Ask HN: What do you think of e-cigarettes?
Hi,
As usual, I am looking for new ways to hack my brain. This time I'm looking at nicotine.
But not the tobacco; the vaporizing, pure kind -- ecigarette. It seems to be much more safer and doesn't fuck with lungs, which is why I'm even considering it.
I never smoked anything in my life so it's like not I'm trying to drop my habits. I just want new highs.
I'd be glad for any advice such as: THIS IS GOING TO KILL YOU.
Thanks.
22 comments
[ 7.0 ms ] story [ 56.5 ms ] threadDon't start smoking. You don't need it.
You'll also be the kooky spaz smoking the electronic cigarette, killing your chances to have normal interpersonal relationships with other human beings.
If you want to look stupid and do something socially alienating and dangerous at the same time, why not take a more tried-and-true approach, like rollerblading or riding one of those strap-in mountain skateboard things? At least that would be sort of fun...
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/07/2...
I've made no statement about them as an alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes.
A few years ago I had to give up nicotine (and caffeine and alcohol) cold turkey; I did not become appreciably dumber, past the expected adjustment phase. It really doesn't do that much for you, certainly not enough to be worth the addiction.
It's a good idea, I think, whose time has not come yet.
* Disclaimer: I bought 2 different kinds. Smoking Everywhere and Smoke Free. Smoke Free was better in that it was actually the size of a cigarette and produced more "smoke" (vapor), but they both sucked so bad I was back to exclusively real cigarettes within 4 days.
Here's my list of all the big boys: http://www.e-cignews.com/items/A_run_down_of_all_the_big_bat...
Don't do it, you'll regret it.
other ways include picking on drawing(over painting)
"hacking" brain has nothing to do with drugs in my opinion.
(a tangential thought into the misuse of "hacking" - you are not hacking your appetite by eating a macburger instead of a home made meal that probably takes more time with the right nutrition value. )
May I suggest you to reword your question to "want to smoke e-cigarretes" instead of the "hacking". My concern is that some 16year old enthusiastic kid will read your question and consider this as "hacking the brain".
If you really want to try e-cigs, there is nicotine free liquid available and one company (the original inventor) announced today that they will be bringing out an e-cig device that will have the active ingredient lobelia, also known as "Indian Tobacco" instead of nicotine. This is because they will be able to market it as a dietary supplement, something which the FDA will not be able to ban (they're guessing anyway).
The FDA are currently in court with 2 e-cig distributors because they decided suddenly to the joy of various associates of the pharmaceutical industry to classify all e-cigs as drug delivery devices (even though no medical claims were made by the two in question - the largest distributors of e-cigs in America) and confiscated their shipments. In a strange turn of events the two e-cig companies are arguing their products should be classified as tobacco products.
From wiki: Native Americans used lobelia to treat respiratory and muscle disorders, and as a purgative. Today it is used to treat asthma and food poisoning, and is often used as part of smoking cessation programs. It is a physical relaxant, and can serve as a nerve depressant, easing tension and panic. The species used most commonly in modern herbalism is Lobelia inflata (Indian Tobacco).
The company who are bringing out the product are highly regarded for their dedication to health and safety. They are the only company who have had all their liquid rigorously tested for impurities by an independent clinic in New Zealand. They have also courted the health authorities in every country they have sold their product in and I imagine their new liquid will undergo the same scrutiny.
To be honest, after watching the orchestrated smear campaigns conducted against e-cigs in the past year, it wouldn't surprise me if there was a concerted effort to do the same to lobelia.
Want a new high? try running a marathon, benchpressing 315lbs, or screwing the hotest chick in your town. The two previous suggestions may be helpful for the later.
Understand? If you quit entirely, and never smoke for 10 years, if you were to smoke at all, it would be the greatest thing, ever. Good luck not starting again if you ever do. Even reading this thread about someone considering something I know is so utterly stupid flicks the switch in my brain.
If you want new highs, go get some real drugs that you can actually use to hack your brain and/or make yourself a better person. Nicotine has absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever. It is a POISON. How could deliberately setting out to get yourself addicted to a poison with no positive benefits not be an absolutely idiotic thing to do? Especially when it's without the enjoyment/day punctuating/social aspects of smoking normal cigarettes. I can't imagine many things that look more depraved and pathetic than someone sucking on some electronic cigarette gadget. You want to be /that/ guy? Really?
Whatever "high" you seem to think is there isn't. Maybe about as much of a beneficial "high" as holding your breath and spinning around really fast a few times. Gee, that sounds worth a lifetime of powerful addiction to an expensive poison, doesn't it? Go huff on a whipped cream container or something if you want a head-rush that badly.
There is no possible way you wouldn't regret this.