I was 13 years old when I started smoking. As has been said, that's just the way it was back then. (Do you remember Dean Martin on television with a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other?) My dad smoked Raleigh cigarettes (they had redeemable coupons), but I never really liked them. So, I just used my lunch money to buy cigarettes until I got a job.
It was in my late teens that I suffered life-threatening injuries. The transport personnel had me as a goner and doctors were preparing for my demise. But, I refused to die and made the doctors go to work. I spent three months in the hospital where I was put back together minus one arm. I was not disfigured, I still had my handsome face (ha-ha-he-he), but I was changed for life.
After those three months, I got out of the hospital and, guess what? I started to smoke cigarettes.
I fumbled around a little but then met the challenge head-on. Married a beautiful woman who has never smoked a cigarette in her life, became a successful and prosperous software engineer, and lived a happy life. My wife, who has always been my best friend, never nagged me about smoking. However, she did take the opportunities to tell me she wished I would quit. She has always meant the world to me and I am a strong-willed person - but I could not quit smoking.
Heart Attack. And, I swear, I'm just too dumb to die. While my wife called 911, I got dressed and walked outside to meet the ambulance.
I recovered from the heart attack, I lost 50 pounds (and still easily keep my slim and trim 150), and basically got back to a normal life. And, of course, that included smoking cigarettes.
I met a man at a baseball game last year who not only vaped, but was in the
vaping business as well. He took me under his wing and made me his project. He taught me, guided me, and gave me support. For the first time in my life, someone was urging me to quit smoking and providing an acceptable alternative.
As with most of you, it took a little while, but I was able to stop smoking cigarettes. And today, I don't even want a cigarette. Vaping is different. But once you get the hang of it, it is far superior to cigarettes. At least for me it is.
I want to thank all of you for contributing to this thread - you are all wonderful people! Applause to everyone. Keep posting and keep on vaping.
txtumbleweed, you are the eldest. And for that you get one large bottle of Prune E-Juice from GeritolJuice.
Love all of you!
I'm 51 and don't wanna sit at the kids table either 
I SO WISH there were vaping back years ago !!! I've smoked too many years to remember but if there were ecigs back then 'Maybe' my husband wouldn't have COPD now. He stopped smoking when he was diagnosed but I took longer after that. He said many times he'd wished he knew of vaping a long time ago. He wouldn't be so sick and he would have enjoyed it 
That was a good one wv!
