My husband is a smoker. I hate it. He has promised me over and over that the day I go into labor he will quit smoking for good. I accepted this and have not nagged him about smoking. Last night he came home and declared that he had officially quit smoking. I was seriously surprised and proud of him....at first. I thought he had decided to just quit cold turkey and that even though it would be hard he would do it. No such luck. He bought a vapor cigarette and he loves it. He had tried some of our friends before and had thought of buying one. To him as long as he is smoking a vapor cigarette and not a real cigarette he has quit smoking. My opinion is that he is still a smoker since he's not using it to ween off of cigarettes but is simply replacing the habit. I think that he smokes it more often which actually increases his addiction to nicotine, increases the oral fixation, increases the habitual part of the addiction and it's still expensive. I also was a smoker for many years so I understand how hard it is to quit so that's why I haven't been to pushy about it. It's just with the new baby coming it's something we both said we didn't want him exposed to if we could help it.
So I guess my questions are:
-Do you believe that smoking vapor cigarettes qualifies as quitting smoking?
-Do you think it's acceptable to smoke a vapor cigarette in front of/around small children?
-Should I just accept this as him quitting or still nicely encourage/support him in quitting even the vapor cigarette or let it go?
Re: Your opinions on smoking actual cigarettes vs. smoking vapor cigarettes
I think e-cigs should be used in smoking areas, like real cigarettes. It's nice of people not to smoke around my children but it's one of those things that is around and you have to approach it with your children... I would want him to only use them where he used a normal cigarette.
I would make it clear to him that you feel the habit should still be broken and give him your reasons why. Set boundaries for what is ok around you and the baby in the meantime and if he's perceptive to it, help him set a goal. If not, approach it again when life settles down. Good luck!
I would say, it's healthier for little one, what he's doing. and if he's planning to wean off those, having him do it around LO for the first year won't make a lasting impression. Once your child is around 1-2, they start copying everything, that would be less cool with me, but still honors not having smoke around them- and wouldn't exacerbate asthma or whatever being on clothes.
If it's having a healthy DH, then I'd have a conversation geared at using them to "wean" but I'm not sure that is the best way. I used to smoke, the only way I was successful (and it varies per person) was cold turkey. pregnancy has worked wonders for that...and somewhere after I quit the first time, I had friends over one night and smoked and started up again. I now will have one, the one time a year we see those friends and it's very hard not to have 2, 3 4...my point being, it's the hardest thing to do, but It's so worth the health and $$$ saved. However, I'd tread easily and cut him some slack, because it is VERY hard being so addictive in so many ways.
I was worried about them using these so I searched high and low for studies but there weren't any out there that I would consider reputable. The ingredient lists are shorter than cigarettes and the contents were things I recognized so IMO they may be a little better for him but not better than completely quitting.
BFP 11/18/13. EDD 7/25/14. It's a BOY!
Surprise BFP 7/30/13. EDD 4/7/14. Natural MC 8/24/13
Our friend "quit" and switched to an ecig, but still smokes the equivalent of roughly a pack a day, and he's been using the ecig for several years now. So it could be a step in the right direction, or not if he has no intention of weaning himself off of it.
Smoking it. I have now been cigarette and vapor free for a year! I think it's a great way to quit. Plus it's also a lot better for you. I immediately noticed a change in my breathing and overall health.
If I were you, I would be happy that he came up with this plan without being nagged to death. I don't think the vapor is going to harm your child, or any child for that matter.
ETA: words are hard on mobile
ITS A GIRL!
A LOT THAT MOST DADS WOULD LAUGH AT ME FOR!
HAVING OUR BABY ABROAD.
military family
dn't thought about the being tempted by other smokers.