If you have an inquiring mind I'd encourage you to continue getting comfortable with doing some of your own research and being able to ferret out what constitutes valid sources. While I totally enjoy reading about personal real-life experiences there is also value in reputable studies. I also find I often learn something unexpected that I wasn’t even considering when I'm searching on a topic.

Google Scholar is our friend.

Sadly on message boards there can be a tendency to elevate someone who writes in an authoritative manner and my real interest lies in evaluating their sources and knowing their background before I crown someone an arm chair expert. :wink:

The E-cigs have not been proven to be bad for you. It's all conjecture, mostly from the tobacco conglomerate/FDA partnership.:rolleyes:

As far as tobacco smoke with or without nicotine, hurting you, look at how it coats your home with a yucky dirty coat. Same thing coating your lungs. It may not be as harmfull to all, as they say it is , but I decided I didn't want it coating me nor my surroundings anylonger.

You're right, you're going to find the pros, cons, scams, truths and lies about everything, when you check Online. But so far, unless Uncle Sam jumps in:mad:, it's still your choice....Do what is right for you, not your neighbor!!

I haven't had a cigarette for 21 years...and smoked only a pack a week max.

And I STILL miss it...but I promised I wouldn't smoke ever again...

You'd think I would have never begun after watching my dad die on the kitchen floor of a heart attack when I was 17 and having my mom die of lung cancer when I was 20. My older sis just died of a heart attack after resuming smoking...

But wisdom isn't easy to come by, I guess...

My advice would be to get off of the cancer sticks. Try this: find photos of rotted, diseased lungs. Imagine them inside of your ribcage. Think of what the effects of dying of a tobacco-induced disease will do to those who love you.
cigarette smoking is a very difficult addiction to kick, but well worth it...especially for our loved ones!!

I watched my sister die a horrible death at age 37 due to a brain aneurysm. They couldn't get her blood pressure under control because without cigarettes, her pressure went through the roof. So she died young two weeks after getting very ill, all related to smoking. I quit shortly after her funeral.

My sister in law died from lung cancer, literally drown in her own disease before our eyes. :( My brother still smokes after seeing and experiencing that. We know that smoking is very bad for us.

My 40 year old niece quit after a diagnosis of throat cancer, she survived the treatment, but she has no tastebuds left because of the radiation treatment.

It was hard for me to quit because I really, really enjoyed it too. But I had to choose between smoking and life. I didn't want to leave my children behind.

If you make a plan and quit we will support you here, we are a good support network here. :)

I have burning mouth syndrome. While it's uncertain WHY I have this, it's suspected to be due to a brain stem lesion from my MS.

I've had it since 2007, it's dreadful, but it's controlled by medications and eased by chewing gum, drinking fluids, etc.

Long story short, before I found 'solutions' to ease the discomfort and pain, I was a 2 pack a day smoker. I had smoked from age 18 to age 31. Then I met my now husband, a non smoker.

I distinctly remember sitting outside my apartment building one night, puffing back another smoke. Agony with this burning mouth, newly diagnosed with MS, about to go and actually meet this man (future hubby) who I'd only seen photos of who I knew would NEVER date a smoker (hello incentive! lol) and I guess it was just that 'moment' I needed to finally quit.

It was all so clear, and I just did it. I finished that cigarette and quit, cold turkey.

Nearly relapsed, but I quit and quit for good. Not a puff since. Not even a thought of going back to it. I had started taking Clonazepam for the burning mouth situation just prior to deciding to quit. I found out later than it's a medication that's sometimes used to help people quit smoking.

Go figure, it had never been that easy before! So a win win situation for me I guess, because the medication was beginning to help with the mouth pain and I managed to quit.

Best decision of my life = quitting the dirty ciggies. Best of luck to those who decide to go ahead with it, it's not easy to quit. Anyone who's smoked for any period of time knows this. :grouphug: