smoking vs vaping vs quitting completely

[FamilyBiker]

didnt want to spam the happy thread,but as i´ve seen theres a huge potential for discussions,i thought making a thread would be interesting.
tell me your opinion, do you see vaping as a less harmful alternative to traditional cigarettes/pipes?(like i do)
do you think one should quit completely,or continue smoking in the traditional sense instead of vaping?

i think vaping is a completely different thing compared with smoking,parralels have to be seen in inhaling something,but other than that its more of a taste thing,enjoying different flavours,and because i quit traditional smoking thanks to vaping,consuming nicotine to make my brain shut up

recent research brought up data that is really promising in terms of health,too.

http://www.utahvapers.com/clearstream_files/page1-clearstreamair.jpg

dont want to promote this in any way,my opinion,so tell me your opinions

Edited December 6, 2013 by FamilyBiker

[JD™]

This is exactly what I was getting at in the happy thread.

Congratulations, I'm glad you're doing something you're happy with. But what is it about 'vapers' that makes them feel they have to preach on about it?

My opinion is that they definitely give you the nicotine kick, while being healthier. Even more healthy is to stop altogether. I value smoking more than my health at this specific point of my life, so I smoke. When that balance tips the other way, I'll just quit. You just have to actually want to. Back when I was training for and running marathons it was easy to quit, because there was something (my finishing time) more important than smoking.

It all just feels like a bit of a cop out to me, and I feel that's a valid opinion having tried it myself.

[FamilyBiker]

didnt want to preach,its just that i didnt even hear about vaping until a year ago or so,and i think its good to know for some people that it is there.

at the end its their choice,but i cant call something a choice without knowing an alternative.

sorry if i sounded like i wanted to promote vaping,just a good thing for me right now,and this here is an oportunity to get e few opinions bout it

[*gentlydoesit]

Huh, I was going to start a quitting smoking thread, and that nivana track is stillplaying in my mind. f**ked me twice today, cheers

[Pashley26]

Vaping is total bullshit.

Grow a pair, pack it in. It's the addiction you need to cut out, not just the fillers and toxins. If you aren't prepared to kick the habit, you will not be able to lose the addiction and will still have nicotine dependant highs and lows. It's the nicotine dependency that is the real life issue IMO, yes smoking will shorten your life and cause health issues but until you stop smoking you will never realise how it effects your immediate mental state.

That's what I did just over a month ago, cold turkey just cut it out because I had to. I went from 15/20 a day every day for years to nothing, and now I've got more energy, I'm happier, an extra hour or so in the day and I'm healthier already with a lower blood pressure and a healthier heart rate. Best thing I've ever done.

Just the smell of smoking, or being near smokers actually offends me now. It's disgusting.

[dann2707]

Nice one Jardo, hope you stick at it.

I thought this whilst watching Hannibal the other night as everyone seems to smoke in that but... what is smoking?!

It's laughable at what it actually is when you think about it. And how it's become a thing that people do, setting on fire a stick and breathing it in for a few minutes at a certrain cost.

Bearing in mind I do fully know what it is, just thinking of it at a glance. It's absolutely crazy.

[FamilyBiker]

if you see it that way,it clearly is.most people start smoking in kids age,so its kind of a social problem,too...

things get common,like piercings and tattoos,which are self destructive too,if you watch it happening from another view.

fair point from pashley26,big respect for just doing it.

Edited December 6, 2013 by FamilyBiker

[Ross McArthur]

piercings and tattoos,which are self destructive too,if you watch it happening from another view.

What, from down your nose?

[dann2707]

Tattoos and piercings don't directly kill you though. I just think it's really interesting how it's become "a thing" to smoke and how people depend on it.

A pretty standard observation the other day, but I was in a seminar a few weeks ago and a guy in front of me put his hand up to ask if we could have a 5 minute break before the next lesson started as I could see he was just itching to get out and have a smoke. He then started rolling up a cig in the middle of the class and I could see him getting shakier and twitchier as the lesson went on as he just wanted to go out and smoke it. It just made me feel really sad for those who are like that.

Same with a few of my old college friends, they first started having cigs on nights out, maybe borrowing one off of someone in the smoking area in a club. Then it went to buying a pack to share before the night out so that they didn't have to buy them when out. Then to a pack each. Then finally a few of them actually started smoking the next morning and took it up smoking properly. Really really sad.

And i'm not saying you shouldn't smoke at all, just literally throwing it out there that the whole concept of it is interesting as to what it actually is.

[Matthew62]

Nice one Jardo, hope you stick at it.

I thought this whilst watching Hannibal the other night as everyone seems to smoke in that but... what is smoking?!

It's laughable at what it actually is when you think about it. And how it's become a thing that people do, setting on fire a stick and breathing it in for a few minutes at a certrain cost.

Bearing in mind I do fully know what it is, just thinking of it at a glance. It's absolutely crazy.

You can debase just about anything to that level though, if you wish.

It's more about your interests and wants. Things you might find perfectly normal or acceptable someone might find laughable.

What's drinking? It's costly, you piss it out the same day you consume it, it doesn't "improve" you in any way and in general is bad for your help.

Anything frivolous or pleasure driven can be analysed in the same way. But it's the little things in life that stop it being formulaic.

[Pashley26]

That's the biggest thing I have noticed since stopping.

I used to count down the clock, "it's been 45 mins, I can sneak one in now" and I was never at my desk, rushing appointments, greeting customers stinking of smoke. It's horrible looking back.

And I used to spend £8 a day, every day on smoking. That's a lot of money I now spend actually living my life.

Smoking whilst drinking is almost certainly the road to ruin, every smoker will say that alcohol is how it started at one point in time.

It was for me, started smoking with my mates drinking cans in the local woods, then when I dropped out of school I just smoked all the time.

If it was easy to quit then nobody would smoke, however I wish there was a way that everybody could feel the addiction and understand how it grips your life. People who just think it is stupid annoy me, because they don't understand the feeling of an addiction.

I always used to say I wasn't addicted and I could stop whenever I wanted, but I never managed more than 6 hours until the doctor told me I was going to have a heart attack.

Chewing gum is a good craving stopper, and water. It's good in accompany it with something like weight loss which motivates you, set yourself a weight loss goal and include stopping smoking to improve your fitness and help you achieve it.

And drink lots of water, your brain isn't always as good at telling you what it needs as it should be. Get a craving, drink water. Job done.

Edited December 6, 2013 by Pashley26

[FamilyBiker]

What, from down your nose?

no,from there you would see marinos lower back,from what you and others said about me

joking aside

smoking got some kind of ritual,and like saying f*ck to everything,things establish if a big amount of people thinks its normal.

for example,the word f*ck is originally meant to say that someone is allowed by the king to have sexual intercourse and to have children.then it meant

actually doing it,the americans made the word suitable to everything for theirselves.

i know its not exactly comparable,just an example how things can develop in a totally different direction than the original meaning.

like smoking,only shamans did it during rituals first

for the craving part, i never really felt itching or shaking,or the need to smoke,i just figured out how to manage my nicotine level and it worked.

Edited December 6, 2013 by FamilyBiker

[JD™]

I think newly converted non smokers are just as bad... Congrats, you took a life decision and it worked out for you. I'm happy for you. Now shut up about it

[FamilyBiker]

what the hell is the point of a discussion for people like you?

edit:okay,now i think i missed a joke here^

:wink2:

Edited December 6, 2013 by FamilyBiker

[Rich J]

If you smoke you are cool though right?

[trialsiain]

Smoking is basically paying to kill yourself, seems logical.

[FamilyBiker]

perfect citizen:pay massive amounts of tobacco taxes,then die young,not getting your social insurance paid.

basically the reason why lead painted toys are forbidden while smoking isnt,theres no tax for lead paint.

to exxagerate a bit

Edited December 6, 2013 by FamilyBiker

[Matthew62]

I always hate these sort of conspiracies/arguments.

No one makes you smoke, it's not part of a big evil plan to reduce the population. It is your choice. I don't smoke, and I don't really get the appeal but now and again it looks cool as f**k. I don't feel any pressure from society or advertising so if I ever chose to do it, it'd be up to me.

I've only smoked twice (i think) albeit very briefly, and both were cigars. Once was when I put a cigar and lighter in a little plastic boat and swum off the coast off a little island in Croatia out to a buoy in the sea. I had me straw barber shop hat on, hopped on the buoy and had a mid-sea smoke - seemed like a fun way to spend half an hour, the other time was looking over the Cairngorms while it snowed with a whiskey in the middle of the night, again it seemed like the thing to do.

[pjl1984]

This has been an interesting read so far just going to throw my 2 pence in now. Smoking is a choice for all wether or not you do it is your own decision. However once you start smoking it is very difficult to stop as it is your brain craving the substances in the cigarettes. Stopping smoking is basically reprogramming the brain and your brain then has to learn new nueral pathways to create the desired behaviour ie not smoking. I think the best way is to not start but what do i know im still struggling to stop lol

[Danny]

Its only a matter of time before electronic cigarettes get properly regulated and taxed just as badly as cigarettes.

Currently the vaping fluids available could contain anything even herpes.

But yea just stop already

[Mark W]

It'll be interesting to see what happens with e-cigarettes in the long-term. I know we're more advanced now medically than we were back then, but it was only relatively recently that smoking was perceived as being a good thing, and was actively promoted to people by their doctors (e.g. suggesting smoking to reduce the effects of a sore throat). There can't have been any long term research done on the effects e-cigarettes might have.

[dngr2self]

Jesus hates quitters.

[FamilyBiker]

long-term

thats right,okay,most of the ingredients have been tested over decades(propylene glycol and glycerine are used in smoke machines for clubs and asthma vaporizers,beauty products too),and a few manufacturers have started testing vaping devices in vitro.

but the truth is theres no long term info.

pretty much the only thing that annoys me

fictional people like jesus have nothing to do with that i believe

Edited December 6, 2013 by FamilyBiker

[Sam Nichols]

I accidentally became a smoker, sorta snuck up on me in my first couple of years at uni.

Then I stopped. Not by using any aides or anything, I just stopped.

I don't think I'll ever understand addiction.

Those e-cigarette things are actually kinda tasty though, so lesser of two evils - probably.

[Luke Dunstan]

I read Easy Way, went from 20-30 a day to nothing at all with no cravings at all. Still hung out with people that smoked and just felt sorry for them.

Just remember 2 things. Even dirty birds hate the taste of ash tray lips.

And it's not vape if you shout surprise.