Did you smoke for decades?

[Flea]

Thanks for the great thread.
I've been chain smoking for more than 55 years. Smoking a 50 gram packet of drum each day.Costing me $200 Australian each week.
I was a heavy smokers long before that, but thats another story.
I turn 70 tomorrow.
No way could I give up smoking as I enjoyed it so much for so long.
I spent 6 x 8 hour days researching Ecigs, every one poster was so positive and helpful so I bit the bullet and ordered one with all the extras.
It will be seven days tomorrow at 1100h (Eastern Aust time) since I tasted my first vape, not once in that time have I wanted to light an analogue.
I am completely amazed that I have not wanted a ciggie for six days.
Two days ago I put six x 50 gram packets of Drum away in my filing cabinet,
along with about 10 packets of papers. I was that confident I wont be needing them.

Some of the little things I've noticed:
No more cleaning ashtrays
No more emptying tobacco dust from my pants pocket
No more carrying lighters/matches around
No more opening windows to release the smoke & smell
No reason to keep sucking until the ciggie is finished
No worrying about dropping a lighted ciggie on the furniture.

Thank you all.

 

[PaulB]

Welcome to the Forum, Flea, and a happy 70th to you!

 

[zbasspro]

Flea
Happy B-Day! Very cool story.

 

[jfdpl686]

I can only say WOW!
What impresses me the most it the young age many of you started smoking!
I’m 42, started at 23 and quit for 2 years in a row…
In Mexico City, where I was born and raised, the change was not as strong as in US, smokers were a little more “tolerated” and cigs way cheaper.

Since I moved to the states, back in 2000, anybody visiting me always got me a couple packs of my B&H from Mexico (which taste different than the ones here) and still way cheaper!

I quit back in 2002 for 2 years; but someone got me Cuban cigars and I got back to smoke… I researched about PV’s for a while, then one day took the plunge and haven’t touch a cig…

I started vaping 16 mg nic, and now, I only use 9 to 12 after meals sometimes… I normally chainvape all day non-nic

 

[carguy50]

I smoked 1.5 to 2 packs a day for over 40 years. I too tried everything and sometimes quit for up to a year, but the problem was I ALWAYS wanted a smoke. I started vaping almost by accident 6 months ago and now I don't even want one ....it truly is amazing......BUT don't be fooled that you are not still hooked. In March we went to Mexico for holidays and I lost my juice on the beach so I smoked for 4 days then right back to the PV when I got home....The moral is ALWAYS make sure that you have extra attys, batteries and juice ALWAYS.
Thanks
Lynn

 

[TAM2]

I very much appreciate your story. As mentioned above, many of us have been there, more or less. On a side note this reminded me of "Elf" for some reason. It doesn't seem logical to me. Nonetheless, I say to you, "you're not a cotton-headed ninny-muggins."

 

[coolone1]

I started to smoke when I was about 9. I am 59 now my sister was 5 years older than me popular and a cheer leader. All of the guys that were trying to get next to my sister befriended me had me steal cigs for them and let me hang out. White T shirts with the pack rolled in the sleeve. My folks would not let me get a ducks tail or as my dad said duck ... hair cut.I thought I was cool with the older guys. Now I have not had a cig since Oct. of last year. I have converted a number of people I know to e-cigs also. I am glad I found these.

 

[rosesense]

Great story OP, I 'played' with smoking beginning at age 10, we would go to the store and say we were buying for my mother and they sold them to us. I remember a few years later buying from machines for 25 cents. When I was 18, they were 1.00 a carton for name brands on military bases. Of course, I filled up my bug for less than 2.00 at the time.

I started really smoking as in addicted at age 26 (I am 58 now). I had always hated the smell of cig smoke and as someone else said, it was everywhere. The ONLY place where no one smoked was church. We had a smoking room at my high school. I finally decided since I couldn't avoid the smell that I would start smoking so I could maybe stand to smell it without barfing. It worked like a charm all right. Now that I am no longer smoking, the smell makes me ill again and I try hard to not be an anti but I move away from it and smokers notice right away.

Happy birthday, Flea and many more to you. Vape on.

 

[Kate51]

Flea, congratulations on your birthday, and on your continuing education!
We're never too old to learn a new trick!
The first couple months can be trying, I was so hungry I could eat a moving car, but I made it with flying colors.
I smoked heavy for 44 years. Also stopped from day one vaping. Yesterday I finally threw away the last 7 cigarettes I'd been carrying in my purse. They were in pretty bad shape.

 

[PaulB]

... The ONLY place where no one smoked was church...

Maybe it's because I was raised in a more worldly sect (ah, The Joy of Sects), smoking was far from out of bounds w/in the church building, although not during services. We had a large parish hall where coffee hour was held after Sunday services, and the air would be positively blue from smoke. Sunday school class and youth group merged all the grades of high school and was conducted around a large table with ashtrays for those sufficiently nervy--and hooked.

 

[scribe]

I still can't believe this, but I am now on day eleven with NO SMOKES! After having smoked my way into a COPD diagnosis, and having tried every quit smoking method ever invented, I'd given up and resigned myself to slow but sure suffocation.

Decided to try for harm reduction instead, via e cigs. Had a pretty frustrating first week with my 510, and without this forum, I probably would have tossed it all out and continued smoking.

Instead, I was literally astounded to find myself wanting fewer and fewer cigarettes till the day came when..miracle of miracles..I didn't want even ONE!

Oh sure, there's an urge now and then, but as soon as I vape some 24 mg, it disappears like magic. Upgrading to an Ego removed my frustration over battery changes every time I turned around.

I am still addicted to nicotine and probably will always be, at this late stage of the game. But I sure do not miss the ever present cough and shortness of breath or the stinky ashtrays and smelly clothes. Food tastes lots better, I can smell pretty scents again, and I have a lot more energy than before.

Amazing.
Just amazing.

 

[wfordvapr]

Me too Fool !!! Congrats to you for doing this ! I too, have tried numerous ways to quit, and think I've finally found the key ! Although I'm only at 19 days -- my lungs sure know the difference ! I vape with an eGo, although started on the Joye510 ... and the fun part is trying all the different juices .... so far, anything from TV fits the bill ! Am keeping my fingers crossed that this is the time that is permanent !

 

[wfordvapr]

Ain't it amazing, Scribe, how smelly those things were ??? Now if I even smell one, I wonder how I ever smoked analogs !

 

[Kate51]

Now I give my oldest sister (she's going to be 69 in a few days) a really hard time about switching.
But she seems unwilling or unable to even think about it. She's smoked Newports for years, I think started with Kools at age 16. Last year she had half of her bladder removed because of a tumor. But she is so stubborn. I offered to buy her everything just to try, she says no.
I never said anything, but it's really hard when we go somewhere together, she absolutely reeks of cigarette smoke. I can't say a thing, because I'm embarrassed that I would go to church and spritz a little Neutra-spray on before going in. I wonder how bad that was. Everything smells, not just a smoker's breath. Once you get your sense of smell comes back it is absolutely amazing to know how foolish smoking was.
An NPro was my last hope to quit. I screwed up so many things (I didn't know ECF existed yet) but from day one it worked well enough, maybe because I knew it was my last chance.
I never went for my COPD diagnosis, I didn't have insurance but I also knew what Dr. would say. My own fault. I had double pneumonia 4 times in the previous 10 years. Pretty scary. Choking to death not a good way to go.
I still fight through asthma-like symptoms on occasion, dust and pollen still bother. But my blood oxygen is 97%, so I know it will be ok. Now at least I can just work through it without collapsing!
The best thing: now when I wake up, my first thought is to put on the coffee. YES!!
I will never put another cigarette in my mouth. I kept a few of my last ones just to smile at. They are beaten.
Best of luck to all.

 

[bestthingever]

Yes, decades. Tragic, really.

I also get your post 100%. In fact, I feel like I almost could have written it myself. But probably not as well as you did.

 

[krebain]

I've looked at cigarettes and instantly thought "I want one" since before I can remember. The first pack I bought, as opposed to was given to me, or I stole, or etc cost me $2.

 

[Flea]

To continue on from my earlier post before I started chain smoking, I really started smoking at about seven.
My Mother would send me to the corner store every day to get a 10 pack of 333s.
For years after WW2 ciggies were rationed to a pack of 10 per person per day.
My elder cousin talked me into getting an extra pack for us and putting it on the monthly bill.
When my Mother eventually went to the shop she was told, "you know your only allowed 10 per day?" the truth came out.
They made my cousin & I take them to an old air raid shelter we smoked them in.
My Mother near cried when she was made to go with out because of the rations and saw dozens of half smoked butts that were lying in the air raid shelter.

Once I was working and could pay for my own, I just worked up to stronger & stronger ciggies, going from Capstan to Camels to mini cigars to Egyptian Senousies and eventually a packet of Drum a day for at least the last 25 years.

As an aside, thats how I got the name Flea.
When Rothmans bought out the first King Size I naturally smoked them.
My Boss said they were bigger than me and called me Flea. I was 16 at the time.

So you should be able to see why I am so amazed with my Ecigs and the fact I have now gone a full week without even wanting an analogue.

Again, thanks to all the posters in here that have helped my decide the right way to go.

 

[Rippspeed]

wow man ... I would like to share...

I've been smoking off and on since I was 9 ... got a hold of cigarette when I was a kid in the Philippines, that was my first hit... And didnt really smoke heavily till I was 15 and been smoking since I'm 35 now and started vaping and I'm sold...

I cant be more happy to have found vaping and ecigs... I've been looking for a way out of smoking but its hard to get away from its thicken smoked caress ... I wanted to quit for my kids and I hope vaping will help me with that ...

I happy that I found this forum and forum members that share my same similar stories ... And hope you guys too are successful in your endeavor. My only thing is I hope Uncle Sam doesnt turn our vaping into an expensive habit and starting paying cigarette prices for our e-liquids ...

 

[NO_USERNAME]

11 years on cigarettes, 3 months on e-cigs and dont think i'll go back!

 

[Haytoni]

Six decades plus, I can't remember what the price per pkg. was, but do remember smoking Philip Morris, no filters in those days.