Vaping

[-DLC-]

I think kids (or at least I hope..I really don't know) are getting smarter about what's "cool" and what's not.

 

Following the pack to fit in - not so much.  Anyone can do it.

 

It takes someone pretty special to carve their own path and go against the grain.  It seems that's not quite as targeted as we become more empathetic and ... I won't say tolerant because that seems wrong.  Open.  To accepting others as is.  Cookie cutter is so bland.

 

That's what I truly hope in my heart.  That society is embracing people who say no with the respect and dignity earned in that.

[-DLC-]

29 minutes ago, 112 said:

Addiction is a diverse disease, dependent on the individual's psychology, and what works in stopping a given vice is different for everyone. Cold turkey is one way to do it, and it's helpful for some of the population that smokes. But that doesn't exclude other methods from being effective for some people.

 

I get what you're saying and understand that if one's interested in quitting, they're most likely to succeed if they REALLY want to quit. And there is, yes, the aspect of being addicted to the act of smoking as discrete from being addicted to the substance itself. But that doesn't mean there's no point in attacking the point of dependence by using vapes to reduce the amount you're actually smoking.

I worked in the field of addiction for ten years - part of that being an 8 week educational program.  That's not to come off as braggy....just I've seen a lot of different attempts/success/failures and understand it's often much more complex than just weaning the body off a substance.  There's a reason people reach for something with potential health risks to begin with that often needs addressing too.  Kids - nah, a bit different with peer pressure and all.  So why not just put out the bad news (for them) rather than providing arguments in favour of?

 

Again, your first line speaks to why vaping being promoted as a tool is ignoring the second part.   Not for everyone.  For some, it's just a crutch and not targeting the real issue - which is being dependent (on something).  It could lead to even more problems and substituting something with something else, even if weaning off the addictive substance, doesn't address the other stuff that goes with it.

 

So why not get to the heart of the matter?  Rather than vaping - something relatively new and not really researched a whole lot yet - cut straight to the chase of quitting?   Not just addressing the cravings but the mental aspect of doing something that's often connected to being "relaxing", "social", etc.  It's why most alcoholics will eventually make major life changes and avoid anything resembling their addiction.  Sure, there are alcohol substitutes that are used.  But adjusting the entire mindset and lifestyle is sometimes in order and that just won't be enough.

 

So investing time/energy in trying something that may or may not work and may or may not have health repercussions?   Seems there's a shortcut, as difficult as it may be.  

 

It's not impossible to just...quit.  People don't have DT's .... it's a little uncomfortable, sure.  But it's not like coming off something like heroin or even alcohol where it poses potential risk to go cold turkey and so methadone or some other replacement can be introduced during the process.  It's a milder withdrawal that can be managed.

 

I don't see strong argument FOR vaping when there are other options and there are current serious concerns about the potential health issues possibly related to vaping.  

 

 

 

 

[BoKnows]

I'm a college kid and can confidently say that vaping is an epidemic.  Many of my friends and colleagues are addicted to vaping. One of friends has to vape the second he wakes up.  When I walk around campus you'll always see multiple people vaping (even in lectures and the library), it's a lot more popular than smoking.  You go to a party/bar and everyone is vaping, it's everywhere.  Kids are starting young too, I think my little cousin vaped in middle school.  I know at my old high school they had to put no vaping signs all over the school it became such a problem.  Kids would go to the bathroom just to vape.  I think that people are starting to wake up though.  Every week you see a new horror story about vaping on twitter or Instagram.  Some of friends are starting trying to quit (lowering the nicotine levels in the juice).  I hope more kids are trying to quit too.  

[Alflives]

5 minutes ago, BoKnows said:

I'm a college kid and can confidently say that vaping is an epidemic.  Many of my friends and colleagues are addicted to vaping. One of friends has to vape the second he wakes up.  When I walk around campus you'll always see multiple people vaping (even in lectures and the library), it's a lot more popular than smoking.  You go to a party/bar and everyone is vaping, it's everywhere.  Kids are starting young too, I think my little cousin vaped in middle school.  I know at my old high school they had to put no vaping signs all over the school it became such a problem.  Kids would go to the bathroom just to vape.  I think that people are starting to wake up though.  Every week you see a new horror story about vaping on twitter or Instagram.  Some of friends are starting trying to quit (lowering the nicotine levels in the juice).  I hope more kids are trying to quit too.  

Why start vaping, as a kid, in the first place?  What’s the motivation?  Kids don’t smoke much anymore, so why vape?  To fit in?  To be cool?  

[J-23]

Feels like a majority of high school kids vape (50%, maybe even higher) and a lot starting at middle school. Tried it, don’t see what the hype is about. 

[-DLC-]

7 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Why start vaping, as a kid, in the first place?  What’s the motivation?  Kids don’t smoke much anymore, so why vape?  To fit in?  To be cool?  

I think as we move away from cigarettes with it harder to smoke as it's prohibited in so many places, this is likely part of the attraction.  As well as how it's being marketed - with the flavours, etc. rather than health warnings and pictures of lung cancer plastered on the pack.  With smoking being frowned upon, this seems to be viewed as more acceptable?   I don't know.

 

From what I understand, it's some of those very flavours thought to be possibly linked to some of the health issues - the flavours/colours are banned from food products.  But now they're showing up as vapes?  I'm a learner here and no expert...but this family scare made me want to delve into it.  

[BoKnows]

1 minute ago, Alflives said:

Why start vaping, as a kid, in the first place?  What’s the motivation?  Kids don’t smoke much anymore, so why vape?  To fit in?  To be cool?  

I feel like a lot of kids started thinking that it was safe.  I know people that started to vape because they enjoyed playing with the smoke.  Not to mention peer pressure, kids want to fit in.  Also, kids like all the different flavours you can get.  Before they started to vape I feel like they have the mentality that they won't let themselves get addicted either.  I feel like at least 60% of kids my age have tried vaping at least once (probably even higher tbh).

[Master 112]

38 minutes ago, debluvscanucks said:

I worked in the field of addiction for ten years - part of that being an 8 week educational program.  That's not to come off as braggy....just I've seen a lot of different attempts/success/failures and understand it's often much more complex than just weaning the body off a substance.  There's a reason people reach for something with potential health risks to begin with that often needs addressing too.  Kids - nah, a bit different with peer pressure and all.  So why not just put out the bad news (for them) rather than providing arguments in favour of?

 

Again, your first line speaks to why vaping being promoted as a tool is ignoring the second part.   Not for everyone.  For some, it's just a crutch and not targeting the real issue - which is being dependent (on something).  It could lead to even more problems and substituting something with something else, even if weaning off the addictive substance, doesn't address the other stuff that goes with it.

 

So why not get to the heart of the matter?  Rather than vaping - something relatively new and not really researched a whole lot yet - cut straight to the chase of quitting?   Not just addressing the cravings but the mental aspect of doing something that's often connected to being "relaxing", "social", etc.  It's why most alcoholics will eventually make major life changes and avoid anything resembling their addiction.  Sure, there are alcohol substitutes that are used.  But adjusting the entire mindset and lifestyle is sometimes in order and that just won't be enough.

 

So investing time/energy in trying something that may or may not work and may or may not have health repercussions?   Seems there's a shortcut, as difficult as it may be.  

 

It's not impossible to just...quit.  People don't have DT's .... it's a little uncomfortable, sure.  But it's not like coming off something like heroin or even alcohol where it poses potential risk to go cold turkey and so methadone or some other replacement can be introduced during the process.  It's a milder withdrawal that can be managed.

 

I don't see strong argument FOR vaping when there are other options and there are current serious concerns about the potential health issues possibly related to vaping.  

 

 

 

 

It is for some people.

[-DLC-]

I think that's part of the allure and, with that, danger of vaping.   That because people view it as "safer", it's a go to with what seems to be a false sense of security.  Even as a path (tool?) to quitting smoking.

 

With smoking, we know.  There's an urgency to quitting and reason to not drag that out as we're aware of not only the health issues but, now, the stigma and restrictions in place for smokers.   Could vaping stall that process?  With a goal to quit smoking, is there that same sense of urgency to "quit vaping".  Even if the nicotine entering the body is lesser...is the drive to give it all up also lesser?   What if someone enjoys vaping and is no longer smoking?  They "quit" smoking, right?  The mind is huge in these things so overcoming the psychological pull to __________ smoke/vape  still needs to happen at some point.  The body may not crave the nicotine, but the mind will crave the activity.

 

All just things to ponder.

[-DLC-]

3 minutes ago, 112 said:

It is for some people.

I feel your pain and respect this.  Was really tough for me and my Mom went to her grave fighting (actually threatening nurses - but, in her defence, she had brain cancer and didn't really know what she was doing) - for a smoke in palliative care.  I "pretended" to take one out of the pack and give it to her...she air smoked, eyes closed, loving every single fake puff she took.  The pull was THAT strong for her, even after she lost her touch with reality the addiction never left her.    I totally get it and don't mean to come off as a know it all.

 

Good luck.  I honestly hope it works for you and am in your corner.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, debluvscanucks said:

I think kids (or at least I hope..I really don't know) are getting smarter about what's "cool" and what's not.

 

Following the pack to fit in - not so much.  Anyone can do it.

 

It takes someone pretty special to carve their own path and go against the grain.  It seems that's not quite as targeted as we become more empathetic and ... I won't say tolerant because that seems wrong.  Open.  To accepting others as is.  Cookie cutter is so bland.

 

That's what I truly hope in my heart.  That society is embracing people who say no with the respect and dignity earned in that.

In a sense, you’re correct. 

 

Nowadays people are a lot more accepting of others that aren’t interested in trying it, but there’s a certain mentality that you need to do it to be cool. Take top level athletes, for example. Most of the best athletes at the high school level do it, and that’s just how it is now. They’re the “cool” or “popular” kids that everyone likes. Therefore, by doing the same, you can get closer to that status.

 

Let’s face it, so many people want to be of that happy-go-lucky group that party, vape, do well in sports and still do decently in school. It’s, unfortunately, the new norm.  

[189lb enforcers?]

Used to be it was, “it’s not who you know, but who you blow.”

Today it’s, “... what you blow.”

[Elias Pettersson]

https://www.juul-claims.com/?c=Facebook_DD

[Daffan]

I was a daily joint smoker for over 20 years, in 2017 I was introduced to vaping, it only took me 24 hrs to completely change my ways, for the last year and a bit I’ve only vaped and literally smoked a handful of joints. Vaping is a game changer IMO.

Think of it this way a cigarette has over 1000 chemicals, smoking a joint, maybe 4 chemicals, vaping - 0