ddavelarsen

This morning I walked into the building with a coworker. Normally I ride the elevator to the third floor because walking up those stairs just kicks my ... lungs. But she kind of shamed me into walking up with her, so I sucked it up and followed. WOW! I couldn't believe it. Not only was I barely winded but my muscles weren't burning like they ordinarily would have been. I could actually continue to carry on our conversation as I was walking to my desk! Blows me away. And this after only three weeks off the analogs. I think this is a pretty good example of the massive benefit vaping can provide for our health. I'm totally amazed and happy. Vape on!

Well I'm only into vaping for a short time but I know I've saved a boatload of money vs analogs. I'm keeping my equipment acquisitions in check for now but do have a short list of 'required items.' Maybe after Christmas? At $70 a carton for analogs, four times a month, I can stock up on a lot of juice and attys and still save big bucks. Put it in a jar? With my wife and Christmastime? Ha ha ha ha ha! ................. But someday, for sure, it will change our lifestyle. Great thread JM!

Way to go jmhester! And thanks for the kind heads up stubear. High fives all around.

Thanks Travis, that makes a great deal of sense. Your knowledge and thoughtfulness are valuable here!

This kind of meddling is a real bite. Governments sure do think they know what's best for us. I wonder how they know so much? Or do they? Perhaps just having a sense of authority is enough to make some govt functionaries think they need to assert it. I feel sad for small-souled people. But even moreso for you. It's wonderful that you've had so many offers to help. This is a great community. We all need to stick together as this sort of thing accelerates in the future. Vape on! Don't quit. Schizophretard, you are my kind of human!

This is interesting, and answers a question I've had for a long time. I've always thought that people who use 24mg juice must not have been heavy smokers and that seems to be correct. JM's calculations are equal to Marlboro Lights - which would be nothing more than colored air from my perspective. I smoked 1.5 packs of non-filters per day and that still was not meeting my desired nicotine level - my lungs just could not handle any more smoke. So when I started vaping at 36mg and I found myself vaping constantly - virtually breathing vapor - I became concerned that there would be no way I could continue vaping. I found a supplier that offers 48 mg juice though, and that is keeping me level. I vape about 2-3 ml of 48mg juice a day. That is enough to substitute for my smoking habit. Do I think I'll ever step down the nic level? Possibly. But I don't feel motivated to do so; the reason I vape is to quit smoking, not to quit nicotine. One thing that's always been a concern for me is the fact that when regulation comes around - and make no mistake, it will - that the 'authorities' will likely assume that all smokers are like the majority of the folks here; that they have light cigarette nicotine intake. That will leave heavy smokers like me out in the cold because the available nic level after regulation will probably be much less than 24mg. Which would send me back to the smokes. Good thread JM, thanks very much.

Did you set that up? Whoever did, Gold Star! I sent my email, waiting to register. I don't really have enough experience to cast meaningful votes yet but this will give me an excuse to try new stuff.

That's a very rational idea, I'm all for it. I wonder if all the special interests would congregate? I'd sure hope so.

I'll just add my pleasure to this. Way to go Stu! High Fives all around. And it's a good thing folks like you can do this, 'cause I'm like nana - no way would I be able to talk on the radio in front of a bunch of people about anything. Even something as important and close to my heart as vaping is. Thanks!!!

Good idea - added to my FB page too.

Amen, brother! 100% approval.

Brian, I'm sorry for the confusion. I must not have read closely enough. What I can say is that I prefer the manual battery to auto, only because I can better time how the heat is applied. As to poor switches - I've had okay experience with the units from V4L, but that's not to say I'm not just lucky in that regard. We did have one batt that did not shut off when my wife let off the button, and burned the cartomizer. That might be the sort of issue Steve was referring to. One thing to keep in mind is that all of these things are made in China, whose quality control/manufacturing consistency can sometimes be an issue. So I'd say that we're always taking a chance with this stuff. It's inexpensive enough though, and shipping from these suppliers is reliable enough, that in my opinion it's a reasonable risk. But you should expect that at some point you're going to purchase some part that won't perform to your expectations. I think these suppliers understand this and I've never heard anyone complain that any of them did not step up and satisfy a reasonable complaint with product failure. I feel good in that regard doing business with any of them. Just my thoughts though. It's your money and your vaping future you're thinking of. I wish you good fortune and a lot of happiness with your vaping life. Vape on!

That sounds awfully familar. My wife had already quit smoking when I got my first unit, but it looked like so much fun to her she wanted to try it out. Since she'd already quit smoking the nic didn't interest her but she still uses it occasionally, just for the flavor and throat hit. She does get frustrated with all the fiddling around though; I get to keep things running.

I agree on the manual battery too. I've used one of these with the auto batt, and it wasn't as satisfactory as the manual. You can get much better vapor when you're controlling the heat.

Yep, that's what got me headed down this road. I got mine from V4L, which has absolutely fantastic customer service. I'd recommend them to anyone.

I'm still curious about "flavor drops" though.

Way to go! Reading is good for you. That backdrop only made me wish I could see the titles. We have books everywhere too - way more books that wall space to keep them. Sigh.

Thanks Jeff, never noticed that until you pointed it out for me. I'll be careful how I rate your posts!

Flavor drops? Inform me please! Thank you! I'm also with VM and Jeffb on this one - dripping is the way to go! That being said, this is a very informative thread -- thanks to everyone for the excellent input. Does the forum have a way to score/recommend threads? This one needs a Gold Star.

Moderators, if this is uncool, please just delete this thread and let me know so I won't do it again. I'm pasting this from another forum to help spread the word. Quote: "What can you do to keep your right to vape? The politicians are doing everything they can to convince the public that these devices are poisonous and dangerous to our health. They swear that these devices will "make children want to smoke real cigarettes" and that they are "cancer in a cartridge". They tell people that these are "just as bad as cigarettes" and that we would be "better off smoking". We have science and FACTS on our side that tell us otherwise. The problem is that there are more of them than there are of us!!! Or are there? At the suggestion of Bill Godshall of Smokefree PA... Let's do our best to get an organized list of vapers email addresses. This way we can inform and educate you when the ban moves to your neighborhood and we can hep you figure out what to do about it. We can let you know who you can send a letter to and give you their email address. We can even make a form letter for you to copy and paste to send to them. We can let you know when and where to show up to come let these sleazy, lying politicians know that you will NOT allow them to lie to the American public anymore! Here's how you can help... you can email us at VapersClub@aol.com and in the subject line you can put the name of the state you are from so we can try only to send you information that is relevant to YOU. Information will be sent to you ONLY if it is relevant to vaping at the discretion of the National Vapers Club from organizations such as Right to Vape, CASAA and the ECA. We hope that you will get involved and spread the word that we are trying to get a list composed so that we can organize well enough to beat these politicians and stop the bans. What can you do to help right now? -You can go to every vaping forum that you are a member of and copy and paste this post and help us to gather our army to fight the bans! -You can tell your favorite reviewers to please make a 2 minute video reading this statement and asking vapers to spread the word! -You can email your favorite supplier directing them to this post and asking them to copy and paste it on their website somewhere or to PLEASE include it in their emails sent out to customers. -You can go to the vapers chat rooms or list serv and spread the word... we need to be able to organize! We need to use every avenue we can find to gather vapers by the numbers to prepare for this war. We are about to lose the right to vape in the state of New Jersey... and it is our own fault because FIVE groups showed up in FAVOR of banning vaping and NO ONE showed up AGAINST it! We NEED to organize people! Again.. Please email VapersClub@aol.com and put the state you live in in the subject line so we can add you to the list of vapers who want to protect their right to vape! " Hope this cut and paste post is not against the rules! Just trying to help aid the cause...our Right to Vape!"

I don't want to throw a bucket of cold water on this, but I don't think there are really very many vapers out there - as a percent of the population, I mean. I suspect we're really a quite small demographic. That being said, why don't we just start writing our congress critters? Perhaps we could jointly create a compelling, succinct statement in support of vaping that everyone could start sending to their state reps? I've saved all of the letters I've seen that people sent to the NJ senators, and some of that stuff is exceptionally good. I have written my state reps on many occasions - often enough that they generally send actual replies to my letters, and sign them with an actual pen. Truth. Here's what I've learned about contacting congress: The most visible, or highest priority contact is said to be by telephone. They pay the most attention to phone calls. The second most influential contact is a snail mail letter. Those get attention too. The least useful contact, though it's increasingly being realized that people mean it, is email. Generally, for those everyday contacts with my congress critters, I send email. Occasionally I get a personal reply but usually it's just canned. When I send snail mail I always get a personal reply. I know then, that my Senator or Representative has actually heard what I said. When I phone their offices, I talk to an office functionary. They listen, sometimes ask questions, and presumably tabulate info for their boss. I'm not sure how effective this really is, I've only been told it's the most effective. Since I hate talking on the phone I only do that when it's a dire emergency. My suggestion is that once we have a prepared statement, we each start mailing them to our congress folk. I think if there's any strength in our numbers, a boatload of letters hitting their offices over an issue they've never heard of is bound to make an impression. And I agree keenan, being proactive in this case is crucial and smart. Let's go for it!

I would like to see the result of this poll taken in a public place where people of all demographics congregate. We'd have to add one more option: "What is vape?" My approach to this might concern some people but it's based on long experience. I didn't ask anyone; I just plugged my PT into my computer and started vaping one day. Hardly anyone has noticed, but those who have are 100% supportive. 1) I have quit smoking, which makes all non-smokers happy. 2) It's saved about 20% of my workday from going to my car to smoke. 3) There is no smell or smoke, which is very interesting to people: "What's that?" I've found that people are generally very interested to learn what a personal vaporizer is and how it works. The whole nicotine aspect is secondary for these people. Now, if I asked HR whether I could vape I would expect an instinctive and immediate "NO." That is the standard conservative business answer to anything they've never heard of; add 'nicotine' to the formula and you have a dead issue. Rather, having set a precedent that it's harmless and unnoticeable to others around me, and that I'm significantly more productive, I think they'll have to think about it before making any knee-jerk reactive decisions. They may still say No, and in that case I'll start going out to my car again to vape. But until then I'm going to conscientiously use my PV at my desk, and get some work done. Just my .02.

I've never seen an ecig kiosk in a mall here but if I ever do I'm now well armed! Way to go VapinCT! I bet that poor schmuck was just parroting what the regional jerk told him to say. Doesn't let him off the hook for being a jerk himself, but it goes to show that there are still hucksters out there in the twenty first century. You'd think society would have grown up enough by now to spot those guys a mile away. Or not.

Below is the text of the email that I sent to the copy/paste list provided above: "Dear Senators; First allow me to apologize for submitting one email to all addresses. I simply must be careful about my time as I'm on my employer's clock. However, I am very passionate about this issue so will ask your indulgence. Please carefully consider whether to ban e-cigarettes in public and work places. I only recently learned about e-cigarettes. I have been a heavy smoker for over 40 years, and tried every method "in the book" to quit the habit. I have been 100% unsuccessful in my attempts to quit smoking. My health suffered severely from my heavy intake of cigarette smoke, yet I had been unable to quit smoking regardless of the myriad prescription nicotine supplements I've used in my many attempts. I had tried every option available to quit smoking, to absolutely no avail. Yet I've been "vaping" for a little over one month, and have been smoke-free for over two weeks. E-cigarettes have been the God-send that I needed to quit smoking. I know in my heart that I will never smoke cigarettes again, and will never subject bystanders to their unhealthy byproducts. May I tell you, this substitute for tobacco is unsurpassed in its efficacy to help me give up the smoking habit. In just over two weeks of non-smoking using my e-cigarette, my health has improved tremendously. I can exercise with vigor, have more energy, spend 20% more time at my desk working (hence greatly improved productivity for my employer at no cost to them), have experienced resurgence of my senses of taste and smell, and generally have found the experience wholly satisfactory. Without the ability to use my vapor device, I would of necessity revert to the smoking habit that was slowly but surely taking my life and costing my employer a significant portion of my working day. Electronic cigarettes have no known negative effects, for the user or for bystanders. E-cigarettes produce only steam, which virtually immediately dissipates in the atmosphere. There are no side-products of combustion; there is only steam. I use my vapor device at my desk while working; my coworkers have never noticed any aroma. Rather, in all cases my coworkers and supervisors have shown complete happiness that I have finally found a solution to my smoking habit. The habit that was slowly but surely killing me, and would leave my family without the support I provide. The habit that consumed close to 20% of my workday. Imagine! A 20% productivity improvement for every smoker who has the opportunity to use an e-cigarette while working! Banning such a device would be a real disservice to all employers during these economically challenging times. I implore you all: Please, do not ban e-cigarettes in public or work places. Our nation deserves this unique opportunity to realize unsurpassed improvements in public health and workplace productivity. Thank you for your consideration, Dave Larsen" Let's hope they listen, eh? I know its not very well written but I knocked it off in a hurry knowing that if I didn't I would do nothing. I saved the email and will tweak it quite a bit the next time I need to use it to help inform our lawmakers. I can't stress enough how pleased I am to have learned about vaping. It's changed my life immensely.

For what it's worth, I keep all the packaging stuff that comes covering the carts, and when I fill them just put all that stuff back on them. I hadn't thought of bagging them and sticking them in the fridge, but I think - why not? Now I'm going to take that one more step.