General Chat

40 a day for the past 45 years ....I'm using patches and the inhaler (work pals call it my tampon lol) I have just got an electronic ciggy which cost me £50!!!!!!! It's clever.....whats you views on this?

Gerri x

Hi Gerri, first of all, well done on giving up! If you read what I have added below it might scare you into never smoking again lol, hadn't realised just how many horrible things are added to ciggies lol

However, I don't really see the point of the electronic ciggy, as you have managed for three weeks, could you not bite the bullet and carry on without that nicotine inhaler which is what it is really. I assume on patches you wean yourself off slowly and you probably get them free? What is the inhaler, do you mean the electronic cigarette?

Good luck anyway, think of all that lovely money you will eventually save when you stop buying the refills for the ciggy too.

You will feel like a spring chicken again lol

take care

Lizxx



How Electronic cigarettes work


The electronic cigarette is divided up into three main parts:

Atomizing device - When the electronic cigarette is inhaled, this heats up the liquid nicotine turning it into a harmless nicotine vapour.

Battery - This powers the electronic cigarette. Each rechargeable battery lasts for 2 - 3 days and you get two batteries including a power adaptor for charging them.

Liquid cartridge - This contains the liquid nicotine which is turned into nicotine vapour, giving you that instant hit. Once the vapour runs out, you simply replace the cartridge. Each cartridge is equal to approximately 15 cigarettes meaning you can get 15 cigarettes for under 1 pound! The electronic cigarette comes with 5 catridges equal to 75 cigarettes. (See Price Comparison)

Are Electronic cigarettes safe?
Tobacco cigarettes actually contain alot of highly harmful substances even long-term smokers don't know about.

According to the Cancer Research UK site, among the 4000 harmful chemicals in tobacco cigarettes, some of them are:

Ammonia (Toilet Cleaner)

It is used as a flavouring and helps free the nicotine from tobacco and turning it into a gas. Helps you absorb more nicotine, keeping you hooked. Found in dry cleaning fluids.

Benzene (Pesticide/Petrol Additive)

This is a colourless cyclic hydrocarbon which is obtained from coal and petroleum, used as a solvent in fuel and chemical manufacture. It is contained in cigarette smoke. Known to be highly carcinogenic and linked to leukaemia.

Acetone (Nail Polish Remover)

Fragrant volatile liquid ketone which is used as a solvent, for example in nail polish remover. It is found in cigarette smoke.

Formaldehyde (Embalming Fluid)

A colourless highly poisonous liquid, used to preserve dead bodies - also found in cigarette smoke. Known to cause a severe problems such as cancer, respiratory, skin and gastrointestinal problems.

Tar (Roads)

Particulate matter drawn into lungs when you inhale on a lighted cigarette. Once this is inhaled, smoke condenses and about 70 per cent of the tar in the smoke is deposited in the smoker's lungs.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

A group of dangerous DNA-damaging chemicals which set cells on the road to becoming tumors.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) (Car Exhaust Fumes)

An odourless, tasteless and poisonous gas, rapidly fatal in large amounts - it's the same gas that comes out of car exhausts and is the main gas in cigarette smoke and formed when the cigarette is lit.

Lead (Paint)

A dense metal with many industrial uses such as paint. Highly toxic, it stunts your growth, makes you vomit and damages your brain. Others you may recognize are :

Arsenic (rat poison), Hydrogen Cyanide (gas chamber poison)

In 2008, toxological tests were performed on electronic cigarettes and they were found to be much less harmful than thetobacco cigarettes. Further scientific tests in 2009 have shown them to be safe.

It's important to note that only electronic cigarettes which have had rigorous testing done on them can be considered safe. Just make sure that when you buy an electronic cigarette that it's an official brand like G, M or N (I abbreviated these - Liz). Recently, there have been many cheap and untested Chinese imitations flooding the market. These imitations can potentially be extremely hazardous to your health so we would advise you not to buy them!

Electronic cigarettes are rechargeable and refillable so you'll save a fortune in the long run.

You can use the electronic cigarettes to smoke in areas with a smoking ban.

There is no flame, no tobacco and no nasty carcinogens so you can smoke without harming others around you, and places where smoking is banned.

Good for you Gerri!


I quit smoking in 1990, after smoking since about 1958 or so.

I tried several times to quit, but always started again.

By 1990 I was smoking around 30-35 a day ................. and then I went for laser treatment.

Quit immediately, and haven't had a ciggie since then.


It was basically acupuncture but using a laser to stimulate the pressure points instead of needles.




sylvia

Well done Gerri! I smoked for over 40 years and it is now nine years since I stopped. The toughest thing I ever tackled, but so worth it. BC XX

Well done Mrs Bucket:) I was on 30 a day or 40+ if I was out for the night:)) and haven't had one now for two weeks four days and a couple of hours:) It's probably my third serious attempt and I'm just using patches but am finding it not too hard - in fact I went on step 2 of the patches yesterday and although I can tell the difference I'm managing ok. I have a mate who's used the electronic cigarette for about three years and I had a go on it a few months ago - very nice it was too but it's not for me cos it's not getting away from fags enough for me.

I'd say if you can manage on as little as possible then the better it is for the ultimate goal, which is no fags or replacement products. But just do whatever you have to do:))

Well done BC and Uggers, third time lucky for you David.

Lizx

Congratulations to all who are trying to give up. Never having been a smoker myself, I still know the problems as I watched my father in law, M.I.L and brother in law die slowly of smoking related diseases. OH soon gave it up! and hasnt smoked for about twenty years. Instead, went and got asbestos plaque in his lungs!

Well done to you and anyone else that is trying to give up. You can do it:o))

jude

Well done on trying to stop smoking...It has been almost 11 months since I last had a cigarette & you know what I don`t miss them..I have saved so much money,I have been told I look younger & healthier too!

I wish I had stopped years ago I might not have got copd

Linda xx

Linda, well done for stopping and staying off the ciggies. At least you aren't making your COPD worse now.

Lizx

Well done I take my hat off to you, I have set a time to give up and hope that I'll have to much new stuff happening that I wont have time to think about smoking(going on a holiday of a lifetime).
I'm going to see my practice nurse to get some patches for when I get back, hope I can do as well as your doing.
Did try Zyban(think that's how its spelt) and had the most terrible time, my hubby used the inhaler and it worked for him, its been almost ten years now so I guess you need to find what works for you and go for it.

Hope so, Liz;)