Thanks a lot, Bernina!
I'm thinking about trying vaping too as I'm still not strong enough to succeed quitting.
What makes me hesitating is that actually one doesn't know how the "ingredients" harm our body. Some say it's worse than smoking...
I'd very much appreciate your knowledge and opinion.
Just a quick FAQ about vape stuff:
*Ingredients in e-cigarette liquid: USP Propylene glycol, USP vegetable glycerine, food grade flavorings, and pharmaceutical-grade nicotine.
Q:
Propylene Glycol is Anti-freeze!!!! That's just crazy!!!!
A:
Ethylene glycol is the toxic ingredient of many anti-freezes that is extremely toxic. Propylene glycol is NOW used in some anti-freezes like Sierra because it is non-toxic.
Take a look at the ingredients of many foods in your fridge and stuff in your bathroom, ie, toothpaste, mouth wash etc. It's common in foodstuffs, drinks, animal feed, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. It's also used in those "fog machines" at concerts.
Q: What the heck is
vegetable glycerine?
A: Also so known as glycerol, it is sweet tasting and non-toxic, a "sugar alcohol" made from vegetables, also used as a sugar substitute. Once again, found in many of the groups listed above.
Q:
Food grade flavorings, what is this witchcraft, you mean like fruit, bakery, candy, liquors, coffee, sodas, etc?
A: Exactly. Here is a link to some of the more popular flavors and producers:
http://www.rtsvapes.com/Liquid_Flavoring_s/88.htm
Q: What is
pharmaceutical grade nicotine?
A: It's the same stuff used in nicotine patches and gum. It is extracted from tobacco, and because ecigs don't burn or ignite the nicotine, there is no tar or carcinogens involved. Nicotine is currently being studied for use in slowing Alzheimers, Parkinsons, and helping ADA, and ADHA. It's safety is at 30 mgs, although 45 mg is it's ceiling before it becomes toxic. Most e-cigs or e-juice peaks at 24 mg nic. You can figure out what mg to start at comparing the brand of cigarette you smoke with charts found on the internet.
Q: All the studies say
it's BAD!!! What about the
formaldehyde?
A: The study that almost all the anti-tobacco groups (antz) quote is not only years old, but also tested pre-made cig-a-likes (e-cigs that look like cigarettes) from China. China doesn't have quality control, honestly, you don't know if someone is mixing his juice in a bathtub and tooling his own components. If memory serves me, 3 of 10 cig-a-likes detected formaldehyde, and it was a product of the manufacturing process of the "tube".
The vaping community in the United States is self monitoring. The last thing they want is to be classified as a "cigarette" which is combusted. The vaping community has set the bar far higher than any regulatory agency.
The best place to go to get your feet wet is the "E Cigarette Forum"
https://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/
My primary care physician, my dentist and my head doc ALL have told me the believe it's a better choice, a safer choice, and quite possibly, a "no harm" alternative. And YOU control the amount of nic you take in, not a patch that's on your arm 24/7, or gum that just doesn't quite do it for you.
Be prepared for a learning curve, there's nothing difficult about it, just the determination to quit smoking. Some people reduce their nic levels to 0 and continue vaping because it's just enjoyable. Vaping will help you with the "hand to mouth", and programmed cig break urges......like lighting a cig when you pick up the phone, grab coffee, or get in the car.
It's all about a low heat that vaporizes the e-juice. You could get just about the same type of effect sucking in the steam off a pot of stewing tomatoes. (yes, tomatoes have nicotine in them, as do all the other nightshade plants)
All I know is that it's the only thing that worked for me. 2 1/2 years smoke free, didn't even "cheat", just jumped straight into it and never looked back. January 10th, 2013. <---last smoke date.
Ok...........used up enough space!!!!