Hello everyone,
I lurked on these boards for about a month before my partner laid down the law and told me to either quit smoking or get an e-cigarette. I smoked a pack a day for 15 years, quit for 7, started back and smoked for 1 year, quit for 5, and then started back in September. Stupid, I know, but I simply love smoking - the entire ritual of it, the throat hit, seeing the smoke as I exhale, etc. When I started back this time, it was purely for the enjoyment, however, and I was able to keep it to 3 or 4 cigarettes a day - a couple during the day with a co-worker buddy, and 1 or 2 at night, out on the porch swing with a beer. I have to admit I did stink, so I don't blame my partner for wanting me to quit analogs. Plus she knew i COULD, if I wanted to. I knew too that I did not smoke enough to jones for nicotine if I decided to quit.
Anyway, after reading every guide I could find on these forums, watching videos, and reading tons of posts by/for newbies, I finally ordered a Joye 510 from Cignot. I received it on Thursday night and was astounded at how similar it is to my current regular smoking experience! I have been smoking American Spirit Mellow Menthols, so I ordered some 6mg menthol pre-filled cartomizers in addition to my 510 manual starter kit, and Vicki was kind enough to swap the high-nicotine Marlboro cartridges that are included with kit, to low-nicotine menthols.
I ordered the pre-filled cartomizers thinking they were cartridges, as I was still confused by all the terminology, options, etc. I was thrilled when I realized my mistake, however, because I had already suffered buyer's remorse after placing my order, thinking I should have gone with a 2-piece, etc. Now that I see I can have the best of both worlds, and have so many options with the 510, I am so glad I went with it.
So, seeing as the batteries seemed charged, I immediately tried one of the pre-filled cartomizers. The throat hit is remarkably similar to my American Spirits! That had been my biggest concern, as that sensation may be my favorite thing about smoking. I then tried one of the pre-filled cartridges, and found the throat hit not as pronounced, but still satisfactory. The vapor on both was good, too, which had been my second major concern. I have never been able to smoke in the pitch-black darkness - if I cannot see myself exhale, for some reason the cigarette is just not enjoyable! The only thing is, the menthol flavors are a bit sweet, but that's not a deal-breaker, that's for sure.
Being a real tightwad, I could not bring myself to waste my last 6 American Spirits, and being a geeky, need-proof-of-everything type, I decided to do my own consumer marketing test. So I sat on my porch swing and smoked an American Spirit, alternating between it and the cartomizer and the cartridge e-cigs. Again, the pre-filled menthol cartomizer is amazingly close to a real cigarette! I knew immediately I'd have no problem quitting the real ones. (After finishing my pack, of course.)
I worked from home on Friday, and took a smoke break in the afternoon, again with all 3 cigs. By now I guess the atomizer had started breaking in, because the throat hit between the cartridge e-cig and the cartomizer ones were more similar. Now I could smell how much my hand stank from the American Spirit, too. I did the same thing a couple of times that night.
Saturday afternoon I went out again with all 3, and when I came back inside, I threw away my last 2 American Spirits! They just did not seem worth the stink or the bad taste in my mouth after I finished one! Needless to say, I am thrilled and my partner is ecstatic.
Having just ordered the $35 starter kit, I went ahead and ordered a PCC yesterday. After reading more about the short battery life of the 510, I decided to be on the safe side, especially since I like to smoke when I'm out drinking and carousing, and would hate to run out of battery juice in the middle of a bar! I also realized it would be nice to have a case to carry my e-cigs around in, seeing as 1) I am a klutz and drop everything, and 2) I am a scatter-brain and lose everything (after I've picked it up after dropping it.)
So for those of you who have made it this far down my post:
1) Thanks so much for this awesome forum!!! The info here is invaluable!
2) To anyone considering switching from analogs to e-cigs, JUST DO IT!!! I know I wasn't a heavy smoker this time around, but I think you will see some immediate benefits that will help you make the transition.
3) Get a PCC with whatever kit you order.
4) Get ready for tons of questions (and clearly, long posts) from me! ;-)
I lurked on these boards for about a month before my partner laid down the law and told me to either quit smoking or get an e-cigarette. I smoked a pack a day for 15 years, quit for 7, started back and smoked for 1 year, quit for 5, and then started back in September. Stupid, I know, but I simply love smoking - the entire ritual of it, the throat hit, seeing the smoke as I exhale, etc. When I started back this time, it was purely for the enjoyment, however, and I was able to keep it to 3 or 4 cigarettes a day - a couple during the day with a co-worker buddy, and 1 or 2 at night, out on the porch swing with a beer. I have to admit I did stink, so I don't blame my partner for wanting me to quit analogs. Plus she knew i COULD, if I wanted to. I knew too that I did not smoke enough to jones for nicotine if I decided to quit.
Anyway, after reading every guide I could find on these forums, watching videos, and reading tons of posts by/for newbies, I finally ordered a Joye 510 from Cignot. I received it on Thursday night and was astounded at how similar it is to my current regular smoking experience! I have been smoking American Spirit Mellow Menthols, so I ordered some 6mg menthol pre-filled cartomizers in addition to my 510 manual starter kit, and Vicki was kind enough to swap the high-nicotine Marlboro cartridges that are included with kit, to low-nicotine menthols.
I ordered the pre-filled cartomizers thinking they were cartridges, as I was still confused by all the terminology, options, etc. I was thrilled when I realized my mistake, however, because I had already suffered buyer's remorse after placing my order, thinking I should have gone with a 2-piece, etc. Now that I see I can have the best of both worlds, and have so many options with the 510, I am so glad I went with it.
So, seeing as the batteries seemed charged, I immediately tried one of the pre-filled cartomizers. The throat hit is remarkably similar to my American Spirits! That had been my biggest concern, as that sensation may be my favorite thing about smoking. I then tried one of the pre-filled cartridges, and found the throat hit not as pronounced, but still satisfactory. The vapor on both was good, too, which had been my second major concern. I have never been able to smoke in the pitch-black darkness - if I cannot see myself exhale, for some reason the cigarette is just not enjoyable! The only thing is, the menthol flavors are a bit sweet, but that's not a deal-breaker, that's for sure.
Being a real tightwad, I could not bring myself to waste my last 6 American Spirits, and being a geeky, need-proof-of-everything type, I decided to do my own consumer marketing test. So I sat on my porch swing and smoked an American Spirit, alternating between it and the cartomizer and the cartridge e-cigs. Again, the pre-filled menthol cartomizer is amazingly close to a real cigarette! I knew immediately I'd have no problem quitting the real ones. (After finishing my pack, of course.)
I worked from home on Friday, and took a smoke break in the afternoon, again with all 3 cigs. By now I guess the atomizer had started breaking in, because the throat hit between the cartridge e-cig and the cartomizer ones were more similar. Now I could smell how much my hand stank from the American Spirit, too. I did the same thing a couple of times that night.
Saturday afternoon I went out again with all 3, and when I came back inside, I threw away my last 2 American Spirits! They just did not seem worth the stink or the bad taste in my mouth after I finished one! Needless to say, I am thrilled and my partner is ecstatic.
Having just ordered the $35 starter kit, I went ahead and ordered a PCC yesterday. After reading more about the short battery life of the 510, I decided to be on the safe side, especially since I like to smoke when I'm out drinking and carousing, and would hate to run out of battery juice in the middle of a bar!
I also realized it would be nice to have a case to carry my e-cigs around in, seeing as 1) I am a klutz and drop everything, and 2) I am a scatter-brain and lose everything (after I've picked it up after dropping it.)So for those of you who have made it this far down my post:
1) Thanks so much for this awesome forum!!! The info here is invaluable!
2) To anyone considering switching from analogs to e-cigs, JUST DO IT!!! I know I wasn't a heavy smoker this time around, but I think you will see some immediate benefits that will help you make the transition.
3) Get a PCC with whatever kit you order.
4) Get ready for tons of questions (and clearly, long posts) from me! ;-)
