e-cigs for theatrical use (and to help an oral fixation)?

Athenor

Everyone done snickering?

I'm about 95% sure I've got an oral fixation. I've chewed on things all my life. When I was young, I'd chew on legos to the point of them being unusable, until I got older and learned to suck on them. I tend to eat a lot just for the sensation of having something in my mouth, and I tend to chew on gum for hours on end when I can get ahold of some. Frequently I put pens, toy parts, papers, keys, the like in my mouth. Hell, I'll even chew on my tongue or lip when I'm really deep in concentration. I also tend to hold pens and other elongated objects in exactly the same manner a smoker would, even going so far as to hold items between my middle and ring finger, up against my mouth.

Now, I've known for a long time that I've got these habits.. and as a result, I've stayed the fuck away from cigarettes, cigars, and pipes all my life. I just don't trust myself. A couple years back I even went to a wedding with an open, free cigar bar.. and I didn't even take one for show. I just didn't want to risk it. I think a big part of this is because of my dad, who used to smoke around me all the time before going cold turkey when I was 5-7. My mom used to smoke before I was born, and my aunt is just now using e-cigs to slowly ween herself off of it.


For a good while now I've thought about buying an e-cig, to see if it would be a good fix for these quirks of mine. I know they come in nicotine-free varieties, but I don't think I know of many people who buy an e-cig simply for the visual, tactile, and other senory input. Of course, I've never even done a hookah or other flavored vapor, so I don't know how I'd like it. What threw me over the edge the last week or so, though, was going to a card game tournament and seeing a whole bunch of people smoking pretty heavily. There was just something alluring about a "Seedy" environment full of smoke that just screamed out to my senses of nostalgia and the "cool factor." Yes, I'm a victim to that...

Checking the forum search tool only showed a couple threads from 3 years ago, so there isn't really anything recent to go on. The older threads talked a lot about the varying quality and how the nicotine doses weren't consistent, things that really wouldn't help me...

So I was wondering if anyone could help me with this...

1) Is it really just water vapor? I figure they have to add something to make it flavored, but I'd like to avoid carcinogens and things that could get me addicted or chemically dependent.
2) Is this even a smart idea? I know they are expensive, especially with refills and the like. gum would be a much cheaper alternative, as would continuing to chew on pens. But part of me still likes the idea of having the flourish of a fake cigarette around.. and I really like the idea of being a cigar-"chomping" mafioso looking type.
3) Assuming 1 and 2 turn out positively, what are good brands to get into? Again, the thread posts were from a few years ago, before the FDA got too heavily involved. I figure there has to be some market for stage props in this field, or people who specialize in that angle.

Basically I'm looking to get all the "cool" without any of the negative side effects. Call me naive if you wish. But the idea of GM'ing an RPG, hearing my players give some batshit idea to me, and then just staring at them over a haze of smoke as a small grin forms of my face just.. speaks to me.

cabsy

This seems like a really, really good way to end up smoking for the rest of your life. CDC just released a report saying they're concerned about ecig use in teens and mention briefly that non therapeutic ecigs are not regulated in any way, which should be enough to give you pause. So that means even if you find a batch now that is 100% you know it for sure water vapor, that doesn't mean the next batch from the same company is going to be the same. Also they don't release a cloud of smoke like you're wanting to think they do; they don't release really anything that's visible so it just looks like when you were a kid and you used to fake smoke with candy cigarettes only way, way more expensive and way less delicious. If you want to smoke so badly that this is basically your last resort effort before giving up and buying a pack of reds at the corner store for $10, by all means, but I wouldn't recommend it otherwise.

trust me, every member of my family who smokes owns one for situations like being in the hospital, shit it's cold outside and I don't want to go out there, general laziness, etc and they don't release any cloud of smoke or anything cool at all

e: Also trust me that once you develop this specific habit it will be nearly impossible to break. It's been almost three years since I've had a cigarette and anything similar to that cigarette-to-mouth hand motion can set me off on wanting one in a really bad way. Hell, just chewing on the stopper they stick in your starbucks cup can make me agonizingly angry and frustrated before I even realize what's going on. Especially if you already know you're inclined to that sort of thing, stay the fuck away, lest you spend the rest of your life training yourself out of a shitty habit that is in no way good for you

Iruka

Truth is, e-cigs are still pretty iffy, and I really wouldn't recommend going down that path. Its maybe the lesser of two evils when it comes to actual cigs, but if you have no smoking habit, you shouldn't start one. I remember nearly cursing out a friend who started smoking at 23. Its too late to blame naivety, and you have clear reasons to not, just don't.

Besides, oral fixations are hard on your teeth, you should perhaps look to reducing the urge rather than placating it with worse habits.

Essee

cabsy wrote: »

Also they don't release a cloud of smoke like you're wanting to think they do; they don't release really anything that's visible so it just looks like when you were a kid and you used to fake smoke with candy cigarettes only way, way more expensive and way less delicious.

Really? That's odd. I had never seen an e-cig before this last month, when someone used one (the nicotine kind) in class and it completely blew my mind because I thought I was hallucinating a burst of steam and then they explained that it was an e-cig. It is NOTHING like cigarette smoke, though, and it certainly doesn't linger.

Cambiata

Yeah some people used to use e-cigs where I work until HR banned them, and they released a little steam cloud. But yeah nothing like cigarette smoke at all.

TehSloth

I certainly wouldn't recommend it, but should you go down that path I think the most iffy part is sourcing the liquid you actually vaporize and inhale. It's as far as I know a completely unregulated industry, but if you have no desire for nicotine you could whip it up yourself. It shouldn't be too hard to dig up forums dedicated to people who sort of homebrew their own liquid, your core ingredients are basically propylene glycol and/or glycerin, both of which are used in lots of cosmetics and as food additives. I'm not sure how easy the former is to find locally but the latter is available at lots of pharmacies and probably walmart. Usually it's a mix of both, cut with some distilled water and add some hard candy flavoring.

Despite being considered food safe, you're basically free-basing jolly ranchers which seems silly and potentially dangerous on top of getting you stuck on a new habit that may be cracked down on in the future. If you still want to go that route I'd at the very least avoid buying liquid from some shady online shop and especially from anywhere overseas.

Abdy

It is definitely the lesser of two evils; but that's mainly because they'd have to work hard to make them as bad as cigarettes.

the vapor isn't as thick as cigarette smoke; you'd be hard-pressed to do any cigarette smoke tricks with it

it's basically just visible enough to make people wonder what's going on over there in the corner

Athenor

Yeah, that makes sense. I knew it was unregulated, but I never thought about the idea that a company might slip some nicotine into a cartridge they sold as nicotine-free.

I dunno. I just have these urges to play with something with my hands, and figured this would be a safe alternative that wouldn't be as socially awkward as chewing on pens or playing with toys. But it sounds like it really is as bad an idea as I thought.

Maybe in a few years.

Lady101

Personally, that doesn't sound like a bad idea to me. You can get ecigs without any nicotine in them, and you can also get a variety of flavours that are also able to be used in cooking or coffee flavouring etc.
Whilst it isn't proven that ecigs are 'healthy' there also hasn't been any evidence that they are harmful in any way. My partner has quit smoking with the help of ecigs, and it was the best thing he ever did.
This forum has great people who are usually very happy to help a 'noob' get started. Good luck and hope this helps.

http://forums.aussievapers.com/forum.php

Xandar

Most Ecig cartomizers (the cartridge that holds the wick, wadding and fluid), at least the disposable/replaceable kind, are a metal cylinder wrapped with a thin layer of plastic/adhesive. You would chew through to the metal pretty quickly from how you describe your habit. I recommend avoiding them in general given what you've stated. You have stayed strong and are a non-smoker, using Ecigs would open Pandora's box.

Akilae

Anything associated with nicotine products is a slippery slope. Even more given that you are predisposed to finding it cool and attractive in the first place.

Chew on other things (not pens). Toothpicks, matches, or even stick with gum, as there's nothing wrong with it. If you want to be obnoxious about it, instead of blowing smoke and smiling to people around it, blow a big bubble.

t3hmau5

I'm a relatively recent e-cig convert and thought I'd add my .02.

As far as what is exhaled, water vapor is a significant portion of the mixture for "e-juice," though you should be aware that is not the only ingredient. All e-juices are made from water, flavoring, nicotine, (optional) and either propylene glycol (PG) or vegetable glycerin (VG).

Both PG and VG are organic compounds that have been deemed safe for general ingestion though it should be noted that either substance in great enough quantity can be harmful. However, it is thought that an overdose is all but impossible unless you are essentially chugging a bottle of the stuff. This is a good article if you'd like to read a more in-depth comparison of the two.

http://vaperanks.com/propylene-glycol-vs-vegetable-glycerin-e-liquid-whats-the-difference/

While not purely water, the vapor released is not bothersome to those around you and it dissipates quickly in open air. The only time it could be an issue for another person is in a confined space such as a car or an elevator.

As a none smoker I generally would advise against starting, always if your underage, and while not entirely known the health effects are likely minuscule if at all. You can get just about any flavor you can imagine and many you can't and, again, you have the option with every flavor to get it with or without nicotine.

As other have said, taking up vaping could lead to a desire to smoke, so unless it's something you feel really strongly about I wouldn't advise doing so...but do your research before making any decisions and definitely stay away from the nicotine. Don't need to go acquiring a physical addiction...

Hope that helps

Edit: Also want to say that my HR department recently revised the smoking policy to allow for e-cigs to be used at a person's desk, though not when wandering about. Be sure to check with businesses, workplaces, and especially schools (I'm unsure if my school allows it...that would be awesome!) before vaping.

ANTVGM64

I started smoking E-cigarettes and I cannot tell you how great they are if you're a smoker - or more importantly, enjoy the act of smoking, as I do. Don't get me wrong; I understand they're a punchline to most folks; like serious and informed discussion about the effects of video games on youths, Bill Clinton's faithfulness, or George W. Bush's diction manual. But as someone who recently went from smoking about a pack of Black and Mild mini-cigars a day, to far safer, far more satisfying, far less on fire, and frankly cooler e-cigs, I am literally baffled at the fact that someone, somewhere, wants to ban these things.

What I *do* know is that I no longer cough at night. I no longer smell like Winston Churchill. I don't have burn holes in my clothes (though the burn hole in my leather jacket is kinda cool - I tell hot chicks I got shot once). I don't have to preface the many, many, many sexy encounters with those ladies want me cause I got shot with a ridiculous regimen of gum and mouthwash. E-cigs make my life better.

For me, I notice I eat less fatty foods when I'm e-cigging (I refuse to call it 'vaping' which is the popular cadence) because it gives me something to do, while doing other things. Instead of a bowl of chips, I'm puffing on an E-cig that is literally thousands of times less dangerous than a regular cigarette, and to be honest probably a lot better for me than a bowl of <insert complicated and EXTREME adjective here> Doritos I'd probably be stuffing in my face instead.

But on the other hand I also understand this sort of thing is bad for me. Like synthetic pot, or booze, or gambling, or midget wrestling, I understand that even though I (hypothetically) enjoy these things, they're certainly not good for me, and if the government wants to take advantage of me a tiny little bit as a little slap on the wrist for engaging in them, I *do* understand. If you want to tax me an extra dollar on that 40oz of Steel Reserve, go nuts. But there has to be a line in the sand, and for some reason I'm drawing that line at E-cigs and the hate on them.


For the record E-cigs contain some of the same chemicals regular cigs do, but all independent research has pointed to them being literally THOUSANDS OF TIMES safer than regular cigarettes.

Cambiata

If you're looking for something to chew on, cinnamon flavored toothpicks are nice.

Athenor

Cambiata wrote: »

If you're looking for something to chew on, cinnamon flavored toothpicks are nice.

I'm not a huge fan of toothpicks, because they disintegrate for as long as I chew on them, but.. that does sound like a good idea. I just don't like cinnamon, but that doesn't mean I can't look for other flavors. Thanks for the idea!

Cambiata

How about bacon flavored! (never tried them myself so can't vouch for the flavor at all)

Nappuccino

mint should be easy to find.

But . . . like Iruka mentioned, you probably do risk damaging your teeth if you don't stray away from the fixation all together.

Athenor

I don't chew anymore. Just hold between my lips and suck on it.

... Sorta like I'm doing with a crystal shaped dice right now, actually.

It's actually kind of annoying, because I tend to put my car keys in my mouth to make 100% sure I don't forget them in the car, and I have to remember not to do it with the work car keys or with pens I'm borrowing from coworkers. I also tend to do it with wire twist-ties I pull off of networking cable, though I try my best to keep from using those in the field.

So yeah. I'll look into the flavored toothpicks.

Nappuccino

Yeah . . . if that's the case, flavored toothpicks definitely seem the best and healthiest route (probably cheapest as well)

BillyIdle

I would recommend getting a disposable e-cig to test it out and see if it works. Maybe a blu brand one? Then if you like them, you can always purchase a refillable one that shops sell and use the liquids that do not contain nicotine if you want to avoid getting addicted. I get my stuff from the new e-cigarette shops that have been popping up the past few months.

acidlacedpenguin

If you do decide to go with an e-cig, some advice:
don't ever run out of fluid/cartridges
If you do you'll almost certainly find yourself at the nearest corner store buying a pack.

Athenor

I take it that is general advice, given that I don't smoke?

Probably good advice in the long run.

This thread can be closed at this point, I guess.