Like many smokers, I have smoked daily since I was a teenager. I have ADHD combined with a low level spectrum disorder (tics and twitches) which was very difficult in school. For me smoking was as much about keeping my hands occupied to keep the other obvious tics from taking control. Instead of being embarrassed about myself I could participate with a group. This obviously brought on many adverse health conditions with it, along with the addiction. When I was in my late 20’s it became obvious that I was an alcoholic. I struggled with addiction and recovery, and to make a long story short, almost lost my wife, my children, and my life to addiction. After years of struggling I am now sober, and life is great. Not without it’s struggles, but still great. One of the most difficult things about getting sober is smoking. There are a lot of opinions on whether to quit or not, but the two main schools of thought are; Quit everything cold turkey and be free of chemicals, or keep smoking because trying to stop drinking/using is hard enough without adding nicotine to the equation. I don’t feel I could have done it without the small indulgence of nicotine, but on the flip side of that it brought a lot of memories back and felt like old habits coming back to haunt me. Then I found e-cigs. I personally feel like they aided my recovery tenfold, and recommend them to anyone who is in a similar circumstance. I have completely stopped smoking cigarettes and drinking, I can set a good example for my kids by not stinking like smoke all the time, and I don’t feel self conscious about my anxiety and twitches. I am in much better shape, physically and mentally. I may not be a vapor for the rest of my life, but they have definitely helped me and my family get to a better place in our life. It’s not as black and white as whether there’s nicotine in something is what I’m trying to say.