Comments on: Show how smoking hurts their wallets: Free tool

By: Sharon D

Sharon D — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:55:52 +0000

Stacy,
People take an average of 12-16 puffs of a regular cigarette. You should do the same with the e-cig and then put it down like you would put out a real cigarette. It has actual “smoke” which is actually a harmless water vapor. Hubby actually blows “smoke rings with it” but it is harmless, no second hand smoke issue, doesn’t stink up your house and you don’t have to wash it off the inside of your windshield. Your withdrawal probably wouldn’t be any easier if you wanted to quit the e-cigs because you’re still getting your nicotine, however the cartridges are available in high, medium, low or no nicotine so some might find it beneficial to try to wean themselves. The cartridges, if you buy them in a four pack (8 cartridges each) cost $2.50 per cartridge. Each cartridge is equilivant to one pack of cigarettes.

Lars, In our state they just raised the taxes on tobacco and tubes 600%. Hubby started rolling his own until they did that. Now it would cost him about $45 to $50 per carton to roll his own

By: Lars

Lars — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:23:58 +0000

Another way to save money and still enjoy their smoking is to start rolling their own. I have a Top-o-matic machine that I put tobacco in, put on a tube with a filter already attached, crank a lever, and I have a cigarette that costs less than a penny, twenty five times less than a manufactured cigarette. The machine is $40 and pays for itself with the first pound of tobacco, usually around $24 a pound. A box of tubes (200) is about $3. It is a huge savings after the first pound.

By: Stacy

Stacy — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:54:03 +0000

SHARON D: A few questions…How long do you actually smoke the electronic cigarette? Does it have actual smoke, Steam Vapor or more like an inhaler? If you wanted to quit, would your withdrawal be any easier vs. a regular cigarette. How expensive is an electronic cigarette as far as whatever cartridges the nicotine comes in? Just curious because the concept of an electronic cigarette is truly interesting and could be a viable solution to some friends of mine who don’t want to stop smoking.

By: Sharon D

Sharon D — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:43:36 +0000

I don’t understand why we continue to rehash this smoking problem over and over but never see anything about the solution that is already available to all of us. I have been “smoking” an electronic cigarette since May. It gives me the exact feel of smoking. It gives me the nicotine. It does not give me the 4000 chemicals, at lease 43 of which are known carcinogens that are found in tobacco cigarettes. It does not give me the tar that you get from real smoke. So I get to live 20 years longer. It costs less than half what tobacco cigarettes do. I don’t have to go stand in the snow to smoke. I can smoke it anywhere. I personally have “smoked” my cigarette inside a hospital, inside the airport, on an airline flight, while shopping and at my desk at work. Seems like a no brainer to me.

By: LC

LC — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:36:08 +0000

Thank you, KJ – you and your husband absolutely inspire me! Thank you for sharing his story – and for the loving support that you gave him. I can see how you were very understanding of the difficulty that your husband was going thru. I think that anyone who wants to quit should try everything including Chantix, gums, losenges, accupunture, hypnotism – whatever it takes! And then reward yourself often. My boyfriend and I went to Mendocino after the first month, (We BOTH quit). Now he wants to go to the Cook Islands! I never want to smoke again!

By: Stacy

Stacy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:21:53 +0000

AWESOME Experience KJ: In your case, quitting did have it’s rewards. I am sure most of all, you have your hubby back on the road to health and no cigarettes!

By: KJ

KJ — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:59:45 +0000

Hang in there LC. You can do it.

My husband began smoking when he was 16. Both of his parents smoked as well as his three siblings. He smoked for 24 years. I can’t relate well to that, because I have never been tempted to try smoking. When we first met, he was smoking two packs a day. I guess he was really smitten with me, because after dating only one month he tried to quit cold turkey – for me. He wasn’t able to do it – the addition was too strong – but he did cut back to less than half a pack a day and continued that way for another year. I never nagged him about smoking, though I hated it. I understood that he would have to take the initiative; it would require his will power to stop and to overcome the addiction. Like all smokers he knew it was bad for his health, and all the myriad of negatives that goes along with smoking, but the addiction had a powerful hold over him. When he as finally ready – mentally – to try again, he used a new item on the market at the time (1995) – Nicorette gum, AND he forced himself to follow the guide’s suggestions for emotional support and reinforcement. He carried a business card-sized paper in his wallet with the top 10 reason why he wanted to quit. (Things like health, to be a good role model for the kids, etc.) He would take that card out and read over it as he chewed his gum to thwart an attack of cravings. It still was not easy. He was irritable and restless for some months, but he stuck by his decision to quit. And as a reward, Nicorette ran an essay contest for their product users and my husband won a very nice 7-day cruise for two to the Caribbean! He no longer has cravings, and finds cigarette smoke distasteful. His health has improved and he is grateful to be smoke-free.

By: BJS

BJS — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:32:51 +0000

F5, thank you for that very powerful insight! I’ve always known ‘we are all connected’ but I’ve never looked at it in quite that way. And as HR staff, we have the power to either negatively or positively effect a huge population each and every day. That is a daunting thought and a heavy responsibility. Thank you for the reminder that we must all be cognizant of our actions as we never know who is watching and what they are taking away from our behavior. You’ve given me a very positive thought for today, and a reminder to be conscientiously aware every day. It isn’t just about smoking, it is about how the way we choose to live our lives effects every person we meet on a daily basis. I know I’ll have a smile on my face when I leave my office today – even if it’s just to go to the coffee machine

By: LC

LC — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:37:45 +0000

Thanks F5 – it’s good to know that there will be an end to the cravings at some point hopefully…
I don’t believe that money will be the main incentive to help smokers decide to stop smoking – although I have saved a bundle in the last 2 months. The obvious reason to quit is for better health reasons – which are, thankfully, easy to feel immediately. I have wanted to quit for 20 years but what pushed me into finally doing it was asking myself if I was waiting for the bad news in order to quit. I knew I was going to have to quit some day – but did I want to do it from a hospital bed struggling for air – or now? It’s been 2 months today and I am so proud of myself! The weight gain is horrible but I will tackle that next. I decided to deal with what was killing me fastest and now that I know that I can do this, I know I can do anything – like loose 50 lbs! I am so happy! We can do it Stacey! We’ve only got one life to live and we need to do this for ourselves – and for our families.

By: Stacy

Stacy — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:28:02 +0000

I am fighting a battle of weight loss which is just as bad and unhealthy as smoking. I used to “Closet” smoke socially or when I got a craving but I always would quit and throw the rest of the cigarettes away then it’d be months before I’d smoke again. I last smoked socially in 2007 because I had terrible eye and nasal allergies from it. My dad quit smoking “cold turkey” 25 years ago and it was rough on him the first 2 years. I remember when I was a kid, we’d drive 12 hours from NY to SC to visit relatives and he puffed on Marlboro Reds the entire way and when we’d say we needed air he’d crack the window just a teeny bit LOL. Only now do I see why I had constant sore throats, bronchitis and other allergies because of his smoking not to mention what we and our house probably smelled like.