I started smoking as a kid. It was the 1970s and everyone around me smoked. I thought it was cool so I would steal a cigarette here and there from my parents and other adults around me who smoked. I probably started smoking regularly and buying cigarettes when I was in High School. Back then we had a smoking porch at our school and you could go out between classes and have a smoke. I did stop smoking in 1985 while I was pregnant with my daughter. It wasn’t so much that I quit for her benefit. It was making me sick to my stomach to smoke so I really couldn’t. I remained smoke free for nearly 2 years but pretty soon I was right back at it. Over the years I have tried the nicotene gum, the nicotene patches, the nicotene lozenges and cold turkey. All were successful for a few days. My best try was with the lozenges and that lasted about 6 months. I asked my Doctor about Chantix but he wasn’t a fan and it would interact with some of my other medications. A few weeks ago a friend showed up for dinner with a weird looking device. It was like a small flashlight with a container of liquid attached to the top. He said it was a personal vaporizer and let me give it a try. Next thing I knew 3 people at my work were out in the smoking area with similiar devices. I decided it must be worth looking into. I went to a local shop and bought a starter kit and 2 flavors of the liquid. 2 days later I smoked my last cigarette. I don’t want a cigarette. The last one I lite was put out after 2 draws on it. It tasted terrible. My beloved Marlboros are no longer appealing at all! Our 30 year love affair is over. Let me make this even more clear. I have an open carton of my favorate cigarettes on my kitchen counter with 6 unopened packs in it. I have no desire to smoke them. The only reason I haven’t thrown them out is because of the money I spent on them. I figure I’ll find someone to give them to at some point. My sense of taste and smell have hugely improved. I can now tell by smell people that smoke. The ashtrays in our smoking area at work stink! I can breath better and I don’t cough first thing in the mornings the way I used to. There are people who want to restrict, regulate or outlaw e cigarettes. Without them I would still be smoking a pack a day. I would be polluting myself and the people around me. I just wish I had found vaping sooner.