I'd like to take a moment to tell all you smokers that your dirty evil habit is a horrible addiction, it's killing you and your all going to go To Hell...
but I won't because I don't buy any of that crap!
That was just a joke folks.. Seriously, that's all BS.
But I will share my story. I smoked for 22 years and tried everything to quit smoking over the last few years. I tried the patches, gum, cold turkey, lozenges, those fake cigarettes that are hollow straws with a nicotine cotton swap inside.. everything short of prescription methods - I am kinda anti pharmaceuticals.
Thing is none of that worked for me because I really did not want to quit - I just didn't want to die from smoking. Many people feel this way. I LOVED to Smoke. Nothing wrong with that.. but I knew if I didn't stop one day it might catch up with me in a bad way, and I didn't want that.
About a year and a half ago I saw a commercial on TV for these Electronic Cigarettes. I was intrigued. I started searching the internet for all the information I could get my hands on. I read all the pros and cons, who said what about them and looked into those peoples backgrounds to see if they had any kind of agenda that would color their views. I spent 3 months doing research. I came to the conclusion that the electronic cigarette or e-cig as it's called was safe enough for me to try. I learned there was much hype with some e-cigs just as there are some lies told about e-cigs largely perpetuated by the pharmaceutical industry. The pharmaceutical industry has a billion dollar a year investment in quit smoking products world wide for products that are not nearly as effective as the e-cig in clinical and anecdotal evidence.
I did some research on the best e-cig for a beginner and found there are many styles and sizes of e-cigs. Many do not look like cigarettes at all. I learned to stay away from Mall e-cigs because they are way over priced due to the overhead of Mall shops. I ordered a 35 dollar kit that contained two e-cigs and a bottle of tobacco flavored liquid nicotine juice to use.
It was love at first puff. It looked like smoking, felt like smoking, gave me the nicotine I wanted. Best of all doesn't have any of the 4000 chemicals or the 69 cancer causing chemicals or tar or carbon monoxide found in cigarette smoke that causes the body harm. We call it Vaping instead of smoking because you inhale a vapor. It was easy to stick with and quickly replaced my cigarette smoking for good. I had no harsh cravings. The juice from this initial purchase lasted me several months - The juice itself was about 40 dollars - way cheaper than cigarettes and the two e-cigs are still going strong.
Now, over a year later, I have a variety of e-cigs and different flavored nicotine juices. I am smoke free. I have quit smoking tobacco. I still enjoy the e-cig and because it's not hurting me, will probably continue to use one the rest of my life. Does it satisfy like a cigarette? Yes it does for the most part. There are some things like the morning head rush I don't get and that was from the carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke. The e-cig is what worked for me. It may not be for everyone.
I also learned about the types of anti smoking/anti nicotine groups out there and the lies they tell people. No, your not evil for smoking or using nicotine. Nicotine by itself has the same health risks associated with it as caffeine. Like caffeine nicotine is a vascular constrictor (narrows blood vessels) and a central nervous system stimulant. People who cannot have caffeine or have high blood pressure may find nicotine will acerbate their symptoms. Nicotine by itself is only mildly addictive. ( there are other things in cigarettes that contribute to addiction) Nicotine by itself does not cause heart disease, lung disease or kill. It's the smoke that kills.
If you are trying to quit, and nothing is working you may want to look into trying an electronic cigarette. It can save your life, I believe it has saved mine and my doctor is ecstatic. My body is healing from 22 years of smoking damage at the rate of someone who quit cold turkey. I can breath better have more endurance and feel great. ( been of tobacco smoke for over a year now)
That said, what's important is that you find the best method that works for you.
Thank you for reading my story.
Electric Rider
Any other e-cig users out there? Lets hear from you !