Do your homework!!!
This is your life and the quality of it we are talking about here. The American Lung Association is the ONLY responsible agency that has had it right from Day One in that there is NO safe E-Cig or Vaping use no matter what any other entity tries to sell to the public. Be smart!
The latest news from the CDC today is a warning: https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/severe-lung-disease.html.
A repost of mine from less than 2 months ago is even more important than it was then and is worth a repeat here.
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Aside from the fact that lungs only love fresh, clean air, why is it acceptable to YOU to exchange one addiction method for another? You don’t learn anything from smoking. You learn from not smoking. Using E-Cigs/Vaping IS smoking IMO. (Doesn’t it require inhaling a substance into the lungs whether it emits smoke or visible vapor? Does it even matter if the substance is labeled nicotine free? Do you trust it? It’s harmful to your lungs!)
Why would I sanction using these devices? Follow the money. Look at who is manufacturing them. We humans were given a brain so we can learn something. Big Tobacco & other “entities” took us for a ride before so do we really want to go down that same path again? The teenagers in the world are depending on us to get it right.
Notice the manufacturers don’t provide a Plan for usage of lower, measured, doses for gradual reduction of E-Cigs/Vaping to eventually eliminate them (it's up to the individual). Noteworthy also is the fact that they have only claimed it to be an alternative to smoking not a cessation method.
Cessation communities should only “bless” alternatives whose goal is to eliminate an addiction. To cite it being a better alternative to “smoking” is nonsense. Manufacturers want to keep you hooked on buying their merchandise and at a higher volume than when you first start using their products.
Again, don’t be fooled. Cessation communities now include information (& make $$$ from their premium services) on quitting E-Cigs/Vaping. Nobody should be surprised about this result, especially the professionals who sanctioned their usage previously (& still do) as a better “healthy” alternative to smoking. Let’s ask your lungs their preference (which would be NONE).
Our lungs don’t care that E-Cigs/Vaping is being mistakenly deemed as such & such percentage better for us. It’s still being addicted to nicotine (do you even trust the labeling of these products? If you use them as a alternative to NRT be sure to plan on how to stop using them.). Time will tell the truth regarding the damage from them just like with cigarettes. Popcorn lung anyone? Don’t be their lab rat.
The ALA (American Lung Association) has it right. As a volunteer certified facilitator to teach their 8 week smoking cessation course we have to sign a contract that we will not smoke for its duration which includes E-Cigs/Vaping. Lungs don’t know the difference. Don’t let your standards down when helping people quit here. (I recently saw an Elder suggest E-Cigs to help someone quit smoking.)
Quitting smoking can be scary & cause much anxiety but if you are going to quit then go full out & don’t settle for less than the full prize … total freedom from active nicotine addiction and other “stuff”. You & your lungs are worth it!
(As always, take what you can use & leave the rest. My thoughts, my opinions, my post.)
