunny
    sisterlilbunny Posts: 691 Member
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    Haven't bought tobacco since mid Jan. Haven't had a "real" smoke for about two weeks now. I'm the kind of smoker that doesn't want to quit smoking but doesn't want the addiction so vaping has been awesome for me. I'm looking at backing down the nicotine to the lowest level this paycheck and going no nicotine in about a month. Though I will say, there's a heck of a lot more that goes into picking up vaping. Who'd have thought that VV/VW made all the difference in the world taste wise???
  • sad_kitty
    sad_kitty Posts: 84 Member
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    I've been vaping a year and 2 months now and I could not have stopped tobacco otherwise. I had tried literally everything to no avail. I started with a 510, upgraded to an Ego, now I use an SVD and rebuildables when I'm at home. I have cut my nicotine in half since last summer, and plan to drop to 6mg this spring. Because I can't find many higher VG liquids I like, I do a lot of my own DIY, which saves me considerable money. Just started exercising last week after a few months of being quite inactive and I'm so happy to report that while 2 years ago, I would have been winded just trying to keep up with the lady in my workout DVD, yesterday I did the whole thing without a single wheeze.

    While I wouldn't advocate non smokers to try vaping, I honestly feel it is a healthier option than tobacco smoking.
  • JCLondonUK
    JCLondonUK Posts: 159
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    I see this is an older post but just reading some of these comments I must add my 0.02..particularly with the last 2 comments...First, its not wise to comment on a subject you have little knowledge on...particularly like jam and deez..Vaping is not smoking..the definition of smoking is intake of tobacco products which Vaping does not consist of...yes you can purchase Vaping liquids that contain nicotine (1 component of cigarettes) but tobacco is absent, along with all the deadly chemicals that cause cancer and various other diseases. When you smoke cigarettes you are also becoming addicted to a multitude of addictive chemicals, not just nicotine. When someone quits smoking that means they quit smoking tobacco. Vaping is called Vaping because you are inhaling vapor, not smoke. So yes, those who stop smoking cigarettes are quitting smoking and starting to Vape, plain and simple. Comments below are just plain ignorant and should be ignored. Vaping goes much deeper then those Blu e-cigs, which incidentally create a false impression by using the term "E-Cig" because they aren't cigarettes at all. Mainstream Vaping tools like Blu are designed and marketed with that E-Cig term to merely help potential customers relate to their cigarette addiction, but in reality it is a personal vaporizer. Vaping is saving millions of lives everyday and will become mainstream culture in the near future due to its amazing harm reduction characteristics. I smoked analog cigarettes for 18 years and "QUIT" cold turkey when I switched to using a personal vaporizer with a liquid juice (produces the vapor-either PG or VG along with various levels of nicotine OR without nicotine completely ....PG stands for Propylene Glycol, while VG stands for Vegetable Glycerin. These two components are what make up most of the e-liquid. Both of these main components are essentially non-toxic, meaning that they are safe for the use of human beings.)
    If you are interested in quitting and love to smoke then this is the answer. Go and research the culture first, do not just go and grab the first E-Cig you find at your local drugstore because they more than likely won't help you. Buy a personal vaporizer that uses e-liquid, you will quit immediately as it gives you the same sensation as a real cigarette, i.e. throat hit, exhale...but with zero odor or toxicity. And folks, lets not be negative and down people for switching from cigarettes because the whole point is for people to stop killing themselves. Mark my words, Vaping will eventually KILL big tobacco, as soon as people wise up. PM me if you want some good links.


    THIS THIS THIS

    +1

    I switched to vaping almost a year ago, and haven't been interested in a cigarette since (after 30+ years of smoking). I had no interest in giving up smoking. I just got an e-cig to play with, and that was that. I shocked myself (as well as my friends)! And not only is it a helluva lot cheaper, but my god does it make exercise easier when you don't smoke! It's great, and I agree, vaping is the future. :-)


    I also vape. Best decision of my life!!
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
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    I see this is an older post but just reading some of these comments I must add my 0.02..particularly with the last 2 comments...First, its not wise to comment on a subject you have little knowledge on...particularly like jam and deez..Vaping is not smoking..the definition of smoking is intake of tobacco products which Vaping does not consist of...yes you can purchase Vaping liquids that contain nicotine (1 component of cigarettes) but tobacco is absent, along with all the deadly chemicals that cause cancer and various other diseases. When you smoke cigarettes you are also becoming addicted to a multitude of addictive chemicals, not just nicotine. When someone quits smoking that means they quit smoking tobacco. Vaping is called Vaping because you are inhaling vapor, not smoke. So yes, those who stop smoking cigarettes are quitting smoking and starting to Vape, plain and simple. Comments below are just plain ignorant and should be ignored. Vaping goes much deeper then those Blu e-cigs, which incidentally create a false impression by using the term "E-Cig" because they aren't cigarettes at all. Mainstream Vaping tools like Blu are designed and marketed with that E-Cig term to merely help potential customers relate to their cigarette addiction, but in reality it is a personal vaporizer. Vaping is saving millions of lives everyday and will become mainstream culture in the near future due to its amazing harm reduction characteristics. I smoked analog cigarettes for 18 years and "QUIT" cold turkey when I switched to using a personal vaporizer with a liquid juice (produces the vapor-either PG or VG along with various levels of nicotine OR without nicotine completely ....PG stands for Propylene Glycol, while VG stands for Vegetable Glycerin. These two components are what make up most of the e-liquid. Both of these main components are essentially non-toxic, meaning that they are safe for the use of human beings.)
    If you are interested in quitting and love to smoke then this is the answer. Go and research the culture first, do not just go and grab the first E-Cig you find at your local drugstore because they more than likely won't help you. Buy a personal vaporizer that uses e-liquid, you will quit immediately as it gives you the same sensation as a real cigarette, i.e. throat hit, exhale...but with zero odor or toxicity. And folks, lets not be negative and down people for switching from cigarettes because the whole point is for people to stop killing themselves. Mark my words, Vaping will eventually KILL big tobacco, as soon as people wise up. PM me if you want some good links.

    He saved me from having to type all of this, very much this! ^^^^

    And for those who are trying to claim that these are bad for you, trust me when I say traditional smoking is way worse. I do not know why anyone would smoke traditional cigarettes anymore.

    I took up ecigs to replace my traditional cigs and was not planning on giving it up, but one day I realized I had not hit it in a couple of months.

    I also gained 8 lbs when I stopped smoking due to my incredible appetite. I found that bee pollen helped me suppress my appetite with out making me feel like I was on drugs, it also helped with allergy symptoms when spring rolled around.

    For all of you that want to throw out your opinion and tell people not to go the ecig route, just stop it. There are people that will keep smoking traditional cigs when people start spouting that crap. An addict will use any excuse they can to keep up with their bad habits. I was talking to a woman on oxygen at Costco last year when she was picking up her COPD meds. I could smell the smoke on her and I told her about the ecig, to which she replied she heard they were bad. Seriously? You are on oxygen and still firing up?
  • JCLondonUK
    JCLondonUK Posts: 159
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    I can't imagine being addicted to anything. That sucks.

    Nice to know there's a saint in the MFP community. Congratulations on being perfect, and I'm sure everyone is grateful for your helpful post.
  • StraubreyR
    StraubreyR Posts: 631 Member
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    Another Vaper here, since October 2010. Never thought I would be able to quit cigarettes, but honestly I'm not even tempted anymore. I may try to dial down the nic, but I just find I hit the e-cig less frequently anyhow, so not too worried about it. I use REOs box mods, and mix my own liquid. Sure e-cigs may not be perfectly safe, but NOTHING in life is. It's magnitudes better than analogs.

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