My new lease on life!

I was a 37 year 3 pack a day smoker who also used between 3-10 cigars on most days. had many many attempts to quit via the usual NRT (patches,gums accupuncture & meds) recommendations from doctors and well meaning friends but none of those ever worked for more than a few hours. While chatting with a friend on skype I saw he was using a device he called a “mod” and was intrigued. He said he had quit smoking with it in a couple weeks so I said “where can I get one!” He steered me to an eGo starter kit and in two days I had it! I never wanted to quit smoking only cut down on the amount I used. So I substituted having a cigarette with taking a “vape”. When I really felt like I wanted a cigarette I had one but in three days time I had only smoked two cigarettes……On the third day I had no cravings at all to smoke and wondered if I was wanting/wishing this so I lit a Kool to be sure. No one was more astounded than I was when I took a single puff and could not stomach the taste or smell of that lit cigarette! It was so foul tasting I knew for certain I had quit smoking! That was back in October 19th of 2009/10 and I haven’t ever returned to smoking. When I was smoking because of COPD related issues I was barely able to walk my stairs, exercise or take care of my dog because my Asthma and bronchitis were so uncontrolled even with all the inhalers and steroids. I used 3-5 inhalers plus breathing treatments every single day. Within a month or two I was able to leave all those inhalers behind me with the cigarettes. My doctor couldn’t believe this {that I quit smoking} and ordered breathing tests and xrays for me to confirm what I was telling her. For the very first time I did NOT have a sucking sound in my lungs and I had no detectable wheezing either! She was very excited and wanted to know more about this new technology. She even asked me to tell other smoking patients of hers about how I was able to quit which I agreed to do. Unfortunately by then the FDA “press report” came out and condemned many folks to continue smoking simply because they lied about ecigs and the alleged harms. Her other partners except for one refused to read or believe the science. I smoked through losing part of a lung, open heart surgery, blood poisoning and many bouts of pneumonia and other serious illnesses. I was never able to quit until these life saving devices came onto the market. I feel absolutely that using a ecigs has saved my lungs, my life and the lives of countless others in my family including my 78 yr old mother! My health issues while varied had nothing to do with my smoking. However I’m sure smoking did contribute to making them worse until I switched from smoking to vaping. I now am able to walk for a mile o more without needing an inhaler. My overall health improved immensely since I quit smoking. My blood pressure is low and I have no issues with nicotine use. While my mother likes to only use a couple flavors {Vanilla Custard or Irish Creme} my chosen flavors are many and varied. I use 24mg strength e liquid because that is what works best for me. I sincerely believe that taking away my chosen flavors {fruits, coffee,caramels,chocolates,fruited menthol,candy,cereals flavors anything but tobacco flavored} my chosen nicotine level and devices will send many of us back to smoking hated cigarettes. I don’t wish that on anyone. I also cannot see any reason for adults to not be able to govern over what they choose to ingest,inhale or eat. Isn’t the job of “Public Health” to insure what actually is in the public’s best interest and not what is in their own {funding} or pushing some agenda? I also want to say I have seen firsthand how those opposed to nicotine/ecig vaping use “the children” to further their own warped agenda. I would simply like to see them tell the truth about whatever topic they will speak on. I hope fervently that even more folks will quit smoking with this much safer alternative and that we will not be put out of business with over reaching and punitive regulation. C.B.