after smoking from the age of 17 (1990), i finally decided after the birth of my son in 2007 to try & quit. i smoked roll ups heavily from the moment i got up, until i went to bed at night & was starting to feel the damage that was being done to my body. i tried to stop smoking several times before my son was born & then later, even with the added motivation of being a parent, just couldn’t do it. i tried patches, counselling (nhs) & willpower, still i couldn’t escape the addiction. during these times i felt despair & disappointment in myself & wondered if i should just accept the fact that i would be a smoker until i died. then, in early 2011 by chance i met somebody using an e-cig. i was initially taken aback that he appeared to be smoking indoors, however he quickly explained what it was & how he & his wife had both managed to leave cigarettes behind through using e-cigs. after my first try on his e-cig, i wasn’t overly impressed but the concept of it had me intrigued. the following day after some research into what setup may suit my needs, i ordered a kit with some nicotine liquid & hoped for the best. my delivery came the following day (march 2011) & i am very, very proud that since that moment i have never smoked again. i now have the energy to keep up with my son, no longer get out of breath climbing stairs, no longer smell like an ashtray, & lost weight as a result of being more active. for me personally, the benefits of using an e-cig are countless. i still use my e-cig, although i have gradually decreased the amount of nicotine i use in a way that suits me. i am also proud that several of my friends have quit cigarettes using e-cigs & of course, support & guidance from my experiences with using these devices. i have no doubt that this is not the answer for everyone nor is it a miracle cure. however, as far as i am concerned, a chance meeting in 2011 may have saved my life.