Nice post Ludicrum,
I'm glad your Mom is taking to it so well, and I hope your Dad takes the plunge too.
Fact is, and no getting around it, the longer you smoke and the older you get the greater the chances are that you will develop a smoking related illness. Very few people get away with this behavior with no ill effects.
I know. I lost my husband to lung cancer a couple of years ago. If ecigs had been available years ago, I do believe he would have been able to get off cigs and might still be here. Keep encouraging your parents, and I hope it works well for them. You're doing a GREAT thing!