My first electronic cigarette (e-cig) arrived this morning. I had ordered the black Super e-cig full kit from Electronic Cigarette Co. and it arrived within two days with almost everything it was supposed to contain--missing only 5 full-strength tobacco-flavoured cartridges. I will let you know how the company responds to my e-mail about this.
Background: I am an American who resides in the U.K. I smoked for about 30 years, approximately 20-24 non-filtre or handrolled cigarettes per day. I have been trying to quit since 1989. By the time I did finally quit smoking, in 2005, I could not climb a short flight of stairs without gasping. Most of you are smokers or ex-smokers, so I do not need to tell you about the downsides of smoking (or the upsides). Suffice it to say that if I could function without nicotine, I would, but I cannot. Some of you are like me; and you know and I know that people like us used to simply die smoking. We are a new demographic.
I have been on nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) since 9 July 2005. Since then, every morning, I put on a 21-mg patch, and I use nicotine nasal spray throughout the day to supplement. This is known as "combination NRT." It works, but it is (a) hideously expensive and (b) relatively unsatisfying to take nicotine up the nose a couple of dozen or so times per day. But it does work--I have not had so much as a single puff of tobacco in over 3 years.
So back to the e-cig. After inventorying the contents of the package, I started the two batteries charging, one on the mains and the other via USB. A couple of hours later, both lights indicate full charge.
And now I'm worried I will not like it. So I delay--I shave, I shower, I get dressed. I take off the old nicotine patch and decide not to put on a new one. Strangely, I feel like I am about to go on a date for the first time with a sophisticated woman. Wifey comments that she wishes I got as excited about her as I seem to be about the new e-cig, so the analogy with another woman is holding, nicely.
Finally, I muster the gumption to combine the elements into a working e-cig. I take my first hit . . .
Not bad. Not terrific, but certainly not too bad. A little vapour, a nice flavour, not much of a "throat hit," however.
I take a second hit.
Better. Bit more vapour, better "throat hit."
Third time is the charm, though. It was-- how to express this?--FANTASTIC! FABULOUS! AMAZING! A nice, rich hit of nicotinic delight delivered straight to the lungs, where it freaking belongs! Taste was a bit unusual--sort of a "burnt ashtray," but not at all repulsive. Very rich, very flavourful hit.
As I continued puffing, there was some variability in the quality of the hits, but well within the range from "decent" to "magnificent" in terms of subjective appeal. By the 8th or 9th hit, I started to feel like I had overdone it, so put the e-cig away. Forty-five minutes later, as I write this, I still feel terrific--still buzzing a bit, actually. I double-checked the user manual, and it suggests that 14-16 hits are equivalent to one cigarette, so I guess those years of using NRT have turned me into something of a lightweight.
So that's it--my first experience with an e-cig. I cannot help but think that the experience has been positive in large part because I have been on a "starvation diet" of NRT for so long. I do not think this e-cig would have been as satisfying if I had gone straight from analogues to e-cigs. But, my first time has been unambiguously positive. I will keep you posted as I gain more experience with this lovely little shaft of pleasure (of course, I mean the e-cig).
Background: I am an American who resides in the U.K. I smoked for about 30 years, approximately 20-24 non-filtre or handrolled cigarettes per day. I have been trying to quit since 1989. By the time I did finally quit smoking, in 2005, I could not climb a short flight of stairs without gasping. Most of you are smokers or ex-smokers, so I do not need to tell you about the downsides of smoking (or the upsides). Suffice it to say that if I could function without nicotine, I would, but I cannot. Some of you are like me; and you know and I know that people like us used to simply die smoking. We are a new demographic.
I have been on nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) since 9 July 2005. Since then, every morning, I put on a 21-mg patch, and I use nicotine nasal spray throughout the day to supplement. This is known as "combination NRT." It works, but it is (a) hideously expensive and (b) relatively unsatisfying to take nicotine up the nose a couple of dozen or so times per day. But it does work--I have not had so much as a single puff of tobacco in over 3 years.
So back to the e-cig. After inventorying the contents of the package, I started the two batteries charging, one on the mains and the other via USB. A couple of hours later, both lights indicate full charge.
And now I'm worried I will not like it. So I delay--I shave, I shower, I get dressed. I take off the old nicotine patch and decide not to put on a new one. Strangely, I feel like I am about to go on a date for the first time with a sophisticated woman. Wifey comments that she wishes I got as excited about her as I seem to be about the new e-cig, so the analogy with another woman is holding, nicely.
Finally, I muster the gumption to combine the elements into a working e-cig. I take my first hit . . .
Not bad. Not terrific, but certainly not too bad. A little vapour, a nice flavour, not much of a "throat hit," however.
I take a second hit.
Better. Bit more vapour, better "throat hit."
Third time is the charm, though. It was-- how to express this?--FANTASTIC! FABULOUS! AMAZING! A nice, rich hit of nicotinic delight delivered straight to the lungs, where it freaking belongs! Taste was a bit unusual--sort of a "burnt ashtray," but not at all repulsive. Very rich, very flavourful hit.
As I continued puffing, there was some variability in the quality of the hits, but well within the range from "decent" to "magnificent" in terms of subjective appeal. By the 8th or 9th hit, I started to feel like I had overdone it, so put the e-cig away. Forty-five minutes later, as I write this, I still feel terrific--still buzzing a bit, actually. I double-checked the user manual, and it suggests that 14-16 hits are equivalent to one cigarette, so I guess those years of using NRT have turned me into something of a lightweight.
So that's it--my first experience with an e-cig. I cannot help but think that the experience has been positive in large part because I have been on a "starvation diet" of NRT for so long. I do not think this e-cig would have been as satisfying if I had gone straight from analogues to e-cigs. But, my first time has been unambiguously positive. I will keep you posted as I gain more experience with this lovely little shaft of pleasure (of course, I mean the e-cig).
