Why Didn't I Simply Just Stop Smoking???

[Woodsman]

I did...numerous times. Usually when I felt like tormenting myself with an attempt doomed to failure.

My last hope was the book "The Easy Way To Stop Smoking" by Allen Carr. He defeated a 30+ year heavy habit, and claims to have discovered the secret...which he will share at his Easyway Clinics, with a money-back guarantee. Or, you can read the book, and by the end of the book, you'll be ready to toss the smokes...painlessly!

But, I had the book around for about a year and only made it to page 40. About that time, I had a great idea to use patches while vaping zero nicotine juice (I had some around, plus some Clearomizer setups). That worked for about three months, with a couple of small "slips."

After three months, my patches were about to run out, so I was faced with a choice...more patches, or nicotine vaping. I chose the latter.

Eventually, I intend to return to patches and zero nicotine juice. But not today.

Edited June 30: Okay, maybe I'm all right with some nicotine in my life, after all. My recent research has led me to this change of view.

 

[NYNURSE]

About the only plus I can see for a patch/vape combo is not increasing your nicotine intake. If you can get patches dirt cheap or free, thats great. If you are paying full price, thats another story. Nicted juice is far cheaper (and in my opinion, safer). Personaly, anything thats cuts out the cigarettes is going to be better no matter how you look at it. When you are ready and willing to give up the nicotine, you will. Until then, you are tabacco free. Walk tall and proud.

 

[Whiskey]

Everyone is different in what helps with the nic urges, went from 24mg juice to 18 and now flirting with 12mg, If I get it down to 6, I'll have reached the goal I set for myself, no urge to quit the nic altogether but down to 6mg I may be able to if I want, never tried the patch, never will. I'm not giving those companies a penny of my money

 

[rolltidevaper]

I'm sure my journey is not unique. I tried "cigalikes" a couple of times with no luck. I saw someone with an ego around their neck and decided to give that a try. My local vapeshop (smoke shop that sold ego's and juice) suggested that I start with the highest nicotine possible. I did and for a long time vaped 24mg (but within 2 weeks stopped smoking completely). Still much safer than smoking. That was 1 year and 2 months ago. Vaporjoe pimped a deal for a Kayfun clone for $6. Couldn't resist a bargain and thus began my rebuilding career. But, the nic was wayeeeeeeee too strong (I was at 18mg at this time). Now I'm at 6 and sometimes 3mg. Whatever gets you off and keeps you off the "killer sticks".

 

[UncleRJ]

When I started vaping, I was a "Fat Bellied Stogie Sucker"

I was smoking those dreadful little cigars (and on occasion the big ones) that cost 99 cents a pack.

And I was tearing the filters off of them.

I started out at 36mg of nic.

I am now down to 6mg and plan on making it to the BIG ZERO!

 

[martinelias]

To answer the question. Lack of will power, plain and simple. That and stubborness to keep habits that do damage only for thosr couple of minutes of bliss.
Vaping was a godsend for me. Started at 18-24, gradually brought it down to 3mg. Granted, the clouds i blow now are about 100 times larger than the clouds i blew then.

 

[Woodsman]

I decided I'm okay with some nicotine after reading the latest research:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/195347257/Nicotine-and-Health
And I decided to quit being a double dipper. No more of my money to support Big Tobacco!

 

[Woodsman]

About the only plus I can see for a patch/vape combo is not increasing your nicotine intake. If you can get patches dirt cheap or free, thats great. If you are paying full price, thats another story. Nicted juice is far cheaper (and in my opinion, safer). Personaly, anything thats cuts out the cigarettes is going to be better no matter how you look at it. When you are ready and willing to give up the nicotine, you will. Until then, you are tabacco free. Walk tall and proud.

Right. Nic juice costs the same as no nic juice, and patches cost at least $2 per day (cheaper from eBay).

 

[Drone]

Stop stressing over nicotine. Nicotine isn't going to kill you, it's the 3,999 other chemicals in cigarettes that are going to kill you. Enjoy the nicotine while getting over all the bad shit that cigarettes contain and when you are comfortable with not smoking cigs... then address nicotine if you wish. Nicotine is the least harmful thing in cigs. Nicotine is not the primary focus for stopping the cig habit, the shit that will kill you in cigs are primary focus for quitting.

Nicotine is, and always has been, labeled as GRAS by the FDA. That's Generally Regarded As Safe. It is considered to be as harmful as caffeine in coffee by the FDA. I'm not sure why so many are so focused on nicotine, when they should be focused on the stuff that will kill your ass dead in cigs.

If you don't want nicotine in your life that's fine, but set that as a secondary goal and get rid of the primary threat of all the other stuff in cigs first. Once you are sure your are rid of the cig habit... say in a year or so, then decide what you want to do with nicotine. Like I said, nicotine is not going to kill you and if you quit cigs and all the bad shit that will kill you, you will be around in a year to decide what you want to do with nicotine. Focus on the really bad shit before you try to kick the shit that isn't going to harm you and you will be successful. Try to kick it all at once and your odds of being successful are dramatically reduced.

Think harm reduction for a year by keeping the nicotine, then consider harm elimination. Oh, and consider quitting coffee, tea, and soda then too since that's as bad as nicotine if that's the way you feel.

 

[Teresa P]

Before vaping, I'd quit smoking four times, three of those cold turkey. You see, quitting is easy - staying quit is the part I had a problem with. Patches didn't last long with me, as in the two weeks I was able to use them I discovered my allergy to latex. Between nic withdrawals and digging at the itchy, red circles those patches left on various parts of my body, I was not a very pleasant person to be around so tried going without and failed miserably.
Quitting smokes never worked for the plain and simple reason that I have an addictive personality. As a child, it started with food. As a teen, it escalated to diet pills to counteract the effects of addiction #1. And after developing an immunity to addiction #2, worse things lurked around the corner. At the ripe old age of 19, I decided smoking was the way to go to drop a few pounds because anyone I'd ever known who stopped smoking gained a lot of weight. In my twisted mind, that should work in reverse. Duh....
In my late 20's I came to the realization that I was slowly killing myself, so I stopped it all - except the cigs. I just had to have that one thing that I was in control of to keep me sane and they were cheap and legal, so there I was. Till two years ago when my mother made a few trips to the ER and was diagnosed with COPD and emphysema. She was 71 at the time and had smoked since the age of 18 and had always said she'd never quit, it was the one thing in life she truly enjoyed. Those experiences, a ton of expensive medication, and the prospect of living out her life permanently attached to oxygen made her change her mind. She's been smoke free for over two years, but is still saddled with the meds and nighttime oxygen. Watching her go through all this, the brick hit me in the head that I was looking at her and seeing my future. Something had to give, as I had been choking and wheezing for many years anyway. And I also wear the guilt of living with an asthmatic husband, watching him struggle for air every day, even though he's never smoked a day of his life. That should be me....
Bought a Blu kit at the gas station and of course it was wasted money. Those aren't for hardcore smokers, as we all know. I ordered an Imperial eGo kit from eBay, bounced around with nicotine levels for a month, settled on 30mg, and that was all she wrote - I was done.
Today I'm down to 6mg. Do I ever intend to stop completely? I doubt it. If the addictive personality has to have SOMETHING, then this is the kindest thing I can oblige it with and still remain among the living. So I certainly wouldn't fret over any aspect of vaping, my friend, because the alternatives will assuredly kill you or worse - and there are worse states to be in than death.

 

[SteveW]

If you could smoke with absolutely no negative consequences (no cost, no risk of harm, no judgment from nonsmokers, etc.), would you have continued? I loved smoking, but not the damage to my body. Vaping is, for me, a great way to keep what I enjoyed about smoking, without causing anywhere the harm (presumably). Coming to terms with the idea that I actually liked smoking allowed me to consider a healthier alternative.
I started at 18mg 6 months ago and am now at 3mg. Could I stop vaping entirely? Sure. Do I want to? Absolutely not.

 

[Woodsman]

Stop stressing over nicotine. Nicotine isn't going to kill you, it's the 3,999 other chemicals in cigarettes that are going to kill you. Enjoy the nicotine while getting over all the bad shit that cigarettes contain and when you are comfortable with not smoking cigs... then address nicotine if you wish. Nicotine is the least harmful thing in cigs. Nicotine is not the primary focus for stopping the cig habit, the shit that will kill you in cigs are primary focus for quitting.

Nicotine is, and always has been, labeled as GRAS by the FDA. That's Generally Regarded As Safe. It is considered to be as harmful as caffeine in coffee by the FDA. I'm not sure why so many are so focused on nicotine, when they should be focused on the stuff that will kill your ass dead in cigs.

If you don't want nicotine in your life that's fine, but set that as a secondary goal and get rid of the primary threat of all the other stuff in cigs first. Once you are sure your are rid of the cig habit... say in a year or so, then decide what you want to do with nicotine. Like I said, nicotine is not going to kill you and if you quit cigs and all the bad shit that will kill you, you will be around in a year to decide what you want to do with nicotine. Focus on the really bad shit before you try to kick the shit that isn't going to harm you and you will be successful. Try to kick it all at once and your odds of being successful are dramatically reduced.

Think harm reduction for a year by keeping the nicotine, then consider harm elimination. Oh, and consider quitting coffee, tea, and soda then too since that's as bad as nicotine if that's the way you feel.

Right On, Man!!

 

[Woodsman]

Before vaping, I'd quit smoking four times, three of those cold turkey. You see, quitting is easy - staying quit is the part I had a problem with. Patches didn't last long with me, as in the two weeks I was able to use them I discovered my allergy to latex. Between nic withdrawals and digging at the itchy, red circles those patches left on various parts of my body, I was not a very pleasant person to be around so tried going without and failed miserably.
Quitting smokes never worked for the plain and simple reason that I have an addictive personality. As a child, it started with food. As a teen, it escalated to diet pills to counteract the effects of addiction #1. And after developing an immunity to addiction #2, worse things lurked around the corner. At the ripe old age of 19, I decided smoking was the way to go to drop a few pounds because anyone I'd ever known who stopped smoking gained a lot of weight. In my twisted mind, that should work in reverse. Duh....
In my late 20's I came to the realization that I was slowly killing myself, so I stopped it all - except the cigs. I just had to have that one thing that I was in control of to keep me sane and they were cheap and legal, so there I was. Till two years ago when my mother made a few trips to the ER and was diagnosed with COPD and emphysema. She was 71 at the time and had smoked since the age of 18 and had always said she'd never quit, it was the one thing in life she truly enjoyed. Those experiences, a ton of expensive medication, and the prospect of living out her life permanently attached to oxygen made her change her mind. She's been smoke free for over two years, but is still saddled with the meds and nighttime oxygen. Watching her go through all this, the brick hit me in the head that I was looking at her and seeing my future. Something had to give, as I had been choking and wheezing for many years anyway. And I also wear the guilt of living with an asthmatic husband, watching him struggle for air every day, even though he's never smoked a day of his life. That should be me....
Bought a Blu kit at the gas station and of course it was wasted money. Those aren't for hardcore smokers, as we all know. I ordered an Imperial eGo kit from eBay, bounced around with nicotine levels for a month, settled on 30mg, and that was all she wrote - I was done.
Today I'm down to 6mg. Do I ever intend to stop completely? I doubt it. If the addictive personality has to have SOMETHING, then this is the kindest thing I can oblige it with and still remain among the living. So I certainly wouldn't fret over any aspect of vaping, my friend, because the alternatives will assuredly kill you or worse - and there are worse states to be in than death.

Well Said!! Thank you for sharing so much!!
I can envision living to a ripe old age to enjoy many more tasty vapes.
I could not envision living to a ripe old age if I stuck with the stinkies.
Interesting how often I hear people saying that vaping is bad, as they suck on a stinky.
I think I smell the hand of Big Tobacco at work.
Like the twisted research published in the NEJM that created an unrealistic vape scenario in order to arrive at the results that Big Tobacco wanted them to arrive at.
Like you, I have an addictive personality. I agree that I need to feed it something, and nicotine and caffeine seem to keep it happy.
Imagine if caffeine were placed into a poisonous product that people destroyed themselves with, just for the sake of their need for caffeine...
Luckily, that's not the case, as coffee isn't poisonous.

 

[outwest]

Had a person tell me that ecigs are worse than caveman sticks. His wife interjected and asked, "why?" He replied that it was because they had nicotine. Um, what???? I just kept my mouth shut cause wasn't worth the argument.

 

[Woodsman]

If you could smoke with absolutely no negative consequences (no cost, no risk of harm, no judgment from nonsmokers, etc.), would you have continued? I loved smoking, but not the damage to my body. Vaping is, for me, a great way to keep what I enjoyed about smoking, without causing anywhere the harm (presumably). Coming to terms with the idea that I actually liked smoking allowed me to consider a healthier alternative.
I started at 18mg 6 months ago and am now at 3mg. Could I stop vaping entirely? Sure. Do I want to? Absolutely not.

Guess I don't want to stop vaping, either. Guess I'm embracing vaping as a rest-of-my-life pleasure. And, guess I'm losing my worry about nicotine. So, thanks, everyone!!

 

[Woodsman]

Had a person tell me that ecigs are worse than caveman sticks. His wife interjected and asked, "why?" He replied that it was because they had nicotine. Um, what???? I just kept my mouth shut cause wasn't worth the argument.

Lots of misinformation and irrational beliefs floating around out there...

 

[Willbo]

I gave up smoking a lot of times: hypnotism (3 times), Allen Carr, Group therapy (cringey), cigalikes (lasted 4 days til I realised Id prefer a cig) cold turkey (numerous times, the last 5 of which all were within about 3 months and each lasted about 4 days, as you can imagine I drove myself doolally with that one)......None of them worked long term for the simple reason....alcohol, Im not even much of a drinker but 70% of my times falling off of the wagon were after a drink or two. I actually gave up giving up....until my friend bought me an ego and tank for Christmas. I approached skeptically especially after the cigalikes....yet I gave up within THREE cigarettes! We dont yet know the full extent danger wise or health wise of vaping and I dont want to even go in to that. For me it has been a bit of an arduous journey going through faulty tanks, awful cloned mods, some awful juices such as (like a total cock jockey) buying 500ml of banana custard as it looked a great deal.....took 4 months to get through (and still threw away almost 100ml) and I never did taste any banana! But 6 months later I have my work, morning and dog walking and go to at home set ups that Im happy enough with to no longer look to buy anymore hardware, 3 juice vendor companies I like (lost count of the number of vendor juices I have tried yet I could name on just 1 hand, with change, the amount that have blown me away) and now also an exciting hobby of making DIY recipes (mixed up over 12 already, tried 3 and all 3 have been good so far) and a keen interest in trying to make my own recipes (perhaps foolishly already tried to replicate two fruit juices I like from local supermarket apple and rhubarb and apple and ginger, and it was foolishly as I managed to mix up rhubarb and ginger!). The long and short of what I am saying isnot smokins is great and we are all very fortunate to have the option of vaping as personalyl its been the easiest way to stop and it is also something I can do with an alcoholic drink which solves the main problem. SO far it hasnt been any cheaper for me than smoking, probably more expensive, but now I have happy set ups and have found this wonderful site and such imaginative mixers kindly sharing there creations......I have a great new hobby and WILL finally start saving money **fist pumps the air while exhaling a rather gay sounding "yay"**

 

[UncleRJ]

Had a person tell me that ecigs are worse than caveman sticks. His wife interjected and asked, "why?" He replied that it was because they had nicotine. Um, what???? I just kept my mouth shut cause wasn't worth the argument.

It must be hard to go to bed "STOOPID" every night

 

[cthulhufan]

I quit cold turkey before for 1.5 years. Then some shit came up and it bit me in the ass and I was back to smoking 2 packs a day. WORSE than that, I was rolling my own and avoiding taxes (because to hell with that).

I chose, for this quit, to recognize that I have an addiction and I choose to make it as least harmful as possible.

Okay, perhaps vaping is more harmful than breathing "air". I can tell you one fucking thing; vaping is less harmful than smoking. At least in the short term, my body is much healthier; long term I guess we'll see but I'm willing to bet my life that vaping is orders of magnitude less harmful.

 

[Swerved]

I smoked a pack and a half to 2 packs/day for the better part of 30 years, with the exception of a few cold-turkey bouts where I quit for anywhere between 6 months to 2 years. Unfortunately, what ultimately brought me back to the analogs was drinking. Not just having a beer here or there, but generally a combination of drinking plus a festive atmosphere, in particular it was tailgating at football games. For some reason, a big game would come along and after a day of debauchery, I would inevitably find myself saying, "well just one smoke won't hurt"... We all know how this story plays out.

So, in March-April of this year I decided to try vaping. It wasn't so much because I was looking to quit smoking but because I was curious about it and had several friends that tried it and swore by it. I figured if it would help me cut down at the least then it was a win-win, as smoking was taking a toll on me health-wise. I was really starting to notice the physical effects, not to mention waking up in the middle of the night and almost choking to death only to light one up as soon as I finished coughing up a lung. It was madness.

So to make a long story a little longer, I started vaping about 2 and a half months ago. Haven't touched a cigarette in over 2 months.. Started about 24mg/ml and worked my way down. I've made it down to 3mg and really it hasn't bothered me much if any at all. I'll probably stay here for a while because I do vape heavily (instead of smoking heavily) but mainly because I just bought some nicotine for my DYI setup and I don't want to waste it.. go figure.

The added bonus of all this is I have found a new hobby it would seem.

 

[cthulhufan]

I smoked a pack and a half to 2 packs/day for the better part of 30 years, with the exception of a few cold-turkey bouts where I quit for anywhere between 6 months to 2 years. Unfortunately, what ultimately brought me back to the analogs was drinking. Not just having a beer here or there, but generally a combination of drinking plus a festive atmosphere, in particular it was tailgating at football games. For some reason, a big game would come along and after a day of debauchery, I would inevitably find myself saying, "well just one smoke won't hurt"... We all know how this story plays out.

So, in March-April of this year I decided to try vaping. It wasn't so much because I was looking to quit smoking but because I was curious about it and had several friends that tried it and swore by it. I figured if it would help me cut down at the least then it was a win-win, as smoking was taking a toll on me health-wise. I was really starting to notice the physical effects, not to mention waking up in the middle of the night and almost choking to death only to light one up as soon as I finished coughing up a lung. It was madness.

So to make a long story a little longer, I started vaping about 2 and a half months ago. Haven't touched a cigarette in over 2 months.. Started about 24mg/ml and worked my way down. I've made it down to 3mg and really it hasn't bothered me much if any at all. I'll probably stay here for a while because I do vape heavily (instead of smoking heavily) but mainly because I just bought some nicotine for my DYI setup and I don't want to waste it.. go figure.

The added bonus of all this is I have found a new hobby it would seem.

And that, sir, is what this is all about.

 

[Woodsman]

Had a person tell me that ecigs are worse than caveman sticks. His wife interjected and asked, "why?" He replied that it was because they had nicotine. Um, what???? I just kept my mouth shut cause wasn't worth the argument.

According to this video, 40% of physicians believe that nicotine is the acting carcinogen in cigarettes:

 

[Woodsman]

I gave up smoking a lot of times: hypnotism (3 times), Allen Carr, Group therapy (cringey), cigalikes (lasted 4 days til I realised Id prefer a cig) cold turkey (numerous times, the last 5 of which all were within about 3 months and each lasted about 4 days, as you can imagine I drove myself doolally with that one)......None of them worked long term for the simple reason....alcohol, Im not even much of a drinker but 70% of my times falling off of the wagon were after a drink or two. I actually gave up giving up....until my friend bought me an ego and tank for Christmas. I approached skeptically especially after the cigalikes....yet I gave up within THREE cigarettes! We dont yet know the full extent danger wise or health wise of vaping and I dont want to even go in to that. For me it has been a bit of an arduous journey going through faulty tanks, awful cloned mods, some awful juices such as (like a total cock jockey) buying 500ml of banana custard as it looked a great deal.....took 4 months to get through (and still threw away almost 100ml) and I never did taste any banana! But 6 months later I have my work, morning and dog walking and go to at home set ups that Im happy enough with to no longer look to buy anymore hardware, 3 juice vendor companies I like (lost count of the number of vendor juices I have tried yet I could name on just 1 hand, with change, the amount that have blown me away) and now also an exciting hobby of making DIY recipes (mixed up over 12 already, tried 3 and all 3 have been good so far) and a keen interest in trying to make my own recipes (perhaps foolishly already tried to replicate two fruit juices I like from local supermarket apple and rhubarb and apple and ginger, and it was foolishly as I managed to mix up rhubarb and ginger!). The long and short of what I am saying isnot smokins is great and we are all very fortunate to have the option of vaping as personalyl its been the easiest way to stop and it is also something I can do with an alcoholic drink which solves the main problem. SO far it hasnt been any cheaper for me than smoking, probably more expensive, but now I have happy set ups and have found this wonderful site and such imaginative mixers kindly sharing there creations......I have a great new hobby and WILL finally start saving money **fist pumps the air while exhaling a rather gay sounding "yay"**

I agree that saving money doesn't happen right away.
One thing I notice is that when temporary poverty strikes, the Vaper needs only juice and batteries. The Smoker needs a huge stash of tobacco, and most smokers don't hoard tobacco (especially cigarettes at close to $10/pack).
I've found a good vape juice and setup. Now I kick myself for buying stuff I can see now I didn't need, but that's part of the journey.
Actually, I feel better about vaping now. I've been giving it some thought, reading some posts, and watching some videos. Yes. Vaping is a good solution for me at this time, and for the foreseeable future.

 

[Woodsman]

I quit cold turkey before for 1.5 years. Then some shit came up and it bit me in the ass and I was back to smoking 2 packs a day. WORSE than that, I was rolling my own and avoiding taxes (because to hell with that).

I chose, for this quit, to recognize that I have an addiction and I choose to make it as least harmful as possible.

Okay, perhaps vaping is more harmful than breathing "air". I can tell you one fucking thing; vaping is less harmful than smoking. At least in the short term, my body is much healthier; long term I guess we'll see but I'm willing to bet my life that vaping is orders of magnitude less harmful.

It's difficult for me to admit I need nicotine. But, apparently I do. Some people don't. Maybe it's a genetic thing.
I've been focused on learning more about tobacco versus vaping. This needs to sink in fully.

 

[Drone]

Great video @Woodsman . Thanks for posting that. I hear so many vapers focused on nicotine and not realizing where the real harm of tobacco products come from it makes me insane. If even doctors buy into the lie, where does that leave the poor bastards that really need to quit? They think they have to quit everything at once, and consequently doom themselves to failure to quit...again and again... with a lot of pain and frustration along the way.

I'm not saying nicotine is a great lifetime solution for many, it might not be. But if you separate the smoking from the nicotine and tackle one problem at a time (the smoking part) most folks can kick the habit without much pain and can keep smoke free. Then when comfortable with vaping and not smoking, they can cut back or eliminate nicotine if they wish.

It's interesting that it seems almost universal that within the first year of vaping, and not smoking, folks will naturally start reducing their nicotine levels. It seems to be a normal progression to start at 18 or 24mg/ml of nic when quitting and then after a few months dropping to 12mg, and then a few months later to 6 or 3mg. We self medicate with nicotine and only take in the amount we seem to need. If you take to much nic you get headaches and stomach issues that tells you to back off. You don't need to be told to do it, you just do it for your own comfort level. No one dies from over medicating with nicotine, it's too uncomfortable... so we tend to naturally reduce to a nic level that is comfortable for us.

As we become more experienced vapers we also tend to get devices that produce more clouds, this also has a big effect on how much nic we use. If you are producing 2 times the vapor you naturally tend to reduce the nicotine since you are getting more nic with each puff. It's the same self medicating theory, and once again it's your body dictating what it needs and it's not like you have to reduce your nic level, you just feel comfortable doing so.

Many of us (including me) will probably never quit nicotine altogether. As hard as it is to believe, there are some significant positive benefits to nicotine like an anti depressant, anti ADD medication allowing better focus (and better quality of life as a result), significant reduction of dementia and Alzheimers symptoms and progression (and yes there are many peer reviewed studies showing this). So there may be reasons to choose to continue with nicotine. And others will choose not to. But I don't think nicotine should ever be seen as the primary focus of quitting smoking, it's the lie that just won't die.

 

[Woodsman]

I smoked a pack and a half to 2 packs/day for the better part of 30 years, with the exception of a few cold-turkey bouts where I quit for anywhere between 6 months to 2 years. Unfortunately, what ultimately brought me back to the analogs was drinking. Not just having a beer here or there, but generally a combination of drinking plus a festive atmosphere, in particular it was tailgating at football games. For some reason, a big game would come along and after a day of debauchery, I would inevitably find myself saying, "well just one smoke won't hurt"... We all know how this story plays out.

So, in March-April of this year I decided to try vaping. It wasn't so much because I was looking to quit smoking but because I was curious about it and had several friends that tried it and swore by it. I figured if it would help me cut down at the least then it was a win-win, as smoking was taking a toll on me health-wise. I was really starting to notice the physical effects, not to mention waking up in the middle of the night and almost choking to death only to light one up as soon as I finished coughing up a lung. It was madness.

So to make a long story a little longer, I started vaping about 2 and a half months ago. Haven't touched a cigarette in over 2 months.. Started about 24mg/ml and worked my way down. I've made it down to 3mg and really it hasn't bothered me much if any at all. I'll probably stay here for a while because I do vape heavily (instead of smoking heavily) but mainly because I just bought some nicotine for my DYI setup and I don't want to waste it.. go figure.

The added bonus of all this is I have found a new hobby it would seem.

What I've been reading and learning since I began this thread has led me to back off on my stated intention to return to patches and no nic juice. What I've been learning is that nicotine itself is not necessarily a bad thing. So okay, if I use nicotine for the rest of my life, oh well. As long as I don't get it from burning tobacco, little to no harm done!

 

[Woodsman]

Great video @Woodsman . Thanks for posting that. I hear so many vapers focused on nicotine and not realizing where the real harm of tobacco products come from it makes me insane. If even doctors buy into the lie, where does that leave the poor bastards that really need to quit? They think they have to quit everything at once, and consequently doom themselves to failure to quit...again and again... with a lot of pain and frustration along the way.

I'm not saying nicotine is a great lifetime solution for many, it might not be. But if you separate the smoking from the nicotine and tackle one problem at a time (the smoking part) most folks can kick the habit without much pain and can keep smoke free. Then when comfortable with vaping and not smoking, they can cut back or eliminate nicotine if they wish.

It's interesting that it seems almost universal that within the first year of vaping, and not smoking, folks will naturally start reducing their nicotine levels. It seems to be a normal progression to start at 18 or 24mg/ml of nic when quitting and then after a few months dropping to 12mg, and then a few months later to 6 or 3mg. We self medicate with nicotine and only take in the amount we seem to need. If you take to much nic you get headaches and stomach issues that tells you to back off. You don't need to be told to do it, you just do it for your own comfort level. No one dies from over medicating with nicotine, it's too uncomfortable... so we tend to naturally reduce to a nic level that is comfortable for us.

As we become more experienced vapers we also tend to get devices that produce more clouds, this also has a big effect on how much nic we use. If you are producing 2 times the vapor you naturally tend to reduce the nicotine since you are getting more nic with each puff. It's the same self medicating theory, and once again it's your body dictating what it needs and it's not like you have to reduce your nic level, you just feel comfortable doing so.

Many of us (including me) will probably never quit nicotine altogether. As hard as it is to believe, there are some significant positive benefits to nicotine like an anti depressant, anti ADD medication allowing better focus (and better quality of life as a result), significant reduction of dementia and Alzheimers symptoms and progression (and yes there are many peer reviewed studies showing this). So there may be reasons to choose to continue with nicotine. And others will choose not to. But I don't think nicotine should ever be seen as the primary focus of quitting smoking, it's the lie that just won't die.

A thoughtful reply, based on observation...
I remember reading that about nicotine treating depression.
Yep, vaping is a different beast. A few puffs on a vaporizer and good to go, versus lighting a cigarette (well, now I have to finish it...).

 

[Woodsman]

And, if you liked the other video, this one is even better (but longer):

 

[Woodsman]

He does mention in the video that people tend to smoke and vape at first, and then shift over to vaping altogether. That was my experience.

 

[cthulhufan]

He does mention in the video that people tend to smoke and vape at first, and then shift over to vaping altogether. That was my experience.

Took me a few months of dual use and experimenting before I was able to switch completely. Seems normal to me as does the nic level progression 24 > 18 > 12 > 6 > 3 although I understand some people remain at 18 or 12 or whatever. Hey, whatever keeps you from inhaling the product of combusting tobacco and paper treated with fire retardant chemicals...

 

[Swerved]

He does mention in the video that people tend to smoke and vape at first, and then shift over to vaping altogether. That was my experience.

Same here.. When I bought my first setup, I had about 3/4 of a pack of smokes on me. Oddly enough, that 3/4 of a pack that normally would have lasted me a few hours, ended up lasting me another week. That in and of itself is what brought me to the realization that I was likely going to quit smoking, which of course I did. It was a very cathartic moment for me.

 

[Willbo]

I was amazed that I stopped after literally 3 cigarettes, I was very lucky. Funnily enough as it was 6 months vaping and my birthday and I was a little drunk I did actually have the first cigarette I have had in 6 months a week or so ago. Obviously not something I would recommend people to do but I was really glad I did as it reinforced so much to me at the same time of starting my DIY.
I had become slightly disillusioned with vaping when realising in 6 months I had probably spent MORE money than I would have smoking to get set ups I was happy with and that of all the vendor juices I had purchased I could count on one hand the number that had genuinely blown me away flavour wise. I was finding lots of supposed great juices not even particularly nice, concentrates of vendors signature flavours so mild and weak (obv watered down with PG I can see now) that mixing them up at 25% they were still mild. I had a few recipes from here steeping in the cupboard and lots of flavour art concentrates in the cupboard but was actually a little worried I had bought a load of concentrate to DIY that I might not like at all if I wasnt liking vendors juices.

HOW WRONG WAS I. The cigarette didnt taste as I was expecting, thought it would be overpoweringly horrible and Id cough my guts up or I would really like it but I tasted it almost as though vaping.......it was actually weak and had hardly any flavour haha, I realised I was just smoking smoke, how an earth had I been addicted to 30-40 off these a day for 20 years?

I didnt even finish the cigarette, but reached back to my mod and rejoiced at what 5mins earlier had been average in the realisation how great it was to vape and taste something smooth with flavour in. A couple of days later I started to try the first recipe I had mixed from here. I have now tried 3 DIY recipes (and have another 13 in the cupboard steeping!) and so far all 3 have been better than 99% of vendors juices I have purchased. I am rejoicing that I have gone down this path of frustration and expense to stay away from cigarettes that have blighted my life and that it has actually ONLY taken me 6 months to find set ups I am happy with for my vaping that I dont need to replace and that I have DIY concentrates and a hobby of lots of interesting recipes that will now start to SAVE me money and keep me from smoking....HURRAH TO ME

 

[conanthewarrior]

Well done man! I used a medication called champix, it blocks nicotine receptors in the brain, its not actually a nicotine replacement like patches.
It works quite well, my fiancee also quit with it.

The cool thing with Champix/chantix is you take the tablets and for the first 2 weeks and still smoke. Then you stop. Even if you slip up and have a ciggarette, It wont hinder your process as the nicotine receptors are already filled.

I now vape purely for flavour and clouds, use zero nic home made juice of various flavours, which is so simple and cheap I think everyone should do it, if I used shop bought it would be more expensive than smoking lol!

I had none-or if I did they were so minimal I did not notice, withdrawal symptoms. I had been smoking around 10 years and was up to around 20 a day.

I did occasionally use my old style EGO and CE4 with zero nic a couple of times if I mentally really fancied a stinkie, but it is a good medication to stop smoking. I will warn you though, you wil have some messed up dreams if you use it lol.

I think it might be known as Chantix in the USA, but it is amazing. I quit twice with it, first time I stopped for 6 months, this time its around 8 months and as I no longer drink alcohol, I wont be going back to them.

 

[Willbo]

Champix was one of the many forms I used to quit before. First time it worked very well (awesome dreams haha), though as often happened, 4 months later due to alcohol I started again. The second time I used champix my girlfriend moved out just as I was approaching the no cigarette mark, and what should have been an emotional and tough break up was accelerated by the champix into delerium, utter parananoia and suicidal thoughts. Im generally a pretty level headed person, but if you are not in the right frame of mind as I wasnt with the break up, champix is a very dangerous drug in my opinion

 

[conanthewarrior]

Champix was one of the many forms I used to quit before. First time it worked very well (awesome dreams haha), though as often happened, 4 months later due to alcohol I started again. The second time I used champix my girlfriend moved out just as I was approaching the no cigarette mark, and what should have been an emotional and tough break up was accelerated by the champix into delerium, utter parananoia and suicidal thoughts. Im generally a pretty level headed person, but if you are not in the right frame of mind as I wasnt with the break up, champix is a very dangerous drug in my opinion

You are actually very correct.

I should of put that in my first post.

The previous drug used, I can't remember the name, was actually an antidepressant but a side effect was less smoking, so they used it for that. Champix is a more evolved version of that, so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone prone to mental health issues.

I am diagnosed with anxiety/depression, although I don't feel depressed I just get anxious over things. I am on the right medication now to control this, the first time I used Champix I wasn't on medication, but luckily I was OK.

If you are currently going through any mental health issues, obviously think before using Champix/Chantix, here in the UK I doubt they would prescribe it if it was unsafe as the NHS costs us nothing, so they lose money and if they can avoid prescribing they will lol.

But, in the USA it may well be different and they will prescribe whatever as long as they are being payed.

Willlbo thank you for pointing that out, it can cause suicidal thoughts and such in certain situations, so it is best to be careful with it, although I am not trying to scare anyone off of it as it did work for me twice, its just more of a let you know kind of thing, if your currently down/depressed, it might not be the best to stop the Nic as even stopping the Nicotine will make you more down, add the champix it could be a disaster.

 

[Willbo]

Im in the UK and that is something that bugs me. The government seeming to want to heavily regulate vaping and give it bad press yet they WILL happily pay for you to go on a course of champix as I did. I have had no mental health or depression issues in my life, but simply a matter of timing with a painful break up combined with champix turned me in to a wreck. I stopped the champix as soon as I realised I was going too doollaly and within 5 days once it had left my system I was thinking straight again, so what that drug could do to people who do have underlying issues that may not have even come to light is quite scary.

 

[conanthewarrior]

Im in the UK and that is something that bugs me. The government seeming to want to heavily regulate vaping and give it bad press yet they WILL happily pay for you to go on a course of champix as I did. I have had no mental health or depression issues in my life, but simply a matter of timing with a painful break up combined with champix turned me in to a wreck. I stopped the champix as soon as I realised I was going too doollaly and within 5 days once it had left my system I was thinking straight again, so what that drug could do to people who do have underlying issues that may not have even come to light is quite scary.

I know where you are coming from. I am in the UK too, but it seems there is two sides. You know the show this morning on ITV? Well they had their doctor on there a few months back, showing different vaping devices and how it is much more healthy than smoking in his own opinion. I think he vaped actually, but didn't smoke.

Sometimes they make them out to be great alternatives to smoking, then use scare tactics like 'it contains chemicals used in antifreeze' to make the general public panic. Yes, PG is used in antifreeze, but so is water. They don't demonize that. Its a strange time in the UK, with some saying it is healthy and other proffesionals against it.

I'm pretty sure they did say though as long as you are not getting a dry hit and vaping at high watts, they are very safe devices with a high success rate. Another source probably said the exact opposite though lol.

 

[Swerved]

I know where you are coming from. I am in the UK too, but it seems there is two sides. You know the show this morning on ITV? Well they had their doctor on there a few months back, showing different vaping devices and how it is much more healthy than smoking in his own opinion. I think he vaped actually, but didn't smoke.

Sometimes they make them out to be great alternatives to smoking, then use scare tactics like 'it contains chemicals used in antifreeze' to make the general public panic. Yes, PG is used in antifreeze, but so is water. They don't demonize that. Its a strange time in the UK, with some saying it is healthy and other proffesionals against it.

I'm pretty sure they did say though as long as you are not getting a dry hit and vaping at high watts, they are very safe devices with a high success rate. Another source probably said the exact opposite though lol.

I always laugh when someone tells me that. What they fail to understand is that Propylene Glycol is used in antifreeze mostly as a alternative to Ethylene Glycol, which is extremely poisonous. People are such sheep sometimes...

 

[cthulhufan]

I always laugh when someone tells me that. What they fail to understand is that Propylene Glycol is used in antifreeze mostly as a alternative to Ethylene Glycol, which is extremely poisonous. People are such sheep sometimes...

Wasn't it added to reduce harm to cats and dogs lapping it up?

 

[Swerved]

That and small children.. Ethylene Glycol is quite tasty I'm told.

 

[outwest]

And used as antifreeze in freshwater (drinking water) systems in RVs. It also used to be an ingredient in nearly all soda pop until a big uproar by the uneducated in the 70's about "there's antifreeze in the soda pop!", so coke pepsi, etc. reformulated the stuff. Today only a very few soda pop companies use it.

 

[Woodsman]

I was amazed that I stopped after literally 3 cigarettes, I was very lucky. Funnily enough as it was 6 months vaping and my birthday and I was a little drunk I did actually have the first cigarette I have had in 6 months a week or so ago. Obviously not something I would recommend people to do but I was really glad I did as it reinforced so much to me at the same time of starting my DIY.
I had become slightly disillusioned with vaping when realising in 6 months I had probably spent MORE money than I would have smoking to get set ups I was happy with and that of all the vendor juices I had purchased I could count on one hand the number that had genuinely blown me away flavour wise. I was finding lots of supposed great juices not even particularly nice, concentrates of vendors signature flavours so mild and weak (obv watered down with PG I can see now) that mixing them up at 25% they were still mild. I had a few recipes from here steeping in the cupboard and lots of flavour art concentrates in the cupboard but was actually a little worried I had bought a load of concentrate to DIY that I might not like at all if I wasnt liking vendors juices.

HOW WRONG WAS I. The cigarette didnt taste as I was expecting, thought it would be overpoweringly horrible and Id cough my guts up or I would really like it but I tasted it almost as though vaping.......it was actually weak and had hardly any flavour haha, I realised I was just smoking smoke, how an earth had I been addicted to 30-40 off these a day for 20 years?

I didnt even finish the cigarette, but reached back to my mod and rejoiced at what 5mins earlier had been average in the realisation how great it was to vape and taste something smooth with flavour in. A couple of days later I started to try the first recipe I had mixed from here. I have now tried 3 DIY recipes (and have another 13 in the cupboard steeping!) and so far all 3 have been better than 99% of vendors juices I have purchased. I am rejoicing that I have gone down this path of frustration and expense to stay away from cigarettes that have blighted my life and that it has actually ONLY taken me 6 months to find set ups I am happy with for my vaping that I dont need to replace and that I have DIY concentrates and a hobby of lots of interesting recipes that will now start to SAVE me money and keep me from smoking....HURRAH TO ME

I second that Hurrah!!

 

[Woodsman]

Well done man! I used a medication called champix, it blocks nicotine receptors in the brain, its not actually a nicotine replacement like patches.
It works quite well, my fiancee also quit with it.

The cool thing with Champix/chantix is you take the tablets and for the first 2 weeks and still smoke. Then you stop. Even if you slip up and have a ciggarette, It wont hinder your process as the nicotine receptors are already filled.

I now vape purely for flavour and clouds, use zero nic home made juice of various flavours, which is so simple and cheap I think everyone should do it, if I used shop bought it would be more expensive than smoking lol!

I had none-or if I did they were so minimal I did not notice, withdrawal symptoms. I had been smoking around 10 years and was up to around 20 a day.

I did occasionally use my old style EGO and CE4 with zero nic a couple of times if I mentally really fancied a stinkie, but it is a good medication to stop smoking. I will warn you though, you wil have some messed up dreams if you use it lol.

I think it might be known as Chantix in the USA, but it is amazing. I quit twice with it, first time I stopped for 6 months, this time its around 8 months and as I no longer drink alcohol, I wont be going back to them.

I was wanting to eventually end up at zero nic, but now my attitude has changed. I'm okay with low nic, and will likely stick with that for the foreseeable future. My attitude changed after I watched some YouTubes about the health effects of Nicotine...

 

[Woodsman]

You are actually very correct.

I should of put that in my first post.

The previous drug used, I can't remember the name, was actually an antidepressant but a side effect was less smoking, so they used it for that. Champix is a more evolved version of that, so I wouldn't recommend it to anyone prone to mental health issues.

I am diagnosed with anxiety/depression, although I don't feel depressed I just get anxious over things. I am on the right medication now to control this, the first time I used Champix I wasn't on medication, but luckily I was OK.

If you are currently going through any mental health issues, obviously think before using Champix/Chantix, here in the UK I doubt they would prescribe it if it was unsafe as the NHS costs us nothing, so they lose money and if they can avoid prescribing they will lol.

But, in the USA it may well be different and they will prescribe whatever as long as they are being payed.

Willlbo thank you for pointing that out, it can cause suicidal thoughts and such in certain situations, so it is best to be careful with it, although I am not trying to scare anyone off of it as it did work for me twice, its just more of a let you know kind of thing, if your currently down/depressed, it might not be the best to stop the Nic as even stopping the Nicotine will make you more down, add the champix it could be a disaster.

I remember reading, and another member reminded me of what I knew, that nicotine has anti-depressant qualities...

 

[Woodsman]

I know where you are coming from. I am in the UK too, but it seems there is two sides. You know the show this morning on ITV? Well they had their doctor on there a few months back, showing different vaping devices and how it is much more healthy than smoking in his own opinion. I think he vaped actually, but didn't smoke.

Sometimes they make them out to be great alternatives to smoking, then use scare tactics like 'it contains chemicals used in antifreeze' to make the general public panic. Yes, PG is used in antifreeze, but so is water. They don't demonize that. Its a strange time in the UK, with some saying it is healthy and other proffesionals against it.

I'm pretty sure they did say though as long as you are not getting a dry hit and vaping at high watts, they are very safe devices with a high success rate. Another source probably said the exact opposite though lol.

Antifreeze = ethylene glycol.
Vape Juice = propylene glycol.
The first type is poisonous.
Remember, Big Tobacco is funding bogus research and maybe even planting false propaganda to steer people away from vaping.

 

[outwest]

Antifreeze = ethylene glycol.
Vape Juice = propylene glycol.
The first type is poisonous.
Remember, Big Tobacco is funding bogus research and maybe even planting false propaganda to steer people away from vaping.

Agreed. Not to mention big pharma.

 

[Woodsman]

Agreed. Not to mention big pharma.

Yep...can't phorget big pharma!!

 

[conanthewarrior]

Antifreeze = ethylene glycol.
Vape Juice = propylene glycol.
The first type is poisonous.
Remember, Big Tobacco is funding bogus research and maybe even planting false propaganda to steer people away from vaping.

You have made me aware of something I wasn't. As I don't drive, I gathered they did use propylene glycol in antifreeze, but if they don't even use it, how dare they say it goes in to juice?

It is a strange situation in the UK, some pharmacies sell E Cigs, others don't, and some days they say they are the best alternative to smoking(which they are) and other days they are more dangerous than smoking real cigarrettes(Which I know is crap, no way is this more dangerous than inhaling SMOKE with over 4000 carcinogens, I don't even use nicotine I just do it for flavour so I don't even get that one).

They seem undecided and depending on the day and their mood will praise them or slate them.

 

[Woodsman]

You have made me aware of something I wasn't. As I don't drive, I gathered they did use propylene glycol in antifreeze, but if they don't even use it, how dare they say it goes in to juice?

It is a strange situation in the UK, some pharmacies sell E Cigs, others don't, and some days they say they are the best alternative to smoking(which they are) and other days they are more dangerous than smoking real cigarrettes(Which I know is crap, no way is this more dangerous than inhaling SMOKE with over 4000 carcinogens, I don't even use nicotine I just do it for flavour so I don't even get that one).

They seem undecided and depending on the day and their mood will praise them or slate them.

Did I already post this video?

 

[Woodsman]

Or this one?