NFT: ECigarettes

is night and day. Nicotine is one of those things that offers some positives and negatives, but is very self regulatory. Your body tells you when you’ve had too much. The only thing I’ve noticed is some reduced lung function. There’s a billion devices out there, just make sure you are buying the juices from a reputable place.

I don't know about the brand, but my mother transitioned from the normal cigs to ecigs.

At this point, due to lack of long term studies and early COVID cases showing otherwise healthy young people using ecigs and vapes, dying very quickly, my bet is it will eventually be discovered to provide around the same amount of harm.

And menthol flavored liquid. Haven't had a cigarette in years. It's definitely a better alternative if you consider there is no ash or tar involved with e-cigs. All the juice is is propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, nicotine and whatever flavoring you prefer. A cigarette has what like 10000 chemicals in it?

In comment 15049730 jamison884 said:

Quote:

I don't know about the brand, but my mother transitioned from the normal cigs to ecigs. At this point, due to lack of long term studies and early COVID cases showing otherwise healthy young people using ecigs and vapes, dying very quickly, my bet is it will eventually be discovered to provide around the same amount of harm.

Zero chance. The reduced lung function is a real side effect, but for healthy people that isn’t an issue.

and quit for good Aug 2017. To me there are a couple keys to using Ecigs to quit.

1)Start at the right Nicotine level. Depending on personal preference most people would fall into the 18mg category for curbing cravings. Starting too low will make you want the real thing, starting too high only heightens the addiction.

2)Set a plan for working Nicotine levels down. Now it took me 5 years, mostly because I didn't really want to quit. The last year was on 0mg Nicotine, and mostly an oral habit at that point. I have friends that are still going because they never change nicotine levels. For me, I worked down every 30 days until I hit 3mg. I stayed there for a while before stepping down to 1.5 and .75mg, and eventually to 0.

My recommendation would be to start at 18mg. Use a flavor closely aligned to the type of cigarettes smoked. Start by cutting cigarette usage in half for a week or 2, then progress down to 0 cigarettes/day. Continue ecig usage for several weeeks afterwards, and then slowly step down nicotine levels from 18 to 12, 9, 6, 3, 1.5, 0. For a lifelong smoker this could take years, but it's important to keep progressing and not settle for a comfortable nicotine level. I started out using Unique E-cigs, they are a NY company, and they have good products and fluids to start with.

In the time I was on Ecigs I was less sick in the winter than usual, and also began running again. I clocked a 7min mile in a 5k in 2017 while huffing on an Ecig before and after the race. After having vaped for 5 years, and now 3 years later I have had NO negative side effects during, or after vaping. The keys are to respect the equipment, operate them within their designed parameters, use eliquid from reputable sources.

.

If you switch to ecigs you are still addicted to nicotine which is the core problem. Who the fuck knows what’s really in those things anyway, possible that it’s better than smoking but that doesn’t make it any good.

Nicotine is easy to get addicted to but it’s also relatively easy to shake. I was a pack a day smoker, often more, and just stopped.

I found “Easy Way to Quit Smoking” by Allen Carr really helped. It’s a book. How can a book help you quit smoking? I don’t know but it did. He lays out how the addiction works, how it’s a simple trap but really not that hard to break if you want to. Unlike alcohol or hard drugs or whatever there are no serious side effects from nicotine withdrawal, in fact there are really no physical withdrawal effects at all.

He also highlights how dumb some of the connections we make are - people say they smoke to relax, but also as a pick me up. To focus and to unwind. To stave off hunger but also after a meal. None of it makes any sense, you are just addicted to nicotine. Once you shake that addiction you just experience the post cigarette normalcy all the time like non-smokers.

I recommend it, worked for me. Read the Amazon reviews and you’ll see it’s worked for many others as well.

And the book costs less than a pack of cigarettes and you can read it inside of a day if you want to, so nothing lost if it doesn’t work.


I think the bottom line is that if you want to stop smoking cigarettes, switching to ecigs is not the answer. Breaking your nicotine addiction is the answer. It’s not that hard, you just need to have the proper mindset. Specifically you need to go in understanding it’s not that hard and you are not giving anything up except an addiction.

Good luck.

In comment 15049784 Oscar said:

Quote:

If you switch to ecigs you are still addicted to nicotine which is the core problem. Who the fuck knows what’s really in those things anyway, possible that it’s better than smoking but that doesn’t make it any good. Nicotine is easy to get addicted to but it’s also relatively easy to shake. I was a pack a day smoker, often more, and just stopped. I found “Easy Way to Quit Smoking” by Allen Carr really helped. It’s a book. How can a book help you quit smoking? I don’t know but it did. He lays out how the addiction works, how it’s a simple trap but really not that hard to break if you want to. Unlike alcohol or hard drugs or whatever there are no serious side effects from nicotine withdrawal, in fact there are really no physical withdrawal effects at all. He also highlights how dumb some of the connections we make are - people say they smoke to relax, but also as a pick me up. To focus and to unwind. To stave off hunger but also after a meal. None of it makes any sense, you are just addicted to nicotine. Once you shake that addiction you just experience the post cigarette normalcy all the time like non-smokers. I recommend it, worked for me. Read the Amazon reviews and you’ll see it’s worked for many others as well. And the book costs less than a pack of cigarettes and you can read it inside of a day if you want to, so nothing lost if it doesn’t work. I think the bottom line is that if you want to stop smoking cigarettes, switching to ecigs is not the answer. Breaking your nicotine addiction is the answer. It’s not that hard, you just need to have the proper mindset. Specifically you need to go in understanding it’s not that hard and you are not giving anything up except an addiction. Good luck.

Thanks, it's for my parents though. I've tried to get them to quit smoking. I also don't think they'll read the book because they're immigrants and rarely read books in English.

are your parents?

You have never been a smoker. Your comments are logical, but don't take the power of addition in to consideration.

Physical and psychological addiction is not logical. You have to approach quitting with the attitude of an addict who wants to quit.

First thing when I woke up, last thing before I went to bed and all the hours between. It is possible to quit and not that hard. You don’t go through intense physical withdrawal or anything. I believe severe alcoholics can die if they just stop drinking entirely. Same with opiates or whatever. Nicotine is nothing like that. You might be a little irritable but if you can adjust your mindset that’s avoidable. There are no physical withdrawals.

It’s possible to quit, millions have quit successfully. I am one of them. Happy former smoker. Best of luck to everyone quitting, it’s very doable and you won’t miss it.

In comment 15049796 pjcas18 said:

Quote:

are your parents?

60 and 64, is that too old to make the switch?

So you ingest moisture into your lungs. Isn't that what pneumonia is? Does not sound like a very good habit to get into. Never mind what other chemicals you are ingesting. Just say in.

is breathing hot tar and all the other crap that is in cigs. Nicotine is a rather benign substance and has some mild benefits as well as mild negatives.

In comment 15049894 redwhiteandbigblue said:

Quote:

So you ingest moisture into your lungs. Isn't that what pneumonia is? Does not sound like a very good habit to get into. Never mind what other chemicals you are ingesting. Just say in.

By that token, wouldn't steaming a cough or going into a sauna give you pneumonia?

Just my personal take -- switched to ecigs a few years back -- smokers' cough totally gone and wind is far, far better athletically.

It also doesn't smell which is a nice bonus.

I use a juul and take the 3% (the lower nicotine level) Virginia Tobacco pod. Just cant see how these would be equivalently harmful to cigs since I've never woken up with sore lungs from juuls -- and I definitely have experienced that while smoking too many cigs during a night out.

I use a pod about every 3 days. So that turns out to be a 10 dollar a week habit. Definitely use it less than I used to use it -- I chew a lot of Trident original as well.

Yes, it is tough, but with the risk of Covid infections increasing this winter, it's best NOT to keep smoking, especially if you're in one of the risk groups (over 60, for example).

COPD is a terrible disease and a bad way to die (I've seen people suffer from it when I worked at a Hospital, trust me, you don't want your parents to risk it!!)

Here's an article on Covid-19 and E Cigs:
Reduce your risk of serious lung disease caused by corona virus by quitting smoking and vaping


More info on COPD - ( New Window )

I've been chewing zyn pouches in lieu of kodiak for about a year now. Best thing I've ever done.