I have smoked cigarettes nearly all my life. I was 16 when I started and 68 when I stopped. I’m thankful that I’ve been lucky and haven’t gotten emphysema or lung cancer already and hope my luck continues. I was scheduled to have a total knee replacement in Dec. 2012 and wanted to be smoke free for at least six months prior to surgery. I bought e-Cigs online. They weren’t cheap and there were only 10 cartridges, an atomizer and a rechargeable battery in my starter kit for $79. I didn’t like them at all. There is a little ball of some type of batting or fiber that is soaked with an e-liquid and the atomizer heats it creating a vapor that contains nicotine. They didn’t last more than a few hours and they tasted absolutely horrible, I went back to analog cigarettes. In desperation I went online to a forum for people wanting to quit smoking cigarettes and there was live chat for people like me. I had tried every conceivable drug and device that is on the market both non-prescription and prescription and nothing worked. Chantix was horrible. I vomited every day for the first week using the Chantix and in the end that also failed, and I had tried two rounds of that drug. I had also been given a prescription for Welbutrin which didn’t do anything at all to curb my craving for the drug I was addicted to, nicotine. I was even given a prescription for nicotine cartridges that fit into a holder to inhale, that was awful too. I received good information from other ‘vapers’ on this forum and went to a site online that sells the eGo-T which is a system to deliver nicotine in a vapor. The strength of the nicotine ranges anywhere from 11 mgm to 24 mgm and even 0 nicotine for those that only want the sensation of the vapor and the oral satisfaction. I received it and charged up the battery, filled up my cartridge with champagne flavored e-juice and started vaping. I was a non-smoker from that day on. It satisfied my nicotine and oral craving immediately. I told all my doctors of my new ‘vice’. I have a General Practitioner, a Cardiologist, an Endocrinologist and and Oncologist. ALL OF THEM approved and were delighted that I was no longer smoking cigarettes. I questioned each one regarding the possible detriments to my health from nicotine and not one of them had any problems at all with the nicotine affecting my health. This was of great significance especially with my Cardiologist since I suffer with atrial fibrillation and take anti-arrhythmic medications for it. That’s my story. It’s been 16 months being a non-smoker and I’m feeling great and healthier than I’ve been in years. My son was inspired and he stopped smoking also, it’s 14 months for him. He wanted to see if I kept up with it before making the commitment. Now we love sharing our new flavors and atomizers. We’re both proud of ourselves for quitting smoking and we offer our advice to anyone who sees us using our eGo-T and vaping and asks what that’s all about. We have both saved thousands of dollars not buying cigarettes anymore. The cost of supplies for vaping are far less than analog cigarettes. It’s been a win-win situation all around for both of us. Here’s the facts, I am still addicted to nicotine which is NOT a carcinogen. I am not getting the 60,000 other chemicals that a cigarette contains once it’s lit and inhaled. There you go, who could ever disagree with the decision to stop smoking cigarettes with all these benefits?