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.
Antoinette Odendaal
Current Smoker:
No
Smoking Years:
15
Vaping Years:
7
Flavours:
Fruit
Electronic cigarettes changed my life. I never want to go back to traditional combustion cigarettes. I stopped coughing and do not suffer from throat infections any longer. Friends and family say they don’t even notice that I use electronic cigarettes and it bothers no one.
Date Uploaded: 20230722
David Solomon
Age:
25
Current Smoker:
No
Smoking Years:
7
Vaping Years:
3
Flavours:
Menthol/Mint
Date Uploaded: 20220117
Chrizelda Marx
Age:
28
Current Smoker:
No
Smoking Years:
10
Vaping Years:
4
Flavours:
Menthol/Mint
I was a chain smoker and my chest used to pain every day. I had a horrible cough when smoking cigarettes. One day my sister introduced me to vaping. I tried it out once and enjoyed the flavor so much. I quit smoking cigarettes from there on. Vaping has even helped me lose weight as you get so many many flavors to chose from that remind me of desserts. Vaping has really helped me
Date Uploaded: 20221013
Ashwin Dryden
Age:
29
Current Smoker:
No
Smoking Years:
12
Vaping Years:
7
Flavours:
Like more than one type
Before vaping, trying to be an active young person and smoking cigarettes was not good on my body but when I started vaping all that changed. Vaping has somehow even helped me make more friends. When you go to a shop and buy cigarettes, you buy and walk out but with a vape store, you have a conversation with the person behind the counter and even other customers in the store exchanging experiences with different flavours and vape related products. Vaping saved my health and even improved my social life
Date Uploaded: 20220118
Anri Wessels
Age:
31
Current Smoker:
No
Smoking Years:
15
Vaping Years:
2
Flavours:
Fruit
I started smoking when I was 16 years old. A dumb decision by an equally dumb child. Once the tobacco industry has you in your teen years, the likelihood of you quitting is zero to none without extreme effort. I honestly don’t know an adult person who decided to start smoking later in their life. I’ve been struggling on and off for 15 years to quit and the longest I’ve quit was 9 months, and it was with the help of a vape. Even when I picked up cigarettes again (which was a stupid decision on my part) my intake went down from 2 packs to 1 pack of cigarettes a day. My nicotine intake has gone from 12mg to 3mg in 2 years and my long term plan is to get off vaping entirely by next year. I also rarely vape and I can easily leave it at home when running errands or going for a quick visit. I’ve not picked up a cigarette in 3 months now and I intend to stick to that. If it wasn’t for vaping, I honestly don’t know what I would have done. I probably would still be smoking 2 packs of cigarettes a day. Also the flavours helps so much. The taste of burning tobacco is absolutely revolting and while I don’t mind other people liking a tobacco vape flavour, I can’t stand the smell or taste of it anymore, so removing other flavours would be detrimental to so many people. I think the point of having different flavours is to actually get away from that tobacco taste that keeps you hooked. And it’s definitely helped me. When I was smoking, I could hardly breathe or walk up stairs and I used to wake up at night, coughing my lungs out and not being able to breathe for several hours. I sleep and breathe much better now and it feels like I can breathe deeply, whereas before I had very shallow breathing. I can also breathe through my nose now and my smokers cough is completely gone. I used to have horrible pains in my chest as well and that’s all gone. My skin looks better, my energy levels are up and I am less moody. Vaping has truly made my life and health so much better.
Date Uploaded: 20221012
Sean
Age:
40
Current Smoker:
No
Smoking Years:
16
Vaping Years:
6
Flavours:
Like more than one type
I started smoking in my school years, 1 -2 packs a day. I ended up in hospital with heart problems, all related to smoking. I had tried before to quit, but never managed, this time I tried vaping and haven’t touched a cigarette since. My health as improved immensily and I am now running marathons, something I could never manage before. I have been vaping for 6yrs now, and am so grateful I am. vaping saved my life!!
Date Uploaded: 20210224
Kayla Butler
Age:
21
Current Smoker:
No
Smoking Years:
1
Vaping Years:
2
Flavours:
Fruit
Date Uploaded: 20220806
Jiten Maken
Age:
37
Current Smoker:
No
Smoking Years:
18
Vaping Years:
2
Flavours:
Fruit
The best change that was made from smoking, don’t know how I would cope during this lockdown time without in
Date Uploaded: 20200703