I remember the first time I saw someone trying to quit smoking with a vape . I thought, “Oh what, another stupid tool that will make me addicted instead of actually helping me quit.” It seemed like another lame excuse for why you can’t quit. I thought, “no one is that weak, if you want to quit, just quit!”
Vape seems like a very foreign concept.
That’s the answer I always give to anyone who tries to convince me that vapes actually work and taste great. “No way,” I say, “They can’t be much better.”
The thing is, I’ve been a heavy smoker since I was 16 and I absolutely loved it. I just wanted cigarettes, not some weird tube-shaped thing in my mouth. When I decided to quit, I didn’t find it difficult. For me, it was as simple as smoking, wanting to quit, and quitting. And that’s what I did. I didn’t need any extra tools, I just stopped buying cigarettes and skipped vaping altogether.
I drank alcohol and smoked cigarettes
But it happened: I went out drinking with some friends who were still smoking and had a few cigarettes, because I knew I could quit or just smoke occasionally socially. But no, before I knew it, I was hooked again and couldn’t quit. Suddenly I was weak, I tried patches, gum, books and even hypnotherapy. I was smoking twenty cigarettes a day, and I couldn’t stop myself. I felt ashamed and a little broke (£9.50 a day is not an easy amount of money for most people).
Every morning I felt helpless, my hand reaching for a cigarette faster than making coffee. As I slid down the path of self-destruction, I realized that I really liked the feeling of smoking. I didn’t like the taste and smell it left on my clothes, but I was so addicted to it that the things around me no longer mattered.
Smoking is fun
I love to exhale big clouds of smoke, I find it sexy and relaxing, and even though I know what it’s doing to my body and my budget, I can’t stop. The morning coughs are back, my closet smells of cigarettes, I always carry perfume in my bag. But I keep smoking. There has to be another solution.
Why couldn't I enjoy the social aspect of smoking without smelling like an ashtray while constantly worrying about killing myself? And so I figured, of course there was another way, and that was vaping.
So I decided to give vaping a chance, I was a little jealous because my date was also “smoking” (I know I should call it vaping, but I didn’t know the difference yet) and he still smelled so good! So I decided to give vaping a chance and have never looked back. I vape, I smell good and the coughs and embarrassment are gone!
There are many flavors.
I can enjoy many flavors
I can enjoy strawberry ice cream and apple pie with banana cream. There’s cola, mint and chocolate, and there are so many more flavors to choose from. I feel like I’m having a delicious treat every time I take a puff on the couch, or even while reading in bed. I don’t have to sneak out anymore, because my non-smoking friends are happy for me to vape in their homes because the vape doesn’t leave a bad smell. They even tell me that the vape smells really nice in their homes.
I have switched to vaping. I love it and I don’t have to compromise on anything. I can do what I like without worrying about how it affects others. Now it is time for me to sincerely apologize to the vapers I have criticized.
