To vape or not to vape -- that is the question. Educate yourself first before entering a vape shop so that you know exactly what you are getting and whether or not this is a place for you to "use" if you are trying to give up a bad habit. What habit? Smoking. My friend is a heavy smoker. She used to smoke regular cigarettes and then got hooked on e-cigarettes. Yes, she swears by "Big Dog Vapes" and believes it is helping her to smoke less e-cigs. On the other hand, I have never smoked in my life (maybe the "funny" stuff when I was in my 20's, but that was about all). At any rate, she lives in DesPlaines and asked me to accompany her to "Big Dog Vapes." I was happy to go along and check out this place that she has been raving about for the last several months. We were planning on grabbing lunch at Leona's afterward so I was more fixated on lunch than this joint. I really didn't know what the "F*#!" I was in for when I entered.
My friend swears that this is helping her cut down on her "bad" e-smoking habit so I am happy for her. She mentioned "juicing" and I thought "oh, a Juice Bar" -- fantastic! When I think of a juice bar, I think of the green tea smoothies and vegetables that I make at home on my Ninja machine. Well, this is not that kind of "juice bar" joint -- it is not a cleansing juice bar, so don't be confused. The vibe here is relaxing and cool. Of course, I felt so out of place, but kept reminding myself "You're here to support and encourage" her. The Owners are super welcoming, hip, down-to-earth and helpful. Don't be afraid to ask questions. They will gladly answer them. The Owners are worthy of 5-stars.
To vape or not to vape -- PG or VG -- which one? Propylene Glycol (PG) versus Vegetable Glycerine (VG). Well, what's the difference you wonder....PG is the most common e-liquid base due to the substance being odorless and flavorless, so it does not affect the e-juice taste. It also provides a stronger throat hit, more similar to a real cigarette. The negative is that it can also dry out your mouth and throat. It has a thinner consistency, which produces thinner vapor clouds. On the other hand, the VG is a thicker solution and produces a much thicker vapor cloud. It also provides a weaker, smoother throat hit. VG is gentle on the throat in that it does not irritate the throat as much as PG does. The negative though is that it can cause a phlegm build-up in the throat or mouth. Yeah, disgusting isn't it? The VG also has a slightly sweet taste and can mask e-liquid flavors.
However, I do not see this business becoming the "end all and be all" for people who want to quit smoking e-cigarettes. However, if it is working for my friend so I say A-OK for her efforts. At least she is trying to quit. I don't know if getting addicted to e-juice is the way to go or not, but she seems to believe it is working for her. I'm proud of her for making an effort to quit for good. Let's see what the next fad will be for her once she has exhausted all the "juicing" at this joint. My father-in-law was a heavy smoker for over 30-years. He was hypnotized and swore that that cured him from smoking ever again. Hey, don't knock it until you've tried it! read more
