I started smoking when I was 12 years old. I quit smoking when I was 31, and August 2nd of this year will mark 1 full year of not smoking cigarettes after a very long time doing so. I was one of those stubborn smokers that loved smoking and had to deal with the discrimination that now exists against smokers. I was always a polite smoker, never blew smoke towards others. Never smoked around non-smokers if it actually bothered them. Made sure I didn’t smell terrible from smoking etc. However people took the anti-smoking thing to a new level where it really did become discriminatory in their behaviour to smokers. It was always strange to be talking to someone and they were being very polite and nice, and then as soon as they found out I smoked their attitude changed dramatically. I bring up the social aspect of smoking cigarettes because it will play in to my story later on, but with e-smoking. I was always very worried to quit. I knew that I loved my cigarettes and that because I did actually enjoy them, quitting would be that much easier. I tried to wait until a day where I started to hate them so that I could quit easier. I didn’t want to use the patch, or any other quit smoking aid that was available. Those things were scary, and -do- have some serious health risks. I waited to no avail. The day of hate never came, and years went by. Finally, last year I started to realize I was smoking too much and not feeling that great because of it. I knew that if I kept doing it, I eventually would pay a heavy price. I began to research other safer methods of things that help people quit, and found an article on e-smoking. I began to do as much research as I could to find out every bit of information available on the subject. There was virtually nothing I could find on cases where people became sick, or died, from e-smoking. I saw a man show an x-ray of his lungs the day he quit smoking, and one ten years later after e-smoking for those ten years, and his lungs were almost completely clear from the damage smoking had done. No damage from the e-cigarettes. I researched the e-juice, again, couldn’t find anything bad other than some juices that are made in China use an ingredient that is disputable and a possible carcinogen. Avoid juice from China, check. I chatted with my mom about it, a woman who has smoked for over 30 years, and she became interested. I never thought -anything- would get her off of cigarettes. But, there we were ordering an electronic cigarette and some juice together. The day the shipment arrived we drove to our local coffee shop, had one last cigarette together and that was the end of it. We’ve never smoked since that day. The electronic cigarette is an amazing invention that is saving lives. I’m not sure why Health Canada is so against it. I feel better day by day. I have energy again. I can taste food and drinks. I don’t have the feeling of burnt lungs or throat. I never knew how polluted I was until I quit smoking and I would have -never- quit without this invention. I now use an ego battery with a Kanger Pro tank and delicious grape flavoured 18mg nic e-juice instead of a little stick packed with disgusting chemicals. I don’t subject my fiance to second hand smoke which is a personal favourite side effect of quitting smoking. I never had a problem when I switched. It was absolutely stunning to me how easy this was. STUNNING. Now to bring up the social bias that was evident when I smoked. I notice it starting to form over e-smoking and it’s RIDICULOUS. People won, I don’t smoke. Go home. I notice it now though mainly in the government sector. Payment methods that vendors can’t use because of some strange and uncalled for bias. It’s terrible, these things get people away from cigarettes safely. There is zero proof it harms anyone, ergo, safe. I can say that. It’s basically proven in the results. I know I don’t feel any effects from it, other than so much better every day I put between me and those cigarettes. There shouldn’t be any dispute over these being safer than say, the patch or nic gum. It’s mind boggling. Yes I believe in some level of regulation as there is a nicotine factor to most juices. There should be some regulation but not an all out unjustified bias. Thank you.