Smokers that vape? Ex smokers? What are we?

[Mark]

This blog by Vaping Point Liz includes a survey providing some interesting results

Response statistics
I consider myself a smoker but I vape instead 10.54%
I am an ex-smoker that vapes 74.75%

Ive always considered myself to be a smoker even though I vape because without my vape gear...I would smoke.

As time goes on I'm tending to lean towards feeling like an ex smoker and can't put my finger on the reason for that except the length of time that I haven't actually smoked a cigarette. And whilst in an ideal world I would want everyone to switch for their own benefit, I strongly defend a persons right to smoke. It is their choice!


Have a look here for more interesting results
http://vapingpoint.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/vapers-are-losing-friends-in-our-effort.html?spref=tw

 

[Purplefowler]

Vapingpoint Liz is a total legend and always a really interesting lady. I highly recommend her blogs and YouTube vids.

 

[Midnight]

If asked now, I would say I don't smoke but I do vape nicotine. When I used to use NRT I would always say I didn't smoke but use NRT. I can't say I will never smoke again, I just hope I won't. I hope I would never be so pretentious as to treat smokers with contempt.

 

[Barracuda]

Interesting, I see myself as an ex smoker but now a nicotine addict!!

funny enough I came to that conclusion today as I gave my mates son a lift into work and he asked if he could spark up in the van.
no probs I said, this being the first time sitting next to someone in close proximity since I switched to vaping 8 months ago so an interesting experiment I thought.

it was truly awful I can tell you. I realised then what every non smoker has said to me over the years,, it stinks.

 

[remnant]

"Drug Fiend" is my preferred term.

Interesting question, though. Certainly I still feel closer to smokers than I do to any kind of anti-smoking zealot, perhaps because right up until the point where I realised I'd never smoke again, I would have considered myself an entrenched and pretty much unrepentant smoker, and when I switched, I wasn't trying to Give Up Smoking - I just found something that gave me everything I might have wanted from smoking, but which happened to be preferable in every respect.

 

[Mark]

I think it's great to be pro Vaping. I think it's ok to be anti smoking simply because we know the dangers of that as against Vaping. I personally don't believe we should be anti-smokers though. If that makes sense. The smell of smoking and all the other unpleasant aspects of inhaling a burning plant (with chemical extras) remind us why we switched. But it was our choice. Those that wish to continue to do so should be left alone. They're vilified enough as it is...and we were them. I hate hypocrisy

 

[Tubbyengineer]

I think it's great to be pro Vaping. I think it's ok to be anti smoking simply because we know the dangers of that as against Vaping. I personally don't believe we should be anti-smokers though. If that makes sense. The smell of smoking and all the other unpleasant aspects of inhaling a burning plant (with chemical extras) remind us why we switched. But it was our choice. Those that wish to continue to do so should be left alone. They're vilified enough as it is...and we were them. I hate hypocrisy

Aww you spoil all the fun... I was looking forward to taking the piss out of a relative who has been on at me for years to quit - she's a "Social smoker", just three or four a week - usually someone elses, I was going to have great fun throwing all those "Filthy habit, Smell like an ashtray" gags back in her smug self satisfied face...

 

[Fleabag]

I'm still smoking a little, so the answer's obvious for me. However, when I do finally have the last one, I don't think I'll view it as the last one. As I've said before, the great advantage of vaping is that you could have one and not undo all the progress, because unlike other quitting methods, we're not necessarily reducing the nicotine. If I were to use NRT for a few weeks and quit, then have a fag a year later, I'd undo all the hard work and likely be back on them. If I remain a nicotine user but stop smoking, then have a fag a year later, I've just delivered my nicotine differently on one occasion- I've not set myself back to the beginning.

I think I like to think of it in those terms, at least in the first stages of getting off the fags - it doesn't have to mean I'll never smoke one again.

 

[Clonfuddled]

I would say at the moment its 75% vaping and 25% smoking for me. Since I got set up right with my gear I vape more and to a point where I light up a cig and thing hmm somethings missing ..... put it out and drag on e-cig and go "ahhhh much better". I suppose over time the vaping will increase.

 

[TeaRose]

Well said; this is exactly how I feel. I don't think for one minute that I'd have stopped smoking without my e-cig, but I know I would never ever look down on a smoker, having been one myself and wished I wasn't!

"Drug Fiend" is my preferred term.

Interesting question, though. Certainly I still feel closer to smokers than I do to any kind of anti-smoking zealot, perhaps because right up until the point where I realised I'd never smoke again, I would have considered myself an entrenched and pretty much unrepentant smoker, and when I switched, I wasn't trying to Give Up Smoking - I just found something that gave me everything I might have wanted from smoking, but which happened to be preferable in every respect.