My Dad had passed away at the young age of 54. We were as close and a dad and his little girl could be. He took his last breath in the ICU after 10 years of battling COPD, from smoking cigarettes. All though that was horrible to watch him go through, I still smoked. It was until 6 months after my Dad passed away that I was in the same hospital with a collapsed lung with a chest tube. I am only 36 and cannot imagine thinking I only have 18 years left if I were to die at the same age as my Dad. That is when I had my first eletronic cigarette, and my last death causing cigarette. I was a smoker for 22 years. I tried Zyban, which I did quit for a week, until I broke out into a horrible itchy rash all over my entire body. Once I quit taking the meds, the craving came back. I have been a non smoker for a year and half now, not taking even one puff off a real cigarette. I feel so much better, and my chest so much lighter. I can run a distance now with my dogs. I do not have morning cough or any nasty phlem cigarettes caused. I have gain 20 pounds, but didnt work to remove it. =) (For me that is awesome considering I am 6 foot female that weighed 104) I am so thankful for a body that heals itself, and an eletronic cigarette that makes it possilbe. I just wish I would of learned of these 10 years ago and I would still have my Dad.