Ricketts

As a newbie, I become quickly mired in the continuum of accessories, tastes and flavors advocated by E-Cig users when all I'm searching for are simple, personal opinions, preferably from older, veteran smokers. Primarily, other than menthol, I can't grasp the captivation for strawberry, chocolate, banana, and myriad other flavors. Are we talking cigarette smokers opting for a healthier choice or, are we competing with Baskin & Robbins? I drink Scotch but not with chocolate syrup. I've been smoking longer than most of you have been alive, perfectly satisfied with the flavor of tobacco.

Anatomy of a Veteran Smoker: In about a month, I hope to celebrate my 79th birthday. Among my memorabilia, I have an engraved Ronson cigarette lighter given to me by my parents as a graduation gift. That is, my 8th grade graduation. Yes, an avowed smoker for some 70 years.

Physical Condition: Small frame, 5'8”, 145 pounds. Suffered pneumonia at age 14, once again at age 36, but have not had a cold or influenza in over 40 years. Other than a topical cream for mild plaque psoriasis, I use absolutely no drugs/meds, and my doc claims he knows of no other senior my age who is med-free. Annual physicals have been consistently excellent. I'm food-apathetic, caring less about what it is, how it's prepared, and consider eating a waste of time. My love is chocolate -in any form and lots of it. Until two years ago, I abhorred and avoided anything remotely resembling exercise. Then, for some odd reason, I bought a WalMart $89.00 bicycle and have religiously ridden it for 5-8 miles every other day. In a nutshell, I've been blessed with remarkable health.

Profile: Never been a heavy smoker, averaging some 25 cigarettes a day. I'm a neat smoker, not smoking in homes or cars. Other than a few vague attempts at quitting, cigarettes have been a welcome and integral part of my life, by far, my very best friends, standing by and with me through any and all of life's ups and downs. Five years ago, in a dedicated effort to stop, the wife and I sought the services of a hypnotist. After the session, the wife hasn't touched a cigarette since, sensitive to even the smell. Me? I couldn't wait to get outside and light up. Quitting is simple if one wants to quit; knowing that one should doesn't cut it -she wanted to quit; I didn't. There was, however, an uptick to her cessation. I decided to cut down, and have held my fags to about 10 a day for this five years. No, it wasn't an economy move, my cigarettes are imported at $2.00 per pack, but my last physical indicated emerging signs of COPD. No surprise. After all, despite light smoking and drastically cutting back, so many long years have pushed the old lungs to the limit, and no amount of cutting back -even quitting entirely- can reverse the damage. But, just maybe, I can hold the beast at bay a little longer with E-Cigs.

Before jumping in, I tediously researched the effects of tobacco, nicotine and it's effective agents -Nitrosamines, acetylcholine, norepinephrine, vasopressin, histamine, serotonin, dopamine, autocrine, beta-endorphin, and all the other ill-sounding particles. Rewarding information.

Personal conclusion: E-Cigs are a viable and much healthier substitute for cigarettes. I began my adventure on 9/21/12, using 24 mg disposable cartridges, now trying 16mg cartridges, and smoking but 1-2 cigarettes a day which I hope to soon eliminate. Surprisingly, it hasn't been anywhere near as stressful as I anticipated. For those having real difficulty, pay heed to previous comments: Hang in there, it gets better each day.

A word of caution: For those who fear upcoming FDA reports, take their “expert” opinions with a grain of salt. The FDA is a puppet, at best a joke, fraught with fallacies and untruths spurned by government control. Want proof? Every day, 3000 young people become regular smokers, 6000 teens under 18 smoke their first cigarette, and more than 1000 adults die prematurely as a result of an adolescent decision. Clearly, a problem to be addressed. Remember the November 1998 multi-state tobacco settlement, estimated at $246 billion over the first 25 years, that was to attack the enormous public health problems posed by tobacco use in the U.S.? And how's that working for us? Well, as of November 30, 2011, states have cut funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs to the lowest level since 1999, the very first year they received settlement funds. Fiscal Year 2012 will collect $25.6 billion in revenue from the tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes, but will spend only 1.8 % of it ($456.7 million), less than two cents of every dollar in tobacco revenue to fight tobacco use. No complaints from the FDA! Uncle Sam has absolutely no interest in your health or well being, only in your money. So, E-Cig fans can look forward to being taxed and regulated to death but don't give up the ship. Fight it.

As a newbie, I become quickly mired in the continuum of accessories, tastes and flavors advocated by E-Cig users when all I'm searching for are simple, personal opinions, preferably from older, veteran smokers. Primarily, other than menthol, I can't grasp the captivation for strawberry, chocolate, banana, and myriad other flavors. Are we talking cigarette smokers opting for a healthier choice or, are we competing with Baskin & Robbins? I drink Scotch but not with chocolate syrup. I've been smoking longer than most of you have been alive, perfectly satisfied with the flavor of tobacco.

Anatomy of a Veteran Smoker: In about a month, I hope to celebrate my 79th birthday. Among my memorabilia, I have an engraved Ronson cigarette lighter given to me by my parents as a graduation gift. That is, my 8th grade graduation. Yes, an avowed smoker for some 70 years.

Physical Condition: Small frame, 5'8”, 145 pounds. Suffered pneumonia at age 14, once again at age 36, but have not had a cold or influenza in over 40 years. Other than a topical cream for mild plaque psoriasis, I use absolutely no drugs/meds, and my doc claims he knows of no other senior my age who is med-free. Annual physicals have been consistently excellent. I'm food-apathetic, caring less about what it is, how it's prepared, and consider eating a waste of time. My love is chocolate -in any form and lots of it. Until two years ago, I abhorred and avoided anything remotely resembling exercise. Then, for some odd reason, I bought a WalMart $89.00 bicycle and have religiously ridden it for 5-8 miles every other day. In a nutshell, I've been blessed with remarkable health.

Profile: Never been a heavy smoker, averaging some 25 cigarettes a day. I'm a neat smoker, not smoking in homes or cars. Other than a few vague attempts at quitting, cigarettes have been a welcome and integral part of my life, by far, my very best friends, standing by and with me through any and all of life's ups and downs. Five years ago, in a dedicated effort to stop, the wife and I sought the services of a hypnotist. After the session, the wife hasn't touched a cigarette since, sensitive to even the smell. Me? I couldn't wait to get outside and light up. Quitting is simple if one wants to quit; knowing that one should doesn't cut it -she wanted to quit; I didn't. There was, however, an uptick to her cessation. I decided to cut down, and have held my fags to about 10 a day for this five years. No, it wasn't an economy move, my cigarettes are imported at $2.00 per pack, but my last physical indicated emerging signs of COPD. No surprise. After all, despite light smoking and drastically cutting back, so many long years have pushed the old lungs to the limit, and no amount of cutting back -even quitting entirely- can reverse the damage. But, just maybe, I can hold the beast at bay a little longer with E-Cigs.

Before jumping in, I tediously researched the effects of tobacco, nicotine and it's effective agents -Nitrosamines, acetylcholine, norepinephrine, vasopressin, histamine, serotonin, dopamine, autocrine, beta-endorphin, and all the other ill-sounding particles. Rewarding information.

Personal conclusion: E-Cigs are a viable and much healthier substitute for cigarettes. I began my adventure on 9/21/12, using 24 mg disposable cartridges, now trying 16mg cartridges, and smoking but 1-2 cigarettes a day which I hope to soon eliminate. Surprisingly, it hasn't been anywhere near as stressful as I anticipated. For those having real difficulty, pay heed to previous comments: Hang in there, it gets better each day.

A word of caution: For those who fear upcoming FDA reports, take their “expert” opinions with a grain of salt. The FDA is a puppet, at best a joke, fraught with fallacies and untruths spurned by government control. Want proof? Every day, 3000 young people become regular smokers, 6000 teens under 18 smoke their first cigarette, and more than 1000 adults die prematurely as a result of an adolescent decision. Clearly, a problem to be addressed. Remember the November 1998 multi-state tobacco settlement, estimated at $246 billion over the first 25 years, that was to attack the enormous public health problems posed by tobacco use in the U.S.? And how's that working for us? Well, as of November 30, 2011, states have cut funding for tobacco prevention and cessation programs to the lowest level since 1999, the very first year they received settlement funds. Fiscal Year 2012 will collect $25.6 billion in revenue from the tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes, but will spend only 1.8 % of it ($456.7 million), less than two cents of every dollar in tobacco revenue to fight tobacco use. No complaints from the FDA! Uncle Sam has absolutely no interest in your health or well being, only in your money. So, E-Cig fans can look forward to being taxed and regulated to death but don't give up the ship. Fight it.