I started smoking in the Navy. I was raised in a Mormon family and things like alcohol and cigarettes were essentially the devil incarnate. Didn’t stop me from trying them out though once I was out on my own. Unlike a lot of sailors I really didn’t become an alcoholic. Didn’t much care for it. But I loved smoking. Started out with the occasional celebratory cigar, then moved up to once or twice a day, then 5 a day, then switched to cigarettes for convenience. Ended up smoking a pack a day of unfiltered Luckys at my peak. I knew it was expensive. I knew it made me smell bad. I knew it would probably end up killing me. Didn’t care. I enjoyed it that much. Then I got a family. Moved in with my girlfriend (now fianc??) about 4 years ago. And her daughter. That’s when I knew I had to quit. I’d tried all kinds of methods before. Used to get them free from medical during my Navy years. Never worked for more than a week. Knowing this, I picked up a cheap disposable cigalike from a local quickie mart. Don’t even remember the brand. Couldn’t stand it. But I was determined to quit for good this time. Kept bouncing back and forth between my cigalikes and regular cigarettes for about 2 weeks. Then I got recommended to get an eGo kit by someone online. And that changed everything. After vaping on that for about a week, I realized I hadn’t smoked a real one or even thought about it. For a solid week. A pack a day smoker and I quit cigarettes cold turkey without even realizing it. The last time I ever smoked a real cigarette was about 2 months later. I hadn’t smoked any at all in that time. But after a very stressful day, and a major fight with my girlfriend (the only one we’ve ever had,) the old habits kicked in. Walked into an AM/PM, bought a pack of Camels and a lighter and lit up. That was the most horrible taste I think I’ve ever tasted. Imagine literally eating an ashtray. I got about halfway through one, put it out, ditched the pack in the trash, and went back to the vape. Not only had vaping enabled me to quit smoking, it had made it so I would NEVER go back. Tell me if the patch or the gum can make THAT claim. These days vaping has become a hobby for me. I’ve recently gotten into mods and the more advanced stuff. It’s too bad you can’t find more dedicated vape shops around where I live. Most of the cigarette stores have jumped in heavily, but the more advanced and high end gear and specific juices still really need to be ordered online. Kind of a shame as I could see this being a major boon to the local economy, assuming it wasn’t regulated to hell and back as so many things are in this state. But I digress. My name’s Will, and I’m a Vaper. Been off cigarettes for 4 years now thanks to vaping. Oh, and it’s nice being able to actually breathe again.