My name is Nate, and I began smoking at the age of 18. I initially started due to the fact that I had immense stress issues due to the collegiate lifestyle and the act of smoking calmed my nerves. I initially started with a few cigarettes a day, making sure to avoid the cycle of addiction, and trying to regulate myself to avoid the adverse health habits. As I felt myself having cravings for cigarettes, I tried the first rudimentary E-Cigarettes that had come onto the market (Blu, Green Smoke, etc…), but found that they did not give me the same feeling as the actual cigarettes. The small benefit in this is that I became aware of the e-cigarette industry and kept it in the back of my mind for a rainy day. Fast forward four years later, and I was a firmly entrenched pack a day smoker. I can honestly say that I was addicted at a very deep level. I found that I needed cigarettes to even get through the day. My health was slowly worsening, and I felt like a 50 year old man at times instead of a 22 year old college student. I really felt like I had to make a change. I had tried to quit multiple times before, but I failed each time due to my firmly entrenched addiction. The day I finally decided to make a change was when I began coughing up brown phlegm after a strenuous workout. The visceral sight of something that had been in my lungs led me to finally look back into the e-cigarette industry for answers. It was by chance that I finally found the clearomizer (Vivi Nova) and all of the success stories that came with it. After doing my due diligence, I finally took the leap and ordered one for myself. I smoked cigarettes to feed my addiction until the day it came in. When I finally got everything set up and began vaping, I knew that this was the answer. I threw away my remaining pack of cigarettes (The most expensive pack of my life as I threw away the remaining 18) and never looked back. 6 Months later, I am happier and healthier. My breathing problems went away, I no longer have any issues with hacking coughs, and I no longer smell like an ashtray. As a funny side effect, I have actually began to lose weight due to my choice of flavors. I tend toward the more sweet/savory flavors, and it has helped to sate my sweet tooth in a manner that has jump started a total lifestyle change. I pushed my friends and family toward vaping, and I have helped to spread the word about the benefits of vaping to everyone who will listen. To any politicians or anti-vaping proponents that are reading my testimony, please understand that I am not an isolated incident. There are millions around the country that are struggling with cigarette addiction that would benefit highly from the e-cigarette industry. I’m even at the point where I more generally use the term Personal Vaporizer because these devices could not be more different from a cigarette. These devices are the pathway by which we can create a healthier country free of cigarette addiction. Please do not get the wrong idea and adversely affect those millions that have made the first (or ongoing) step(s) toward a smoke free life. Where many other devices failed in helping me kick the habit, my vaporizer did the trick in no time flat. Keep them out of the hands of minors, do studies on the secondhand effects of vapor (Which CASAA has already done a splendid job on), but please do not fail to see the forest for the trees. If improving health is the real goal here, then embrace the personal vaporizer and reap the rewards. I already have, and believe me, life is much better without cigarettes. Thank you.