# Do you consider e-cig users smokers? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 5, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112 "2013-09-05T21:02:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JLRogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@JLRogers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JLRogers)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/21 "2013-09-07T09:20:07Z")
> [@KermitTheFrig](#): > > It doesn’t matter what I think they’re called, but I think there must be some clear was for medical professionals to ask patients whether or not they’re habitual inhalers of nicotine. > > People who chew tobacco and people who use snuff or smokeless tobacco suffer tobacco-related problems even though they don’t smoke. > > Nicotine, all by itself without smoke, is a highly addictive stimulant. > > If your doctor asks if you smoke, you’d damned well better mention your nicotine habit, no matter what you feel like calling it. That’s not terribly useful, since a great deal of the harm caused by tobacco use is not directly caused by the nicotine itself. Cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco/dip, nasal snuff, and snus all introduce varying levels of assorted dangerous, non-nicotine chemicals into the smoker’s body, whereas “e-cigarettes” (a terrible name for them, by the way) expose the user only to nicotine and either propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin assuming high quality juice is used. Yes, nicotine is addictive. Yes, nicotine does have negative health effects. No, e-cigarettes do not pose a health risk remotely comparable to that of any other nicotine-based product unless you count the various smoking cessation aids such as patches and lozenges. Thus if your doctor asks you whether you smoke it’s perfectly legitimate to say that you don’t smoke, but you do use vaporized nicotine. Ex-smoker here, by the way. Never did try e-cigarettes, but I am baffled by the science-free, moralistic “ban it all” approach so many places have toward e-cigarettes. Personally, I’d like to see more acceptance of e-cigarette use in order to encourage smokers to make the transition to a less harmful means of getting their fix and hopefully eventually quit altogether. ---
**Author:** ![oliviamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@oliviamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliviamia)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/22 "2014-10-14T19:55:47Z")
I don’t think it is smoking because there is no smoke involved ! Only water vapor is emitted - They call it vaping. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/23 "2014-10-14T20:27:15Z")
> [@Renee](#): > > Doctors have always asked me if I “use nicotine.” Excellent! I’ve been asked, “Do you smoke?” I answer, “I do not use tobacco”. Then we go back and forth a bit and I make my point that they are asking their question incorrectly. Us cannabis users can be dicks.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/24 "2014-10-14T20:34:14Z")
Yes I do since they are doing the same motions in the act of smoking, and yielding the same results (getting nicotine in their body) My experience with it is really limited to only people (mostly 18-20 year olds) who trapse around my mall, but it’s just as annoying as smoking (if not more so) because they do it indoors and are just reveling in the fact that it’s legal and there’s nothing I can do about it ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/25 "2014-10-14T20:37:45Z")
No, of course it’s not smoking. As others have pointed out, there is no smoke, a vital component of ‘smoking’ (it’s even in the root word :p), only water vapor, flavoring and maybe nicotine. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/26 "2014-10-14T20:53:31Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > 'Cause they look like steampunk pacifiers? 😃 Sucking Robot Dick. ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/27 "2014-10-14T21:44:21Z")
No more than the wearer of a nicotine patch is a “smoker”. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Holdsworth\_Effect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/848f3c/32.png) [@The\_Holdsworth\_Effect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Holdsworth_Effect)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/28 "2014-10-14T22:06:49Z")
We ask about nicotine use, and cannabis (which can be used in other ways than lighting it on fire). Also alcohol and then the illegals. FYI, nicotine is a co-factor in several cancers. It and HPV 16 are pretty good buddies. (We’ve known this officially for at least 20 years, and suspected for many more). 18’s a close second. Risks of nicotine intake plain outweigh the benefits (and there are a few). ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/29 "2014-10-14T23:09:01Z")
I guess I consider them in a third category - E-cig users. > [@KermitTheFrig](#): > > It doesn’t matter what I think they’re called, but I think there must be some clear was for medical professionals to ask patients whether or not they’re habitual inhalers of nicotine. There is a clear way to ask: Doctor: “Do you smoke or use e-cigs?” If the answer is “I use e-cigs,” the doctor can ask “with or without nicotine?” Problem solved. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/30 "2014-10-14T23:27:06Z")
I just made the switch a couple of weeks ago. Dunno what to call myself…a “vaper”, I guess. I no longer carry a lighter or tobacco with me, just my little vaping thingy. Don’t think I’ve quite earned the “ex-smoker” label yet, but I’m working on it. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/31 "2014-10-14T23:42:01Z")
No. There is no smoke, therefore they are not smokers. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2014, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/32 "2014-10-14T23:46:40Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Yes I do since they are doing the same motions in the act of smoking, and yielding the same results (getting nicotine in their body) > > My experience with it is really limited to only people (mostly 18-20 year olds) who trapse around my mall, but it’s just as annoying as smoking (if not more so) because they do it indoors and are just reveling in the fact that it’s legal and there’s nothing I can do about it Vaping isn’t permitted indoors in many jurisdictions. They huddle outside with the smokers in all kinds of weather. I’m on the fence with this one. Vapers have to go outside with the smokers but are much more pleasant to hug or kiss.I smoked for years but didn’t use e-cigs to quit. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/33 "2014-10-15T03:11:50Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > There is a clear way to ask: > Doctor: "Do you smoke or use e-cigs? To which I answer yes. I smoke. But not tobacco. You also miss out on the smokeless tobacco users, patch wearers. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/34 "2014-10-15T04:30:50Z")
I would consider them ‘smoker - trying to quit’ ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/35 "2014-10-15T14:54:47Z")
Yes. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/36 "2014-10-15T20:52:45Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > Yes. Why? Do you also consider people who no longer smoke, but use the FDA-approved gum, or nicotine patches, or chew? They are all nicotine delivery systems. People who vape instead of smoking are not IMHO (and as someone who _finally_ quit smoking via vaping) smokers. But they are definitely still addicted to nicotine. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/37 "2014-10-15T21:34:11Z")
No. ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/38 "2014-10-15T22:59:57Z")
I guess I feel a little honoured whenever one of my own threads gets zombified. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/39 "2014-10-15T23:11:25Z")
Even though this is (at least) the 7th thread on this topic that **oliviamia** has resuscitated, it is the only one that has remained open. Ssh, the mods will hear us! ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2014, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112/40 "2014-10-15T23:16:43Z")
Of 18 posts made, **oliviamia** has bumped 18 threads about smoking. Most to all are zombies or at least feeling their age. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-consider-e-cig-users-smokers/668112.md?page=3)