I want to thank ECF for making it fun, Joe for making it his life`s mission, and all the great down to earth people that make ECF the best place for a vapor outside of FT, :?)
Just for fun, here`s my first post on ECF:
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Just saying High, LOL.
Been vaping for almost 4 months now. Was smoking for about 35 years with the last ten of them smoking some strong .... cigars (Pepin, Padron, Rocky P, you know). I was never able to look at vaping as a legitimate alternative until I tried to quite the last time. I had "quite" many times in the past, but after I got into my thirties success never lasted more then a few days. Than this last time I quit (Im 48 now), I quit cold turkey for 7 days. Thought the world was going to end but "I was quitting smokes!", ha, ha. Had all those self doubts the hardcore smoker goes through. Was really fighting the lack of sanity and then somehow I got me a ecig (My wife`s ecig (that she hardly used!!) I actually snuck it, ha, ha.
And Hot damn, if that thing did`nt work. Cravings were gone, Sanity felt so much better. It tasted like the waft of a dog turd, but I did`nt like smoking either 35 years ago either, its an acquired taste you know. Quickly found out that if you are`nt committed, and if you are`nt capable of problem solving, smoking will look so much easier. But I`m not one that gives up very easily, so I figured out what was wrong (Kanger quality control pretty much sucks, LOL), tried some more juices, got a bigger tank, tried some more juices.
Its been 4 months of real fun. This is FUN! I control the Nic intake, not the smoke. I can vape a little, I can Vape ALLOT! I really like 36MG but my stomach is very attuned to being able to tell me when to put it down. Me and My better half have been able to stay stinky free for just about 4 months and since that first week, I have`nt really even thought about a smoke. I mean I`ll say it again, THIS IS FUN!! I CAN APPLY CONTROL to the mix of getting my fix. I like Nic and this is the absolutely perfect delivery system for a control freak like me, LOL.
Now I have a Vamo, a KFL, a Panzer with a hypertank. Oh, I got a brass thingy with a brass Stilare on top chucking .4 ohms. A Kcig (Kamry bomb I call it). Getting rid of the plastic clearomisers as they are just too finicky and a pita at this stage. As soon as I can I`m getting a Fooger cause I know that is going to be the ONE. But hey, my first months was spent on a twister and a PT2, so I know it will work if you really, really want to quit.
And if this government gets too high and mighty and regulates that crap out of my Nic, then I`m going to get a box of decent cigars, and a couple gallons of PG, and they can stick their regulation right up the kyster!! This government needs a enema, and I hope they get it this November. Those misguided idiots that try to stuff "Not a smoking cessation program" down the mouth of the general public really piss me off, I mean I get hot and see red when these self righteous know it all`s start spewing their self righteous know NOTHING crap!
Have I said enough? LOL.
My handle means Vapehappy Randall B. Cause that`s the first thing I think of when I think about vaping, its makes me Vapehappy. But of course it makes lots of folks Vapehappy and so we`re all vapehappy and I`ll have to settle for that amalgamation of a handle, but its all good.
Glad to be here.
Randall
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Its a new addiction, :?)
This past week marks 5 years since I smoked a cigarette. It honestly doesn't seem that long, it seems like yesterday I was huddled out in the cold at work with the smokers. I had been a smoker for 28 years.
Unlike many I see posting here, I cannot say vaping helped me quit. I quit cold turkey, and never tried an ecig until about a year after I quit smoking. At that point I was still doing well as a non-smoker, I didn't physically crave smoking, but I missed the 28 year habit of lighting up, having something to fiddle with, and just the relaxing feeling of the inhale/exhale. I had been eating a lot more to make up for the void, and having been underweight all my life I started packing on pounds (too many!). I sorely needed a non-food substitute for the comfort I was missing, but wasn't about to go back to smoking.
I tried a junky convenience store ecig after that first year, and thought "if this was what they were like than forget it". I continued on not smoking, but still missing the habit. About two years after that I began seeing the new advanced products coming out, and did a lot of research. I bought my first starter kit in 2013, and slowly advanced up to bigger and better gear.
People ask why would start vaping after I had already kicked the cigarette habit, and I say, "Why not?". Other than nicotine I'm not getting any of the negative things I got with cigarettes. And in my opinion, there's really nothing wrong with a little nicotine. Nicotine is not what was killing me, it was the smoke that was delivering the nicotine that was killing me.
So I'm 5 years smoke free, I no longer hack in the mornings, my chest never hurts and my clothes, car and hair don't stink anymore.
I have no intentions on giving up vaping, as it has no negative impact on my life, and i enjoy it, so why stop?
I have since gotten my son, my step-son, and his wife to all trade vaping for smoking, so bonus points for saving all their lives too!
So I'm a 19 year old guy, started smoking when I was 14 and finally quit cigarettes 3 months ago. My parents like that I quit smoking but they think vaping some sort of gateway drug that will make me want to, and I quote, "smoke {OTHER STUFF}". What I don't understand is that both of my parents both smoke a pack a day. I even tried to convince them to switch to vaping but they said they don't want to smoke that "{OTHER STUFF} device". Even when I vape in my room, they come in and get pissed off because they're tired of smelling my "fruity {MODERATED}". How can I convince them to get a better understanding of vaping and potentially start them on it too?
A quick back story to start. I was a 1-2 PAD smoker for about 5 years. I found vapes and quit smoking. I was able to stop vaping and smoking for 18 months until I picked up smoking again for a few years. I have once again been able to stop smoking and started vaping again. Simple transition, some willpower for sure, but I have kicked the habit completely. When I started vaping again I purchased an Istick 50w and a troll. Have been using 3mg liquid only. It's been about six weeks smoke free again and I want to, not only upgrade, but reward myself. I read and read and watch reviews non stop, my head hurts from all of the stuff out now. I use my mod consistently at 45 to 50 watts. I have a 0.4 dual coil build and a chuff top. The heat from the vape is less than perfect, but I like the vapor production. I am interested in temperature control as well. If I need to buy two mods to have everything I want, so be it. Not that money isn't an issue, but right now it isn't a factor. I have been looking at IPV3, Sigeli 150, IPV4, Mech Mods, you name it I have looked and can probably tell you the specs off the top of my head. I just can't decide! I need your help ECF! I know I want at least dual 18650, as my Istick lasts maybe half a day until I need to charge. Good flavor and large vapor production atty, temp control, and good ergonomics. Thanks in advance for all input and help.
I've been trying to get my dad to quit smoking for two years now. He wanted to quit using an e-cig. However, he just can't seem to stick with it. He has been smoking for 30+ years. He smokes almost two packs a day.
I think the problem really is that he hasn't -tried-. As soon as he wants a real smoke, he lights one up. He only uses his e-cig is places he can't smoke.
He says he wants something that taste like tobacco. I've tried buying him numerous tobacco e-liquids. The closest was one from Ahlusion, but he still says it isn't like tobacco. He keeps saying he'll quit, but then he doesn't.
He has an ego with a mini protank, he seems fine with that. He isn't very amused by my mech mods and RTAs. lol.
I'm just lost as to what to do. A lot of people say to just stop telling him to do so and let him do it on his own. It is hard to just sit and watch him smoke though, esp when my mom had lung cancer just over a year ago (luckily, she did quit smoking with an e-cig and went into remission after radiation treatment). When I switched, I had only just started to smoke again (I smoked 3 years, quit, then started smoking again for about 4 months, then to an e-cig). I didn't like tobacco flavors when I started and almost immediately went to fruit flavors. He's tried those too, doesn't have much interest in them.
So my question to you ex long term smokers, what helped you make the switch? I feel like I just can't relate to smoking 30 something years.
i quit smoking for about 3 months back in the carto tank days.
then they stopped making cartomizers. then all my juice vendors went out.
I've been struggling to find a replacement since. I've easily spent too much money on vaping. I"m getting tired of trying.
are these new pods similar to carto tanks?
I'm so lost.
I have lost interest in the clouds. I just want to stop my 30 year long smoking addiction. I miss my carto tanks. they worked for me. I'm frustrated. I'm tired. I'm lost.
I've tried to quit smoking using vape stuff many times over the last two years or so. I've made it two weeks twice and otherwise have not made it long enough to remember. I had a dream last night that I was vaping. When I woke up I got excited about that (that I wasn't smoking in the dream). I went back to bed and woke up this morning in the middle of a dream that I was smoking. Ahk!
I know that I cannot ever have another puff if I want this to work. There is a thread about how gross smoking tastes after vaping. It's true that for me, smoking is sort of gross and leaves a nasty taste in my mouth, but clearly I like it no matter how disgusting it is.
Around February, my boyfriend said he wanted to quit smoking in the spring. We quit on the same day (last Monday). He uses nicotine gum and I have my vaping. He enjoys taking a puff off my equipment. But a "puff" has turned into about as much as I use it. Last Saturday he said he only had one piece of nicotine gum because he vaped most of the time. I'm trying not to be annoyed, but it kind of irritates me a little. Mostly because I chain-vape and don't want him to take it from me. A few days ago, I noticed he kept adjusting the voltage and handing it back to me without changing it back to where I had it! I made sure he stopped doing that.
Last night he asked me what stuff I buy (the battery, clearomizers and liquid- sorry, I don't know the correct terminology for everything). He was reading up on vaping. I am hoping he's considering buying his own stuff.
I'm thrilled that he quit smoking and want to be supportive of him regardless of how he does it but I sort of want to say, "get your own!"
I'm not proud of this, but I broke down and had a cig this morning (been months since I quit, but still "slip" once in a while)
The next door neighbor came by (she knows I vape) and there I am smoking. She said " just don't vape... it's very dangerous!" It almost killed me... and she didn't seen concerned at all that I was smoking (I think her husband used to smoke and had heart issues... he passed away) I made one of my "bad jokes"... said "it will drive you to smoking again" She didn't even get it. It's called "social engineering" and is very powerful (at least to the "sheeple") We have all discussed this. Your average person doesn't read or listen to the whole story, just knows "vaping is dangerous!" I give up... just can't get through to some people
since my last cigarette. I haven't been posting in recent months, I have been keeping up on the treadmill of life.
Thanks to ECF for being here, to the mods for keeping it sane, CASAA for working so that we can have a future, and all of you for helping each other and yourselves!
Like most of you, I spent too large a percentage of my life killing myself slowly, and eventually spending a lot of money to do so. In my particular case, I still loved smoking, but grew disgruntled over the health realities, BT, and the taxation of cigs. I have quit many times, in many ways, but never for more than a few months. During those few months, I was never pleasant to be around.
It's easy to make excuses to keep smoking, I made them all.
I am *not* an expert, and nobody asked me, but since I am waxing eloquent I will make suggestions about how it worked for me. YMMV
1. To quit smoking, you really only need two things. A device that works for you (charging, form factor, blahblah) and juice that you like.
2. Don't feel obligated to stop smoking immediately. I was an accidental quitter. Initially I wanted to smoke some and vape some. I could save some money, and not have to stand outside in the rain. It's OK to smoke while you are learning what works for you. You can do that for the rest of your life, if you want to.
2b. Keep an idea of where you are on supplies. You need backups of everything (home, work, car). After I decided to actually quit smoking, two weeks in I had two battery deaths in two days. I only had two batteries. After 12 hours of crazy, I had to smoke.
3. Learn your device well, before you start collecting more and more! It can be convenient to wind up with a couple of different styles that work for different life situations. If you buy one every week, you will spend a lot of money and could still be deep down unhappy that "it's not working like I thought it would". Many of us as smokers can be a wee bit OCD anyway. Don't let collecting get in the way of Not Smoking (tm)
4. Don't buy a gallon of the first juice that you like. It will take a month or more before your damaged sense of taste/smell start regenerating. What you loved initially you may hate in a month. Buy lots of small samplers, to discover what you like.
5. Yes, you will save money, lots of it. See #3 and #4 above.
6. At the end of the day, all PVs are just batteries. How long they last, charging, the form factor, the ability to adjust them during use are all just variations on a theme. Some of the cig-a-likes have a lifetime of 30 charge cycles. Some larger ones can be charged 500 times. Find the balance that works for you. What *does* matter, is the actual vaping end of it. Explore attys, cartos, tanks, RBA. Try them all, this is what determines the taste and vapor production.
7. Support your local vape shop. I know you can get this stuff from China for cheap. Your local B&M is spending a lot of money for rent and employees, and the ability to sample juice is not possible on AliBaba. They are also providing a valuable service in being a first exposure to vaping for many. Go in and hang out. If nothing else, buy some drip tips, juice, attys or doo-dads. Check out the new PVs.
8. With few exceptions, the kiosk at the mall is not a good deal, nor a good idea. Free trials online or from radio ads are always a ripoff. You will spend a lot more on much inferior equipment and then have a hard time getting it off of your credit card.
9. Don't be arrogant about vaping in public. They don't know that you are not smoking from 10 feet away.
10. Don't get in flamewars on ECF about your favorite PV. Yes, there are idiots here, don't be one. If it works for you, that is the best one for you.
11. Once you get comfortable with vaping, consider DIY. Juice is what costs the most in the long run. Start small, measure with precision, keep detailed notes, be safe. You know what you like better than any description on a web page.
12. Join CASAA, and do things.
13. ECF is great for support. Don't be afraid to bare your soul to kindred spirits here in a hard time, you can find a lot of strength.
Because it has a coil? Because it has a tank that contains VG or PG? Because the user expels vapor that looks like smoke ? Because it has a battery? Because the tank holds liquid that contains nicotine? What if the tank does not contain nicotine? Is it still an E-Cig?
These are my burning questions for tonight while watching Modern Marvels on H2 (History Channel 2)
That and I really need to know what exactly constitutes an E-cig. I've been tobacco free, smoke free for almost two years. Vaping exclusively. I'm close to zero nicotine now. Will I still be an E-cig user when I go to zero? Obviously yes, but why ?
I really dig vaping a million times more then I dug smoking. I hated smoking. Just did it for 40 years 'cause I couldn't get off the stinkies til I discovered E-cig (24 mg/ml when I first quit smoking) almost two years ago. Still can't believe I've been smoke free for so long.
Hope you weigh in on the subject of "What constitutes an E-Cig ?"
I just felt the need to share a short version of my journey to date:
I had been vaping part time you about 2.5 years before my new (now ex-) girlfriend got me to walk into what was pretty much the only vape shop in town. After trying the V3 eGo setup, I bought a tank to replace my older eGo-T crap tanks and some juice. the next weekend, I bought an entire new eGo kit and gave her my old batteries so she too could start vaping. We both cut down on smoking by 50% in a couple of days. It took me a total of 12 days to decide I was done with cigarettes and by the 4th week, I was the owner of a Provari. This all started a year ago now. The Russian 91% followed quickly after that. Next wednesday will be my TRUE one year vapaversary. I since acquired a second Provari for a ridiculous price and 2 more Kayfun clones.
I will not hide that there have been temptations, even lately, to try an actual cigarette, but I have been keeping strong. I did smoke a small cigarillo at the company Christmas party last December and resisted the urge to ask for one or two more from my coworker.
I have not felt the need to stop and take a 5-10 minute "breather" for about a year now whenever I do just about anything physically demanding and I have to thank vaping for this. I also now have a great vape shop minutes away from where I live and have been into various vape shops halfway around the world (work related travels... I'm not that rich and I can get great juices 5 minutes from here) I still get one or two juices form that first vape shop I visited, which now has 4 locations, all of them at least a 30 minute drive from home.
Remembering last year, I do miss my ex (we left each other on good terms) and I really wonder how she's doing on her side with vaping. I know she's got a great shop near where she now lives and hope they have been able to help her. I have been to that shop, but was on a business trip and it was hard enough to know she had to go back to her hometown, so I didn't call her to let her know I was going to be in the area. It's probably better that way, although I still think about her.
It's been a great journey and I now can't wait to get on my old hybrid bicycle to see if I can now keep those racer owners behind me for good; during one of my last rides last summer, 2 of them took the better part of a mile before they finally passed me, and that was on the slope uphill on my way back from my 1 hour ride. I still weight over 250 pounds, BTW and will train hard to make those snobs eat my dust with a definitely inferior bike like I used to 10 years ago
Thank you ECF for helping to keep me on track and enjoying vaping so much!