Oolite Bulletins

I was introduced to nicotine at inception. Both parents smoked.
Not unusual for the 60's.
2017 and gave the tobbac away for the vape. still the nico but not the tar.

Any thoughts from X smokers?

If you don't mind a comment from a non-smoker, the stuff smells even worse than cigarettes in any sort of confined space. It's supposed to be banned on buses in London, but the top decks usually stink of the stuff, and I know at least one person who is violently allergic to it.

Both parents smoked. Not unusual for the 60's.

Both my parents were non-smokers, which was probably unusual for the fifties.
I smoked my first cigarette, a stolen Senior Service, when I was twelve.


As for vaping: what ffutures said.

@Alex I am an ex-smoker, but I have never tried vape. Just went cold turkey one day and never looked back. But I guess that if vape works for you then that's certainly better than traditional cigarettes. Good luck with it!

@ffutures I just moved recently to London and I also realized that about the buses. One more reason for me to avoid the top deck.

I'm a die-hard (pun not intended) smoker, and have been trying to stop for years. I bought a vape a few months ago and it is certainly the best chance I have of quitting as it more or less ticks all the boxes. Good though it is the trouble is it's 'different' and sometimes I really just need a proper fag - nothing else will do. Still, I will persevere with it.
My experience with other peoples' reaction to it is generally quite good - it seems to be much more acceptable than a cigarette in company/public.

@Alex
Here are some stats from the family and family friends (leaving out occasional smokers, that find it easier to just quit than just acquire/adapt to a new habit)

Smokers that are over 60 find it hard to get used to it. They usually use it in parallel, and do not want to spend time finding the best vapor system (system, battery size, flavor) for them.
Relatives around 50 tend to completely replace smoking by vaping and after one or two years even start considering to completely give up.
They all agree that vaping is not smoking, but in this case, health considerations weighted more.

You have many times highlighted the user experience matters, so I will add the following.
1. All of the aforementioned people, also, agree that you need to spend time tasting various flavors, that best resembles the user experience you now get.
2. Actually holding and trying vaping systems coming in various shapes, colors and sizes, This also counts a lot to the experience you get.
3. Battery sizes and vaping duration is also a major factor.
4. Choosing where to buy from. Vapor shops, here in Greece, let you taste before you buy, and not just once. Discussing with the salesperson, on your smoking habits, may also help leading him/her into suggesting something that could do the trick for you. Considering the after sales relation (vapor systems tend to break), choose also a shop that you feel comfortable with (yes, that Jedi thing) that will be there to assist you when in trouble.

I wish you find what is best for you soon.

i quit 32 years ago, 9 months later i was out drinking with friends and had just 1........30 years ago i quit for good. threw them in the bin and havent looked back. if vaping was around then i dont think i would have tried it. if you are going to quit then quit dont substitute.
no one can tell you to quit or make you quit. you can only do it when you REALLY want to do it. trying to quit because a partner asks you to , when you dont really want to will never work.
i found the biggest thing was what to do with my hands! you are holding a cig, or a lighter or the cig packet , always doing something with the hands.....
bottom line quiting is good, do it in the way that works for you.

<lights another smoke>

I quit tobacco about 8 or 9 years ago, cold turkey but I had gotten down to about 4 or 5 roll your owns a day. They say after 2 weeks you are good to go but the third week was really strange for me, it wasn't cravings, everything just seemed extremely surreal.
Getafix makes some good points. Since I haven't really quit smoking, just nico, I've tried some of the vaps and various concoctions that go in them, the worst are the ones that add idiotic flavors, horribly artificial. I found I liked the most natural tasting ones the best but its still not the same for me.

Thanks everyone for the insights

I never wanted to quit smoking, but at $70 for 50g and papers 2 or 3 times a week, well, way outside my income.
Didn't have a clue about how it smells to non smokers, will really keep that in mind. Don't think your allowed to vape in enclosed space here in Oz, the same as smoking. I have no problem with that.
I smoked Drum mild roll my own, no filters, for decades, so started with the 18mg liquids. Started on the 12mg 3 weeks ago.

Must admit I don't buy the tobacco flavours. Not after the first few that had no more in common with backy than regurgitated ... lost for words there.
I like the coconut or banana or apricot mixes, with a little one called -273. I'm sure most know what that number is.

I'm aware I haven't quit smoking. Wasn't trying to. But with this. Makes it easier to cut down on the Nico intake. I still have a pack of Drum from the last price increase. And went vape. I've rolled a few but couldn't smoke a smoke coz the flavour was way out there yuck type.

I never felt a need to quit smoking, over the years with the anti smoking lobby gaining just made me feel angry. Cheeky boogers. Late 70's, early 80's The tax collected on tobacco alone was double the cost of the NHS. The most smuggled drug into the UK was tobacco.

The Australian Gov was honest about it. 6 years ago they stated they would raise the price on smokes by 17.5% at least every year. They did. Priced me out. Here's a laugh, you can't buy vape stuff here, to do with Nico laws. Have to have it posted from overseas. But you can buy any paraphernalia to do with illicit drug use?

ffutures wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2017 1:22 am

If you don't mind a comment from a non-smoker, the stuff smells even worse than cigarettes in any sort of confined space. It's supposed to be banned on buses in London, but the top decks usually stink of the stuff, and I know at least one person who is violently allergic to it.

Don't mind at all. I treat it the same as smoking. I pretty sure it has been illegal to smoke on a bus, top or lower deck since the early 80's. As for allergies, know anyone allergic to peanuts? Out of the heaps of people I've met, none have been. But I'm projectile or hospital case allergic to celery and it's plant family. Strange Eh.

No I don't mind you saying, how would I know it smells bad to non-smokers unless told.

Late 70's, early 80's The tax collected on tobacco alone was double the cost of the NHS

I had an interesting discussion with the chest consultant regarding my contribution to the Exchequer via tobacco duty.
As a general rule, consultants see themselves as superior to us mortals - an attitude which tends to annoy me.


I look forward to the day when booze gets the tobacco treatment - rotting livers on bottle labels, etc.

I didn't mention the falling over water tax. Any idea how much that is in tax? The high 90's% on every sale, then VAT on top.

Remember when most smoked and almost everyone went to the local.

So where does the gov get the dosh from now?

No free meals for kids in school... No free school.. Medical for kids.. Education? "Can't even afford pencils, never mind teaching them enough to use pens"

Go on. Think about it

Cody wrote: ↑Fri Nov 24, 2017 2:49 pm

Late 70's, early 80's The tax collected on tobacco alone was double the cost of the NHS

I had an interesting discussion with the chest consultant regarding my contribution to the Exchequer via tobacco duty.
As a general rule, consultants see themselves as superior to us mortals - an attitude which tends to annoy me.


I look forward to the day when booze gets the tobacco treatment - rotting livers on bottle labels, etc.

Why waste good logos where it's easy to recognise your poison. The grey/black package doesn't help with smoking. The clear glass of the prohibition didn't help with boozing.

If they have learned nothing, let it be knowing, To control the mass is to loose.

"As a general rule, consultants see themselves as superior to us mortals - an attitude which tends to annoy me."

OHIEE! I am occasionally asked an opinion, is that not a consultant? Yes I see the 'general rule' escape.

Cody wrote: ↑Fri Nov 24, 2017 2:49 pm

Late 70's, early 80's The tax collected on tobacco alone was double the cost of the NHS

I had an interesting discussion with the chest consultant regarding my contribution to the Exchequer via tobacco duty.
As a general rule, consultants see themselves as superior to us mortals - an attitude which tends to annoy me.


I look forward to the day when booze gets the tobacco treatment - rotting livers on bottle labels, etc.

Why waste good logos where it's easy to recognise your poison. The grey/black package doesn't help with smoking. The clear glass of the prohibition didn't help with boozing.

If they have learned nothing, let it be knowing, To control the mass is to loose.

"As a general rule, consultants see themselves as superior to us mortals - an attitude which tends to annoy me."

OHIEE! I am occasionally asked an opinion, is that not a consultant? Yes I see the 'general rule' escape.