Do you vape?

[fantalimon23]

I know this will attract judgement but I'm not asking for criticism, just discussion.

Never been a smoker but recently took up vaping. Dh does it and so do a few friends. I was curious. We are going through a very stressful time in life - young dc and no help, demanding job, house renovation. I was winding down in the evenings using booze and junk food which wasn't good for me either so I suppose I just wanted to try something that helped relax me. I do enjoy it but I don't think I'm 'addicted' per se, for example I don't take it out with me during the day and don't miss it. I just use it in the evenings.

Anyway bizarrely I have health anxiety which is quite ridiculous when I think of all of the unhealthy habits and coping mechanisms I have. But I do worry about the vape. There is so much conflicting info out there - loads of sources saying it's much better than smoking others saying it's as bad or worse. All the alleged health issues they can cause but no definitive studies as they've not been around long enough.

So I guess I'm wondering if you vape, why? What does it bring you? And do you worry about the health impact?

You’d have to be chronically stupid to vape/smoke.

I agree. Particularly those who have taken it up for funsies when they’ve never smoked a cigarette. And the lengths vapers will go to to argue it’s not a nasty anti social habit…

I used to smoke for about 25 years, miss it occasionally but I would never vape! God knows what's in the horrible smelly chemicals! As stupid as that sounds, at least we know the long term health effects of cigarettes, we don't know that about vapes.

But I'm glad I finally gave up smoking, the cost of cigarettes is ridiculous these days!!

It's not though :(

Yes I do.

It's bloody awful. Admittedly, I used to smoke and it is so much better than that but I have found it much harder to quit vaping than I ever did with quitting cigarettes. Because I don't have the horrible cough and don't stink of fags. But realistically it's just another bad habit.

Taking vaping up as a non-smoker is madness. I do have sympathy as I know how addictive they are once you start.

Yes I do, I tried numerous NRTs to give up smoking after twenty years commited. Nothing worked until vapes came along, I've now not had tobacco for six years.

All research points towards well regulated vapes being far healthier than smoking. The knock-off market is a whole other ball game though.

The type of vape is also relevant I think, I sometimes use the cloud buster variant which is fun! But needs to be done away from grumpy people, lower wattage ones are fine for day-to-day use though.

There's been no downside from my perspective.

A non-smoker starting to vape is just bonkers imo. There is emerging evidence that vaping is more dangerous than we thought.

My colleague vapes. He goes outside to do it, but he brings the stink back in with him. If we are in the office for a day, by the afternoon it reeks of that disgusting, cloying sweet smell. Yuck.

@lallaland123 thats just insane that it would be touted as a way to feel less hungry. Ive heard unhinged things at weight loss clubs (ive done them myself) but if id have been there when i heard that drivel i think id have walked out and complained!

@MumHereAgain2023 yes, it is better than smoking
If we keep telling people it isn't then people will keep smoking and not switch to vaping which will massively improve their health
There has been thread after thread on this and all you have to do is google public health England vaping or cancer research and vaping and not read the stories about popcorn lung (debunked, chemical banned in U.K.) or the people vaping vitamin e or random shit

it was a year ago , i'm not on this weight loss plan any longer but now i vape as obviously got addicted.

I will quit , actually reading this thread made me want to throw all my vapes away and go cold turkey .

I have only myself to blame for my stupidity and being easily influenced .

Hope i can quit , i used to be so judgmental towards people who smoke but now i am one of them :(

I do agree that it was a silly move to start vaping as a non smoker. I wish I was someone who could cope with the stresses of life without having to turn to some sort of substance be it vapes, wine or chocolate. But I am mindful of the fact that I don't want to do this forever and although I'm not naive enough to think it won't become addictive, I'm trying to keep my usage down and set boundaries - I.e. not taking it outside with me or using it during the day.

I do worry about health, a lot. I guess I'm sadly just not the sort of person who finds stress relief from exercise or meditation.

It’s not what? Better than smoking?

When people say it’s ’better than smoking’ they usually mean ‘it’s less harmful’.

Do you have evidence that vaping is equally as harmful as smoking? If so, please share (I don’t think any such evidence exists- at least not yet).

This might help make your mind up. Jordan North: The Truth About Vaping: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001xj1p via @bbciplayer

This was in my daughter’s copy of The Week Junior this week…

Some pseudo journalist on BBC3 making sad faces interviewing people who may or may not have got sick from vaping isn’t exactly the height of scientific integrity. The truth is anything containing nicotine is going to be harmful to you, but as an adult everyone will make their individual choices about how they treat their own body or the world around them.

I would love to know how they knew one of these vapes was unused…

I mean it's better than smoking but it's still not good is it?

It's sad as vaping used to be a good substitute for people that wanted to give up smoking and that's all it was, but now it's a thing in its own right and really we are in the same spot with it that we were with cigarettes all those years ago - they're too new to really know the impact yet!

I'm not worried about my teenager taking up smoking now but I am worried about vaping!

It does confuse me though why anyone would take up the habit unless they were an ex smoker using it to give up?

If I were you I would give it up - it's a vice at the end of the day and we don't know enough about the long term effects for anyone to say to you - it's fine you should just carry on

Maybe they smoked it 🤣

It reads like they tried all 9 just to make sure 🤣

I can understand why people that smoke/used to smoke now vape but can't for the life of me get my head around why someone would vape when they have never smoked (unless young & peer pressure)

It’s mind boggling that an adult, who got through the teen years without taking up smoking , should make a conscious decision to start inhaling a highly addictive substance, and filling their lungs with a load of chemicals.

Adult smokers switching to vapes - makes sense, as they’re already addicted to nicotine.
Teenagers taking up vaping - sad but understandable, that’s what teens do.

But an adult who is not a nicotine addict, choosing to take up nicotine use in a risky and largely untested way - insanity!

I mean I've explained it to the best of my ability. I know it's not good. I'm not justifying it. It's a coping mechanism. That's it.

I think vapes are worse.

A cigarette has an an end point. I go outside, have a five minute break and a smoke, and then its done. With a vape theres no end point. And then you end up just puffing on it all bloody day. And because its seen as more acceptable, my family do it in the house and in their car - if they had to go outside they wouldnt use it as much, So its a double edge sword.

Well I'm not a scientist and there has been no opportunity as yet to look at the long term impact. But the NHS say its multiple times safer than smoking and endorse it as a means to quit, which would be pretty irresponsible if the claims of some posters here are correct. Especially given there are other ways to give up smoking that they could endorse instead, and condemn vaping. So, make of that what you will.
As for the criticism of people who never smoked taking it up, I think people fail to take into account just how much human beings seek pleasure from things that are not optimum for health, be that overeating, alcohol consumption or nicotine products, and also rely on these things as crutches. I don't see that changing any time soon and us turning into a nation of teetotal, exercising healthy eaters, so vaping is just one example of less than healthy behaviour that seems to be receiving a lot of attention. How it compares against obesity and regular alcohol consumption as a health problem isn't understood as yet.
I don't vape BTW. But it's an interesting discussion.

OP if you want the nicotine, buy some gum or a patch. You’ll still be a nicotine addict, but nicotine itself isn’t really harmful. It’s the shit that’s mixed with it that is dangerous, and there’s none of that in patches and gum.

I don't think I'm addicted (yet). I don't use it all day but do enjoy sitting down with it in the evening. I don't crave it but I suspect tv at may change if I keep doing it or increase usage.