Hello! I had been a smoker for 30 years. I started using electronic cigarettes on January 3rd, 2013 and that was also the day I had my last real cigarette. I use an Ego Twist brand battery operated ecig with a Stardust (CE5, CE6)chamber (atomizer)that I fill with various flavored Vegetable Glycerin based liquids that are created for the ecig. I started at a nicotine level of 18mg, about the amount of nicotine that was in the Marlboro Menthol cigarette which was my brand. Today, May 28th, 2013 my nicotine level is 6mg. My goal is zero. I do not smoke anything other than the ecig. Before using the ecig, I tried, gums, patches, welbutrin and Chantix with no results at all. My health has skyrocketed since I began using e cigarettes!! I had been on high blood pressure medicine for almost 7 years–my doctor took me off of that because my blood pressure is now normal! I am able to breath a whole lot better. My lung volume has increased and I no longer have that wheezing when I breath or the smokers cough I had for years. I can laugh loudly without going into a coughing fit too. I am able to walk without huffing and puffing, in fact I now walk 3 miles a day while using the ecigarette!!! You should see the looks I get, lol! I have more energy so that led me starting to walk and since I was walking I decided to eat healthier and I have lost 24lbs and my doctor took me off of my metformin (I’m diabetic) because I am losing weight and exercising (walking)but plan to add more to my regimen. I also have peripheral neuropathy in my feet and the regular cigarettes set my feet on fire and increased the electrical shocks immensely! The peripheral neuropathy was my main reason for wanting to quit smoking because I was increasing pain meds, (ibuprofen, then to vicodin) myself to keep smoking (then I didnt realize it was the cigarettes aggravating my neuropathy) and I saw a commercial with a man that had his legs cut off and he said from smoking! I had no idea!! My doctor confirmed it for me and said I could lose toes, feet and limbs. That’s when I said enough is enough and began scouring the internet for an alternative that would work. That’s how I found out about the ecig and thank God I did, because I can breath, my blood pressure is normal, I have increased energy, my pain in my feet has decreased enough I can power walk, I’m losing weight, I smell better, my car smells better, my breath smells better and my house too! I can actually smell my plugins now, lol! Oh yes, my taste and smell are immense. I never realized how salty or sweet things actually were and I can smell, smell, smell!! I do not have ANYTHING negative to say about the ecigarette. They are amazing! I tell every smoker I can. My daughter,my friends and coworkers have switched by hearing my story AND seeing the changes in me. Thank you for this forum to share my experience. I hope this encourages someone to stop smoking real cigarettes and save their life, like e*cigarettes did for me.