I’m a 30 year old man who picked up smoking Marlboro Reds as a teenager. What was a social habit became a full-fledged addiction that peaked after the demise of a relationship that, looking back, was probably more toxic than the cigs. I was up to 3 packs a day and tried all the usual methods (prescriptions, cold turkey, Allen Carr’s book)… I was tired of my car smelling, my constant thoughts of when I’d get my next fix, and worrying about what restaurants to eat at based on whether or not they had a smoking patio.
3 months ago I was on day 4 of a prescription drug to quit and I threw it away. I smoked a cigarette with a friend, put it out and said “I’m done.” I had this electronic vape cigarette on my dresser for a couple weeks and picked it up the next morning. I haven’t smoked a cigarette since. I can’t say I “feel” better, I was the type that could go for a 5 mile run and smoke 10 cigarettes on my run. My desire to smoke Marlboros is zero, unless I’m drunk and ask for a drag of a friend’s smoke. Usually one drag and I’m back to puffing on my vape.
People say this is not an effective way to quit cigarettes. Those people probably never were smokers. 3MG nicotine is enough for me and always has been. I’m not nicotine free, but I’m not throwing butts on the ground or out the window anymore (admit it, you did too). My car doesn’t smell anymore, neither do my clothes. Maybe someday I’ll quit vaping too but I choose to believe this is the lesser of two evils and is way less expensive than smoking traditional cigarettes in California.
