General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: I think e-cigarettes have massively underrated potential to save many, many lives. [View all]Cal Carpenter
(4,959 posts)but would you also prefer to see everybody quit caffeine? Because nicotine itself is not unlike caffeine in terms of effects and addictive nature.
A lot of people actually use the nicotine as a self-medication - for some it helps them focus or concentrate, as it is a mild stimulant. IIRC, there are even medical studies about its use by people with ADD-type issues and it can help.
Sure, it looks funny, but it is a shame to add any stigma to those who are doing it, as long as it helps them stop killing themselves slowly with smoking. I'm not saying you are stigmatizing, but I feel the need to point that out. The gum and patch may be more socially acceptable but they have a terrible track record because they only deal with the nicotine and not the rest of the habit/addiction. Many people really, really struggle with addiction and it is way easier said than done to quit for a lot of folks.