I bought my first pack of cigarettes the day after I turned 18 on a whim. I was of legal age to purchase tobacco, and I thought it was cool that I could. I figured I’d buy a couple of packs, smoke them on a high school senior field trip, and say I did. By the time I was done with the field trip, I had already purchased a carton. I then started smoking 2 packs a day for ten years. I tried quitting a few times cold turkey, but the stresses of taking care of my elderly father kept me smoking. I saw someone using a simple ego kit when I attended an improv comedy show I attended frequently and immediately started to ask questions. I just didn’t believe they worked. The person was very patient in explaining what an electronic cigarette was, how they worked, and what they did for him and his partner. It took me six months to make the dive in. The moment I had was when I couldn’t walk from my car to my office desk without needing to stop to catch my breath. I looked at myself in the mirror, and realized if I didn’t start doing something, I was going to be dead by 40. I was grossly obese, and I was smoking between 2-2.5 packs a day. I bought my first ego kit, and within two weeks had stopped smoking entirely. Since I started vaping, I have lost close to 80 pounds. I also can walk and exercise without having to stop and catch my breath. The other thing is my caffeine intake has reduced by over 50 percent. I honestly feel the life coming back into me by the day. I have vaped for over a year, and I don’t see myself ever stopping.