I discovered vapor based nicotine delivery products April 15th 2013. Since discovering a safer alternative to smoking, I have saved over $2700.00. I am permanently 100% disabled and on SSDI. One reason is that I have a digestive disorder that nicotine actually HELPS. Now I have a way to get nicotine without smoking. I am very limited in what physical activity I can engage in, a nice thing is that vaping, as it is commonly referred to, can be very intellectually stimulating. Products that can be rebuilt, the theory behind the electronics and the search for different flavors are things that help keep my mind stimulated. After completely quitting smoking on April 15th, my taste buds began to regenerate, I could breathe easier, I don’t stink of smoke any longer (which you become immune to AS a smoker because it paralyses your sinuses and taste buds) and my house doesn’t stink anymore. My limited physical movement made it impossible for me to get up to go outside to smoke. (Another factor in my disability was a back surgery where I contracted hospital acquired MRSA which wasn’t treated correctly and became resistant to vancomycin, therefore I now have VRSA. Only one antibiotic can treat VRSA, daptomycin. It is extremely expensive and now that I have had to take an 8 week course of injections through a PICC, I have built up a resistance to that also. If I were to get an active VRSA infection again, it would kill me. Smoking is unhealthy and found Vaping to be MUCH safer alternative. Cigarettes have additives that may have contributed to my health issues. I am 40 years old and had smoked for 25 years. I’d preciously tried patches, Wellbutrin, Snus and sheer willpower. None of my previous attempts were successful. After doing research and making sure I only get my E-liquid from reputable sources this has gotten me off cigarettes for good. I can get the nicotine that helps my digestive disorder and am no longer shelling out the money for three packs of cigarettes a day. (Which I couldn’t afford, I still can’t figure out where I came up with the money). Food has become amazing again! I can taste things that I haven’t been able to for years. My mother, father and relatives are happy that I have stopped smoking. I can’t stand the smell of smoke now and with the governmental regulations prohibiting it from nearly everywhere, I knew I had to stop. Thank God for electronic nicotine delivery devices. I don’t like to refer to them as E-cigarettes because other than nicotine, they share no similarities. There is no combustion, there is no smoke, nasty caking of smoke on household surfaces. Vaping is vapor not smoke. There is no second hand vape all of the nicotine has been absorbed by the person using the Vaping device before exhaling. Therefore, you remove the danger of spreading nicotine to people in close proximity. I am absolutely against any state or federal taxing of ANY electronic nicotine delivery devices. The amount of people that are quitting smoking is increasing at a rate never seen. It is counterintuitive to classify it as a tobacco product, because it is not, there is no tobacco. If electronic nicotine delivery devices are classified as tobacco products, then you will have to classify nicotine gum and patches as tobacco products. If any regulations are set in place, it should be that the places that produce the E-liquid need to prove and disclose every additive they are using in their products. By that I mean if they claim, all natural, organic, naturally extracted flavors vs artificial flavors need to be known to the consumer. Thank you for your time in reading my story, I hope this testimonial helps the general public and government realize what a great thing electronic nicotine delivery devices are. Less smokers, less regulations on smoking, less health issues related to smoking…. And the most important thing to remember, E-liquid is NOT a tobacco product. The electronic devices, refills and accessories are NOT tobacco products. If some research is done, nicotine can be found in a lot of different natural foods, should those be classified as tobacco products because they contain nicotine? No. Thank you. Regards, Mark Passarelli