I started smoking when I was 15. Everyone smoked then, including all of my family. By the time I was 63, and smoked about a packet a day, preferably full strength Camels. I never seriously tried to stop, I simply didnƒ??t believe I can. I occasionally used nicotine gum on long flights, it didnƒ??t feel like a long term substitute. I found out about e-cigarettes by accident, searching the Internet. My first delivery arrived in December 2011. It was a simple 2-part model, with a small battery and cartridges, looking like a cigarette if not for its bright blue colour. I chose 18mg strength. It was an instant hit with me. I smoked for 2 more months (one a day in the morning) just because I had the cigarettes, not because I was drawn to them. So since February 2012 I did not smoke a single cigarette. It required no effort, no struggle, vaping was actually nicer than smoking. I now vape 12mg liquids, about 3ml a day. Iƒ??m not really interested in reducing it further. It is scientifically proven that small amounts of nicotine are beneficial, especially for older people threatened with decline of intellectual function and dementia. I now use larger higher capacity batteries and clearomizers, which I fill with nicotine liquid. I was always very healthy, so itƒ??s difficult for me to say whether my overall health improved, but I stopped coughing.