So, I've been lurking for about a month now, since before I bought my first ecig. I actually found this forum while I was researching ecigs, trying to decide what to buy, and now of course, I'm hooked on both, so I figured I'd better introduce myself and tell my little story, if anyone's interested.
I smoked for 28 years, starting by swiping my parents cigs (I think most people do), and the only times I've ever been able to stop for any real length of time were during my three pregnancies, due to fears of low birth weight (and the fact that smoking triggered my morning sickness). My oldest son is 23, and a smoker himself now, and I recently caught my middle son, age 14, stealing cigarettes. He started by stealing a few at a time, but has now graduated to blatantly taking entire packs from the carton. Since talking about the health risks were a waste of time (he already knows them, doesn't care), punishing him didn't work, and he keeps finding my hiding places, I have no choice but to quit- I'm not going to be the reason another one of my kids ensnares himself in this addiction.
Part of my problem, though, maybe the whole of my problem, is that I really liked smoking. I always have. I like the act, the taste of the smoke, the feeling in my chest, the whole ritual of smoking, and I really did not ever want to quit. The dirty ashtrays, the smelly hair and clothing, the nasty nicotine yellow haze on walls and windows, hacking cough every winter without fail, the increasing risk of really nasty kinds of disorders, diseases and cancer, the constant drain on my finances- these things were all an acceptable price to pay to me, that's just how much I loved smoking. What is not acceptable, however, is that my two oldest kids are smoking now, and it's my fault, no excuses. I have to quit.
After a recent hospital stay, having gone without a cig for seven days straight, I decided I was not going to ever buy another pack. Done, finis, game over, man. And I did not. Unfortunately, I did find 3 more cigs in an old pack, and during my first week home, I snuck a drag or three every time I felt stressed out, and if any of you has teenaged children, you can imagine how often that turned out to be. Those stolen drags tasted awful and made me nauseous, but I kept craving them anyway. I replaced all the ashtrays with candy dishes full of peppermints and jolly ranchers, which helped precisely nada, and made me want to fling them at the wall... which, um.. I actually did do a few times, much to the delight of the cats. Apparently, flying mints make better cat toys than substitute cigarettes.
I've tried and failed with other things in the past, the gum, the lozenges, cinnamon sticks, sunflower seeds, shredding pencils and gnawing on pens, and I'm terrified of Chantix, so that was right out. I can crochet and knit while chain smoking at the same time, so just keeping my hands busy doesn't really work for me either. My mother had tried a cheap ecig several years ago, and I'd heard a few things about them here and there so I started researching them online. Once I found this forum, I haunted it for days trying to decide what to buy. Plagued with indecision, I finally just went down to the smokeshop and bought one of the systems they were selling - the EvoVapor- because a) it's available 4 minutes from my house, and b) it's made by a local company. From what I've learned here, nobody ends up staying with the first system they buy anyway, and it was just time to jump into the pool already, ready or not.
And I loved it. It tastes better than cigarettes, it smells better, and I smell better than cigarettes. My hair smells like shampoo, my clothes smell like fabric softener, my house smells like... ok, my house smells like teenaged boys, febreeze and cats, but one thing at a time. I can go out to eat without restaurant staff thinking I'm ducking the bill every time I dash out for a drag between courses. I can go to a movie without jonesing my fingernails to the quick the last half hour. I have extra money just sitting there in my bank account, even after going completely crazy ordering sampler packs of eliquids from all over the net. And most importantly, my rotte- I mean wonderful children can no longer steal dangerous cancer causing fire hazards from me. Heck, the last one might never even try a cigarette! Wait, nevermind, I didn't say that, don't wanna jinx it.... Oh! And I also no longer throw hard candies at my cats.
It's been just over a month since I smoked my last cigarette (March 27), and I honestly can't see myself smoking another one ever again. You have no idea how incredible it is to me to be able to say that. Or maybe you do. You probably do.
So anyway. Hi!
I smoked for 28 years, starting by swiping my parents cigs (I think most people do), and the only times I've ever been able to stop for any real length of time were during my three pregnancies, due to fears of low birth weight (and the fact that smoking triggered my morning sickness). My oldest son is 23, and a smoker himself now, and I recently caught my middle son, age 14, stealing cigarettes. He started by stealing a few at a time, but has now graduated to blatantly taking entire packs from the carton. Since talking about the health risks were a waste of time (he already knows them, doesn't care), punishing him didn't work, and he keeps finding my hiding places, I have no choice but to quit- I'm not going to be the reason another one of my kids ensnares himself in this addiction.
Part of my problem, though, maybe the whole of my problem, is that I really liked smoking. I always have. I like the act, the taste of the smoke, the feeling in my chest, the whole ritual of smoking, and I really did not ever want to quit. The dirty ashtrays, the smelly hair and clothing, the nasty nicotine yellow haze on walls and windows, hacking cough every winter without fail, the increasing risk of really nasty kinds of disorders, diseases and cancer, the constant drain on my finances- these things were all an acceptable price to pay to me, that's just how much I loved smoking. What is not acceptable, however, is that my two oldest kids are smoking now, and it's my fault, no excuses. I have to quit.
After a recent hospital stay, having gone without a cig for seven days straight, I decided I was not going to ever buy another pack. Done, finis, game over, man. And I did not. Unfortunately, I did find 3 more cigs in an old pack, and during my first week home, I snuck a drag or three every time I felt stressed out, and if any of you has teenaged children, you can imagine how often that turned out to be. Those stolen drags tasted awful and made me nauseous, but I kept craving them anyway. I replaced all the ashtrays with candy dishes full of peppermints and jolly ranchers, which helped precisely nada, and made me want to fling them at the wall... which, um.. I actually did do a few times, much to the delight of the cats. Apparently, flying mints make better cat toys than substitute cigarettes.
I've tried and failed with other things in the past, the gum, the lozenges, cinnamon sticks, sunflower seeds, shredding pencils and gnawing on pens, and I'm terrified of Chantix, so that was right out. I can crochet and knit while chain smoking at the same time, so just keeping my hands busy doesn't really work for me either. My mother had tried a cheap ecig several years ago, and I'd heard a few things about them here and there so I started researching them online. Once I found this forum, I haunted it for days trying to decide what to buy. Plagued with indecision, I finally just went down to the smokeshop and bought one of the systems they were selling - the EvoVapor- because a) it's available 4 minutes from my house, and b) it's made by a local company. From what I've learned here, nobody ends up staying with the first system they buy anyway, and it was just time to jump into the pool already, ready or not.
And I loved it. It tastes better than cigarettes, it smells better, and I smell better than cigarettes. My hair smells like shampoo, my clothes smell like fabric softener, my house smells like... ok, my house smells like teenaged boys, febreeze and cats, but one thing at a time. I can go out to eat without restaurant staff thinking I'm ducking the bill every time I dash out for a drag between courses. I can go to a movie without jonesing my fingernails to the quick the last half hour. I have extra money just sitting there in my bank account, even after going completely crazy ordering sampler packs of eliquids from all over the net. And most importantly, my rotte- I mean wonderful children can no longer steal dangerous cancer causing fire hazards from me. Heck, the last one might never even try a cigarette! Wait, nevermind, I didn't say that, don't wanna jinx it.... Oh! And I also no longer throw hard candies at my cats.
It's been just over a month since I smoked my last cigarette (March 27), and I honestly can't see myself smoking another one ever again. You have no idea how incredible it is to me to be able to say that. Or maybe you do. You probably do.
So anyway. Hi!
