Attention all quitters: Please share your story with The Doctors

[Vocalek]

E-cigarettes were favorably reviewed by the television show, the Doctors, back in 2009 before all the controversy.

Now, the show is asking people who recently quit smoking to share what worked. If all the folks who posted a story in this sub-forum were to submit their story to the show, the sheer volume of numbers would guarantee that they would take another look at e-cigarettes and tell the story from the consumer's viewpoint instead of the viewpoint being promoted by those who want us to "quit or die" (e.g., AMA, FDA, ALA, AHA, ACS, CFTK, ASH, etc, etc.)

BTW: Even if you haven't fully quit smoking, if you have reduced the number of cigarettes per day by 50% or more, that's worth talking about, too, especially if you are working toward eventually reducing to zero cigarettes per day.

Recent research shows that reduction can be a step toward eventual complete quitting, and some folks just need more time than others. It took me 20 years to go from 2-1/2 packs a day to zero.

Submit your story here:

Tell Us Your Story

If you submit your story, please leave a response here. Thanks!

--Elaine Keller

Yes, feel free to post this information in other forums. The more response we get, the better it is for everyone.

 

[MollieA]

I'm relatively new to vaping- started about 2 months ago. I was smoking 30 cigarettes a day. In about a month into vaping, I reduced down to 3 per day. I couldn't believe how fast I was able to transition to e-cigs and how easy it has been. I've tried to quit so many times, only to go back to my old habits. And when I started vaping, I was doing 24mg- and now I find it's too harsh and feel comfy with about 11mg or less. I don't feel as though I've denied myself anything at all- and at some point I will be analog free. I'm in no hurry. I enjoy my morning analogs and 3 per day sure beats 30. I believe that I still have a psychological attachment to those analogs- it's going to take time to be able to totally walk away from them and feel comfortable with the fact that they are no longer in the house. There are times when I have no desire for an analog, but the fact that they are available to me gives me a sense of security. I hope this makes sense.

Anyway, that's my story in a nutshell. As time goes by, I'm sure I'll feel more secure about making the plunge and quit analogs altogether- but I don't feel ready for that yet. I figure I've made a lot of progress at this point and it will just take more time for me to come to terms with my situation. I'd rather take my time and stay at my comfort zone rather than fail again.

 

[MXBNW]

Good thread, Do you mind If I re post this thread in the REO forum.

I will share my story latter this week when I get more time.

Thanks again for the work you are doing to educate others about the benefits of Ecigs

 

[dagnagan]

I posted my story, which I didn't think to copy before I submitted it. I hope they get overwhelmed with vaper success stories, and they could, because there are so many of us.

 

[AG51]

I submitted this one ................."I am now 10 months smoke free.I had tried everything to quit with no success over a span of many years, almost gave up trying. The week my husband & I were to marry he was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia, and also was then diagnosed with COPD. I HAD to quit. My last hope was an e-cigarette. I have to say it was the easiest transaction I've ever made in my life ! I quickly reduced my intake of nicotine down to 0. It's given both of us a life renewal.I would and DO recommend this to anyone who smokes cigarettes (even if they don't want to quit). I haven't smoked since & have no desire to. Best way to go in my opinion !"........................I hope it helps

 

[mlinky]

Done................

 

[aziffel]

Done 2......

 

[tomboy]

Done. I will share my story here as well.
I tried to stop smoking many times and failed until a company I take calls for contracted with a company that sold the E-Cigarette.
Many of my co-workers started chatting in our work forum about how they were able to stop smoking using the E-Cigarette. So on Sept. of 2010 I ordered my first E-Cigarette. To my amazement I was able to stop smoking, it will be almost a year in a few more days since I smoked an analog. I started with 24mg of nicotine and have reduced it. Sometimes I go as low as 0mg. My health is better, I can breath without wheezing. I have more energy. And no longer have that terrible smokers cough.
My Mother was a smoker as well and in 2003 she had a stroke, I became her caregiver and on Feb.5 2011 she died from lung cancer. I know how proud she was when I stopped smoking. And I know it will pay off, health wise in the future.

 

[ec!gg]

Excellent Thread. Thanks everyone for sharing.

 

[swedishfish]

Done! Thanks!

 

[wizard10000]

Done

Silly ten character limit. Grrr.

 

[JC Okie]

Done.....thanks.

 

[ricksinvest]

I did it too

 

[Jackiej5407]

And I also just submitted my story! THIS IS G-R-E-A-T to get the word out to the media!!! And to be able to participate in spreading the word. Thank you for letting us know about it.

 

[Nurzrachit]

New to Ecigs, I too smoked for over 20 years and tried many remedies to quit smoking. Thankfully I never had any significant health problems that I am aware of prior to quitting, but wanted to do it because it is the right thing to do. i have a 2 year old daughter, and she loves her daddy. She would pick up cigarettes off the counter and bring them to me and instruct me to take her outside for a smoke. It really made me start to think about not only what I was doing to myself, but what kind of example I was setting for my family. I had purchased a basic kit back in March to supplement my cigarette use at work when I could not step outside. I looked into Ecigs further, and started to realize that this is not just a fad, it is a silent revolution. I have since put down the smoke. I carry a roughstack with cartomizer, and know in my head and heart that a lit cigarette is no longer neccesary. I tell every smoker I know. Of course, they all look at me like I am nuts, but the ones who take a toot are shocked at how close it is to smoking. I do believe eventually this will replace smoking as we know it, good to be aboard.

 

[Renrav]

Done! I hope they invite one of the more knowledgeable ECF members on the show. It would be great to offer the general public a point of view different than the FDA's biased opinion.

 

[Shadow102]

Done as well. I hope they bring some Veteran Vapers as well as some new guys. I think the public needs to know how well vaping works from both an old hat and young buck perspective.

 

[Baldr]

So I guess I don't know much about the history of e-cigs, "the controversy", etc. Where can I get a primer?

 

[metalmomma]

Thanks for sharing the opportunity to do this. I shared my story. over 9 weeks without an analog and I pinch myself to make sure I'm awake and not dreaming cause I am so amazed.

 

[Vocalek]

So I guess I don't know much about the history of e-cigs, "the controversy", etc. Where can I get a primer?

A: Right here on ECF as well as on the CASAA web site.

The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association is a non-profit organization that was born here on ECF during the last half of 2009. We used the forum to hammer out a name for the group and a mission statement. During the process of forming the group we learned that there are other products folks have used and are using as replacements for smoking, including smokeless tobacco products. One such product, snus, was developed in Sweden with the goal of reducing the potentially cancer-causing Tobacco Specific Nitrosamines (TSNAs). Snus has also been attacked by the folks who used to be anti-smoking. Anti-smoking morphed into anti-tobacco, and then into anti-smoker and anti-nicotine.

Notice how the word "tobacco" has replaced the word "smoking" on government web sites and on signs announcing restrictions on use. "Smoking-related deaths" has been replaced by the less accurate "tobacco-related deaths." The signs around schools and hospitals used to say "Smoke-free Zone". Now they say "Tobacco-free Zone". And across the country we see employers announcing that they will no longer hire anyone who tests positive for nicotine in their blood. They claim they don't want to hire smokers, but rather than testing specifically for smoking, they test for nicotine, which cuts out anyone who has made a permanent switch from smoking to a less-hazardous alternative product.

Bottom line: You have been under attack, and you didn't even know it.

We decided to make CASAA all about helping smokers switch to less-hazardous alternative sources of nicotine by providing information, and to keep alternative products available by fighting against proposed bans on sales to adults or on indoor use at the Federal, state, and local levels.

Visit CASAA | The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association and browse.

Quick (and incomplete) history:

The "controversy" started when a coalition made up of the American Heart Association, Cancer Action Network of the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, and Campaign for Tobacco-free Kids put out a joint statement condemning electronic cigarettes as dangerous products aimed at addicting children, and called upon the FDA to ban the products. The FDA began seizing products imported by US vendors in the fall of 2008 and early in 2009 one company filed a lawsuit in the US Federal Court system asking for an injunction against the product seizures. The FDA claimed the devices were an unapproved drug-delivery device combination used to treat the disease of smoking. Vendors claimed that the products were recreational...meant to be used as an alternative to smoking.

In July 2009, the FDA held a press conference and alarmed the public by announcing that its testing found "carcinogens" and "antifreeze" in e-cigarettes. Cute! Clever! They just happened to forget to mention that the traces they found were so small that it would take thousands and thousands of cartridges to reach the level of carcinogens found in real smoke or to cause a diethylene glycol poisoning fatality. Speakers at their press conference made accusations about the potential for poisoning fatalities, the use of flavors (only children enjoy pleasant flavors), and other nonsense. FDA and Public Health Experts Warn About Electronic Cigarettes

Results: In December 2010, the court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, Smoking Everywhere and Sottera, Inc., dba NJOY. The FDA appealed. Meanwhile, Smoking Everywhere ran out of money to pay lawyers, but Sottera continued on as sole plaintiff. The Appeals court upheld the lower court ruling. The FDA asked the Appeals court to reconsider, using all 9 judges instead of a 3-judge panel. The Appeals court declined. The FDA then thought about appealing to the Supreme Court, thought better of it, and decided to regulate e-cigarettes as tobacco products, as suggested by Judge Richard J. Leon in the lower court opinion document.

Bans on Indoor Use

The American for Nonsmokers Rights crafted model smoking-ban legisltation that they have distriubted to health departments across the country. Built into their model law is a definition of "smoking" that includes the use of e-cigarettes.

Every place where we have amended smoking bans introduced, we have seen the exact wording frrom the ANR's model legislation appear in the proposed law.

So far, New Jersey is the only state that has rolled e-cigarette use into their statewide smoking ban. That happened so fast we never saw it coming. Since, we have managed to hold off the state-level proposed bans, but some local level bans have been enacted.

Bans on Sales

Several states and local jurisdiction introduced proposed bans on sales. CASAA supports a ban on sales to minors, but not a ban on sales to adults. To date, only bans on sales to minors have been passed, to the best of our knowledge.

So that's the Nutshell version of the controversy.