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COPD: how bad is vaping for your lungs? Worse than you want to know
by Ronja Magdziak
Vaping instead of smoking: from the frying pan into the fire?
20.3.2024
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
«I don’t smoke» are words I still struggle to say. And yet, I’ve managed to give up cigarettes after smoking for decades. I’m still addicted, of course. Which is why I now drag on electronic cigarettes.
The long road away from tobacco
I didn’t make the switch from smoke to steam overnight. On the contrary, the process took me several years. However, I’d started to think about quitting much earlier. But how? Nicotine patches or chewing gum, hypnosis or cold turkey? For some reason, none of these measures seemed practical nor did I trust myself to follow through.
However, slowly but surely, clouds of smoke made way for billows of steam. I’ve now made a full turnaround and now exclusively vape. Since then, I’ve also successfully navigated a high-risk situation. Namely, a friend’s birthday party where I had a couple of drinks. Instead of giving into the craving, I kept on vaping like a good boy, while everyone around me started lighting up cigarettes. I must say, I’m quite proud of myself.
Mentally addicted
So why did this shift take me so long? It seems I’m not as strong-willed as the workmate I mentioned earlier. He managed to switch from smoke to steam at the first try. Physically, I haven’t felt much of a difference so far, to be honest. That’s probably because I’m still poisoning my body with nicotine.
What was much harder and took longer was to get my mind used to it. My head just wasn’t ready to give up decade-old smoking habits such as the first cigarette in the morning or the one after a meal. Vaping outdoors wasn’t something I took to easily either. «If it’s not smoking, then why are we treating it like it is?» my brain would protest. This all took time. At least for me it did.
My unholy trinity of vaping
I still have a pack of cigarettes on me every day, just in case. While I was writing these words, I gave a whole packet to my boss. To be fair, I should mention that I’ve only been completely tobacco-free for about two weeks now. Who knows if I’ll keep it up, but as things stand today, I’m confident.
I’m currently trying out three different vaping systems. I fill the e-cigarette I use with e-liquids that contain nicotine. To me, the e-cig looks a bit like the hilt of a lightsaber, so I’m always getting mild Jedi vibes when I use it. The smaller vaporiser that uses cartridges, on the other hand, looks like an oversized USB stick with a mouthpiece. I rarely use it anymore, even though it would actually be a lot handier than the lightsaber.
I’m ashamed to admit that I also have a few disposable vapes at home. But once I’ve vaped them, I won’t be buying any more. What bothers me about them, I hear you ask? I’ll be happy to explain in more detail in an upcoming article. In any case, more aspects bother me than the fact that it’s morally reprehensible to shamelessly target minors. And, yes, I’m aware that our range includes heaps of disposable vapes.
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Header image: Patrick Vogt
I'm a full-blooded dad and husband, part-time nerd and chicken farmer, cat tamer and animal lover. I would like to know everything and yet I know nothing. I know even less, but I learn something new every day. What I am good at is dealing with words, spoken and written. And I get to prove that here.
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