Real Stories

I am NOT an anecdote, I'm a real person, one of millions of people who have quit smoking with the help of electronic cigarettes. I'm 44 years old, an American, a combat veteran, an electrician, a voter and an ex-smoker.

I loved to run when I was a kid and even though I started smoking when I was 12 years old I could still compete with the fittest, youngest guys while I was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division. We usually ran 4 to 5 miles, 5 days a week. Every morning I was coughing and hacking up phlegm. After I got out of the service I quit running and eventually I would get winded just doing average tasks at work. I became very sedimentary and gained a considerable amount of weight. At my heaviest a few years ago I weighed about 275lbs.

A little more than three years ago, after 29+ years of smoking over a pack a day, I was was waiting for a delayed flight in an airport. Desperately craving a cigarette I saw a man I thought was smoking. I approached him and he explained that he was "vaping". I did some research and bought my first electronic cigarette online. It was a "cig-a-like" device that didn't last very long and wasn't completely satisfying but I saw its potential. They were cheaper than cigarettes, didn't smell bad or make me smell bad, didn't stain my fingers or my teeth and I heard they were less harmful to my health as cigarettes. Soon thereafter I bought my first "ego style" device, which had a longer lasting battery and a refillable cartridge, I haven't picked up another cigarette since.

Not long after I started vaping I began to notice quite a few changes. I wasn't coughing in the morning. I wasn't winded just from getting up off the couch. I could smell and taste everything better. I started exercising because I could breathe again. I bought some dumbbells. I bought a treadmill. I'm running again. I'm now running 3.2 miles a day 3 times a week. I'm back down to 185 lbs and when I have a craving for something sweet I can vape something sweet without any calories.

I have absolutely no doubt that e-cigs have improved my health, quite possibly saved my life and saved me a considerable amount of money not only on what I've saved in cigarette costs but in healthcare and medical bills. Before e-cigs I was well on my way to an early death.

I first started smoking at the tender age of twelve. I took a pack of my mother's Marlboro Reds down to the local park and chain smoked them until I vomited in the river. While these events would act as a deterrent to most people, I was hooked from that day forward. By the time that I was fourteen I was smoking a pack a day, sneaking them behind the school after cheerleading practice.

My first attempt at quitting came when I was twenty-two years old. I had moved to Missouri and we were frighteningly broke. This left me with a choice of food or tobacco. I quit "cold turkey," which left me in absolute panic mode. All I thought about, night and day, every waking minute, as well as during my dream states, was cigarettes. For two weeks I struggled, while every cell in my body screamed to just go buy a pack. I finally gave in during training for a new job, where my supervisor smoked.

I didn't attempt to quit again until I was diagnosed with pneumonia six years later. The doctor in the ER stressed to me that I had to quit, there was no way around it. He helped me to decide on wellbutrin as a quit method. Unfortunately, the drug did nothing to curb my cravings and I was soon back to standing in the cold, smoking, while coughing up blood.

When I found out that I was pregnant four years ago I knew again that I had to quit, there was no way that I could put my unborn baby in danger because of my own addiction. Alas, the gum and patches that my OB suggested did nothing to stop the cravings either. I was in her office, sobbing, and begging for her to help me. She suggested that the stress of quitting could be even worse for my baby than the act of smoking. I managed to cut back, at her suggestion, but I never fully quit. I shamefully hid behind my house, smoking cigarettes with my swollen belly, hoping that no one would see me.

Everything changed for me eighteen months ago when a friend introduced me to an "e-cigarette." I played with his for a bit and thought that I would try again. With all the money I was spending on cigarettes, it couldn't hurt to try. I ordered my kit from the internet, but I didn't tell anyone. I didn't want people to think that I was a failure if I couldn't do it. Again. My kit came four days later and I anxiously opened it and put it together. I loved the cinnamon candy flavor of the liquid, and it felt like a real cigarette. When I started I had half a pack of cigarettes, and by the end of the week, I threw them away. My PV (personal vaporizor) allowed me to quit smoking without panic or tears.

Over the course of eighteen months I have been able to lower my nicotine from 24mg to 3mg and at times I use a 0mg nicotine liquid. I have not had bronchitis or pneumonia once, in contrast to the three to four times a year a would get it while smoking. A doctor who told me that I was only a few years from developing COPD, the same disease that my grandmother died from, told me what remarkable health I was in. I don't smell like stale smoke and I am no longer worried that my breath stinks. I now make it a priority to spread the word about PVs and what they have done for me. These are life saving devices, and there is no doubt in my mind that they did just that for me.

I didn't start smoking until I was 18 years old, under the influence of my friends. Until that time, I had no interest in smoking, even though both of my parents were avid smokers. I have been trying to find something to help me quit smoking since I was in my mid 20's. I tried cold turkey. That was the most horrible experience of my life and just plain failed. The gum was useless, because it triggered the "I just ate, so now I must smoke" response common to almost every smoker I know. I could not use the patches, because I am allergic to the adhesive on the patches. Chantix was a definite no, because it is nothing more that the ingredient in Wellbutrin that curbed smoking. I was took Welbutrin for years as an antidepressant with no change in my desire to smoke. When I mentioned Chantix to my doctor, he informed me that it wouldn't help me because the Wellbutrin didn't help me to quit. So the prospect of me ever quitting smoking was looking rather hopeless to me. Enter the e-cigarette.

My vapor units (commonly clumped into the category of e-cigarette) have been the most successful in me getting closer to my goal of completely quitting actual tobacco. I was smoking two packs a day. Now I smoke less than 1 pack a day, and even that dwindles more every week. I find myself reaching for my mods more than I do real tobacco products. The benefits have been very noticeable.

I live in "The Natural State". And I have the seasonal allergies to prove it. Before I started using my e-cigarette, I would get bronchitis, sinus infections, and even walking pneumonia at least two to three times a year. Spring time being the worst. This spring, I have had none of the aforementioned illnesses affect me. I have not had to go to my doctor for the usual shots and antibiotics. I have not been bedridden for a week. The difference: I'm not smoking as much tobacco I have in the past because of vaping.

Another benefit is showing itself in the form of the sport I love. I play roller derby. Speed, strength, and endurance are all apart of this growing sport. You can't have any of those if you can't get proper oxygen for your lungs to deliver to you body. Since I began replacing cigarettes with my vapor units, I can breathe easier. I have noticed that my endurance is improving and muscle fatigue is decreasing. The only change I made was the substituting vapor for tobacco.

As far as regulations go, the FDA already regulates the ingredients found in every liquid I have purchased to this date. My current bottles of vaping juice contain propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, nicotine, and flavoring. That is all. Propylene glycol and vegetable glycerine are already regulated by the FDA and are classified as "Generally Regarded as Safe. (title21-vol3-sec184-1666, title21-vol3-sec182-1320) " These two ingredients are the base components that have already been deemed safe by the FDA for inhalation by humans in every fog machine that uses fluid in this country. I work in the entertainment industry and use these machines often. I have several copies of the MSDS forms. They are even approved by the Actor's Equity Association, an organization that tends to be harsher than the FDA for the sake of their members.

Nicotine is already regulated by the FDA as well. I have only seen vape liquid come in a 24mg/ml bottle. Bottle sizes range from 10 to 30ml. However, I have never seen anyone go through an entire 10ml in one day. It usually takes me at least a 3 to 4 days to even get through a tank that holds 1.5ml. Plus some of the mixture is evaporated off in the liquid to vapor process. So that puts me vaping, on average, less than the approved milligrams dosage for a daily 21mg nicotine patch. I do understand concern for lethal doses of nicotine. And I thoroughly approve child safety caps on the bottles. But I don't approve of prices for liquid and mods to go through the ceiling, just like those other supposed cessation methods. because I cannot afford it when I make 7 times less than the average government employee. And that is exactly what happens every time the government has been involved in regulating what they call "tobacco products." These are NOT tobacco products. They contain absolutely no tobacco. They contain nicotine, and nicotine is not exclusively found in tobacco. Nicotine is naturally found in tomatoes, eggplant, cauliflower, potatoes, green and black teas, and peppers.

The natural and artificial flavorings are also regulated by FDA codes. They exist in nearly every non-organic product we consume. So there really is no point in writing an essay concerning something that is so common knowledge. And saying that these flavors are targeting children, when most of them are flavors found in any liquor store in the country is a little hypocritical.

There needs to be far more research done, by non-biased medical professionals, before bans or anything of the like are done. All of my e-juice bottles have warning labels on them already, all about how you aren't supposed to drink the liquid. If you must, require child safety caps on there to prevent young children from getting them (although parents should be a bit more responsible in keeping the stuff away from their children, I know you can't watch them EVERY second). Age regulations are a great idea, and I'm all for that. We already have AEMSA handing down manufacturing regulations for liquids, making sure we are getting a quality product. The FDA should research things before saying "No! Stop that!," as if we were a bunch of children, increasing prices, and taking away our options. It would be just like the government telling me that I can't use Charmin anymore, and MUST buy Angel Soft for my toilet paper. I am a grown adult, with a great deal of common sense and an IQ of 155. I don't need that much supervision or regulation. And although I do I regret smoking, I do not for one second regret vaping.

I had been smoking a very long time. When I first turned 20 I could barely climb up a five stair porch without almost blacking out from the lack of oxygen in my lungs. Panting like a dog, I would have to sit down somewhere to catch my breathe before slowly standing up to hope I wouldn't feel dizzy. I could not run any longer than a quarter of a block without having to stop, put my hands over my head, and breathe as deep a breath as I could (which was shallow at the time). With that feeling, and those symptoms in mind, I stopped running and started doing as little physical activity as possible. I was lethargic, irritable, I coughed up deep colored mucus, and felt like sleeping constantly. All these symptoms and things happening to me was caused by cigarettes.

I decided to make a change in my life. I decided I wanted to quit smoking cigarettes. I went through gum trials, patches, cigarette substitutes of all shapes and sizes and all brands different and alike. All those trials and you would think something would work right? Wrong, none of these above mentioned types of quitting substitutes helped me. In fact, they made the situation worse, I felt like I craved cigarettes more!

Eventually a person I know turned me onto the idea of a vape pen. Now being understandably skeptical after all the failed attempts, even though I really wanted to quit, I'll admit I didn't quite believe in this new found method. In fact the idea kind of irritated me when I began to look at all the success stories. In my mind I thought it was a set up advertisement to rope people in. However the desirable dream of quitting overpowered the skeptisism, and I bought a small starter vape kit. Going into the use of my new vape pen with its 18mg nicotine e-juice that was recommended, I was already skeptical, this nagativity stacked the odds of quitting highly against me. Within the first few hours of use, I was satisfied with not needing to go outside to smoke a cigarette, I instantly was not self concious of my smell to other people, and my need to spit mucus was ceasing. Still feeling the desire of a cigarette the first day, I was fairly satisfied as I went to sleep. Two to three days later my mind and body were prepared and accustomed to using my vape pen as a healthy alternative to cigarettes. Within a week of switching to vapor, I began to notice changes in many things. One thing that was my biggest reward, was not waking up in the morning and coughing mucus constantly. It had completely gone away an with it my loud snoring and choking in the middle of the night. I began to taste things in different ways that were more detailed and complex. With some good exercise (that I could finally do) my oxygen intake was much better which allowed me to climb stairs, run, and do the sports that I always loved. My finally reward from all my effort of trying this vape pen, was the fact the e-juices came in nicotine levels of highest to lowest. Using this system, that could never be done with cigarettes, I was able to wean myself off nicotine comfortably at my own pace, until finally I was off.

The point is that some people haven't found there comforted way to quit cigarettes, or maybe they don't have the will power. But for those of us that want to change our habits, vape pens, mods, e-cigs, and juices give us multiple options to make our dreams come true. The cigarette industry is a nasty multi-million dollar industry that makes their profits off one thing, death. Whereas the vapor industry is a positive community that allows people to smoke freely without the negativity a cigarette brings. It also offers a fraternity of support that in its own stands as a community. The government already infringes on many rights that it swears to uphold. Why should they regulate and stick their nose in a healthy and positive industry that helps people finally meet their goals. As a citizen I do not want the FDA or any government agency to change something that works. All the government will cause by getting involved is negativity, disappointment, and destruction of a good entity. The people know that suddenly adverse effects will be "documented" as soon as the FDA is involved, even though as it stands right now, there are none. This will all be done as it always is by the government to push their point, and as a way to make their cause seem just. The government's involvement is unjust, unconstitutional, and plain wrong! We the people will not stand for it and will gladly hold protests and fight this tyranny. We deserve our rights to the pursuit of happiness, and nothing is more happy than cutting out a cancer forming, life destroying cigarette. My story is one of millions that prove that vaping equipment is more than just healthy, it is life changing. We deserve to make our own choices on the way we as people live our lives, and this movement is the best of our generation.

To end my story short and sweet, vaping was not just a goal accomplished. It was a life changing experience that I will forever hold a debt to. I Ja** R*** S***** do not want the government to step in and have any part of this industry. The FDA will not make any changes to vaping that are positive. They will only bring a dark cloud over such a peaceful lifestyle. They will take away all the effort put in by people, and destroy the opportunity for millions more to discover. By getting involved the government will do nothing but change the foundation of citizen's rights that this country is based on. We will not stand for this!