I started smoking regularly around age 14 or 15. I quit for 4 years, though I used the patch and the gum, I wouldn’t say they helped me to quit, in fact, they made the process of quitting really miserable. Someone recently said to me, you never quit, you just refused to have a cigarette for four years and I could not disagree with that – every minute of it was misery, depression, anxiety, pain and – believe it or not – health problems. One after another, I had health issues that I had never had before. I said that to my doctor, he assured me that quitting did not cause those problems. I still wonder. It wasn’t the first time I’d quit, there were shorter periods including a time when I took Zyban. I went from a reasonably happy person into a seriously apathetic and depressed human. I didn’t care about smoking, I didn’t much care about living either. I cried endlessly and nearly dropped out of college. Less than a week ago, after being convinced by a friend, I went out and bought an e-cigarette system. I haven’t had a cigarette since, I haven’t wanted one, did not experience any withdrawal symptoms – I am perfectly fine, whereas last time I quit, I was a bubbling puddle of goo at this point, crying like a baby, punching the chest of my partner who was feeling just as crappy as I did (he quit then also and took up eCigs with me this time) and contemplating suicide. I know it has only been five days, but as long as I use eCigs I will not smoke again, of that I am completely sure. I may continue to use eCigs, I hope that I can quit them too, but not until my body has done detoxifying from the multitude of carcinogens in the tobacco that I’ve been abusing myself with for 30 years. Even if I continue to use eCigs long term, there is so much less there to harm me. I already am starting to feel better. I am happy and I am quit. I’m breathing a bit better – and I don’t stink. It is the best thing that has ever happened to me.