Hi, How I got here is Everything!!! It’s great to be here, to be part of the cigarette free world. I’m not new to electronic cigarettes, and my journey is similar to others. However, how I got here is everything. You see, I was very close to my farther-in-law, Milton. He was a lot younger than my dad, so I was able to relate in ways that where very difficult with my dad. Our relationship grew as the grand-children came. Milton loved food, jazz music, and electronics…he taught me so much about Coltrane & micro-processors. We also shared a habit that no one else in the family did, and that was an analog cigarette. Our most intense discussions occurred outside or in his workroom. We both loved the banter with our favourite beverage. Milton was a pack and half a day smoker for 40 years, I was a 1/2 pack to a pack a day for 22 years. In the spring of 2007, Milton felt pain in his right chest while chopping wood. He was always chopping wood, and the pain didn’t go away. After much persistence by my mother-in-law, Milton decided to go see the doctor. It was lung cancer that spread to the bones and liver….the doctor gave him 3-6 months. Needless to say, after the tears, Milton wanted to live, and hit the treatment hard, but also didn’t put away the cigarettes…he did go down to 1/2 pack, and I continued. Then my world came to a crashing to down…my wife was diagnosed with colon cancer in December of 2007. She never picked up a cigarette in her life, was physically in great shape, and no family history. But she was raised in a house that exposed her to second hand smoke for most of her upbringing. Needless to say, I was shocked, and thought the world would end. How could a healthy 38 year old women be diagnosed with a form of cancer that’s normally reserved for someone in their 50’s+? Milton found the news devastating. He was battling for his life, and could not bear to think that he might never find out what would happen to his daughter. But Milton was feeling an incredible amount of guilt that I believe ended his will…the cancer ravaged his body, he passed away at the end of January 2008. My wife has gone thru many surgeries, chemo, radiation, and as we speak, is in remission…the tests continue, but our faith is strong. At that point in my life, I was disgusted with myself. I didn’t like the habit anymore for what it did two very important people in my life. I was ostracized from my friends and family for continuing the habit after everything that happened. I tried the patch, the pills, even hypnotism…nothing worked. In November of 2009, I was watching an episode of the Discovery Channel with my son, and the show discussed electronic cigarettes….my son said, Dad, this is for you!. It sure was, I ordered the first one I could find online. I received the electronic cigarettes two weeks later at work, came home and dropped my brand new pack of cigarettes on the kitchen table, and I swore to my family that my disgusting habit was over and gave them links to the benefits of electronic cigarettes. They are so grateful and supportive. That was Dec 4th 2009, and I’m writing to you in August of 2013…and I’m so proud to say I have never smoked an analog since. I so wished Milton looked into electronic cigarettes, with his electronic skills; I could see him giving the best mod makers a run for their money. Good luck to everyone out there….keep spreading the good word. Regards, Anthony (aka VIPOD on ecf)