Is It Just Me?

[nana]

For me, the 18 mg has been perfect. Then again I was never as addicted to the nicotine as I was to the habit of smoking--the psychological component is what always led me back to smoking.

You know, kitsune, that may have been me, too. I started out at higher levels of nic, but I'm not down to 6mg. or less and I'm still doing great. It's made me wonder how much I really needed the nic. Although to start I did need the higher ones, now if I've been vaping some 0 nic for awhile, I do have to go back to the 6mg for just awhile. It's just been way too easy to get much lower. I don't think I would have believed anyone if they'd told me it would be this easy. But even at the 0 nic, I still want to pick up my ecig and vape away.

[DasBeanz]

You know, kitsune, that may have been me, too. I started out at higher levels of nic, but I'm not down to 6mg. or less and I'm still doing great. It's made me wonder how much I really needed the nic. Although to start I did need the higher ones, now if I've been vaping some 0 nic for awhile, I do have to go back to the 6mg for just awhile. It's just been way too easy to get much lower. I don't think I would have believed anyone if they'd told me it would be this easy. But even at the 0 nic, I still want to pick up my ecig and vape away.

I'm the same way. I vape so much that I cut down all my juices with VG. I was at 24mg-36mg. I noticed that I was getting too much nic. I have 0mg that I vap at my computer and about 10mg that I leave the house with.

[ddavelarsen]

You guys just freak me out with your low nic levels. I wonder if I'll ever feel like I want to cut it back, much less be able to. I dunno. I feel so out of place sometimes. Sheesh. But Hey! It's a diverse world. Right?

[nana]

I can't say that I "wanted" to cut back, Dave. I just ordered some lower levels, did fine and figured I'd try a bit lower the next time. It was easy for me, so I went lower again. I'm just going slowly and I'm not worried about it. Right now I'm cutting the 6mg to 3mg. So far, so good. If I need or have to, I'll just go back to the 6mg. But I've been using the 3mg for a few days now and I'm good. I have quite a bit of juice to use, so will probably stay at this level for awhile longer and then start cutting back to 2 or under. I've also been doing 0mg part of the time and do okay there. For awhile. I figure if I get it down to 0 and still have some nic juice left, I can add a drop or two of it to the 0 and use it all up. I doubt the nic level would be very much by then and yet I could use up the juice I have left without feeling like I was wasting it. But I don't know why I started doing this. It wasn't on purpose to begin with. It is now. Now I just want to prove to myself that I can.

[ddavelarsen]

...It wasn't on purpose to begin with. It is now. Now I just want to prove to myself that I can.

I can dig that! Go nana!

[FTJoe]

You guys just freak me out with your low nic levels. I wonder if I'll ever feel like I want to cut it back, much less be able to. I dunno. I feel so out of place sometimes. Sheesh. But Hey! It's a diverse world. Right?

Hey - we're all not smoking, right? I wanted to go 0 nic to try and get my blood pressure and health back as good as it can be. Plus I can pay much less for my life insurance, change of status: non-smoker!!!

Worst part about 0 nic is I liked vaping, but now it really doesn't happen unless I make it, even the mental addiction gave up on me (I'm not loved!). Even sitting here on the board talking about it, I think my spade is in my jacket pocket and I'm too lazy to get it. As stupid as it seems, I just got a whole bunch of 0 nic flavors from Janty. Why?

Edited January 15, 2010 by FTJoe

[Brian]

Hey - we're all not smoking, right? I wanted to go 0 nic to try and get my blood pressure and health back as good as it can be. Plus I can pay much less for my life insurance, change of status: non-smoker!!!

Hey - I was wondering how long I had to wait until I could declare non-smoker on my life insurance. I would still fear that if something happened they give my wife grief that I was technically still a smoker or some crap.

[BirdDog]

Hey - I was wondering how long I had to wait until I could declare non-smoker on my life insurance. I would still fear that if something happened they give my wife grief that I was technically still a smoker or some crap.

It probably will vary from policy to policy or carrier to carrier. My life insurance company told me that I had to be 1 year smoke free.

[FTJoe]

Hey - I was wondering how long I had to wait until I could declare non-smoker on my life insurance. I would still fear that if something happened they give my wife grief that I was technically still a smoker or some crap.

Usually a year, I believe they verify by testing for nicotine. Last thing you want to do is declare non-smoker and get tested post death for nicotine. I know people that don't smoke but chew nicorette gum. From some random site:

Non-Smoker Discount:

In October 1996 it was announced in the international news that scientists had finally located the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer. In the early 1980's, some Canadian Life Insurance Companies had already started recognizing that non-smokers had a better life expectancy than smokers so commenced offering premium discounts for life insurance to new applicants who have been non-smokers for at least 12 months before applying for coverage. Today, most life insurance companies offer these discounts.

Savings to non-smokers can be up to 50% of regular premium depending on age and insurance company. Most life insurance companies offering non-smoker rates insist that the person applying for coverage have abstained from any form of tobacco or marijuana for at least twelve months, some companies insist on longer periods, up to 15 years.

Tobacco use is generally considered to be cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, nicorette gum, snuff, marijuana and nicotine patches. In addition to these, if anyone tests positive to cotinine, a by-product of nicotine, they are also considered a smoker. There are some insurance companies which allow moderate or occasional use of cigars, cigarillos or pipes as acceptable for non-smoker status. Experienced brokers are aware of how to locate these insurance companies and save you money.

[Brian]

Usually a year, I believe they verify by testing for nicotine. Last thing you want to do is declare non-smoker and get tested post death for nicotine. I know people that don't smoke but chew nicorette gum. From some random site:

So it's nic that they test for. Bummer.

[FTJoe]

So it's nic that they test for. Bummer.

Yeah - while we know vaping is WAY better for you than smoking, nicotine is still not good. Even the NRTs are supposed to be used to get off smoking, not an alternative. Not sure what the industry could do to distinguish the two, obviously they class people as smokers because they smoke. Maybe someday we'll finally get some studies that are fair.

[ddavelarsen]

Yeah - while we know vaping is WAY better for you than smoking, nicotine is still not good. Even the NRTs are supposed to be used to get off smoking, not an alternative. Not sure what the industry could do to distinguish the two, obviously they class people as smokers because they smoke. Maybe someday we'll finally get some studies that are fair.

I wouldn't hold out much hope that the life insurance companies would see vaping as any different than smoking, regardless anyone's studies - at least for the next 20 years or so, until it's clear that nicotine itself has no adverse effects and that the components of e cig liquid don't either. I guess my course of action in this regard is to, whenever the subject of life ins comes up with my agent, which it does regularly, to tell him I don't smoke but that I vape, and see what he says about that. I don't buy private life ins because of the cost; fortunately I get it at work and in retirement so basic requirements are covered.

[FTJoe]

I wouldn't hold out much hope that the life insurance companies would see vaping as any different than smoking, regardless anyone's studies - at least for the next 20 years or so, until it's clear that nicotine itself has no adverse effects and that the components of e cig liquid don't either. I guess my course of action in this regard is to, whenever the subject of life ins comes up with my agent, which it does regularly, to tell him I don't smoke but that I vape, and see what he says about that. I don't buy private life ins because of the cost; fortunately I get it at work and in retirement so basic requirements are covered.

If I may disagree about one thing, I believe nicotine is well documented as having adverse affects, as does caffeine but I think to a lesser degree. My point is there should be three classes of insured, smokers (most expensive), people who are addicted to nicotine, gum, vaping, patches, whatever, less expensive, and non-smokers/tobaccoers. Nicotine is harmful to at least the heart, I'm sure the circulatory system, and probably other things as well. But more an more I see people chewing nicorette gum and using NRTs as an alternative to smoking and not a stop smoking aid. I guess this was to be expected when they made it available without a scrip. Also I am really talking out of my a-- as I'm way too lazy to look it up.