Thank You, Leonardo DiCaprio

[Poeia]

Five Weeks Today!

I started smoking around 1969. I quit twice -- 9 months in 1977 and 3 months in 1985. Since then I've tried cold turkey, Smoke Enders, hypnosis, Nicorette, Wellbutrin. Not only did none of them work, just the thought of not having a cigarette left me feeling depressed and as if I'd suffered a loss. The closest I can come to describing it is "forlorn."

By the end I was smoking just over 3 packs a day. At New York City prices ($10 a pack), not only was I killing myself, I was paying a fortune for the privilege.

Around Thanksgiving I was following something online that took me to a picture of Leonardo DiCaprio and a SmokeStik. I'd never heard of them. I went to their website and learned "all" about e-cigs. A couple of days later I decided I was ready and went back. The entire site had changed. All references to being American-made and things like that had disappeared. I ended up calling them and they said it was the Canadian site as the U.S. company was in the middle of moving to a new warehouse. I have no idea if it was true, but they did me a favor. It would have been the wrong PV for me. (tobacco-flavored liquid doesn't interest me.)

Then I found this place. After a few days' reading, I ordered an 801 from EastMall on 12/7 and it arrived the day after Christmas (thanks to customs -- EastMall was great.) During the first 5 days I smoked what I used to smoke in a single day. Then I decided that was silly and I stopped. I haven't had an analog since. I don't even miss them.

I don't consider PVs a good product. I consider them a miracle!


Now, if I could just figure out the right strength for me. I seem to alternate between "bouncing off the walls and no one else wanted to get a word in edgewise, did they" and "nap time."

 

[techtony]

Five Weeks Today!


I don't consider PVs a good product. I consider them a miracle!

Congrats and Amen. I feel the same about the miracle.

 

[AJMoore]

Good for you, I can't see going back either. Almost six weeks for me and haven't come really close to lighting up. I sometimes have the "want" but able to vape like crazy and get on with it. I smoked 40 years so I understand your forlorn statement.

 

[Shortstuff116]

Another great success story and at those prices, I'm super-glad you did quit!

Congratulations to a healthier future!

 

[redgirl]

Leonardo DiCaprio uses e-cigs? Who woulda known?

 

[cliff5550]

We found e-cigs after my wife saw an ad with a photo of Leonardo DiCaprio vaping a SmokeStik. She had me check into it. We ordered. They arrived. We vaped the day they arrived in the mail and quit smoking the same day. I'd smoked for over 40 years. She'd smoked for over 30 years.
We've never had another cigarette since.
I'll second your thanks to Leonardo DiCaprio.

 

[pianoguy]

Congrats, all! It is flat-out amazing the success that long-time smokers are having with these things (Nixon was elected about the time I started). I've never been able to quit before without feeling I was being deprived of something, but this time it is so different. Now I only get brief flashes of wanting a cigarette just out of association with something I'm doing, or some place where I am. But they're gone in an instant, hopefully memories that will just fade away.

 

[AJMoore]

Congrats, all! It is flat-out amazing the success that long-time smokers are having with these things (Nixon was elected about the time I started). I've never been able to quit before without feeling I was being deprived of something, but this time it is so different. Now I only get brief flashes of wanting a cigarette just out of association with something I'm doing, or some place where I am. But they're gone in an instant, hopefully memories that will just fade away.

Me too, everything you said. For the first time I can see the light, I may very well be an ex smoker. I never thought (or really wanted) it.

 

[Wildsky]

Congrats, I also tried everything else, smoked for 24 years before a friend suggested an e-cig for an international flight.
I bought my first e-cig in Feb last year, took me a while to get totally off ciggies, but I just hit my 9 month mark totally tobacco free!

 

[Darchand]

I have to love stories like this. Luckily I am fairly young but was becoming more and more addicted but now I am free from a life of addiction to something that would in all ends have probably killed me.

Thank you again for the story it was brilliantly written.

 

[AJMoore]

I have to love stories like this. Luckily I am fairly young but was becoming more and more addicted but now I am free from a life of addiction to something that would in all ends have probably killed me.

Thank you again for the story it was brilliantly written.

You're from the UK, right???

 

[Darchand]

You're from the UK, right???

Not even close.

 

[AJMoore]

How far away am I???

 

[Darchand]

not sure on the actual distance but I am from NM

 

[Poeia]

Albuquerque, Aberdeen -- close enough.

The good thing about NYC prices is that I hit break-even very fast even with some stupid purchases. For example, I decided that I'd like to mix my own to get flavors I'd really like. Now I'm a pretty good cook but I don't cook because I don't enjoy it. And, if I dislike measuring out one cup of this and 2 tablespoons of that, why did I think I'd want to mix stuff by the drop? But I have a lifetime supply of Capella's flavoring and assorted other things to prove that I thought it would be a good idea.

 

[420GypsyGirl]

Yep Leo uses a PV.

Also, Ashley Green (Twilight movie fame)

and Nikki Reed (also Twilight movie fame)

Lindsey Lohan (I think we all know her)

Kate Moss ( we all know her as well I think)

and many other well known people have made the switch and more are every day.

 

[Dwimmerlaik]

Every once in awhile I'm exposed to regular cigs and I always wonder how I ever smoked them for so long (20 yrs.)

I vape just for the flavor now (no nic) and love it!

Thanks Leo for showing bringing the e-cig to a wider audience. Now if only his movies could do such good work!

 

[Poeia]

Update — a year ago yesterday, the mailman brought my 801 to my door and today is my
one-year anniversary.

I know vaping isn't the solution for everyone, but it is for so many of us who had basically "quit trying to quit" that I still consider it a miracle. And many people who post their success stories talk about how easy it was to quit. But no one seems to mention what every new vaper should know:

I never thought not smoking would be more fun than smoking. Sure, being able to breathe better might let me have more fun doing other things, but the process itself is fun. Finding the right PV, discussing flavors with one's fellow vaper's, showing people who express an interest what it's all about … all fun. And I'd like to thank my fellow ECF members for helping to make it that.

BTW, the answer to the right nicotine level for me is 0-6mg. Mostly 6mg right now but, even on stressful days, I'm doing some nic-free vaping.

 

[AJMoore]

I passed the one year mark analog free 4 days ago. Too many benefits to list!

 

[Fudgey]

Congrats Poeia and AJ