I started smoking off and on during after-school workouts at the Muay Thai gym I trained at. I was 16 and stupid, but I saw these Thai champion fighters who smoked and had endurance way beyond what I thought possible, so I actually started smoking thinking it would make me stronger. After that, I was always saying things like "I haven't been smoking that long" and always buying one pack at a time. Something about buying a carton, even after all these years; THAT would make me a smoker, so I never did it. The things your mind lies to you about to justify absurd notions! About the same time I also began chewing tobacco, which was really disgusting and made me sick to my stomach. Yet I continued on, because these things would make me "tough".
I was up to smoking a pack of Newport 100's a day. Before one field op, I actually bought 15 individual packs. Because, as you know, I couldn't buy a carton

I successfully quit around 2000 or so, and it lasted until mid-2002. I was prescribed Buproprion and did some on-base smoking cessation classes, and it worked! Being constantly surrounded by tobacco in the military is very difficult if you're trying to quit; there are so many allocations given to smokers and chewers that it was a matter of time before anyone who had quit threw in the towel. After all, the joke goes, "nobody likes a quitter". Haw haw.
I was smoking a pack a day of Swisher Sweet Little Cigars in the "Strawberry" flavor from about 2005 on. Those are just brown cigarettes, with a different tax code (read: cheaper) and probably just as bad if not worse than any other tobacco product. I tried the Veteran's Administration once I got out, and went through a routine I knew had worked before (21mg/14mg patches and Bupropion). Only I didn't stay "quit". My "quit" times totaled maybe 18 to 24 months out of the last 17 years, so I wasn't doing good with other treatments. I even tried the state program to quit (patches and gum this time) and again, I failed. My wife hated the way I smelled, my kids kept saying they couldn't stand to have me hug them-so I tried to "solve" it by washing my hands up to my elbows and carrying mints, chewing gum, and cologne.
Then one day a few months ago I was in 7-11 and I saw a display for "NJoy". For about the same price as a pack of my Newports, the signage said I was getting over two packs worth of nicotine. Well, why not, I thought? I bought the highest nicotine rating in menthol (1.8%) and was instantly amazed at how cool it was! It looked like a cigarette, had a glowing "ember" on the end that lit up when you inhaled, and actually felt like I was smoking a cigarette!
That first week I was still smoking my Swishers, and when the battery died on my first NJoy, I went back and bought another. I used it at my desk at work, and thought it would be cool to have when I didn't have time to go outside for a proper smoke break. When the second NJoy died, I was actually at a local liquer store when I saw they had a e-cig "kit" for sale. I think the brand was "Majestic" or something, and the price seemed ok. I picked it up, took it home, and less than 24 hours later the end of the battery melted in a puff of acrid smoke and melting electronics.
Undaunted, I went to my local Circle K to see about their selections. At this point I was
still smoking, but I noticed that I literally cut my usage in half. I was on to something, and I didn't want to mess up another chance to quit. I picked up a disposable menthol by "FIN", and even though it was a few dollars more than the NJoy, it tasted much better. The end of this e-cig even glowed white! Thus making it easier to explain away as an e-cig than the NJoy, as the NJoy looked a little
too real to some people at work.
After one disposable FIN, I bought their "kit". Which I shouldn't have done, because even though it was the best-tasting so far, there was only one battery. The refill box was a little steep, too, but my cigarette usage had disappeared completely! Then, the first of many FIN battery failures happened: one battery went up in smoke while charging on the USB cable, the second arrived by FedEx (they had great customer service, I'll give them that) and then the atomizer broke. Then the third one's atomizer got stuck in a refill cartridge. Then the backup battery I purchased simply stopped charging after a couple days. I had to give up on FIN, and I switched to the other one of Circle K's offerings: 21st Century.
Now, I still have my 21C kit. I have three batteries, two chargers, and probably about a half dozen menthol cartomizers. I was reluctant about going into the "serious" e-cigs as I simply didn't know where to start. The readings I did were confusing; sure I could get a "kit", but the prices were over double what I would have paid for a new kit from the convenience store! What if I got the wrong kit? What if it didn't work like the FIN, where I enjoyed it but the hardware simply kept failing?
I was scheduled for surgery in July, as I was hit by a drunk driver over Memorial Day weekend. I used the time I spent off work reading, and reading, and reading some more. I finally came to the conclusion that I would get an eGo-T starter kit, keep my initial orders to local companies, and if everything worked out I would go from there. It's been about six weeks now, and I simply love it!
I only wish I hadn't have taken such a long time finding out about these "serious" e-cigs and vaporizers. I wasted a lot of money before I ordered my eGo-T, and I'd hate to see anyone else missing out on the opportunity to quit smoking. Not just quitting, but even
enjoying what I call my new "hobby"!