I visited an e-cig store, last weekend. It was quite an educational field trip.

[Tyhanna]

22. E-cigs saved my life

E-cigarettes are for those people that just couldn't stop smoking, or didnt want to stop smoking, for those that had tried all other avenues to quit, and everything failed. They are also for those that enjoy smoking but want something that is safer.

I smoked for 40 years, I tried over and over to quit, and just failed each time. I had resigned my self to the fact I would never be able to stop and would die from smoke related health problems. Then e-cigarettes came into my life. Being I was already getting symptoms of COPD I was scared not to try them. They work, I haven't had a cigarette in almost 14 months now. I have no cravings for "the cigarette" and I have no cravings for nicotine, just withdraw symptoms if I haven't had enough. Nicotine they have found when by it self is no worse than Caffeine in addiction level. The main flavors I use are fruit and candy flavors (im 56 years old). I don't like or want the taste of tobacco, in fact tobacco tastes terrible to me. So for me and a lot of others the flavors play a very important part of making the switch. The fun flavors you will find are also in the nicotine gum and lozenges, and also in different kinds of alcohols, they are marketed to adults not children.

I plan on not stopping using my PV (personal vaporizer), I get positive effects from the nicotine like it helps with focus, memory, helps with pain some what. It helps with depression, and helps with staying calm and I have no side effects from it. I would have to be on a hand full of RX drugs with lots of side effects if it weren't for nicotine. As more studies are completed I think it will be where more people are treated with nicotine with different medical problems, UC is already being treated with nicotine in some people. Nicotine is not the evil thing it has been portrayed to be, it was the burning tobacco that was the evil thing. People have been told over and over to hate something (nicotine) they don't totally understand or know about. Its time people start understanding and learning.

I can see a day where there is no burning tobacco, e-cigarettes will help in having this happen. People smoke for the nicotine, just like most people drink coffee for the caffeine. There are those that have been using the nicotine patches, gum, lozenges for years and nobody frowns on them. About 10 to 14 million are using e-cigarettes around the world today, that is 10-14 million less smoking cigarettes. More people are jumping on the bandwagon every day. I can see it will be the way of the future.

Is an safer alternative to smoking a subculture? I don't believe its a subculture anymore that people going to starbucks for their fancy coffee. Is drinking alcohol a subculture? Smokers have been pushed in shadows and looked down on for years. Now they have found something that brings them out of the shadows, something that is 99% safer than smoking. Every one in this country has the right to their own devises, drinking alcohol, drinking caffeine, extreme sports for the adrenaline high, sugar, fats, or whatever it is as long as it brings no danger to anyone else.

Who's standard of life does everyone need to live by or do we set our own standards of life? There are those that would do away with all caffeine, others that would do away with alcohol and so on.

Yes there is a community of people who use e-cigarettes, yes there is a lot more to vaping than there was to smoking. Vaping is more social than smoking was. And yes the vape shops are like the gentlemen clubs that had cigar smoking rooms with out the harm. In all the community its people helping other people stay off smoking, informal support groups per say. For most of these people everything else they tried failed for them so its a new life for them with out cigarettes. Some of these people you will find X hard core smokers and people that didn't want to stop smoking to begin with. We are now non-smokers and we don't want to be sent out with the smokers to breath in second hand smoke.

There is nothing like the moment you realize the monkey on your back is gone. That horrible nagging feeling for the cigarette is gone, and you are free of them for good. That 10 years down the road you wont still be craving for a cigarette. ( know ive talked to people that have quit a conventional way and 20 years later they still get cravings) So I can say 20 years from now I wont be still getting those cravings they are gone 100%.

People should be congratulating these people instead of the negative responses I see. Smokers are demonized every day, remember they are people that have a mental addiction to cigarettes that is not easy to brake. The physical addiction is minor. Remember the cigarettes were enhanced ( chemicals added like a MAOI and others) to make them more mentally addictive. To brake this addiction is no easy task for many. By treating smokers badly or telling them to quit doesn't make It any better for them. Demonizing just makes the whole thing worse for them.