Using e-cigs to quit nicotine completely?

[jodybpm]

I've been vaping now for about 6/7 weeks, and not used a single analogue since my e-cig kit arrived.

I'm using the SkyCig kit, and am now re-filling my cartos with Pixie Juice liquid.

I used to smoke about 20 Windsor Blue Superkings a day, and started off using the 12mg SkyCig cartos. I then stepped down to the 6mg SkyCig cartos, and then after than started on 6mg Pixie Juice, now down to 4mg and easing myself onto 2mg. Next step now is nicotine free

I so pleased with how well I've done, and how relatively easy using e-cigs had made this process. I'm a veteran of failed quitting attempts, and this has been by far the nicest and most succesful way of doing it to date!

But I know the drop to nic free is going to be the hardest step to take. Once, I'm nic free, I'm hoping to be able to drop the e-cigs on an everyday basis, and just keep them in the cupboard for helping me through the odd bad day etc. At nicotine free, I think this would be OK as there's nothing to get back addicted to etc.

Just wondered if there is anyone else who is trying to step down/quit nicotine entirely 'cos I think I'm certainly going to need the support when I hit nic free in the next week or so...

[OneDay]

Jody well done on your reductions to date! There are people who get to 0% nic and continue to vape simply because they love the flavours and vaping experience. At that point vaping is a lovely safe hobby

[Skwoddy]

This has been my plan entirely, I started 6 weeks ago and took the diy route so as to lower my dosage at smaller intervals, starting at 24mg my plan is to lower the nicotine at 1mg a time, not paying too much attention to the time factor, ill do it one or two weeks at a time without being in a rush, the fact im off analogues at the moment is a huge step for me!!. Ill probably continue at 0mg too, it is fun and enjoyable with the flavours and the "something to do factor"

[lobeydosser]

I have quit smoking many times, the last one for 18 months. But it is not the quitting that was my main problem, it was the staying quit!!!!!

Invariably the times that "I just had to have a cigarette, or go off my trolley and clout someone", was when I was not in a position to get at my safety stash of whatever I had used to get off the fags this time around. It was always easier to just go and but a pack of ciggies.

I too started out my vaping journey with Skycigs, also refilling them. But this time I have no intention of quitting. Why should I put myself through all that pressure when I can now still get my nicotine kick and enjoy it without the harmful effects of smoking?

[Skwoddy]

Sept 10, 2012 9:58:39 GMT lobeydosser said:

I have quit smoking many times, the last one for 18 months. But it is not the quitting that was my main problem, it was the staying quit!!!!!

Invariably the times that "I just had to have a cigarette, or go off my trolley and clout someone", was when I was not in a position to get at my safety stash of whatever I had used to get off the fags this time around. It was always easier to just go and but a pack of ciggies.

I too started out my vaping journey with Skycigs, also refilling them. But this time I have no intention of quitting. Why should I put myself through all that pressure when I can now still get my nicotine kick and enjoy it without the harmful effects of smoking?

I am so much like you!!

[jodybpm]

Sept 10, 2012 9:47:02 GMT OneDay said:

Jody well done on your reductions to date! There are people who get to 0% nic and continue to vape simply because they love the flavours and vaping experience. At that point vaping is a lovely safe hobby

Thank you! I feel quite embarrassed though, when people congratulate me - its been really very easy!

I would like to stop altogether, although I can understand people continuing to vape at 0%. My plan is that the option is there, if I have a bad day or if I feel I particularly want to, but that without the addictive nicotine, I should find it easy not to most of the time... I guess we'll see when I get to that point. Having smoked for 20-odd years though, I quite like the idea of being completely free, no smoking/vaping habit at all! As long as I don't end up back on the stinkies, I think I'll be happy whatever happens though...

Just wondered if there was anyone else out there stepping down to zero nic for support! I'm not kidding myself that its going to be easy...

[Skwoddy]

Sept 10, 2012 10:01:39 GMT jodybpm said:

Sept 10, 2012 9:47:02 GMT OneDay said:

Jody well done on your reductions to date! There are people who get to 0% nic and continue to vape simply because they love the flavours and vaping experience. At that point vaping is a lovely safe hobby

Thank you! I feel quite embarrassed though, when people congratulate me - its been really very easy!

I would like to stop altogether, although I can understand people continuing to vape at 0%. My plan is that the option is there, if I have a bad day or if I feel I particularly want to, but that without the addictive nicotine, I should find it easy not to most of the time... I guess we'll see when I get to that point. Having smoked for 20-odd years though, I quite like the idea of being completely free, no smoking/vaping habit at all! As long as I don't end up back on the stinkies, I think I'll be happy whatever happens though...

Just wondered if there was anyone else out there stepping down to zero nic for support! I'm not kidding myself that its going to be easy...

You're gonna be fine, half the battle is having the right mindset and you seem to have it. Plenty of support round here, not gonna preach, you done it for 20 years and know all the pitfalls, stay positive, you took a great route by weening your body off the addiction, go to 2mg and even 1, your body wont know!! good luck!

[jeanie]

My aim is to be nicotine free eventually but as a very heavy smoker for over forty years, I plan to do it slowly. I see no rush now that I'm off the stinkies.

Don't feel embarrassed at how easy you've found it to stop smoking with the help of vaping Jody. Feel very, very proud of yourself because you've done really well.

[ciar]

Eventually it would be ideal, but I am very happy vaping away on various 20mg juices, keeps me off the nasties and I can drink without the urge for a nasty, I have found my amount of vaping has dropped a lot so hopefully a few months down the road I can begin to reduce nicotine, eventually stopping.

In all honesty it's going to be at my own pace and no rush :-)

You have done very well getting to zero nix that quick mate, keep it up

[hifistud]

Just to play devil's advocate a bit here - would anyone consider gradually reducing their caffeine intake down to decaff and then quit drinking coffee altogether?? Because that's a direct analogy. There is no harm in nicotine - the switch to an e-cig is all it takes.

[blakey]

When I started vaping I was using 30+mg strength nic and slowly over the months I've reduced to 15mg, it took quite a bit of experimenting to find how low in nic content I could go and still feel satisfied. I'll say with 15mg for a good while until I feel ready to start experimenting again and try to come lower once my body is fully used to this current strength. For someone like me who had no intention of stopping smoking, every mg I can come down is a bonus whist I continue to enjoy my vaping- and I do enjoy my vaping

[jodybpm]

Sept 10, 2012 10:42:48 GMT hifistud said:

Just to play devil's advocate a bit here - would anyone consider gradually reducing their caffeine intake down to decaff and then quit drinking coffee altogether?? Because that's a direct analogy. There is no harm in nicotine - the switch to an e-cig is all it takes.

The problem is that nicotine is considerably more addictive than caffeine. So if you have nicotine in your e-cigs, then you are dependent on them day in day out, where as I can quite happily have one coffee every few weeks without becoming addicted to it.

On the whole, I think that vaping, particularly at 0 nic, is a considerably better option than smoking. And, tbh, even if I never go any further than the change to e-cigs, I know that I have done something good for my health compared to smoking.

However, I'm not convinced that vaping is entirely harmless, when compared to not smoking and not vaping at all. We're still in the early days, and long term effects haven't yet been seen. If I can free myself of my nicotine addiction completely, then surely that can only be a good thing.

I'm also worried that the good old gov't will step in and legislate/tax e-cigs, if I'm addicted, I'm basically at their mercy - again, so much better to be free of it all.

Basically, I think I've got the motivation to quit, so I'm rolling with it. I'd love to be clean and entirely nic free. If I never make it, well I know I've already done a good thing by switching to the e-cigs, but I think I owe it to myself to try, it certainly can't do any harm...

[Chrissie]

I agree with Jeanie, you shouldn't feel embarrassed about, you should be proud of yourself Well done Jody #icon_bravo#

[hifistud]

Interesting and thought provoking reply.

I've got to say that I find myself being somewhat bemused at the number of people who (to me,I must stress) seem to see nicotine as being an undesirable substance to enjoy. It's not something I understand, I have to say. To begin with, by accident, I mixed up a batch of zero nic and used it a full day without realising I hadn't put the base nic in. I had no change in my usual self that I noticed, and it was only the next day that I realised what had happened.

When I got out the real deal, I noticed a change - I was more content. But at no point did the cold turkey symptoms show themselves. That suggests to me that nicotine is not, in and of itself, all that addictive - and we know that it's not all that harmful, either.

Similarly, I was speaking to friend the other day, who had been to South America, and on arrival at the hotel was greeted by a bowl of coca leaves. She did like the natives and enjoyed chewing the odd one, enjoyed the stimulating effect, but didn't find herself jonesing for a line of marching powder when she came home.

I am beginning to think that we've been brainwashed by successive governments into believing the puritanical rhetoric, that a decent human being should simply not need stimulation by naturally occurring plant products that even base animals seem to enjoy. My first instinct is to rail against such suggestions - precisely because these substances occur naturally, and a little enjoyment is a perfectly natural thing.

Points to ponder???

Sept 10, 2012 11:00:09 GMT jodybpm said:

The problem is that nicotine is considerably more addictive than caffeine. So if you have nicotine in your e-cigs, then you are dependent on them day in day out, where as I can quite happily have one coffee every few weeks without becoming addicted to it.

On the whole, I think that vaping, particularly at 0 nic, is a considerably better option than smoking. And, tbh, even if I never go any further than the change to e-cigs, I know that I have done something good for my health compared to smoking.

However, I'm not convinced that vaping is entirely harmless, when compared to not smoking and not vaping at all. We're still in the early days, and long term effects haven't yet been seen. If I can free myself of my nicotine addiction completely, then surely that can only be a good thing.

I'm also worried that the good old gov't will step in and legislate/tax e-cigs, if I'm addicted, I'm basically at their mercy - again, so much better to be free of it all.

Basically, I think I've got the motivation to quit, so I'm rolling with it. I'd love to be clean and entirely nic free. If I never make it, well I know I've already done a good thing by switching to the e-cigs, but I think I owe it to myself to try, it certainly can't do any harm...

[Skwoddy]

Sept 10, 2012 11:38:28 GMT hifistud said:

Interesting and thought provoking reply.

I've got to say that I find myself being somewhat bemused at the number of people who (to me,I must stress) seem to see nicotine as being an undesirable substance to enjoy. It's not something I understand, I have to say. To begin with, by accident, I mixed up a batch of zero nic and used it a full day without realising I hadn't put the base nic in. I had no change in my usual self that I noticed, and it was only the next day that I realised what had happened.

When I got out the real deal, I noticed a change - I was more content. But at no point did the cold turkey symptoms show themselves. That suggests to me that nicotine is not, in and of itself, all that addictive - and we know that it's not all that harmful, either.

Similarly, I was speaking to friend the other day, who had been to South America, and on arrival at the hotel was greeted by a bowl of coca leaves. She did like the natives and enjoyed chewing the odd one, enjoyed the stimulating effect, but didn't find herself jonesing for a line of marching powder when she came home.

I am beginning to think that we've been brainwashed by successive governments into believing the puritanical rhetoric, that a decent human being should simply not need stimulation by naturally occurring plant products that even base animals seem to enjoy. My first instinct is to rail against such suggestions - precisely because these substances occur naturally, and a little enjoyment is a perfectly natural thing.

Points to ponder???

Sept 10, 2012 11:00:09 GMT jodybpm said:

The problem is that nicotine is considerably more addictive than caffeine. So if you have nicotine in your e-cigs, then you are dependent on them day in day out, where as I can quite happily have one coffee every few weeks without becoming addicted to it.

On the whole, I think that vaping, particularly at 0 nic, is a considerably better option than smoking. And, tbh, even if I never go any further than the change to e-cigs, I know that I have done something good for my health compared to smoking.

However, I'm not convinced that vaping is entirely harmless, when compared to not smoking and not vaping at all. We're still in the early days, and long term effects haven't yet been seen. If I can free myself of my nicotine addiction completely, then surely that can only be a good thing.

I'm also worried that the good old gov't will step in and legislate/tax e-cigs, if I'm addicted, I'm basically at their mercy - again, so much better to be free of it all.

Basically, I think I've got the motivation to quit, so I'm rolling with it. I'd love to be clean and entirely nic free. If I never make it, well I know I've already done a good thing by switching to the e-cigs, but I think I owe it to myself to try, it certainly can't do any harm...

That's the reasoning behind "The Placebo Effect", is it addiction, enjoyment or purely psychological?, personally i know when ive had no nicotine, my body literally screams at me, how much i listen is another matter, I know that quitting personally isnt that hard as Ive done it for a few years here and there, always gone back to it when disaster (percieved or otherwise) rears its ugly head. the R&D departments in these huge tobacco companies spend billions a year on new chemical mixtures to keep us going back and hopefully defeat any reasoning we may find.

Im glad that vaping came along for so many reasons, but If I or anyone manages to get away from the addiction then Im happy.