Addiction...

[zouzounaki]

The idea that nicotine on it's own is less addictive than smoking makes sense to me. It's much easier for me to go for a few hours without access to vaping than it was to go without fags when I was smoking. It def wasn't at first, but it is after 9 months. I ran out of battery just after lunchtime the other day and wasn't fazed about not vaping till I got home at 5:30. Would never have happened with fags.

eta: I'd have been climbing the walls and pulling what's left of my hair out.

 

[Mitz]

It is absolutely valid for someone with personal experience of both addictions to compare them. Nothing meaningless about it. And with respect, never having been there yourself you have no idea whether or not it's meaningless. It would be meaningless for YOU to compare them because you know nothing about how they compare.

 

[jay2]

Never an untruer word spoken! Because vaping zero nic does absolutely nothing for me and my moods reflects that! My moods are affected by the nicotine content pure and simple and has absolutely nothing to do with the "ritual" of smoking. Vaping is only effective when the juice has nic in it! Otherwise why vape nic at all? Just give people trying to quit fags a vape kit and 0% juice. After all it's just the "smoking ritual" right?

NO!

As Leni said, let's agree to disagree. We're all individual and our experiences reflect that. I don't know your body and mind and you don't know mine.

OK, it actually got on my tits too, when Dansus just declared that you're addicted to smoking like that. I don't think any of us know enough you to make any such declaration.

On the other hand, you're taking too simplistic a view of that argumentt. Smoke contains nicotine, tar, and all kinds of highly addictive chemicals, as well as bundling it up in a satisfying ritual. The idea is that if you keep the both ritual and the nicotine, but dispose of that other shit, then it's easier to wean yourself off all that other toxic, highly addictive shit.

You can then address the nicotine addiction (and any addiction to the ritual) as independant issues , if you want to. But first, you have to completely make that transition, and be free of your craving for the other addictive chemicals.

Note: I'm not saying your conclusion is wrong, just that your argument missed the point.

 

[dansus]

Never an untruer word spoken! Because vaping zero nic does absolutely nothing for me and my moods reflects that! My moods are affected by the nicotine content pure and simple and has absolutely nothing to do with the "ritual" of smoking. Vaping is only effective when the juice has nic in it! Otherwise why vape nic at all?

Well of course, your an ex smoker! You brain has created more nicotinic acetylcholine receptors to meet demand when you were smoking. The crap they put in tobacco, encourage your brain to make more, faster than untreated tobacco alone.

Thats why the withdrawal symptoms are so bad, you have all these receptors crying out for nicotine. If you quit smoking cold turkey, the number of receptors will diminish over time, but you have mitigated that process somewhat by vaping. When your not vaping or taking nicotine in some other way, of course your going to feel shit.

ps: I said nothing about zero nic.

 

[zouzounaki]

It is absolutely valid for someone with personal experience of both addictions to compare them. Nothing meaningless about it. And with respect, never having been there yourself you have no idea whether or not it's meaningless. It would be meaningless for YOU to compare them because you know nothing about how they compare.

Of course it's valid for you as an individual person to compare them, and what it gives us is one person's subjective experience. It's still meaningless to state that one substance is objectively more addictive than another without taking any other factors into account. Some people stop smoking cold turkey and find it easy. Others struggle for the rest of their lives.

Respectfully I don't think you have any knowledge of my life or what I have or haven't done and can and can't compare.

edited for clarity.

 

[Mitz]

Of course it's valid for you as an individual person to compare them, and what it gives us is one person's subjective experience. It's still meaningless to state that one substance is objectively more addictive than another without taking any other factors into account. Some people stop smoking cold turkey and find it easy. Others struggle for the rest of their lives.

Respectfully I don't think you have any knowledge of my life or what I have or haven't done and can and can't compare.

edited for clarity.

And with that rationale you can counter every comment in this thread. Which is why I said, half a dozen posts ago, that what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another and ultimately it's dependant on the person.

I replied to your comment because you said (directed at me as I made the comparison) it is meaningless for a smoker to read somewhere that they are as addictive as each other and then compare them for some kind of justification or vindication. So I'm clarifying that my position has nothing to do with what I've read and it is based purely on personal experience. If you want to counter that with it is all subjective and therefore irrelevant then fine. Ergo, the entire discussion is subjective and we're back to where we were half a dozen posts ago!

Is nicotine highly addictive? In my opinion YES. And that's exactly what it sez on the bottle!

You are free to believe what ever you wish. We can agree to disagree.

 

[Simon G]

The idea that nicotine on it's own is less addictive than smoking makes sense to me. It's much easier for me to go for a few hours without access to vaping than it was to go without fags when I was smoking. It def wasn't at first, but it is after 9 months. I ran out of battery just after lunchtime the other day and wasn't fazed about not vaping till I got home at 5:30. Would never have happened with fags.

eta: I'd have been climbing the walls and pulling what's left of my hair out.

I'm the same but I don't think that means it's less addictive ... I always presumed it was just because we are taking in less nicotine than we were, when I first switched I effectively halved my nicotine intake that day (according to those rough calculators) and now I vape half the e-liquid a day than I did when I started vaping ... so I've effectively been 'cutting down' ... and it seems I'm now having a quarter of the nicotine that I was when I smoked.

I'm not sure that makes me less addicted .... I don't know.. I just don't see it like that, it's ok going for a few hours but could I go a week, a month, stop altogether? ... it might be easier but then it would be if I've lowered my nicotine that much.

I have an alcoholic friend, he can go an afternoon without a drink but he's absolutely still an alcoholic, he couldn't go a day without a drink.

... I dunno when I use the phrase 'highly addictive' I mean that it's extremely difficult to stop, not that a few puffs on a vape will make you an addict.

Maybe I'm wrong using it like that?

 

[Mitz]

... I dunno when I use the phrase 'highly addictive' I mean that it's extremely difficult to stop, not that a few puffs on a vape will make you an addict.

Maybe I'm wrong using it like that?

That is absolutely correct. And it is also a huge misconception people have of heroin addiction; that wou will become addicted if you use it even once!
Some people do. But the VAST majority do not. I used daily for roughly 6 months before I developed a "habit". I don't think anyone will argue that it makes gear any less addictive! You don't decide when you will develop a dependancy whatever the drug may be. Your body informs you when you have aquired one. And my body is quick to inform me when it wants nicotine!

 

[Mitz]

Anyway, I'm done with this topic. Peace, love and respect to you all.

 

[Simon G]

Anyway, I'm done with this topic. Peace, love and respect to you all.

Me too, need to put the kettle on and get my other addiction under control.