My name is Ash, I’m 32 years old and have been smoking for 19 years. Do the math … sad, isn’t it? When I was growing up, cigarettes were cool & only the coolest kids smoked. The advertising back then was very powerful, & obtaining the smokes was way too easy. Over the years, I’ve tried several different types of cessation methods. The first was to simply quit cold turkey. I tried doing that at least 6-7 times throughout my history. I could usually make it a month, but no real success after that point. Then I tried nicotiene gum. Not only did it taste HORRIBLE, it dried your mouth, and did absolutely NOTHING to curb my craving to smoke, I tossed that idea within a week. After that I tried the patches for about 1-1.5 months. I was still smoking the entire time I used the patch & by the time I got down to the second step of the 3 level decrease system, it didn’t make sense to continue to hurt myself more by using them both. I tried Wellbutrin for a LONG time, at least a year, but I didn’t notice ANY difference in the cravings/desire to smoke. My Doctor switched me to Chantix,lasted 4 months before experiencing same thing (although it DID give me the added bonus of bad side effects!). I found out about the losenges because some people said it was not the same as nic gum, so I gave it a shot. Eww. Tossed that idea as soon as I tried it. My aunt offered to pay for ANY method of quitting I wanted, so I opted to try hypnotism, I was looking for the easiest way. I’m not sure if hypnotism counts as a method I tried since I was not able to be hypnotised at all, so I’m not sure if that counts as an attempt since I wasn’t ever hypnotized enough to claim its ineffectiveness.I was already in counseling for unrelated issues, and part of my treatment plan included quitting smoking & this remained a part of my plan for 8 years. I was never able to get any positive results, maybe I was so jaded about all the failed attempts that I kind of lost interest (and HOPE) at that point.After 17 years of attempts to quit,I finally gave in to the power of the cigarettes hold on my soul. I finally admitted to myself that I was a lifer. Hope sneaked back up on me when my cousin came by with one of the first e-cigarettes made at the time. I was in LOVE with the idea of being able to FINALLY find a solution that dealt with the actual RITUAL of smoking; what I believed to be the most difficult aspect of quitting smoking, at least for ME.I tried it & I was very pleasantly surprised, and excited! I thought to myself this is EXACTLY the type of cessation method I have been looking for all these years! it was a miracle. It sounded too good to be true. Well at that time … it was. The device cost my cousin $180!! That was simply impossible for me to afford unless I saved a little bit here and there for a very long time. But I never let go of the idea, knowing that someday I would have one. I just had to be patient. Throughout the years after trying my first ecig I had purchased disposable ecigs & several very cheap rechargable devices, but they weren’t anywhere near as good as my cousins. I’d use them (along with smokes) until they were useless then go back to smoking 24-7. It just wasnt enough to satisfy my cravings at the time. After doing a considerable amount of research, I joined a community of ecig users & they guided me along the way, pointing me to a kit that would suit my needs. I was so happy with the results, I was just giddy about having the ability to quit! I worried that I would be able to quit but my husband wouldn’t, which would cause problems. He wasn’t interested in ecigs in the slightest bit. He never liked any of the ones we tried, not even a little bit. He was so sure that it wouldn’t work for him. I bought 2 kits so that he would have his own if he did like it. I was nervous, but I put everything together & let him try it … he hasn’t smoked a cigarette since I handed him the kit! I’m so proud of him, & pleased with myself for possibly saving his health or even his life. For me, I still smoked the occaisional cigarette after we got our kits, for maybe a month (max) before I was completely turned off by the cigarettes in every way. Since that day a couple months ago I have seen great improvements in my health. Before switching, I would get winded simply walking down the hallway, & you can forget about walking up the stairs. My doctor was concerned so he sent me to have a pulonary test.Last I saw him, maybe a week ago, he said my lungs sound good for my age, and has improved since the last time I was there. Mind you, I had only been vaping for around a month when this exam was taken. I can smell, taste, & excersize so much better than before. I don’t stink of smoke, the house doesn’t stink of smoke, the walls aren’t tinted with cigarette smoke grime anymore, I don’t burn myself, burn my clothes, burn my sheets, or the carpet/floors, no one around me (humans AND animals!) has to suffer the second hand smoke from being on or around me, my family is so very happy for men & proud I could actually quit smoking. You can also vape in various places that you aren’t allowed to smoke, so that’s pretty cool, too. All in all, though there are a lot of words written here, there truly are NO words to express how grateful & elated we all are that such a product exists, that it’s easy, and that is much safer & cheaper than smoking. I’m not scared anymore. I’m not a slave to the multi-billion dollar tobacco companies that lied to us and manipulated us, ultimately enslaving you and your health for their own gain, NO regard to anyones health/bodies. My family, friends, and I are extremely happy, and we look forward to our up and coming journey through the e-cigarette world and all the goodies it entails. That’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it! ~Ash Stubitsch Bridgeview, IL