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I just wanted to share this with the people who follow me here.
My last cigarette was on August 24th.
Because I've switched to vaping, and have a local shop that's very helpful and has a vast array of flavors to choose from, I'm not even feeling cravings. I'm still a nicotine addict, but I'm scaling down gradually - the first few bottles of juice I bought had a concentration of 18mg/ml nicotine. (This is at the high end of the middle range commonly sold). That was good for a while but actually too strong. The next batch I bought was 12 mg/ml. Currently I'm mixing it up with some that are 6 mg/ml.
I think the reason this is working for me and nothing else has is that it's a truly effective substitution. It's a pleasant experience that I can control (unlike gum or patches), it has no immediately unpleasant or dangerous side effects (unlike drugs like Chantix, which list "suicidal thoughts" as a very common known risk. Yeah no, I won't be taking that), and it reproduces and respects a lot of the ritualistic aspects of smoking - the flavor, the hand-to-mouth motion, even the 5-minutes-of-peace-and-quiet aspect when I step outside to do it at work. (I don't have to at home; my roommates don't mind it, nor do they even notice).
Basically, it's just like smoking without the tar, the smoke, the carcinogens, and the 4,000+ toxic chemicals that commercial cigarette manufacturers add. It's propylene glycol (commonly found in asthma inhalers)/vegetable glycol, plus nicotine, plus flavors. That's it. I'm partial to coffee/tobacco/vanilla flavors, plus I have some nice ginger peach, chai tea, and dragonfruit ones that pair really well with the others. There's a whole artisanal/gourmet aspect to flavor mixing in the industry - the shop I go to blends their own flavors for national wholesale and internet sales, and they're very proud of their 100+ different creations.
A little over two months in, I've noticed definite improvements in lung function. That weight on my chest in the mornings is gone. My brain feels sharper, probably because of improved oxygen flow. Someone told me at work today my skin looks healthier.
I have not noticed any downsides yet except a tendency to dry mouth. (which smoking can also cause). Drink more water, there, it's fixed.
Also, though buying the equipment is a bit of an investment at first, it pays for itself quickly especially if you live in a place with high cigarette prices/taxes like I do.
My last cigarette was on August 24th.
Because I've switched to vaping, and have a local shop that's very helpful and has a vast array of flavors to choose from, I'm not even feeling cravings. I'm still a nicotine addict, but I'm scaling down gradually - the first few bottles of juice I bought had a concentration of 18mg/ml nicotine. (This is at the high end of the middle range commonly sold). That was good for a while but actually too strong. The next batch I bought was 12 mg/ml. Currently I'm mixing it up with some that are 6 mg/ml.
I think the reason this is working for me and nothing else has is that it's a truly effective substitution. It's a pleasant experience that I can control (unlike gum or patches), it has no immediately unpleasant or dangerous side effects (unlike drugs like Chantix, which list "suicidal thoughts" as a very common known risk. Yeah no, I won't be taking that), and it reproduces and respects a lot of the ritualistic aspects of smoking - the flavor, the hand-to-mouth motion, even the 5-minutes-of-peace-and-quiet aspect when I step outside to do it at work. (I don't have to at home; my roommates don't mind it, nor do they even notice).
Basically, it's just like smoking without the tar, the smoke, the carcinogens, and the 4,000+ toxic chemicals that commercial cigarette manufacturers add. It's propylene glycol (commonly found in asthma inhalers)/vegetable glycol, plus nicotine, plus flavors. That's it. I'm partial to coffee/tobacco/vanilla flavors, plus I have some nice ginger peach, chai tea, and dragonfruit ones that pair really well with the others. There's a whole artisanal/gourmet aspect to flavor mixing in the industry - the shop I go to blends their own flavors for national wholesale and internet sales, and they're very proud of their 100+ different creations.
A little over two months in, I've noticed definite improvements in lung function. That weight on my chest in the mornings is gone. My brain feels sharper, probably because of improved oxygen flow. Someone told me at work today my skin looks healthier.
I have not noticed any downsides yet except a tendency to dry mouth. (which smoking can also cause). Drink more water, there, it's fixed.
Also, though buying the equipment is a bit of an investment at first, it pays for itself quickly especially if you live in a place with high cigarette prices/taxes like I do.
