I agree with almost everything you said Deadpool. Here's the part i don't agree with, no us vaper's have not (for the most part) given up nicotine. However, there are over 4,000 known chemicals in cigarettes, close to 100 of them are KNOWN carcinogens (there are probably a lot more which is why i emphasized the KNOWN part) and i don't know the exact number but i think it's a safe guess to say there are several hundred addictive chemicals in cigarettes.
Nicotine is not the only addictive substance in cigarettes is my point. I don't know for sure what the number of addictive chemicals are in cigarettes, but i know it's a lot. It's not just nicotine. Nicotine has been demonized over the years which is why the FDA approved quit smoking aids have such a horrible success rate. In effect, they don't work. Someone that quit using the patch, lozenges, or even the gum may as well have just quit cold turkey. I say this because we know FOR A FACT that nicotine is not the only addictive substance in cigarettes. If your'e going to quit, just quit, don't just give yourself 1 of the several addictive ingredients in one product. That's basically pointless.
My point is we all go through withdrawals when switching from cigs to vaping, some experience it bad, some don't. I didn't, switching was super simple and yet some people have to "ween" their way into vaping.
You are right though, the people that quit cold turkey deserve a lot more recognition than we do as when they wanted to quit they didn't use a "crutch", which is exactly what vaping is. Hate to admit it, but that's the truth. 99% of us looked to vaping to quit smoking and now look at it in an entirely different way. But really, that's all it is, a crutch.