Vaping

[UtwigMU]

I switched from smoking analogue cigarettes to vaping about half a year ago. I went to pack a month to 0 pretty quickly without much problems or suffering. I also lowered the nicotine level in my e-liquids during this time by more than half

It's pretty geeky stuff, there are different mods (the case you put batteries in), batteries (reviews tests online - Sony Japanese stuff is best), tanks (the thing where you put e-liquid and it then vapourizes it when you press the button), coilheads, you can also DIY coils and wick them with japanese organic cotton which is where I'm now. There is Watt/volt regulaton, temperature control with Titanium or Stainless steel, some of the dudes at our local vape shop are real geeks...

Compared to smoking there are only advantages:
- it's less harmful (UK health thinks up to 95%) than cigarettes, though long term results are still not here
- you feel better, no monoxide, no tar, no fatigue, no cough
- no burning, no thousands of harmful chemicals found in smoke - the e-liquid consists of glycerine, propilene glycol, nicotine and flavourings
- costs less, especially if you mix your own e-liquid and wrap your own coils. Even with buying premade e-liquid and coils it's still 25-30% cheaper than smokes
- no bad breath, no smelly apartment, car, clothes
- the flavouring is much much better than cigarettes which to me now stink

The USA made premium e-liquids are the best, not surprising since USA food flavouring industry is the strongest in the World. It's been a while since I was buying anything made in USA.

The only downside is you need to charge batteries and have enough of them (3-4 2500-3000mAh), mods and chargers to get you through your activities and your vaping style and that vape shops are few and far apart. So generally I go once a week, stock up, drink coffee with the guys.

So if you're still smoking you can buy a good startup kit for about 65€ which here is about the price of two cartoons of cigarettes and you will break even in a month. Don't buy the cheapest device since experience won't be good and you won't make the switch. Also try a few different tanks and e-liquids to find something that suits you.

Here is 101 video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZ8O5KO3WoY&t=124s

[Dr Mordrid]

There are definitely medical upsides; the tars are gone, along with other combustion products and particulates - which often include the radioisotope Polonium 210 which comes with the use of mined phosphate fertilizers in tobacco farming. Phosphate deposited are usually located near uranium and it's decay products.

Po 210 is responsible for about 1/3 of lung cancers. It's an alpha emitter, which is very ionizing - causing cell damage when the particles get trapped in small spaces in the lung airways and alveolae. Here they replenished as they decay by further smoking, irradiating lung tissues over a very long period.

Bad news.

Mined phosphates are not a problem in food crops.

[Wulfman]

glycerine, propylene glycol, nicotine and flavourings

Let's hope that's true - wouldn't be the first time people put toxic chemicals into products for profit or out of cluelessness. From what I've heard there is very little oversight & testing being done. Traditionally, we also did not inhale flavourings - some of those compounds can be fairly toxic. But yeah, better than smoking, probably worse than not smoking, and we'll all die of something.

[KRSESQ]

Let's hope that's true - wouldn't be the first time people put toxic chemicals into products for profit or out of cluelessness. From what I've heard there is very little oversight & testing being done. Traditionally, we also did not inhale flavourings - some of those compounds can be fairly toxic. But yeah, better than smoking, probably worse than not smoking, and we'll all die of something.

I would consider it hilariously ironic if it was discovered that the top secret ingredients for the yummy licorice flavor turned out to be asbestos and rat feces.

[UtwigMU]

Vaping initially started as cigalikes - closed system, some by big tobacco companies, some by startups (NJOY in USA just went bankrupt) and this is the direction the FDA, EU and tobacco industry would like to go. A closed replaceable pods system of 1-2ml with battery the size of analog cigarette with 500mAh. Such device is good for 150 puffs which is equivalent of 10 analog cigarettes.

By 2013 tanks and mods started to appear and most tank manufacturers (except elite Swiss, German and USA) are based in China. Also the chipsets regulating the heating would start to appear in mods (at first they used to mod flashlight cases and screwed tanks on them). The average are Chinese, USA based DNA and hOhm are high end (above 100 USD for a mod) In these tanks and mods you can pour whatever you want. The cigalikes produce very little vapour and flavour is below average. There is a whole science behind tanks that produce good flavour now. The best on the market are SvoeMesto (Russian design, manufactured in Germany). The companies that do hardware don't do the e-liquids (except maybe eleaf). Also in 2 shops in Slovenia I only saw USA and EU made e-liquids and EU standards are generally good (don't know about USA but based on some equipment certification for USA market that I'm doing now at work they are also diligent if a bit outdated.)

So the state of industry is far from big companies controlling closed system. There are many smaller independent e-liquid makers and the liquids I buy are either made in Germany or in USA and they are all using pharmacy grade VG and PG and food-grade flavourings.

On top of that for many popular eliquid tastes recipes exist online. You order base of vegetable glycerin, propilene glycol (usually 70/30% with 1.2 0.6 or 0.3 mg/ml nicotine - 20-30€/liter - enough for half a year) and food grade flavourings. Then you can mix your own eliquid, steep it for about 2-3 weeks and vape it.

The problem with that is that big tobacco is loosing sales on order of 5% a year and about 3% of smokers in UK have by now switched to vaping. The countries also like taxes from smoking and in Slovenia e-liquids are taxed 20 cents/ml, Italy has even higher taxes. So the FDA in USA and EU would like to regulate vaping and being funded by big tobacco lobbies make it a closed system that would I think offer less consumer transparency. Pharmacy is also loosing sales in nicotine patches and gums. They have also forbidden advertising of vaping though it would beneficial to existing smokers.

Here is a tour of flavouring factory by one of known vaping youtube reviewers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa68u0iNSHI

Trailer for A Billion lives documentary

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSq9iqal2cA

[Greebe]

Started Vaping myself, quit smoking in short order, less than a week. No pressure todo so, but got tired of the negative health issues involved and the insane taxation/monthly cost. Picked up a SMOK TFV4 atomizer from www.smoktech.com and a Fuchai 213 power pack from www.sigelei.com but actually bought from a local retail store called CoolSmoke(dot com). The eLiquid is Nicobine ala www.nicobine.com and is manufactured right down the road in Sarasota Florida off of Bee Ridge Road. FDA insepcted facility using organic certified ingredients. Flavorings do have me concerned too. Use the 1.2% concentration for now.

With that said my nicotine intake is down to less than 1/25 daily intake with cigarettes. No Tar, but must watch not burning the solution. Currently have the power pack set for 52watts for the initial 0.55 seconds to which it falls back to 30watts +/- 3 depending on outside temps and eLiquid used. Like the Summer Blend and the Triple Berry Cream. Tiki isn't too bad but can be a tad harsh if the power is set to high. Originally tried the Creme Brulee but the dud (read salesman) had it all setup wrong, clueless moron. Tried all his suggestions, device leaked (laptop, pockets, leather seats et al) what looked like burnt fluid and honestly tasted like real Creme Brulee and was made with an acetyline torch. LOL returned to the store two weeks later to find he had been relieved of his duties. Go figure. Figured out what the problem was on my own, way too much power. The power pack is adjustable from 10-213watts so that is easy to do. Using the triple head which handles a max of 130w, insane power even when set for half that. Highly recommended. Tho think the newer TFV8 Beast/Baby Beast atomizer is superior. Difference between the two is the Beast holds 6ml and the Baby holds 3ml. The TFV4 holds 5ml

Oh the power pack uses 2/ 18650 batteries, which the Dud said they didn't sell... They did, he's an idiot. I have a mess of these batteries scavenged from thrown out laptop battery packs, so had more than a few on hand. Store wants $9 each, wow pricey

I can breath again and that is something BIG as I may not be a large person, but do have a massive lung capacity in excess of 4 liters. Smell everything I was missing including fresh air. Surprised me the other night at a local store shopping walked past a womans husband as they were talking, ASHTRAY MAN,.. that was me too. Don't miss the cigs at all, 38 years of hellish addiction gone. Thank you GOD

Yo Doc! tell me about the polonium in the phosphate fertilizer. Mozaic Corporation has a massive sink hole up the road from here where they piled the Phosphate, ate through the ground in a massive sink hole, water by the millions of gallons contaminating the ground water. Covered up by every state agency, Joe public found out before the State Governor pRick Scott... you know the guy that got elected with Pam Bondi's help after bilking 1.2Billion dollars from Medicaid when he was the CEO of a major healthcare company in Miami. Have no respect for any of them and now she wants to be the country's Drug Czar, laughable. The propagation of all the pill mills here and then the drastic shut down of the all was her fault, allow it, then kill them off in a shameful self promotion. Now anyone here that actually require the meds is treated with contempt as a low life druggie with nowhere to turn. Sad situation created by despicable people. From what I gather many moved to Ohio where Heroine is readily available. Sad situation, they lost the war on drugs, so this was nothing more than an end to a means, continuing the war they lost only to perpetuate it so billions could be spent and their jobs secured.

[UtwigMU]

I'm eying Smoktech Alien as my next upgrade as it is a relatively small, lightweight mod with dual 18650 and does great temp control. I also have an iStick pico, which is great for the price ~40€ and very small with only 1 battery and Kangertech KBOX 160 (dual 18650). Pico is a bit better TC-wise than KBOX and allows for adjustment of start wattage in temp control.

Presently I'm using Kayfun 5 clone which is the best flavour tank but not so much cloud production. Restricted direct lung inhale. Once you go temperature control, you can never go back. Before I was running SS316 coilheads in Aspire Cleito but they came at about 4€ and needed to be replaced every week. Now I'm going DIY with 0,33 Ohm stainless steel geekvape juggernaut wire coil and Muji Japanese organic cotton.

I also bought a dripper - the Geekvape tsunami as it cannot leak on the flights and also I'm planning to get more serious with DIY e-juice. Drip tank is good for juice testing.

Vaping Cutwood Fritter - premium US made as of the moment with 0.3. For weekday vape I mix base and flavour of some euro creamy eliquid. For workdays I need 0.6 nicotine as they started nagging me about vaping in the office.

I only have Sony VTC5 and VTC6 batteries - the shops here are well stocked.

I recommend using batteries which Mooch recommends.

I can confirm everything what Greebe said about quitting analogs effortlessly and smelling and breathing again.

[Technoid]

Remember vaguely some researchers claiming that the temperature of the vapors was causing permanent lung damage, so it would be interesting to see how quickly the industry responds with sonic vaporisers

[Greebe]

Remember vaguely some researchers claiming that the temperature of the vapors was causing permanent lung damage, so it would be interesting to see how quickly the industry responds with sonic vaporisers

Yep, burn the material is breathing in all kinds of associated compounds that make up the substance... especially carbon. I know from the chef in me that alot of spices are grown in soils that are loaded in heavy metals and other nasties. Beware and check your sources.

Ultrasonic