Smoking and Alternatives

Cigarettes, Vaping, Quitting, and More

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I always like to begin my blog with saying how I relate or what I think of a topic. Smoking is one that I could talk about for hours, being that I smoked my first cigarette at 6, was a dedicated cigarette smoker for 12 years steady, and am now a 'vaper' trying to quit smoking altogether. Don't try to do the math, it won't make sense. I started smoking cigarettes steady at 11, smoked happily up until the millionth time I tried to quit in the summer of 2018. Nothing ever worked until I got my JUUL. I don't advocate for JUUL and I always tell people they are only great if you use them to quit. It worked for me though, it really got me to finally quit smoking cigarettes. In my opinion, I don't think vaping is any better than smoking. It is new and hard to say the real long term risks, however I am not a professional. There are always good and bad to every aspect.

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This is the part where I tell you what I can find on this topic, which is a lot! First, I advise you to always keep a look out on your choice of poison in the news. We all know smoking causes cancer, this isn't new. What is new is what else they link it to like Dementia, how it can leave residue that is more harmful than we know, and how a landlord that once allowed smoking can change his mind at anytime. I found all this out by just searching 'Smoking and tobacco' into the N.Y. Times search on their website: https://www.nytimes.com/topic/subject/smoking-and-tobacco. Vaping is new and upcoming, so if that is your niche, you are going to want to stay up-to-date on laws, health articles, and other things that keep you educated and informed. Even one of those articles on the Times says that vaping is safer than smoking cigarettes. I think that you just need to be sure what you are vaping. This article talks about a company called out on putting erectile dysfunction medicine similar to Viagra in its vape juice: http://time.com/5424105/fda-vape-ecigarette-erectile-dysfunction-viagra-cialis/.

The last part in almost every blog I write tells you something to the effect of 'Do your research'. This one will be no different. Our bodies are special and our own, we want to respect and nurture them. Smoking is something that can bring such joy to people, some never developing any health risks from it. Other times, we all know how bad smoking can be. I commend the people who have finally quit smoking fully and advocate to reach out to smokers and tell them what helped you. Understand though, that it isn't your place to tell people how to live your life and some people are happy smoking cigarettes. Make a difference where you can, but choose your battles wisely. As always, Hannah Lynn.