My name is Ali Brooks,I stared smoking 16 yrs ago at the age of 15. My birthday is Jan. 3rd so in 2008 I made a New Years resolution that i would smoke my last cigarette on my 25th birthday. That lasted 1 1/2 days. For the next 5 years, i tried quiting numerous times cold turkey or using nicotine gum, patches & snus never quitting longer than 2 weeks. On my 30th birthday I bought a bicycle so i could go biking with my husband. We headed out & after 1.7 miles I was so short of breath I had to stop and sit on the sidewalk for 25 min. before I was able to catch my breath. We then turned around & went back home. I was so upset with myself I could not go on a bike ride with my husband at 30 yrs old. I decided I wasnt going to let my 30’s pass me by like my 20’s so I called my GP & made an appointment. He perscribed Chantix, I felt so hopeful for the first time in years. After 2 1/2 weeks of taking Chantix my smoking was down to almost nothing but I was acting very aggresive, irrational, and emotional. I started having severe mental health issues including suidial thoughts so I decided to stop the medication. That was so depressing & hard on me because I thought that was my last resort I had to quit. I also had the shame of telling my family & spouse I just wasted more money & Im still smoking. On August 24, 2012 I was outside on a smoking patio for work & saw someone with an e-cigarette, I went over & inquired about it. On August 25, 2012 I went & bought my tank, e-cig & liquid, and that is now the date of my last cigarette. Tomorrow will be 10 months smoke free!! 6 weeks ago I got my bicycle out again & my first time out I rode 6 1/2 miles!! I have my life back! I still use my e-cigarette everyday and have managed to reduce my nicotine strength considerably!