I was a 3/4 pack/day smoker for 23 yrs. I was acutely aware of how bad it was for me but never thought I'd be able to quit. The methods I was aware of, at the time, (ie, gum, patch, drugs, hypnosis and accupuncture) did not appeal to me in the least. I was pretty helpless until, one night back in May 2009, I happened to be in earshot of the TV, where I heard part of a "60 minutes" segment all about the electronic cigarette. Well, I got instantly psyched and made a b-line for my computer where I feverishly began researching. I had the extreme good fortune of stumbling into this forum, rather quickly, and made my first purchase that very same night. The rest is history and the best decision of my life!!