I started smoking when I was 16 years old. My parents were both smokers. My Dad passed away in 2008 due to COPD that he fought with for years. My Mom passed away due to cancer seven months later in 2009. I have quit over the years a few times, mostly during pregnancies, but the longest only lasted about 16 months. The most recent time I quit was while pregnant in 2007 and I started up again when my Dad passed in June of 2008. When my Mom passed in January of 2009 I decided that I really did need to quit for good if I wanted to see my children grow into adults and have children of their own. I was 37 years old and smoking a pack of full-flavored filtered Camels a day. I tried quitting cold turkey a few times between then and 2012 but the cravings for that cigarette always won. I tried using nicotine lozenges but they burned my mouth and throat…and I still craved cigarettes. In 2012 I was scheduled to have my gallbladder removed. I knew that non-smokers have fewer problems during surgery and heal faster after surgery so I was determined to quit before I had to check into the hospital. I read online that if you could quit at least two weeks before that it was better than nothing so that was my deadline. In June of 2012 my husband and I purchased cig-alike kits at Wal-Mart called Mistic. I believe it contained 18 mg of nicotine. I was excited and wanted this to be my answer but I hated the thing. I would puff on the Mistic and STILL want a cigarette. I would put the Mistic down and smoke. Thankfully my husband worked with a man who used the eGo batteries with tanks. He loaned us one and I smoked fewer cigarettes. We upped our nicotine to 24 mg and I put the cigarettes down for good. I wasn’t craving them anymore. I have noticed that I’m breathing easier and I don’t have that smoker’s cough. I can carry loads of laundry up and down the stairs without getting winded. I also haven’t had as many colds as I had during previous winters. I’ve since switched to mechanical mods, usually with 18650 batteries, rebuildable genesis style atomizers and I’ve lowered my nicotine to 18 mg. I plan on stepping down my nicotine gradually until I am using four – six mg. and probably stay with that indefinitely. I did go through a period of about three months where I chain vaped. If I was awake, my pv was in my hand and I was puffing away on it. Now I can go hours without nicotine and without the cravings that I would have while smoking. I couldn’t go for more than an hour without a cigarette ten months ago. I finally feel free from that addiction.