@TheTinMan1 I think back to how it USED to be, little to no shops, crap equipment (most), and little to no good guidance for the uninitiated. Sooo much money wasted LOL. Fast forward to now, AND, including ELR. Wow, how far we’ve come.
That’s a really good approach as well.
Touchy area, dammed if you do and dammed if you don’t. Best is to diplomatically disengage if possible.
See your point, vaping is not a casual once in awhile novelty of the uninformed. To do vaping justice, you really need a good reason/motivation to succeed.
Just thinking about this a little more. Everybody is different, obviously. When I first started vaping, it was to be able to spend more time at things I do inside my home without having to leave the activity to smoke. I didn’t envision completely quitting. Nothing had worked before. I didn’t believe vaping would work either. For the first two weeks, I would smoke when I first got up and then get on with the day and vaping. I enjoyed vaping so much and it was so satisfying that I would simply not bother smoking the rest of the day. By the beginning of the third week I had realized vaping had become a wonderful alternative.
My point being, with further consideration, I would not preclude helping someone start who didn’t intend on quitting completely. I would obviously relay my experience for consideration. I still would not foot the bill as per previously post.
First off, it sounds like you are very generous. I think it is very nice that you offered to set her up if she is willing to quit smoking.
However, if you disagree with part time vaping/part time smoking, then don’t feel the need to give or sell her something you may still want. Like you said, help her find a good setup online. Help her find the right juice, let her pay for it.
I don’t know anyone that vapes, so I started down this road in total confusion. I looked online, but nothing made sense. I decided that if I was going to start vaping, I was quitting smoking completely. I couldn’t continue smoking as I was. But I didn’t want to quit AGAIN, because I just kept starting to smoke again. Even after quitting for 3 years. I hadn’t found this site or really any forums yet. So, I went to our local vape shop. Yes, it cost a whole lot more, but their advice was invaluable. I told them that I wanted to quit, but vaping was a complete mystery to me. They asked how much I smoked and what brand. They showed me several different beginner packages. I went with an eGo style and an aspire tank. They recommend a juice that was most like what I was smoking, and I bought a tropical fruit and a cereal flavor, as well as some coils. The price added up! But it was about the same as a,week of smoking. I think having to pay for these items makes you give it more effort. I think if someone would have given me all of that, I wouldn’t have any idea how much money they saved me.
I decided that I was going to quit smoking the next day. I thought it would be hard. I went home and had a cigarette, then I took my first puff of vape ever. And I could not believe how much more I liked it! It tasted better, cleaner. I did screw up once. My tank broke 2 weeks in. I smoked 3 cigarettes. And I have not wanted one since! They were awful! So it is ok to slip up. I think it’s ok to vape 1/2 the day. But not if you are making your addiction worse. Nor if someone gives you everything for free.
Smoker or part-time vaper doesn’t really matter to me. Any introduction to vaping is a good thing IMO.
Good move, i work in rehab center as a drug and alcohol abuse counselor, and i do have that same talk at least once a week, better results whit people that have tryed many times to stop, they take the vape on the first try, than there is those who relapses, in any case i share your view, if they are not going to give a good effort to switch they dont get my help!
The first " client" i helped few years ago is now a vape shop owner, funny dominos effects…
I see this in two different lights.
First off, if they are just trying this because it might be something they might want to do and you just give it to them for free there is a higher possibility for them to stop using it. They have no reason (except mentally) to continue, it didn’t cost them anything. While if you charged them (even if it was something minor) they would feel that they bought it so now they need to use it.
Secondly, when I had quit smoking 20 years ago, I used the “patch” and (despite what is written on the warnings) I still smoked. I used the patches twice as long as they were suppose to be used… i.e. the first step (strength) was suppose to be used for 3 weeks and I used that strength for 5 or 6. I didn’t have a “need to stop” smoking, just decided to. I did always miss smoking though, I found it enjoyable. When I seen vaping devices and seen the lack of smell and even the lack of harmful byproducts I jumped right in.
Not trying to sway your mind one way or the other, but if your friend does get to vaping “some”, maybe they will start vaping more. If they don’t start vaping any, then they will continue to keep smoking a lot… if you get my drift. I would still tend to charge them something to make them feel committed though. As an aside… my step daughter vapes, at first she had me making her juice, it didn’t bother her to say “I need more of this…” and I was expected to make it up, or she wanted to have a Pumpkin Pie, so I was expected to find a couple recipes, mix them up let her try them until she like what I made then keep her in stock. I would go about purchasing the flavorings and all. Finally I had enough and would write out her recipes on a piece of paper and make her mix her own, I would be there as she mixed but she had to do it. She is learning that she needs to tell me when she’s getting low on specific flavorings, and the last few times I made her pay for them out of her own pocket. Last week when my nic bottle was getting low she re-filled it with the bottle of pg, thus ruining about 30ml of nic… another time instead of adding 100ml of vg to her 120ml bottle she was making she added pg, (it would have been a 100% pg juice not counting the vg nic) mistakes happen, but I made her pay me for the waste and she becomes more careful and studious because it cost her.
Long winded… sorry.
Everyone here is amazing, and I thank each of you that took time to reply and give your thoughts.
This may go on a bit but I would like to explain a little of my thought process and the reason I think the way I think.
I am a recovering alcoholic. I still struggle to this day. Over the course of the last 7 years I’ve learned many things. One of the things I’ve learned is that until you buy into a program that works for you, you will not succeed in staying sober. There are many programs out there and I won’t debate whether one is better than the other. If you stay sober in one of them, then it is a successful program for you.
In a outpatient rehab program I went to I drank for 6 of the 12 week program. Then something clicked. I bought in. I stopped drinking. One of the nights during class the counselor made someone quit the program because he wouldn’t admit he had a problem and this program was designed for people with problems. In the counselor’s opinion the guy was detrimental to the rest of the class. After the guy left I was really upset. I berated the counselor for giving up on the guy and taking away the opportunity for recovery. If I don’t help this guy try to quit smoking then I to am denying him an opportunity to lead a healthier lifestyle.
At a previous job I was the person that the in house nurse sent people struggling with addiction. I told them my story and what worked for me. Even if they didn’t stop drinking it was still beneficial to my recovery to try and help each person sent to me.
Long story short, each person here has given me several sides to look at this. I thank you again. As for now I am going to set this guy up with vape gear. Work with him on finding what works and what he likes. Maybe he will stop smoking eventually. Maybe he won’t. But I will benefit from doing everything I can to help.
Love all of you for your replies and guiding me to what I hope is the right choice.
And we love you too
Exacly what i ment, its call giving a helping hand whitout getting an arm ripped off!!!
Not on track but a funny story about not getting your hand back intact.
We’d gone car shopping and the wife was out test driving a used ride and I was standing on the parkway just cooling my heels when this big old cat walks over and starts rubbing on my legs so I mindlessly reached down and scratched his head.
Next thing I know I’ve got an ass load of snarling beast lock onto my arm. Slamming him against the nearby tree eventually convinced him to turn loose and he departed the vicinity of the crime just the wife pulls back up.
I’ve got my shirt off by now and my bloody stump wrapped in it. She’s like WTF happed to you. (me) I stuck my arm in a garbage disposer.
Just STF up and drive.
LMAO
Last time I scratched a random kitty.
Not trying to talk back at ya, but your stating you drank while you were quitting, kinda like what he/she would be doing… smoking as they were quitting or switching over to vaping.I understand it isn’t the same thing, at least probably not for you or me… but for them it might be what works for them. During your 12 week program it cost you, it’s one of the things that made you stick it out. It needs to be something similar for him. imho of course.
I got 2 coworkers going on vaping I helped them buy what they needed I even gave them 5 bottles of juice. I made their coils and got them all set to vape … they still haven’t taken the leap to quit the cigarettes they vape and smoke I give up.
You’re entitles to your opinion. I, personally, got myself set up so the when that last cig was gon, I was a full-time vapor. So, I TOTALLY get where you’re coming from. BUT (playing Denzil’s avcocate here)… I can also see how every cig NOT SMOKED IS A WIN!!! There are wins on both sides of this street, and the best nes is that this person sees you asa model. Can it get ANY BETTER??
I’m 7 years into that beneficial “click”… because… I chose life.
It’s sad, but some folks don’t have ANYTHING in their life to make them WANT to choose life. OR they’re just self-absorbed dicks that couldn’t think their way out of a paper bag because of their addiction. Addiction sucks, no matter how you lay it out on the table… but, someone will either have that “click” or they won’t… Our wish for them is to get to thinking straight and recover… they’re the ones that have to make the decision to choose life!
Congratulations on both your choices! I’ve got 40yrs on pot, 24yrs on alcohol, and a mere 5 months on stinkies, lol. They went away in order of difficulty to quit, easiest to hardest. With posts like this I always think I tables in sat at where 15 people will say the same thing to one person and 14 out of 15 will not register. Something in what one person says or conveys clicks and an epiphany occurs. God only knows what will work. Give it what you’ve got and let go. It will be as it should be.
@TheTinMan1
in March I bought a disposable e-cig, Not only was I not ready to quit, I didn’t want to quit smoking, I just wanted to save money. That’s all it took for me to quit a 45 year pack a day habit. I haven’t had a cigarette since. If I had come to you first, I’d still be smoking.
Why do you feel you’re qualified to make decisions regarding other peoples addictions?
“State boards may require 3,000 hours of clinical experience to qualify for a private practice substance abuse counselor license. Counselors working in government substance abuse programs must complete up to three years of supervised work experience to qualify for the position.”
I don’t give a fuck what the goddamn state board requires to be a fucking licensed counselor. At what point did I say that I was qualified to make a decision reguarding his addiction? I’m trying to make a decision on whether I’m going to spend my fucking time and my fucking money to help this person out. At first my mind thought that if they are serious about quitting, I would help. Over the course of the thread my thought process was changed. Then you come along and decide to be a fucking asshole. Of the 7 billion people in the world to fuck with, I might be one you want to skip over.
Congrats on quitting smoking after 45 years. And have a nice day.
I had a similar experience myself. I saw someone else vaping and it aroused my curiosity. I bought a cigalike and thus the journey began.
There are plenty of obstacle in the vape world, but a vaper shouldn’t be one of them. Exposure can be a lifesaver. I know I didn’t quit smoking until I tried vaping… and even then there was a lot of back sliding until I fully committed. Just my opinion.