Married to a Vaper (The True Story of John Turner)
I started smoking at 20, and by the time I was 40, I was a serious smoker, smoking at least two packs a day. Over the years, I tried every method that people said would help me quit smoking: Nicorette, Chantix, cold turkey, etc. But none of them worked. I would literally go crazy if I didn’t touch a cigarette for a week.
In 2012, I fell in love with Kari, a beautiful writer I was working on a project with. Things were going well, we were really into each other, there was only one big barrier between us – 5,000 km. Kari lived in LA, and I lived in Florida. But despite that, we loved each other very much. We visited each other a few times a month, and talked on the phone every night.
I confessed to her right after she said yes to me that I was a smoker, and that Kari hated cigarettes more than anything, especially the smell, and never liked the sight of dirty ashtrays around her. That was it! So every time I visited Kari, I had to buy disposable e-cigarettes for the time I was with her. The problem was, it didn't do much to curb my cravings. It might have helped in the short time I was with Kari, but every time she left, I would go crazy and grab a pack of cigarettes and smoke eight cigarettes in one sitting.
After about a year, Kari and I decided to take the next step towards marriage. I agreed to move to LA, and we started planning our future together. And one of the most serious topics we talked about was my drug addiction. I told her that I had cut back (which was partly true) and that I would quit as soon as I moved to LA.
Then Kari said something that made my heart skip a beat, with all her love for me, and also fear: "If we are together for the rest of our lives, I want to be with you for a very long time. But if you keep smoking, every cigarette you smoke will shorten the time you live with me by one day, do you want that to happen?"
That was the moment I knew I had to quit. But how? God knows, I couldn’t, despite my best efforts. As the day of departure drew closer, and I had already bought a one-way ticket to LA, my anxiety grew—and on top of that, my anxiety about smoking grew. (And what does a smoker do to relieve stress? I smoked more....)
A few months before moving to LA, I stopped by a local vape shop and bought the cheapest vape: a small, disposable kit similar to the ones I used to buy. And like before, it didn’t do much. True, I was able to cut back a bit, but I still had to smoke two or three every morning with my coffee.
Really frustrated, I went back to the previous vape shop for advice.
The salesman said:
Listen, man, if you really want to quit, get a vape. He pointed to one with a display. "This tank will help you do that. I used to be like you - I used to smoke over two packs a day - but when I started focusing on vaping, and just vaping, I quit. I haven't touched a cigarette in over two years."
So I took it home and tried it...and slowly...he was right. As I vaped, the cravings for cigarettes gradually disappeared. By the time I got closer to my departure, I was down to only smoking 2-3 cigarettes a day - a miracle beyond my imagination.
On November 8, 2014, I had been smoke-free for almost 4 months. Not long after moving in with Kari, I realized that a week had passed without a cigarette. Then 2 weeks...3 weeks...and then I lost count. If someone had asked me if I wanted to smoke again, my answer would have been a resounding: No!
Three weeks ago, at a Jazz club, I proposed to Kari. And she said yes. Everyone in the club applauded when they saw me get down on one knee and propose. Then, when Kari went to the bathroom, I congratulated myself by stepping outside the designated smoking area, and vaping with all the happiness that was flowing.
Photo: John and Kari at the proposal ceremony.
