I have been a smoker since I was 12 years old – over 15 years, and over half my life! The last time I smoked, I was at around a pack a day, or 7300 cigarettes per year. I had tried quitting several times through a wide variety of ways. I have used Snus, nicotine gum, the patch, and a even a combination of the three. The longest I lasted was 6 months by cold turkey. Even then, almost every minute of every day I romanced the thought of cigarettes, until 6 months later, I couldn’t help myself anymore. I hated the taste, but by the time I had taken my second drag, I was hooked again. I picked up my first electronic cigarette from Wal-mart about a year ago. I struggled to stay on them because of the cost (15 dollars for 5 carts, which would only last me a day or two). Ever since I started, I have never even been tempted by the thought of a real cigarette. I have purchased bigger batteries, and a tank that holds more juice, and reduced my costs greatly. I pick up 120ml of juice online for 50 dollars, and it lasts me two months, which is much more affordable that the 15 dollars per day rate I was going through. I did what I honestly thought I would never do thanks to electronic cigarettes. And whether or not the e cigs are bad for the user doesn’t matter. It isn’t nearly as bad as cigarettes, and it has been scientifically proven that there are no carcinogens that can be given to second hand vapers. If not for the electronic cigarette, I wouldn’t be able to run right now. Instead, I run a mile every couple of days. I fear what will happen to me if the cost of the electronic cigarette goes up. Will I be forced to go back to the regular cigarettes out of financial necessity? It only costs around $1.50 for a pack of Wild Horse Little Cigars, and they come in menthol… I pray the day never comes when I have to consider making that choice.