I was a smoker for over 40 years. That’s right, 40 years. I’ve tried to go cold turkey several times. No luck. I did not like the idea of using a psychoactive medication to quit smoking (I think the possible side effects are worse than the smoking for 40 years). I can’t use the gum or a patch due to some medical concerns with ingredients, possible allergies, and an immune triggered skin disorder. A friend suggested I try e-cigs to supplement my nicotine craving while I worked on reducing the number of cigarettes and trigger responses. I gradually weaned down the number of cigarettes I smoked daily to around 6. I typically smoked around a pack a day. While weaning down the NUMBER of cigarettes, I also worked on attempting to lower the amount of each that I smoked (lowering a Whole cigarette smoked to less than 6 puffs). Also, I worked on changing WHERE I smoked and WHEN (to reduce trigger times and places). I made it inconvenient for me to smoke. No smoking in the car. Walking to different areas outside to smoke. I started using e-cigs to supplement my nicotine cravings, and worked for a while to further reduce the number of cigarettes smoked daily down to 3. Around a month ago, after finishing my LAST cigarette in the pack at midnight, I went to bed with a vow to never buy them again. I have been able to lower the nicotine level from high, to medium in this short time. I’ve stocked up on each level so I can continue to work toward Zero nicotine. I have not had intense cravings for traditional cigarettes. If I get a craving, I try to work through it by doing some activity that keeps my mind and hands busy. If I need to, I will take a few puffs off of the ecig and the craving is gone. It is almost like going cold turkey, except I can use the ecig to deliver the nicotine so withdrawal is not so intense and the temptation to return to smoking is thereby increased. The ecig, to me, seems to serve as my insurance policy that those cravings won’t defeat me again. I think changing my habits of where, when, and how much I smoked before attempting to quit tobacco cigarettes contributed to the ease in which I was able to put them away for good. I hope this helps. I think each person may have to explore what works for them, and just keep trying. For me, the ecig is a critical tool to help me stop smoking after 40 years of trying, especially since I can’t use the patch, gum, or the medications. I’m quite thankful and believe I will continue my success and will never go back to smoking cigarettes again.