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.