its long,but I uploaded as a file..maybe it will help someone else out,,,
I am 46 and was a 2 pack a day smoker of marlboro reds for 35+ years,The Killer's as I call them,and I had tried many times to quit,about 8-9 times before I found electronic cigarettes.
I tried the patch,it worked for about 2 weeks,then I found myself putting 2 on at a time,then I found myself smoking with it on,thats when I knew it wasnt working.I tried the gum,BUt I did not like the taste it left in my mouth,and the thought of chewing on something then later when I am craving again,find it and use it,just did not appeal to me,but I did try.I tried the lozenges,Now the lozenges worked for my wife,and worked for about 3 weeks for me,but the craving came back and I started smoking again.And I found myself not really being able to concentrate well on any of these,although the patch did help on that front some,and the lozenges,my body felt like it was missing something.I believe that something was just being able to inhale nicotine anytime I wanted as I used to do with a real cigarette..
Then about 2 years ago I found A vendor for electronic cigarette systems online,and since I have started using that,I have yet to pick up a cigarette,I did try a "few" drags over the next 2 months of originally starting,but the taste was so bad,I did not even know that I could inhale such a destructive "smoke"when I was smoking.
Now it is almost 2 YEARS later,and I have not touched a cigarette since then.My Doctor,the 2 doctor's that I see,both medical doctors.are amazed at how well my lungs are sounding as I get a check-up about every 6 months for an (unrelated to smoking) issue.They really are very happy that I have quit smoking and they can tell by my cradiovascular readings that I am healthy,and within normal range of a healthy adult 46 y.o. male..
I started with 34mg/Ml. of nicotine in my "nicotine mix" and am now after 2 years,down to 20mg.I am slowly working my way down,and while I dont know if I will ever stop "
vaping" as it is called,I do know that "
vaping" has given me my life back.I no longer feel like an elephant is sitting on my chest,I no longer have bronchitis every 6 months and have to go see the doctor,and I find that I can actually start on a healthy regimen of jogging and NOT feel like I have needles in my lungs when I run 1/4 mile.It has helped my family and I on our medical bills,as I have no need to go to the doctor at LEAST 2 times a year to get medications for mucous build-up,and/or lung infections.AND I CAN BREATHE..
I dont really feel that there should be a time limit on using any of the NRT's.I could of possibly stuck with the patch if it had a higher amount of nicotine in it,but even then,at the low levels it does have caused me discomfort on my skin,and a rash whereever the patch was put.
and e-cigarettes should not be made less effective by setting nicotine doses too low.As I alluded too before I smoked 2 PACKS A DAY of marlboro red shorts,and If I had started too low,I honestly dont think I could of got to where I am now.I am now at 20mg. and for now it is working,and if I can lower it I will,I have lowered it over the last 2 years and I foresee myself going even lower,but I dont think it would of worked if I had started at 20mg.I had to start at 34mg/ml.I had to be able to "FIND" what worked for me..
I started off with tobacco type flavored
e-liquid because I thought I needed it to taste like a real cigarette,I found out quickly that it was not the case,and while I do still vape some cigarette flavored e-liquid,I also enjoy fruity type flavors and even beverage flavors.Sound strange? well the fact is that when one quits smoking taste buds come back to life,the sense of smell starts working better,and it is nice to be able to change flavors,as some become "dull" sometimes,and a vape of a new flavor is very welcome,It is still 20mg/ml,but it keeps me off "real" cigarettes.That is what I am going for,to get my health back.
I urge you to please,not propose the "DEEMING" regulation because it would ban and/or would sharply increase the price and reduce accessibility to what has given me my life back,E-cigarettes,even if the FDA exempted e-cigarettes from the most erroneous provisions in chapterIX..
I also would ask that the FDA remove inaccurate and/or misleading information such as "For example, many people believe that e-cigarettes are very likely to cause cancer or poison the user because the FDA “forgot” to mention that the amount of carcinogens detected in liquid are no higher than in pharmaceutical nicotine products such as the patch and gum, and that the only toxin detected was in an amount that has never been shown to endanger health."