VAPERS VOICES
Many adult South Africans have used vaping as a method to help them quit smoking and practice tobacco harm reduction.
Since the very beginning, VSML has invited people to share their experiences and what this innovation means to them.
Their stories should not be ignored.
Zuhayr Parker
Current Smoker:
No
Smoking Years:
5
Vaping Years:
6
Flavours:
Like more than one type
Suffered from multiple cases of lung infections as well as the discolouring of my teeth and even losing one in the process during my years of smoking Once l made the change over to vaping I’ve not had one issue since. My teeth have regained t health and colour and I’ve never had breathing issues since. Vaping saved my life and my smile.”
Date Uploaded: 20200703
Heino Pretorius
Age:
27
Current Smoker:
No
Smoking Years:
10
Vaping Years:
2
Flavours:
Dessert
Date Uploaded: 20220115
Kim Peters
Age:
27
Current Smoker:
No
Smoking Years:
13
Vaping Years:
4
Flavours:
Menthol/Mint
Date Uploaded: 20200703
Ghosain Jacobs
Age:
29
Current Smoker:
No
Smoking Years:
6
Vaping Years:
3
Flavours:
Menthol/Mint
Date Uploaded: 20210716
Anonymous User
Age:
34
Current Smoker:
No
Smoking Years:
16
Vaping Years:
3
Flavours:
Like more than one type
I tried vaping around 2011/2012, after smoking for about 6yrs or so. at the time vaping was still fairly new, flavours were limited and there were only selected MTL devices on the market, so the novelty wore off about a year or 2 later and a switched to hookah. Fast forward to 2020 (during the Covid19 pandemic) SA government decides to ban the sale of cigarettes (including hookah molasses) so I switched to vaping again, only this time, there are many more products available to choose from (including flavours). Vaping had evolved so much since the first time I tried it, that it now became a hobby (Collecting mods, RDAs and RTAs, building, DIY, etc). When I used to smoke cigarettes I often felt out of breath, my food never tasted nearly as good as it does now, I was underweight and I got sick a lot more frequently, but because I was addicted, it was really hard to quit. I think it’s safe to say I wouldn’t touch a cigarette again
Pamela Herbst
Age:
43
Current Smoker:
No
Smoking Years:
15
Vaping Years:
5
Flavours:
Fruit
Since i have been vaping my lungs are healthy and my smell is much better. My over all health has improved.
Date Uploaded: 20220805
Corrie Steyl
Age:
62
Current Smoker:
No
Smoking Years:
39
Vaping Years:
5
Flavours:
Dessert
I had to make a choice to quit cigarettes after being diagnosed with the starting phase of Emphysema. I was on an oxygen generator with high blood pressure. It’s been four years since I last had to use an oxygen generator, and my blood pressure returned to normal Since I made the switch to Vaping, I can say Vaping saved my life and my specialist agrees.
Date Uploaded: 20200624
James Bruce
Age:
50
Current Smoker:
No
Smoking Years:
30
Vaping Years:
4
Flavours:
Menthol/Mint
After being diagnosed with Diabetes and severe hypertension I made a conscious decision to quit smoking. I was suffering from shortness of breath, severe snoring , morning coughs and every winter I would get a chest cold that would develop into bronchitis and worse. I constantly suffered with sinusitis. 10 years into my marriage my wife started getting asthma attacks. Every year they became more frequent.
Once I quit smoking and switched to vaping my health started to improve. With in a month my morning coughs subsided. My chest cleared up and the wheezing disappeared. I could start smelling better. I stopped snoring so heavily. With in 6 months I was taken of blood pressure medication. That was when we discovered that my wife had also not had another asthma attack.
I nolonger get short of breath. Can’t remember when last I had a chest cold of sinusitis. I frequently go for long walks. I can sincerely say that vaping saved my life and it drastically improved my wife’s health.
Date Uploaded: 20230714