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ezbzbfcg2
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26 Aug 2021, 12:56 am

I smoked cigarettes from my teenage years through my mid-30s. I switched to vaping / e-cigarettes about 5 years ago. Haven't had a cigarette since.

That's good. And vaping was surprisingly satisfying. I thought I'd never give up real "analog" cigarettes, but vaping has been great.

That said, it's expensive, and it's probably unhealthy...we don't know how much better/worse it is than cigarettes yet, it'll take a generation of vapers to confirm for sure. Very satisfying, very addictive.

Part of me thinks, "Why should I have to give it up? It's great! It's like being able to smoke anytime, anywhere without having to light up a cigarette, and with no lingering smell in the air or on my clothes..."

Anyone switch from cigarettes to vape and then successfully go fully nicotine-free? Any suggestions? Part of me feels it's time, part of me resents quitting.



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26 Aug 2021, 3:26 am

ezbzbfcg2
''Any suggestions?''

I personally don't have an issue with nicotine myself. These are just suggestions I've heard over the years, so these are not suggestions coming from personal experience.


Could try reading Allen Carrs book 'The easy way to stop smoking'. People have had success quitting apparently after reading this one book.


Consider joining a support specific forum. People on there have probably tried anything and everything, with varying levels of success.

https://quitnow.ca/community-support/qu ... nity/forum

https://www.smokershelpline.ca/forums/w ... l-terrible


I doubt this would be an option for you but thought I'd add it anyway. Psilocybin therapy seems to be quite effective in the context of a structured treatment program. But the study results are NOT an endorsement of a do it yourself psychedelic drug use for smoking cessation. They’re the result of specific, controlled administration of psilocybin in the context of a treatment program involving cognitive behavioural therapy.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/st ... oking.html

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27441452/



badRobot
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26 Aug 2021, 3:52 am

Yep, unless you abuse nicotine and have major addiction, nicotine itself is not something I would worry about. There are even benefits when dosage is right. It is still addiction with some side effects though.

But in reality all the liquids and heating elements are contaminated in production to some degree and devices can't be practically designed to make plastics completely safe and essentially you are inhaling who knows what from liquids and various particles and volatile compounds from heated plastic, which is never a good idea. I would not assume vaping is significantly safer than smoking until there is strong evidence.

In addition to previous book recommendation I recommend practicing mindfulness, meditating. It can change the way to see all your habits, help with reframing cravings and triggers of bad habits including smoking.



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28 Aug 2021, 9:45 pm

Most people who vape use their device like it's some sort of life support device. Your lungs are there to keep you alive and healthy by breathing in oxygen, not deliberately inhaling chemicals because of not being able to cope without nicotine. Some people would even prefer to buy any product containing nicotine over buying food.

Sorry, I'm totally anti-smoking/vaping. There's the whole world going mad over covid and so many people believing the vaccines are unsafe, yet nobody who smokes gives two s**ts about their lungs and those that vape still don't know if vaping is safe but still do it, because hey, cancer ain't as bad as covid.


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EdCase
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29 Aug 2021, 7:04 pm

I smoked for a long time. Switched to vaping, In the last year I cut all of the nicotine out. I don't think this has helped my ADHD but I didn't want to be addicted anymore. I know what you mean about resenting quitting. Ultimately I decided I wanted the control.

I did this by weakening the strength of the nicotine by adding PG to the liquids I got from TotallyWicked. This makes the expensive liquid last longer, i.e. halve the concentration, double the liquid. I did this over a fairly long period but now I have no nicotine. I had completely stopped vaping until I went through a stressful time, but still don't have any nicotine. I hardly vape at all anymore and can mentally cope with not having my vape device around. When I was addicted I would panic if I lost track of it and couldn't function until I found it.

You can do it.


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ezbzbfcg2
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29 Aug 2021, 7:17 pm

EdCase,

Thanks for the reply. When someone has been a member since 2008, but is still a Hummingbird, their words hold more value to me!

Early on, vape shops were more commonplace which allowed me to control the amount of nicotine. Things have shifted with vape shops closing down left-and-right, and most vape being disposable e-cigarettes, the kind you buy at a convenient store like a pack of cigarettes.

This is in New Jersey, USA. I can't even order certain vape products from out of state due to ridiculous state laws. But earlier, before the ridiculous laws, I would still go nuts with less nicotine in the PG/liquid. I'd simple inhale more and more to make up for the lack of nicotine.

It looks like it's going to be cold turkey. I envy you, and wish I could reach a point where I won't have a panic attack without my vape device nearby.



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29 Aug 2021, 9:39 pm

ezbzbfcg2,

I really feel for you and completely understand the position you're in. My only suggestion is to try and time the cold turkey for when you're in a low (lower than normal) stress period if you can. I hope you get support from the people around you.

Good luck.


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30 Aug 2021, 2:44 am

I have switched from smoking to vaping, and I do think vaping is the better option...but still even I have thought of eventually getting off vaping to.

Right now I use the salt nicotine because that is what really got me off of cigarettes', but I am thinking before I could stop vaping I'd need to switch to the regular nicotine liquid and cut down on the level of nicotine to successfully get closer to stopping vaping. I think I could do that now that I have really reduced cigarettes I never get any myself to smoke but from time to time if someone offers one I may give in, but then of course once I get half way through I have to put it out because of how gross it is compared to vaping. But idk it is like I will accept a couple puffs of a cig or smoke like half of one but it always just reminds me of why I quit those.

Also, though they do have nicotine free liquid, so maybe you could try getting some of that so you can still puff for a while but it may help get off the nicotine so it would be easier to quit.

Just curious though if you are at the level like you find smoking gross, so you feel comfortable enough you wont fall back into smoking if you stop vaping? because I think that is kind of the thing if you have reached a point you don't want cigarettes anymore then stopping vaping my be right...but if you think stopping vaping will make you relapse into smoking cigs I'd say it would be better to stick with vaping in the meantime till you do feel more sure about it.


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