I had tried quitting smoking many times: cold-turkey, nicotine patches, nicotine gums, nicotine lozenges, Wellbutrin and even Chantix. There were admittedly a few times since I had begun smoking I my freshman year of college where I went for more than 24 hours without lighting up, but those generally coincided with being so ill in the first place from the flu or something comparable that I had not consumed any food either in the same time period. Even after trying three rounds of smoking cessation classes sponsored by my employer, nothing worked. My hard-and-fast line in the sand of not smoking anymore after 20 years of lighting up at any convenient opportunity had already passed, and I had given up on giving up. I was not even in a mode where I was even trying to quit when my neighbor texted me early April 2014 with an interesting message… Neighbor: If you want to quit smoking. I have the cure. No bs let me know Me: Did you quit? Neighbor: Yes Me: Wow! How long has it been? Neighbor: 2 weeks so far and I don’t want a smoke ever again. Not what it may seem but better for you. Promise Me: You’re haven’t switched to chewing, have you? Neighbor: No. Lol. I explain. Stop over some time. Way better. (next text:) If it helps you like me my mom and ****. You should do At this point, what started as a casual conversation turned into one of those mind-baffling puzzles that made me march right on over and get the details, because he smoked like a chimney, his mom with lung problems smoked like a chimney for way longer than I had been alive, and his wife certainly was not just a casual smoker. How in the world could this be? As I walked up his driveway, I could see him in the garage take a puff and blow out what appeared to be smoke from a silver pen-shaped device. He explained what it was and had me give it a try (while I was also standing right there puffing on my cigarette the whole time). It tasted like fruit, it made smoke (vapor), and I didn’t find myself craving the next hit of my cigarette as much. He suggested I should go out and buy one — try it — I could even keep on smoking my regular cigarettes simultaneously, because it was not like the patch, gum or lozenges. All THREE of them had stopped smoking using his device — I figured I had spent more than $30 a pop before in an attempt to stop smoking, so why not at least give it a try. Worst case scenario, another $30 lost in the attempt, and I suspected that I could probably sell the device to one of them as a spare and not lose all the money. Two days later, I walked up their driveway alternating smoking a cigarette and my new vape pen, sporting a flavor of buttered popcorn (seems to no longer be available). Being the nerd I am, I had already looked into this prior to my purchase and realized the main ingredients in the juices that are vaporized (other than the nicotine) were commonplace in many of the foods we regularly consume. 4 non-water ingredients: 1) Nicotine. Although it is found in trace amounts in potatoes, tomatoes and even in eggplant (it would take a lot of any one of these foods to gain the neurological response comparable to smoking a cigarette), I already knew this chemical was not the best thing in the world. However, it is this particular chain molecules of that drove me to trek out at all hours of the night when my pack of cigarettes was empty — the chemical that I learned in my college psychopharmacology class is even more addictive than heroin. Although my doctor recognized its usefulness for someone like myself with ADD, he condemned the delivery mechanism of cigarettes, cigars, pipes and snuff, as these all introduced additional chemicals and significant health risks. Anything that burns carbon is by nature carcinogenic. And over time, chewing tobacco has certainly demonstrated its ability to cause cancer in the mouth. 2) Propylene Glycol. We actually orally ingest this when we enjoy most ice cream that is purchased at our local stores. Next time you drink your favorite cola, beware that it is used there, as well (not on the ingredient label, but it is not required to be listed). Although it is used in antifreeze, it is not the toxic substance that used to be attributed to Fluffy the cat licking up that green puddle from your garage floor and the poor prognosis that followed — that was ETHYLENE glycol. Admittedly it may not be the best comparison, comparing propylene glycol to ethylene glycol would be similar to comparing methane and propane. Yes, both are commonly used for heating and generating energy, but they are compounds with very different properties that you learn more about with a simple search using your favorite search engine. Amazing what another hydrogen atom can do to a molecule. 3) Vegetable Glycerin, although you may have seen it under the moniker of Glycerol, as well. Also found in many foods — especially low carb foods. 4) Artificial Flavors. If you have never seen this listed on the ingredient list on pre-packaged foods, you are most likely eating better than I am or have never looked at the label. Contrasting the above ingredients with just four of the many dangerous ingredients known to exist in cigarettes (formaldehyde, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide and arsenic), this seemed like a no-brainer, and at least worth a try. I purchased it on a Friday after work, and alternated between my normal cigarettes and the new vape pen, not giving much thought to it other than thinking about the novelty of the new gizmo. Next came Saturday, where I would go to band practice (I’m a vocalist). I decided to leave a nearly-full pack of cigarettes by my dashboard just in case this did not work, but from the moment I woke up, I was going to see how long it would take me before I needed a real cigarette. All was well until around 6:00 that evening when I ran out to the corner store for something and out of habit picked up my pack of smokes sitting by the dashboard and lit one up. And THAT was the moment I will call the game changer. I wish I could say that it was some transcendental moment of self-awareness where my psyche battled with my inability to follow through with my intended goal. But it was much simpler than that — much simpler. The cigarette that I had taken a puff of tasted like pure garbage. After that one puff, the remaining cigarette carcass was promptly catapulted out my driver side window never to be seen again. I reached into my pocket, pulled out my vape pen, and all was better. Within about a week of vaping, I was no longer experiencing the daily morning nasal congestion I had gradually become acclimated to over more than two decades, and I could sing a couple of higher notes I had never been able to reach. After two weeks, when I went outside in the smoking area (even the electronic cigar/cigarette smokers needed to puff outside at work), I had an interesting encounter with a long-time smoker — I correctly identified by smell that she had started smoking a new brand of cigarettes. I could also easily tell if someone was smoking a cigarette within about 5 cars away when stopped a stop light (and I could also smell the smoke on everyone else’s clothes that other people had undoubtedly smelled on mine for so many years). Since I started vaping (I was the second person where I work to do so), others have asked me about the contraption I inhale on and I have gladly shared my experience. I do not have any scientific proof to declare that this is chemically better or worse than cigarettes. However, I can definitely declare that not only has my quality of live health-wise improved over the smelly congested hoarse being I was over a year ago, but it actually leaves more money in my pockets, as this is not even as expensive as conventional tobacco products (I’m sure the tobacco lobbies are all over that one…). Over a year since I started vaping, I have been influential in showing a few others the positive side of vaping versus smoking. There are now more than a handful of others who have followed my lead and no longer light up on their breaks, but rather press a button, puff and go on with their lives. They seem to be happier, as well 🙂 My Personal Disclaimer: if you have not begun smoking or chewing nicotine products before, do not start. Do not start vaping just to vape, because we will not be aware of other possible side effects of this until years of legitimate studies of significant magnitude have been performed. Let the people who have abandoned cigarettes be the guinea pigs for these studies and save your hard-earned cash for better things. Yes, it does cost less than buying a $6-$7 pack of cigarettes per day, but you will have more money in your pocket if you stay away from it altogether. These devices have helped me to enjoy a quality of life much better than the one I would be otherwise living if I were still smoking, and I still contend that starting smoking was the worst decision I have even made in my life.