I started smoking late, statistically, at age 19. I quit a few times using Zyban, Chantix, patches and gum. All of these products did help, and I went a year one time but some circumstance would lead me to pick up a cigarette and that was it. I’d have only a few for a while, but that was never going to be enough and soon I’d be smoking ‘all of them’ again as a famous author warns. I’m in my late 40s now. The spring of 2012 my birthday was coming and I decided I’d try ecigarettes as my gift. I got the ones sold at the tobacco store, and got a little guidance from the clerk there. Turned out I needed to learn a good bit more – it’s a type of equipment. I’ve had to learn about cars, roofs, water treatment systems, etc., before getting those, so why not this too. There are some good little self-publish books on Amazon, and I got one of those. But most importantly, I talked to someone at work who taught me most of what I needed to know. I read some more with online vendors, went to a shop we have in town (we have two now!), and experimented a bit with equipment and flavors. I definitely wanted to make this change whether it was more expensive, equally expensive, or cheaper. I had to learn how to fit the new routines into my daily life; rotating and charging batteries, filling cartridges, cleaning things, etc. If this seems like trouble to a smoker, be aware of how much maintenance you fit in with cigarettes, you’re just not aware of it anymore! At first, ecig vapor tasted too ‘clean’ essentially, so I’d have cigarettes between periods of vaping. It’s very important, IMHO, to start with a sufficiently high nicotine level to let your body associate that ‘suspiciously clean’ taste with getting your little craving monster satisfied. After that – is it easy to let go of the dirt-tasting aspect of cigarettes, the ash and garbage, and waving around a combusting item? YOU BET. I only use tobacco-flavored juices, and there are many of those! Although I don’t like them it’s sad that the fruit, dessert, etc. flavors cause suspicion of targeting minors… adults are kids, just with better jobs and stuff. 😉 I was able to make the switch more easily by having someone good to teach me about it, so I’d recommend that path to anyone. I cannot adequately convey the freedom, joy, and loss of fear and guilt I have now with ecigarettes. My friends are all *thrilled* not to hate sitting near me, or my having to go sit on their porch when I come to visit, not having to go outside with me at a restaurant – bless all the fine people I know who put up with all that! Of course we all want to keep kids away from engaging with an addictive substance, nicotine. I don’t think vaping nicotine has big cache with kids, it’s not edgy enough. We have to keep ecigs accepted and protected for what it is – a low harm alternative. It should be embraced for the sake of all of us with a 10, 20, 40-year or longer addiction in place. So many people like me would go back tobacco use without this, and vaping is infinitely, clearly, absolutely less harmful. I’m going to gather more info from CASAA’s site for sharing with family, friends, and even establishments I go to.