I had smoked for nearly 30 years and have tried to quit nearly 200,000 times. Yes, after almost every cigarette I had I wanted it to be my last….I forever had a love-hate relationship with my smokes. I’ve tried pretty much every method of quitting, including cold turkey and hypnosis. I have tried using the nicotine patch to quit, sometimes wearing 2 patches at once….but I would still need to smoke while wearing them. I have used nicotine gum, chewing it like regular gum rather than as directed for a slow controlled release…this would sometimes cause sores in my mouth and I??d still end up smoking cigarettes after each piece. I??ve had 3 prescriptions for Chantix over a 2 year span that had all failed after several months. With each major attempt to quit, I would be a miserable bear. My family didn??t want to come near me. In fact I couldn??t stand being around myself….so I would give in and trade being miserable but healthy for frequent sickness, constant hacking, and a falsely perceived happiness. Then, in January of this year, I decided to do some research on E-Cigarettes. After looking at the basic design and functions of the hardware, ingredients of the liquids used, and much time searching for unbiased opinions both for and against their use, and consulting with my physician…. I was personally satisfied that these are many many times over, safer than any tobacco product. E-Cigs, I feel, are no more a tobacco product than any of the nicotine based smoking cessation aids….which my health insurance pays for in full if my doctor prescribes it!! The trouble was, they did nothing for me. The first week of February this year(2013), I bought a starter set of e-cigarettes. I have not had a ??real tobacco?? cigarette since. Now I can??t stand the smell of them and I have no desire to go back…and I feel so much better, too. I have started using lower levels of nicotine available, and hope to be at zero nicotine level by year end….and if I don’t make that goal, no worries, at least I??m still not smoking!!