My (Technically Second) Attempt to Quit Smoking

Loaded and ready to go

My research into smoke cessation was what inspired me to use an E-cig to quit smoking. I have been a smoker for almost seven years, and typically smoke about 3-7 cigarettes on any given day. I have also not quit for any longer than one month since I first began smoking at the age of fifteen.  

Months ago I attempted this with incredible results, and found myself feeling no desire for tobacco for an entire month. Not being a big fan of the cold-turkey approach, I liked the thought of being able to quit cigarettes at a slow and steady pace that wouldn't turn me into an anxious mess. I went that entire month having had only a pull in total and I felt great. That was, until my e-cig broke. As the stresses of projects and my work life piled on, I once again picked up tobacco. 

Equipped with a new pen, I plan to restart my efforts. My plan is to slowly reduce the concentration of nicotine in my e-liquid down to zero. I will also stop smoking tobacco altogether, to make the electronic cigarette my only source of nicotine.

Totally Wicked's Patriot Range E-liquid

According to the research I did for the other posts, I felt it is best to tackle my addiction in two ways, 1) by reducing my cravings for nicotine, and 2) then afterwards, working on eliminating my oral and dexterous fixation. Simply put, I will wean myself off of the nicotine, and once I am only using nicotine-free liquid will stop altogether and works on my physical desire to smoke. This method is effective because it breaks down the multiple causes of cravings and works on them gradually. Quitting cold turkey is a much more drastic change, and as I experienced, stress can come from anywhere and make you itch for a smoke. 

Can E-Cigarettes help you quit smoking?

Although my first post focuses more on the E-cigarette industry as a whole and it's marketing to the youth, there is something to say about the potential the product has to help an already addicted smoker kick the habit. Due to a lack of FDA testing on the health effects of e-liquid, many remain unsure about whether or not they are as beneficial as they are marketed to be. Vapor alternatives have exploded on the scene with the promise that they cause significantly less damage to the lungs than cigarettes, with that promise in part being true.

Courtesy of : Mistic Ecig Blog

Looking at my personal experience with E-cigarettes, there are a few benefits you notice right off the bat; a significant decrease in coughing, it left no odor on my breath or clothing, and tasted much much better overall. Yet a recent CBS News report on a study conducted by the University of California, San Francisco that revealed that E-cigarettes have no actual impact on smoking cessation. The article goes on further to cite a survey conducted by the CDC (2011-12) that showed evidence of electronic cigarettes actually increasing the chance for tobacco consumption in middle school students.

 On the other hand, electronic cigarette smokers do report similar benefits to mine in their health after making the switch. A improvement in breathing, decrease in coughing, and loss of stains and odors on the hands and teeth are changes usually noticed after stopping tobacco use. One valuable aspect of electronic cigarettes that separate them from quit aids like patches and gum is simply its design. In an interview on Discovery Health, Dr. Douglas Jorenby discusses methods to curb cravings for nicotine, one being to occupy your hands. What an electronic cigarette does is provide the ability to administer nicotine while also creating the physical illusion of smoking. This makes them a unique tool to help smokers quit, as they manage to curb cravings in two ways at once.

So can e-cigarettes help you quit smoking? The argument is still far from decided and will continue that way until time and funding is dedicated to researching the health effects of e-liquid. I and the rest of the world currently know too little about the long-term effects vapor inhalation and the dangers of liquid nicotine to weigh in properly as of yet. What is true however is that these products can offer a means to breaking the addiction altogether, given the right circumstances.

Redefining the Candy-Cigarette

Since the introduction of the E-cigarette in 2004 by the Ruyan Company (China) a battle has raged on between the FDA and the E-cigarette companies over the manner in which it is being marketed. Despite the companies' claims of the products health benefits, the FDA refused to allow the product to enter the US market for almost 3 years. Concerns were voiced over the unknown health effects caused by the "e-liquid" that provides the flavor and nicotine.The NPR Blog states that young people using E-cigarettes are twice as likely to develop an actual smoking habit. Debates also rage on as to whether or not these products help users quit smoking.  Those in favor argue that the vapor alternative is much less damaging to the users health while the opposition claims there is too little known the health effects of e-liquid to know that for sure. The argument is strong on both sides but the general consensus is that not enough information has surfaced to make either side the victor.

E-Cigarette Cartridges- Provided by Getty Images

Onw issue that has arisen in the last year is that from one look, you can tell these products are not meant to attract adults, and the studies can back that up. In a 2012 report by CDC, E-cigarette use has reportedly doubled in the period of a year (2011-12) among a surveyed group of middle school students. A recent article on The Hill, a political news web source reported that House democrats were putting a bill into place restricting the E-Cigarette industry from marketing their products to young people. Lobbyists and lawmakers argue the products flavoring and packaging is a tactic to attract new smokers just as the "Camel Joe" campaign did almost a century ago, glamorizing smoking for the youth through flashy ads and products. The simple white and brown look has been replaced with psychedelic rainbow designs and a bright blue LED light.

Luxury Vape™ Product Shot

Typical E-liquid flavors include:
-Pancakes
-Strawberry
-Watermelon
-Cotton Candy
-Vanilla
-Mango-Orange

Blogs like E-Cigarette Forum allow users to discuss the upcoming products,popular flavors and brands online, which has only furthered the appeal these products have to young people. Although forums tend to be user generated there is no denying the fact that the enticing flavors and visually appealing packaging is a tactic to draw in younger people, and being so unregulated it becomes easy for abuse to occur.