I started smoking when I was 19 years old. It was absurd! I was going through a bout of depression, and I really didn’t like who I was at the time so I just lit up and didn’t stop lighting up. Fast forward 5 years and I have two beautiful daughters who I adore. I would do anything for them. Except quit smoking. Crazy right? I would run into a burning building to protect them. I would push them out of the way of a speeding car. But when it comes to putting down something that is not only poisoning me, but them as well, I can’t seem to bring myself to throw away this terrible thing. Oh I tried a few different times. I tried the patch on three separate occasions. For me, the patch did help the cravings. I remember having some really interesting dreams during these times. So much so that I really didn’t sleep well. On top of that, I seem to have a sensitivity to the adhesive used on the patches. I would have a welt on my skin where I had removed a patch for sometimes up to a week afterward. After a couple weeks my back and shoulders would be covered with angry red circles that were painful to the touch. I looked like some diseased muppet set out to pasture. Needless to say, when I ran out of real estate on my body where I could comfortably put a new patch, these attempts to stop smoking ended. A few years ago, I did find my first electronic cigarette. The Smoke 51. It had an automatic battery and prefilled cartomizers. I used this thing for months and hadn’t smoked at all. It was working. Then I was unable to find the replacement cartomizers, and I went right back to the cancer sticks. Determined to find a newer, better e-cig, I turned to the Blu, and it worked. Not quite as well as my first 51, but it worked. That is, until the battery charger died and ended this experiment. Next I tried Chantix. I didn’t have the crazy dreams that some people report. I didn’t have a mood swings. And unfortunately, didn’t have a very measurable decrease in the cravings I had for cigarettes. This to fell by the wayside and I went back to the self destruction that had defined my previous 14 years. To this point, there had only been one thing that had satisfied my cravings. It was that electronic cigarette that I had used just a few years ago. I figured that with a couple years of production, research and development, there had to me a newer more reliable product out there that I could really use to quit. I hit the net. I found Grimmgreen’s and PBusardo’s reviews on youtube. I saw that the advancements that I had hoped for were real. I started to dig a little deeper. I found a local store that sold a PV Mod that I had decided would be great for me. I spent a little more money that I initially wanted, but I had my Vape kit set up and ready. That was nine months ago. In that time, I have had two, count them, TWO very disgusting terrible cigarettes. This happened one day at work when my Carto burned out and flooded everywhere. I had no spares, so I bummed a smoke. Let me tell you, it was gross. I am happy I don’t light up an analog anymore. My kids are too. I am a single father. I was a smoker. While I am still addicted to nicotine, I now have the vehicle by which I am confident I can step down that dependency to the point that I will have defeated this beast. Some people can stop cold turkey. I couldn’t. Some people have had great success with the patch. I didn’t, three times over. Some people kicked the habit with the help of Chantix. Didn’t work for me. Some people have been able to put down the analog killer and vape on. I have. Vaping isn’t the answer for everybody. Nor are any of the other methods for smoking cessation. I am so happy to have had this tool by my side to help me lead a more healthy life.