"Electric cigarette explodes in Florida man’s mouth"

[Foxx]

While this experience was certainly painful and distressing for the gentleman it happened to, symbolically one could see it as a message from the universe saying that the PTB's anti-smoking drive will blow up in their face.

Considering that it happened to someone who doesn't appear to be immediately connected with TPTB, I'm not sure that this interpretation makes sense.

 

[mada85]

While this experience was certainly painful and distressing for the gentleman it happened to, symbolically one could see it as a message from the universe saying that the PTB's anti-smoking drive will blow up in their face.

Considering that it happened to someone who doesn't appear to be immediately connected with TPTB, I'm not sure that this interpretation makes sense.

Perhaps the universe chose the man concerned to be its vehicle on this occasion.

 

[Foxx]

Perhaps the universe chose the man concerned to be its vehicle on this occasion.

Well that is certainly possible. I definitely don't what his karma is, after all.

 

[Diane]

There's been a lot of chatter on the news shows about e-cigarettes lately. I tried one a few years ago, and didn't really enjoy it. Found it heavy to hold, and I didn't feel like I was smoking. Now I have a part time job nights in a Tobacco shop, and we sell a lot of them. There are newer versions out that you pour liquid into a chamber. The liquid contains the nicotine, all different flavors are available. Not sure how I'd like smoking Blueberries, but I've been thinking about giving them another shot.

Two women come into the store quite often, and they purchased their E-Cigs on line and they have a lanyard attached to them hanging off their necks. When they feel like they want some nicotine, they just take a hit off the e-cig. The ones we have for sale in the store don't seem to have a lanyard, but I'm sure we don't offer all the accessories for them. I'm thinking about getting one like theirs for my own use.

The chatter on the news show I turned on today was related to how non-smokers could find themselves addicted to nicotine by using the e-cigs. I've dealt first hand with that when a very young man came into the store looking at the e-cigs. He asked a great deal of questions, and it was obvious by the questions that he isn't a smoker. He had hoped for a nicotine-free model. We have the refill that's nicotine free, but you have to purchase the whole kit, (cost about $50.00), to be able to use those refills. There were no disposable ones that were nic-free. I asked him why he would want to use one of these if he wasn't a smoker? He liked "the look" of it, his friend uses one. Yep, I proofed him. He just turned 18.

So I found myself a bit torn up as to whether or not to sell him one with nicotine, one that he could afford for the low cost of $7.99, or talk him into waiting until he could afford the kit so he could get the nic-free refills. Time is of the essence here, I had to think fast...other customers waiting. I talked him into waiting, thinking about it more and maybe saving up money for the kit so if he wanted to try using one he could start out nic-free before jumping into using nicotine. Got his phone number, so if we get a disposable in nic-free I'd give him a call. Did what I thought was best at the time. Even though I have my own feelings about nicotine I found that I didn't want to be responsible for someone else starting to use it.

Question for those who use the e-cigs...what brand do you use, do you have a lanyard attached, and do you have a favorite flavor?

 

[supriyanoel]

This article sounded fishy to me, and I was reminded of when Richard Pryor had that freebasing pipe blow up in his face. Even though the 2 are totally different scenarios, it seems a very isolated event ti have an e-cig blow up in your face, although anything could happen,

I haven't smoked tobacco for years, and I will say that the info here has made me reconsider it. In the meantime I have been smoking the e-cigs, and I like it better for 2 reasons. One being it doesn't go out. I don't puff as much because of this and I like the taste and the vapor. I buy the ones the chain stores sell called EON and Play. The ones you send away for now have organic flavors, although I'm not sure how that is produced. They are more expensive, but last longer and have batteries that also last longer.

I will tell you it has been received with strange responses, my smoking these things. I have one friend who said it was a bad image for me, a yoga teacher, and that she didn't want it in her car. She is also someone who asks me to tell her the truth or guide her towards truth when I see falsity. I choose not get into a matching of wits and opinions

. I respected, rather allowed her opinion and did as she said, as it was her car we were driving somewhere. I realized I was not be accepted for my behavior, although it did no harm to her. It was what it portrayed to others that she cared about as well as issues unresolved. So I had a choice to continue going with her in her car and not wielding this questionable object around her person, or spending less time with her. I don't think she gave a hoot what I thought about it, and I didn't care to explain or reason with her, as I saw her behavior as insane at the moment. I didn't take it personally. .


It also seems that someone who is in recovery for Alcoholism for 25 yrs, and guides people, would be a little more open-minded and discuss the idea rather than ask me to change a behavior that was doing her no real harm. Of coarse it is emotional and it is the look of the cig itself that has people hypnotized and controlled. I wonder if I said silicone makes me queasy, would she?... nevermind. Joking, yet it is a pathology that is no joke. It also does make for change in my life, as I am also not so enthused with someone who is so resistant to change. I don't want anyone to be false and she had every right to her thinking, even if it is just a fearful response. When she saw the cig what was interesting was that it was as if I became a vampire and she threw up a cross to eradicate the image. I saw her TERROR! Fascinating and scary. I said OK, and I was actually a little scared, or watchful of my enclosure, I will say.

I like my e-cigs very much thank you, and I do think better, or mybe even if that is not so, I still find it relaxing, and will take my chances. I was wondering why there was no fuss about these e-cigs, and lo and behold,now there is. It makes me like the decision even more. I am sick of the shame and guilt placed on this and find it absurd to hide it.

 

[Horseofadifferentcolor]

FWIW, I had one of the cheapies catch on fire in the L.A. airport in the bathroom. Long flying trips are hard on smokers. It did not explode but it did catch the end that lights up with a little flame. That was the last time I messed around with those.

 

[Diane]

I can smoke at work at the tobacco store, and customers walk right in with lit cigarettes, pipes and cigars. You don't get to see that much anymore. It took me a few days to get over the shock of it. Like old times. Many years ago you could go anywhere with a cigarette.

I haven't heard of any of them blowing up except for on this thread, but I'm certain that it can happen. It wouldn't prevent me from buying one. My luck I'd buy one and that's the first thing it would do. ;) I don't buy many things for just myself anymore, but I think it could be helpful. Both my husband and I smoke. We don't have a problem smoking in the house. Just I'm getting older, and we have a lot of windows, and it's the pits having to clean them with the smoking. I don't have all the strength and energy I use to. We have an open cathedral ceiling in the living room. I have to use long aluminum poles with a squeegee on one side and a mop like thing on the other, and of course the highest up ones always get hit the worst with the spider webs, dust and smoke. I just make them more streaky I'm afraid. :( To cold and windy here in the winter to smoke outside.

The two young ladies came back in today They gave me a card and a list of the items that they buy. I had no idea it was so complicated. Guess they buy almost everything at myfreedomsmokes on line. I wrote down Joytech battery, ego C twist, 2.5 ohms, or 25 ohms, 510 adapter or ego type adapter. She took the electric cig apart and showed me all the parts. At the store, they're all packaged up and I can't open one to play with it. I tried to peep, but the instructions are inside the sealed package too. bummer. She also mentioned The Digital Cig dot com too. I'll have to poke around a bit and see what's best. The ones the girls use really make a lot of steam. I think I'd like that better than the disposable ones we offer. I see people using those, and they don't make much steam.

Yes, people can get upset about electric cigs. They see it, they think it's harmful to them, and they don't want you smoking it around them. It's gotten such a bad reputation. I don't care as much about what people think anymore as I use to. Think that comes with age. I find myself saying a lot, "who cares what people think" to my own kids. Yet, even when posting here, I do care what people think. We're not physically in the same room together, and when speaking online things can seem one way and truly be another. Someone can seem hostile just by their choices of words, when actually they're not. We try to shorten our sentences, so they're not a lengthy bother for someone to read, but then it can make what you're saying appear more in your face than it was ever meant to be. As you can tell I haven't quite mastered the short quick sentence approach.

 

[Wu Wei Wu]

A friend of mine starting smoking an ecig and encouraged me to start as well. I, being ever skeptical of new things, mentioned that I wouldn't do it without researching the dangers of the practice, an act my friend encouraged.

I discovered a few things. First, they are just mini vaporizers. They've been around forever, pretty safe. Second, you can make your own Nic juice! Once I found out I could personally peruse, inspect and put together my contraption, I lessened my criticism. There aren't a lot of ways I can ensure the safety of my smoke, but creating the juice myself is definitely one of them. You only need water, vegetable glycerine, and nicotine by the looks of it, so that is good sign. Third, I tried my friend, and it really does taste good. The steam is also fun.

I wouldn't give up pipe smoking or cigar smoking for it. I don't think I'd ever get that kind of richness out of an ecig. But I definitely plan to grab one for smoking in those stuck up authoritarian places. Overtly following the rules, while less-than-covertly bucking an authoritarian taboo, I certainly don't mind that.

 

[supriyanoel]

Interestingly it's the steam and the taste I'm looking for. Besides the benefits, it is sort of like the way a kid likes to blow bigger bubbles. I like a like of steam, probably representing power, plus the fun. An adult toy in some ways, for me. Yes, I spend a lot of time alone, or rather with my animals.

 

[Diane]

I never thought of the steam representing power, interesting thought though. I thought more steam would be better since I'm use to a lot of smoke. Extra steam would make the sensation more realistic. Is the steam warm like cigarette smoke? hmmm. I can't remember if the one I tried a few years ago if the steam was warm or not. I just didn't get the same sensation as I did with the real thing.

I spend a lot of time with my 4 dogs too. I had five. But Buster passed over last year. Now one of my Yorkies, Clover, isn't looking very well. She's only 9 and could live to be 20. Daisy is a Yorkie and she's 9 too, but as perky as a 2 year old. I'm thinking that our smoking could be affecting their health. I hope not, but I guess it's a possibility. I keep the windows open as often as possible.

We're not selling very many of the more expensive electric cigs at the store. People look, but when they hear the prices they turn away. Most of the customers that use them seem to smoke both, the electric and regular cigs. Guess it would depend on where you are, and if you have to use one or the other.

 

[Wu Wei Wu]

They do make heat, there is a heating action after all.

I've got my own now, an EgoT from Joyetech. Its fun, but not the same as my pipe and real tobacco. Not as good, not as potent. I want to start making my own juice so I can control quantity and boost nicotine, anyone heard anything about that before?

 

[Diane]

An ex employee of the store cam in tonight. She's retired now. She said she was down in Florida and someone there showed her how to make the juice. She makes her own. But I didn't see your post Wu Wei Wu, until I got home, darn it. I would have asked her how to do it. I'll keep my eye out for her, and continue to question the customers who use it. That Ego brand seems to be most peoples favorite.

 

[Wu Wei Wu]

An ex employee of the store cam in tonight. She's retired now. She said she was down in Florida and someone there showed her how to make the juice. She makes her own. But I didn't see your post Wu Wei Wu, until I got home, darn it. I would have asked her how to do it. I'll keep my eye out for her, and continue to question the customers who use it. That Ego brand seems to be most peoples favorite.

Thanks Diane. A very real concern that I and others have is quality control. Like mainstream cigarettes we don't always know whats in them. Making our own juice lets us circumvent that problem, in part.

It would also let me boost the nicotine considerably!

 

[Stoneboss]

Yeah, that's what came to mind. I'm glad you don't have it anymore so you're not in danger. I'm still not sure of getting nicotine vapor from these devices. I guess it helps for smokers who can't smoke for long periods, but using these regularly is questionable, at best. It's totally insane that people can't smoke anywhere like we used to be able to -- even on airplanes.

I can just imagine the captain's face when you whipped out your disposable e-cig! It might not be very accurate (my imagination) but it's hilarious nonetheless. :P

I only use it in those impossible-to-smoke situations. It's not the same, but it does deliver the nicotine.

And yeah, the darn thing has a glowing LED light in the tip so it gives the impression of a lit cigarette! It was really funny.

I had no desire to even try an e-cig until I realized that they could be a good alternative "in those impossible-to-smoke situations"... what a great idea! So I went to a local smoke shop today to purchase one, but all they had are e-cigs with no nicotine. Apparently, it is illegal to sell e-cigs with nicotine in Canada.

I guess I'll have to try and order them online from the States...

 

[Diane]

Isn't that something. The store I work at doesn't sell any without nicotine unless you buy an expensive kit, (then you can buy the no-nic refills to fit it), and in Canada you can't buy one with nicotine. Hope you can find one Stoneboss. I've thought many times about buying certain medications from Canada, but I'm too chicken. I use to purchase cigarettes from overseas until they confiscated my last shipment at customs. Then I really turned into super chicken. Thought I was going to get fined or something even worse. So I ended up paying the high prices here with the gazillion taxes on them. Not that I mind paying some tax, but it's out of control here on cigarettes.