I’ve been a smoker for roughly 6 years and averaged about 2 packs a week. I’d been concerned for a while that my smoking habits seemed to be increasing as well as the fact that i continuously felt terrible the longer I’ve been smoking. Along with the normal smokers cough, I had horrible morning breath and my blood pressure kept getting higher. I’d tried quitting numerous times with the patch and with gums but those never helped. In fact the side effects from those were worse than smoking. When I tried the gum I would get constant headaches for hours at a time and my heart would race. With the patch I suffered night sweats, increased instances of bad dreams and poor sleep as well as the head aches and a rash anywhere I put the patch. These side effects were the main reason I couldn’t quit. It was horrible. Then upon seeing someone smoking an e-cig cigarette styled device, I picked one up online and tried it out for a few weeks, but it wasn’t what I needed. The flavors burned my mouth and the liquid would leak onto my lips and that burned. The flavors were also terrible. This was back in 2009 that I tried this first e-cig. I stopped using it and continued smoking. In 2012 I learned about devices like the ego-c and others. I picked up an ego-c device at a local shop on the recommendation of a co-worker. From the get go, it was perfect. Having the options of many different flavors allowed me to change things up and continue to use the e-cig over cigarettes. Since that first e-cig I’ve purchased numerous more devices and decreased the level of nicotine I use. I started at 24 and now down to 6 and the weening myself completely off nicotine is a possibility. Since my foray into electronic cigarettes I’ve had nothing but good outcomes. My breathing is better, I’m not coughing up crud everyday and I no longer smell like cigarettes. For those lawmakers concerned with them and with their effects. Start smoking cigarettes and then attempt to quit by yourselves. The e-cig provides options to us smokers to end our addictions safely and without the side effects of crappy nicotine replacement therapy and I say therapy because it is in no way therapeutic. It is painful, filled with side effects and does not work. E-cig’s have been a life saver, both figuratively and literally. Sincerely, Brad (from California)