From the YouTube channel Vapers Helping Smokers to Quit, a project run by Dr. Christopher Russell at the Centre for Substance Use Research in the UK, we have a personal story out of West Virginia. The video (shown below) shows us a 36-year old female named Jenni Sigler, who describes briefly her transition from smoking cigarettes to vaping. She explains what worked, what hasn’t and offers some advice for those smokers who have a serious drive to quit cigarettes. She understands that by telling her personal story and spreading her knowledge about vaping, that it will help those who are looking for the proper information that leads them towards a path of transitioning.
She was a smoker since the age of 12. She has tried quitting cigarettes with nicotine patches, nicotine gum, homeopathic remedies, drugs, cold turkey and even therapy; none of it worked. She wanted to quit for the obvious reasons; she felt like she was in bad health, it was expensive, the smoke odor and ashes lingered everywhere, cigarettes even burned holes on clothing and other surfaces, etc…
So after 21 years of smoking, without any success in quitting (even after trying multiple methods), she came across e-cigarettes – specifically, cigalikes, at the age of 33. She gave them a try and was not a fan to say the least. But it was a step in the right direction, which would ultimately lead her to purchase other electronic devices that she would then try, until she finally found one that worked for her. In the time of purchasing different devices and figuring out which ones worked for her the best, she put in the work. She also accumulated a lot of vaping supplies along the way. But, it was necessary hard work and dedication that would lead to her being smoke-free, something that she was striving for for a long time.
It has been three years since Jenni picked up a cigarette. And it was vaping only that helped her accomplish that. For her, smoking was always there in times of stress; that’s typically when she would pick up a cigarette. Now, she chooses vaping. During the three years of vaping, she has tapered off nicotine levels, with the end goal of ceasing any nicotine intake at all and vaping altogether.
She stresses that during the transition of smoking to vaping, you may go through these stages in finding whats most suitable for you. For instance, switching or upgrading devices and changing the flavors of e-juice you vape. It is all part of the adventure to reach your goal of truly being content with vaping over smoking. There is also a learning curve with vaping. She recommends finding a friend who vapes to gain a better understanding of vaping, and/or spending some time down at a local vape shop. Feel free to just ask questions to familiarize yourself. She explains that when she finally found the right device she would get the same sensation as smoking. It wasn’t only the nicotine intake, but also the “throat hit” that you get from smoking, and the feeling of vapor being inhaled and exhaled sort of simulated the feeling of doing the same with smoke, in smoking cigarettes.
Currently, being smoke free, Jenni doesn’t fear the health complications that come with cigarettes. She also feels much better physically. She used to get throat infections, ear infections, etc… Now she doesn’t get sick anywhere close to as often as she once did. The tar, the smoke and the countless chemicals in cigarettes are not found in vaping products. E-juices for vaping only contain a few ingredients, such as: propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin and natural/artificial flavorings.
There you have it! Another successful story of a smoker using vaping as an alternative.
Included below is the video of Jenni telling her story.
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