by Stone Sibbett
I started vaping around 2011 when I was 16-17 attending Wasilla High. My girlfriend started smoking cigarettes at 14 and she switched to a vape in an effort to stop. Back then vapes were small, poorly vaping and quickly the wick had a burnt taste, or there were the bigger box mods I rarely see used now.
I had no concept of nicotine. I did not think of it as addictive. It tasted fruity and I enjoyed making vapor rings and it became a habit. I’ve known people who spent many thousands of dollars per year to vape and instead of pocket sized we had fist size box mods and large jugs of liquid nicotine juice.
I once set the fire alarm off vaping inside while on campus and my actions led to the fire department coming and a few hundred people outside at night in February.
When I was 21 attending UAA the campus went vape/smoke free. I quit cold turkey and was very irritable, had trouble focusing and my stress level went up. Funny part is nicotine stresses the heart and internal organs but our rat brains love it.
“More more more” a little part in the brain presses a button over and over asking for it. My roommate had smoked cigarettes since 12 and I bummed a few. Then I walked 2 miles to buy my own pack and became a daily smoker walking off campus to consume them or hiding in a wooded area.
I switched back to vaping but preferred tobacco despite the awful taste and smell. It gets in our hair and on our clothes. Vaping and smoking limit our dating pool and it is unattractive to many. I quit at age 23 for 8 months and then smoked once and was back at it until 25. Then I quit by using nicotine gum to lower my intake over time and was nicotine free for 1.5 years.
Drinking alcohol at my best friend’s wedding I smoked one cigarette, then the following week smoked a few at work I bummed from a coworker. Back at it again. 10 cigarettes a day I am always returning to. $2,000 to $3,000 a year I am placing in the pockets of rich tobacco company owners. This could feed my 9 dogs.
I am now nearing 29 and still smoking. I have quit for a few months here and there but end up eating more sugar or drinking more alcohol; both bad habits I prefer not having. Drinking makes me want to smoke cigarettes and these become connected in a bad repeating circle.
Writing this makes my brain want nicotine. I know I should quit, and I want to. Mention this feeling to most anyone I stand smoking/vaping with and they feel the same way. Most of us started before the age of 18. Yet we keep doing it. Everyday over and over.
I’m not your parent and you have your own life, but I would never recommend anyone start on nicotine. It’s very enjoyable sure, no lie but oh so so terrible. That joy is not worth the many downsides. It is like a heavy backpack you can’t remove.
It is a physical and mental addiction. It is expensive and saps our health. Vaping or smoking makes running, biking and exercise harder. Vaping I felt a wet cough in my lungs whereas smoking is a nasty dry cough. The hairs in our throats get fried and the vaping and/or smoking hardens the throat and lungs internally. I just cleared phlegm and tar from my throat. I have sled dogs and no kids but if my story leads one person to steer clear of this addiction that brings me satisfaction.
The Alaska tobacco/vaping quit line is an excellent resource I would highly recommend. 1800-784-8669 (1800-QUIT NOW) We aren’t just adults trying to be a bummer or harsh your mood and make your life hard. Maybe the adult telling you it’s bad has never used nicotine. Trust me, very few of us who are using it think it is a good idea to start. The best time to quit nicotine was yesterday and the next best is right now. The longer the use the harder it is to stop.
Stone Sibbett; Dog Musher and future ex-smoker (someday, always someday, maybe tomorrow, or next week, ehhhh week after that) Glennallen, Alaska.
