Electronic Cigarette

[BobbySoSlo]

So I am about to quit smoking. I have taken long breaks (3-6 months) before, but there was always a light at the end of the tunnel so it was easy to quit.

I don't want to quit turkey because I've seen that fail a lot, the patch may be my number one choice but I wanted to do my research first.

I honestly appreciate any and all support but I really want to come to my own opinion on which method to use as I feel I will be a lot stronger in my resolve if I convince myself of what is best, and I'm sure you can understand the importance of that.

So basically I just want to know if these are safe (not necessarily healthy, just safe). My friend just purchased one and I tried it and it seemed like it would do the job, however I am always uncertain when it comes to these types of things that could possibly be chemically intensive.

What little info I can provide to potential repliers are a Wikipedia link and what I gleamed from it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_cigarette
It uses an atomizer to vaporize a propylene glycol/nicotine liquid (I will probably be using nicotine) which also contains Propylene glycol, Nicotine, Glycerol, Tobacco essence, Essence,  Organic acid, Anti-oxidation agent

I really appreciate your guys expertise on this. Mostly I guess I want to make sure that if it proves more difficult than I think I am prepared to feel safe using this for longer than a month.

[Paranoid_34]

I've been a pack a day smoker for the past 10 years (I'm in my 40s) and recently lost a family member to lung cancer.  This motivated me to go cold-turkey with no success, the patch didn't help because I had become addicted to the act of putting something in my mouth and the slow breathing associated with smoking a cigarette (that's why the gum didn't do anything for me).  I've had the best success with the electronic cigarettes for this very reason.  Do they approximate a real cig?  Hell no.  But it is the best substitute I've found since.  Good luck!

[vlgee]

ecigs may contain a few chemicals but not nearly as many as regular cigs contain. Cigs contain over 200 chemicals. Ecigs may not be "good" for you, but they are a heck of a lot better than regular cigs.

Some people need tools to help them quit. Not everyone can go cold turkey. It is a better option than continuing to smoke.

I know three people who wsitched to ecigs and eventually quit all together as a result.

[Jade59]

The front page of the "Life" section in the Register yesterday was all about the e-cig.  Here is a quote from the article,

"E-cigs contain cartridges of nicotine that release an inhalable vapor.  There's no odor or smoke.  They're marketed as a safe alternative to tobaccos lung-choking tar and cancer causing carcinogens.  But...those claims are disputed by the FDA.  In July, the agency warned the the smokeless cigarettes are harmful.  A government analysis of the product, which is made in China, found carcinogens and toxic chemicals.  

Because these products have Not been submitted to the FDA for evaluation or approval, at this time the agency has no way of knowing, except for the limited testing it has performed, the levels of nicotine or the amounts or kinds of chemicals the the various brands of the products deliver to the user, the FDA said."

In another part of the article:

"The vapor that you inhale is not without risk.  It's not pure nicotine.  It has with it some contaminants.  When the FDA looked up 19 of the cartridges, they found half the samples contain impurities that are known to be toxic to humans.  At least one cartridge contained deithylene glycol, one of the toxic compounds in anti-freeze."

Quote from a tobacco researcher at the University of Kentucky which I thought would only be fair to include in my post here:

"We can't say the e-cigs are perfectly safe, but with everything we know about them we can certainly say they are vastly safer than continuing to light cigarette tobacco on fire and inhaling 3,000 or 4,000 chemicals that cigarette smokers are doing right now."

[kathyjo]

Well, I'm glad that you haven't smoked in 4 months, but you are using a non-FDA approved replacement. Some of these e-cigs were tested and shown to contain tobacco and carcinogens though they haven't tested all of them yet. The one you are using is made outside of the US so it evades testing.

Let's get to the real problem here....why can't you just quit smoking without replacements? If you can't, then there has to be something more then water and a battery in that thing you are smoking....otherwise you would be able to use a straw or something that is lying around your house to hold and put to your mouth.

[BobbySoSlo]

Don't go with the blu.

I'm now a 100% ecig smoker, I haven't smoked a cigarette in 4 months now and it is great. I've tried quite a few and the 510 by innovapor is awesome.

[skepticalpeach]

What kind of electronic cigarette do you like/use? What is the difference between different kinds? Like between Blu and and Innovapor?

http://www.blucigs.com/index.php?ref=233

https://www.innovapor.com/

[teko]

I purchased one and do not find it effective. If you are inhaling I just dont see how that helps you stop, not permanantly anyway. It doesnt matter how you do it, but be warned from someone who has tried it all. Nothing works for any one person or group. Me, I quit cold turkey, yes it is the hardest and the quickest way to get it out of the system. I will go to the doc for meds if I need them for anxiety. I did not feel the need for the added time and expense of drawing it out, or spending any more money on it ,  and keeping it on my to do list for the next 6 months. I pray this is it for me. Good luck.

[shelbar]

I was thinking about trying the electronic cigarette so I did alittle research on the computer. seems they are not FDA approved and some use freon and other harmful chemical such as antifreeze...which is NOT good for your kidneys. so I opted not to try them. I am doing other things, like..going outside to smoke, waiting 15 minutes after I get the urge...things like that.

[kathyjo]

Sorry, never heard anything about them except on a local news show and from what they said, not enough research has been done on them to determine if they are harmless. I think there was a mention of inhalation of these and tests that need to be done.

You should research all methods but if you look through the archives here on this forum, you are going to read as honest as you can get opinions of things and the good & bad.

Good luck on whatever choice you make. We are here for your support should you need it!