23 Male from Puerto Rico. I started smoking close to the middle of ’08 by just sharing half a cig, or maybe asking for one from a fellow friend, by feb ’09 I was buying my own packs when I went to the gas station, I mean I felt bad to be ‘that guy’ and a 20count would last me a week or 2. But near this time is when I fell down the ridge, 1 with coffee another with dinner and 2-3 while hanging out. Each week/month taking in more. By summer ’09 i was a PAD user but only because I had none left to light up. It became a simple relaxing habit, get in the car light up, light turned red light up, study break light up. But then near nov ’11 I got a terrible cold and was hospitalised for 11 days which made me kinda quit cold turkey. I lasted just a couple of hours before my tank was running low on gas… sight:/ anyways being smoke free for just that little time made me appreciate the aromas cig give off and left on my clothes my cars and phone so that’s when the realisation hit me, this shit is SHIT. I quitted right there but the morning coffee begged me for another so I though this is the last box I already bought it wouldn’t wan’t to trow money in the trash(I’d prefer to burn it {face palm}). my strategy for quitting changed from I’m Quitting Cigarettes to I’ll wean myself slowly and even that changed rather fast. It got to a point where I would wonder of mid-smoke thinking about the paper BURNING and me BREATHING it, the same lungs that from the air give me life… I tried weaning about 3 times with 100%success in the fist couple hours after that ‘last one’ but then I realised I DID NOT want to quit smoking, I wanted to not stink, not deal with lighters, no ash in my car but God I loved it! Started reading up online and rediscovered ecigs (first saw blu’s a couple month back but thought it didn’t do much other than suck to turn the light on). Stumbled on the ‘biggest ecig community’ by accident and noticed a trend, ecigs were not what they were just 2-3 month ago, apparently there are 1000s if not 1000000s on flavours, and blu’s were the lowest end of the scale and would only satisfy me if I would have maybe adopted it before being a heavy user. Everybody said they started on an ego and another ego an an ego style and even seasoned members who rocked the APVs said that medium ecigs have not much difference from APV if only the battery life. So after following suit and reading reading and reading, comparing, reviewing, contrasting, seeing video to see how much vapor i wanted, trying a disposable which kinda impressed me for a $10 stick… I jumped the shark on 8/8/12. I purchased the Epuffer’s Phantom HD which is an ego style but improved, and a couple juices to try. I must say I quitted right then and there, there was no thinking. I just opened the box assembled and vaped on to juicy heaven where the clouds are made of cotton candy… No but seriously just trying it changed MY life, I learned that I loved to play witch the cig in my hand tap em and blow smoke ring and shapes to play with in the car, not the nicotine perse, and this’ all that without the drawbacks. after just 3 weeks i decided that ecig really lowered my craving for the fags so I sold my ‘basic’ kit and got a ProVari vivi novas and about $200 worth of juices. In all I’ve spent between $500-$700 and have just spent about $20 bucks in odd things for making my own coils and such. I bought my juice concentrated to get a better deal ml/$ when I added some plain VG to it. I started on 10-12mg nic content but have since gone down to 6-8 most times 0 though. Since 8/8/12 i hadn’t touch a cigarette and in about a month I could sense when there was someone smoking or that had smoked upwind from me somewhere just from the stench, before they didn’t stink they just smelled manly or strong but now I almost puked every time I smelled it. I have to admit after the 8th month I had 1 while tipsy and it was just as good as that first day but just for a couple puffs then I regretted when the stink was in my nose for some 3 days. I haven’t tried any other method of quitting so I can’t speak on that but my initial plan was so my car and clothes would be less odory and just quitted like if it was noting (for me). I’ve regained stamina, this does not mean I can hold my breath for 5 mins but before I couldn’t do 30 secs let alone while swimming/moving, I am stench free and I know my peers family and even the people I might greet would prefer me better this way. as for the negatives…people are ignorant as f*** many people look at me while vaping in a public-open (smoking allowed) place like if I was fixing to make a bomb and as if I was taking heroin or something, maybe there’s a chewebaca behind me. other that peoples ignorant media biased misconception no negatives to report, other than now I think I vape more that I smoked, but this doesn’t bother me or my fam since there is no stench. according to my app I’ve been smoke free for 1 year (363days) I used to spend $21/week on cigs I’ve spent $500 in ecig stuff incluiding juices in this WHOLE time I’ve saved $600 I’ve avoided 7270 cigs I’ts not CHEAP, it’s not for everyone, but definitely all smokers must try it, I mean it can’t be worst that breathing a bonfire’s smoke (which is basically a pac of fags lol). I’t not about failing to quit, it’s not about cheating on your cig-free day count, IT’S ABOUT AVOIDING EVERY SINGLE ONE YOU CAN. GL to all and keep on vaping =D