Sunday, September 13, 2009

I Wish the Warranty Covered Stupidity

You always have to make sure you have your batteries charged as well as having backups on hand at all times. We veteran e smokers know this and sometimes tend to go overboard on the situation. This leads me to my story of spending a vacation day at the Japanese Festival. Oh yes, I knew I’d be spending the whole day there so I know one maybe two batteries would do; but no, I have a total of three so why not? Charge all those bad boys up and let’s vape away! I knew I wasn’t going to need all of them; one actually would’ve been just fine. I’m just the type of person that always likes to have backups on hand… in anything! Too bad I can’t say that about money.

The festival was great. I took my son to see the taiko drumming and me being a drummer/percussionist myself, I appreciated the rhythms which pulsated across the pavilion. My son; being two, stood there in awe as he watched their arms swinging back and forth banging away at the skins. I think that was the highlight of the festival because; all the other stuff, a two year old didn’t have the attention span to last. We ended up calling it a day a little early because the last events were for people who can sit and be still unlike the other traveler that was with me that day. Trust me; I love my son, but man I just can’t keep up with him. The kid’s mind and body moves a mile a minute.

We got home and I wanted to shower right away because that day was just too humid. I left my clothes in the bedroom and took my shower. After the refreshing shower, I then proceeded to go upstairs realizing my e-cig and batteries were still in my pockets. I walked in the bedroom and noticed that the dirty clothes weren’t there anymore. I asked my wife, “Did you take the clothes downstairs?” And she unfortunately said, “Yeah, I decided to get an early start on the wash before I leave town to visit my relatives.”
I got tunnel vision there for a second and realized that all my vaping efforts, all the hard work to stay off the tobacco, and all the enjoyment of smoking in a healthy way; came to screeching halt. I quickly rushed downstairs to stop the wash and; regrettably, it was too late. All three batteries were soaked in detergent soap and water. Oh boy was I stupid for not taking ALL the contents out of my pockets. Those batteries can go so unnoticed when you’re throwing dirty laundry in the wash.

The very next day I called customer service at the company where I got my e-cig from and explained the situation. I had to order more cartridges anyway so I was going to kill two birds with one shot. The lady was so friendly and of course laughed at the story I had to tell her. She immediately processed my order and had it in the mail that day. This was Tuesday and sure enough I got my two new batteries on Friday and the shipping was free. So what did I do until I got my new batteries? Yep; you guessed it, I bought a pack of smokes. They tasted like crap too because, this wasn’t the smoke that I got used to so quickly. It didn’t have the same fulfillment of my e-cig that I once had.

You know the irony of the story is that of course I had to charge the batteries for a few hours before using them and while I was doing that, I tried the other 3 bad batteries just for grins. I figured they’ve dried out, so why not give them a shot. The first one was actually totally dead, but the other two; to my surprise, lit up like a firefly in the sky. "No way!!!”, I thought to myself. LOL … so now I have four great working batteries. Like I said, I love to have backups on hand. So the moral of the story is to #1, keep track of your batteries! And #2, the batteries aren’t dead until they are dead! By all means ladies and gentleman, happy vaping!

Saturday, August 29, 2009

A Call To Arms Vapers!

In a time when a distant country ruled most of the new lands of North America, 13 separate states formed a government that that would put an end to the tyrannical brute which gave birth to a new country that would eventually open its door to the rest of the world. How did this happen? What happened to cause an empire; that extended its strong arm to the ends of the Earth, gives up and let an infant country rule itself?

Then I heard a raspy voice in the distance utter softly, “E Pluribus Unum”…..” E Pluribus Unum”. It was then, when I realized the FDA is getting its muscle around the electric cigarette industry. For those who don’t know Latin; E Pluribus Unum means, “Out of Many, One.” It was this secret sauce that was added to the recipe of freedom which defeated one of the greatest empires of its time.

The electric cigarette industry is still fairly new and; until recently, many of us never knew of it. It’s the latest craze that people are talking about which caters to mainly the smokers who want to quit, but love to smoke. At least for me it is. With that in mind, we see all of these e-cig companies popping up on ads in search engines. A lot of these companies sell the same product but market it with their own name branded on it. “Oh, this one is better, no no…. that one is the best”. Blah blah blah, but I have to admit what attracted me to the one I have was “CHEAPEST MOST ADVANCED”. And I have not found a cheaper cartridge with a built in atomizer. If you find them cheaper, please let me know.

All of these e-cig companies are riding the wave of discovery to a multibillion dollar industry and everyone wants their piece of the pie. The problem lies for those who already profit off the tobacco and Rx industry; regardless of brand or design, these things are far cheaper than any nicotine replacement therapy or pack of smokes you can buy. Well let me take that back there are cheap packs of smokes that cost about a buck or two and I think the brand name is called Sawdust. Yep, that’s pretty much what you smoke when you go that cheap on the cigs. Some people roll their own and that saves money, but who in the hell wants to spend their evening rolling cigarettes?

Before I discovered the e-cig, I’ve tried almost everything. I even wanted to go to the inhaler. Let’s face it; this probably is the best nicotine replacement there is that that FDA has approved. I don’t know about that because it was too much money for me. “Oh yeah, we’ve got an inhaler too”, says the FDA to us e-smokers. Now check this, for around $45-50 you can get the nicotine inhaler that comes with 42 cartridges. They say, at the beginning you should use as many cartridges as needed. Use at least 6 but no more than 16. Now let’s think about this: If I were to get this inhaler, I would use at least 6 cartridges. That means AT LEAST I’d be spending 45 bucks a week. Knowing me, I’d probably inhale more than that causing it to be more expensive than what I was already spending on cigs. What I spend now on my nicotine inhaler is a little less than 60 bucks a month. Big Pharma wants to rape our pockets of our hard earned money and profit off of probably one of the most effective nicotine replacement devices there is on the market. I also saw another product that is on the verge of FDA approval. It’s this plastic tube filled with goo which contains nicotine. You’re supposed to suck on this to extract the gel which gives you a little nicotine. Apparently, it’s a cherry flavor. First of all, I don’t want to suck on this thing that looks and tastes like candy. The goo crap itself, looks like the stuff you would put in your hair. What I want are my cigarettes! Frustrated and ready to give up hope, I just on a whim typed in the search engine, “electric cigarette”. I had no idea what I would experience from then on. By far and I’m sure I can speak for everyone, this is the best thing for smokers who want to quit, but like to smoke. For me first thing was, just getting off of the tobacco. From there, I’ll then worry about getting off of the nicotine.

Big Pharma, FDA, tobacco companies don’t care if this is the best thing. They don’t care if we quit or get addicted. It’s just a money game and no matter where you go, they’re making money off of us. Now the best thing to do; and you beat everyone in the game, is just quit cold turkey. Sorry, can’t do it. I like smoking too much and when I found this e-cig online, I found that technology is really doing something for us. Yeah, why not make a safer cigarette? How can we do that? What I don’t understand is how in the world a pharmaceutical company can charge an outrageous price for a piece of plastic with some nicotine in it. I just don’t get it. I know, people will say, “Oh they make it just as expensive or more so that way you don’t become easily depended on it. The idea is to get off of the nicotine, not continue to use it.” Sure, nicotine isn’t the best thing for anyone, but neither is caffeine or alcohol and if I choose to consume those products, then I have a right to do so.

So the people involved with this government approved nicotine orgy wants to either do away with e-cigs altogether, or somehow regulate and put their stamp of approval so that way they’re not losing out on any profits. This reminds me about the beginning of this article. E Pluribus Unum. The only way the e-cigs will stay is if we all band together and fight this by saying, “We the people of the E-Cig Community are taxpaying citizens and demand that this product remains on the market. We have independent tests stating that there are no carcinogens in this liquid nicotine, or prefilled cartridges. You have no reason to take this product away from us which has helped thousands of us quit smoking.”

Think about it…. if manufacturers and vendors, drippers and cartridge users, consumers and retailers all join together, we can win this fight. Yeah, that’s right….I’m calling on you Green Smoke!,,, I’m calling on you Blu! I’m calling on Esmoke AND Smoke Fifty-One! I’m calling on Red Dragon, EcigUSA, Njoy, Smart Fixx! Where are you SmokeStick, Unite, NicotineGreen, Crown Seven?! How about you Johnson Creek Smoke Juice, E Liquid, Envy??! Stand up Krave, Green Puffer, Ez Smoker, and Smoke Assassin!!! Don’t just get an independent test and claim you're the best. Stand up together and get legislation and the ECA involved. Who’s got a petition? Is there a website we can log on to and help fight this?! What are people doing about this already? Let us in on it. The bottom line is if we’re doing this individually, then WE WILL lose. It’s just that simple. Let us stand up together and out of many WE SHALL BE ONE!!!

Thank you, ladies and gentlemen for your time and attention to this matter. I want to be free to vape in peace. How about you?

- Bryce

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Hey E-Smokers, Anyone Up For Joining a Quit Smoking Website?! ....

I checked my email the other day and ran across this “Become an EX smoker!”… “You can do it!” banner and knowing it was about people who quit or are quitting, I thought I’d check it out. Why not, right? I could use some support as I hoped I would help others out as well. I scrolled down and looked around at all the different activities I could get involved with. And there it was…. BLOGS…. so I clicked on it which then prompted me to spill my story about how I quit smoking.

I thought to myself, “Oh yeah, now ‘s my chance to tell others about the e-cig!” Since it’s the only thing that got me to where I am today, I had to expel all of what I know about this new device. New that is still, to most cigarette smokers of today.

OK before we go further, I’m sure some of you folks are already thinking, “Oh my god, here he goes again about that freesmokeless site.” But au contraire mon fraire, I can be excited and charismatic about how I quit smoking, but with style and etiquette! So I decided NOT to put anything about where I got it from. I rather just wanted people to know there’s another alternative to just the gum, patches, needles, herbals, expensive inhalers, pills, more pills, and cold turkey (Although I’ve never tried that method because I’m a vegetarian).

So I copied and pasted an earlier entry, “How I Adjusted From Regular Cigs To the Healthier Ones” thinking some of those struggling peeps who love to smoke maybe STILL want to smoke. It might help them consider trying the electric cig rather than going back to those ill fated monsters I call cigarettes. After posting my first blog, I proceeded to pick my next blog to post which was another earlier entry, “FDA Cares More About Your Health or the Lobbyists?” That way; for those who have heard about the e-cig and were nervous about getting one because the FDA deeming them as ‘unhealthy’, perhaps this would set some thought cages at ease.

Feeling satisfied that I’ve done my good deed for the EX smoking community, I proceeded to get back to work because my lunch was coming to an end. It wasn’t long before I started to get comments on the blogs that I had posted. “BING! I got mail”, as they say and sure enough another comment rolled through. Anxious to see what these fellow non smokers had to say, I quickly returned to the site where my blogs sat to an open audience.

“What’s this about a healthier way of smoking? Are you F&*^* nuts?!!”, one kind gentleman said from the supportive ex smoker’s site.

More love came when an 86 year old woman living in Florida gave her encouraging words by saying, “You looser! You haven’t quit anything. Take your e-cigs and shove them up you’re @ss!”

One gentleman showed off his intelligence level by saying, “GO AWAY, WE DON’T WANT YOU!”

Getting the idea by now, I felt like I was on stage doing some vaudeville show and everyone standing up throwing whatever refreshments they had at me. Like Amateur Night at the Apollo just knowing at any moment, Sandman was going to come out and escort me off stage. I felt bad too, because little did I know that this site was geared towards people who didn’t want to have anything to do with nicotine. So out of respect, I kindly withdrew my blogs within hours and that was the end of that.

Were they jealous because I had the best of both worlds? Let’s face it for those who vape can do it anywhere and everywhere. Stand in front of smokers and not be swayed or tempted. Be able to breathe easier because for once in our smoking lives, we could do it without the harmful tobacco and who the hell knows what else they put in those things. Or perhaps they were really pissed that someone came and flaunted this thing that looked, felt, and tasted like the very thing they’ve worked so hard to give up. I was sincerely excited to share my story nonetheless and perhaps I will continue on the search to find other ex smokers who don’t mind me doing nicotine replacement therapy. NRT’s as they say for some, is an effective way to go. For others, perhaps just pulling the band-aid off quickly is the best thing for them because you get the majority of the pain out of the way at the beginning. I don’t know because again, I’m a vegetarian…ya know, the cold turkey thing. Regardless, I have ex smokers who have quit for years; and no matter how they quit, come to me with 'the 1,000 yard stare' and say, “I still to this day, want a cigarette,,,, but uhmm,,,, but it’s not as bad as it was before.”

Wow, now that’s encouraging! Happy vaping everyone!

Sunday, August 16, 2009

How I Adjusted From Regular Cigs To the Healthier Ones

I admit when I first puffed on this e-cig, it was quite eye opening. First of all, obviously it wasn’t a cigarette. I was open minded enough to know that much for sure. The first drag was a little harsh because I’m not used to getting nicotine vaped into my lungs. I have to say though, after those first couple of drags, the eye brows rose and the wrinkles in my forehead climbed leaving a glow on my face and finally, an answer to my prayers. “No way!” I yelled. “This can’t be true!”, I said in doubt. For the first moment of my smoking life I found something that looked like a cigarette, tasted like one, and felt like one.


Tasting like one. Hmm,,, I explained this in an earlier entry; nonetheless, e-cig shoppers new and old like to hear these stories so I’ll continue. Let’s say if you grab an unlit cigarette and take a drag off of it, you’re tasting the tobacco of that brand. So when people say, “Yeah but it’s not a Camel man…it’s not a Camel..” or “I can’t do without a Marlboro..” As for me, I was a Camel Light guy until I quit for a week back in ’04. When I started again, I made sure I switched brands so I smoked American Spirits. I have to admit, those were nice to smoke. “I miss them” I now say as a small tear trickles down my face. I’m ok though, taking one day at a time. With this e-cig it really helps me take my mind off of the real cigs. Now some manufacturers actually have name brand liquid juice or cartridges. To me, it doesn’t matter, tobacco is tobacco and pretty much they all taste like shit. This e-cig is like the good qualities of that tobacco flavor but without all the harsh tar deposits and ashy smell. Let’s admit smokers we f&*^*ing stunk huh? I mean like trying to kiss someone that smoked a cig.. god bless my wife and her patience. She doesn’t smoke and she’s amazed of how far I’ve come along.


Feeling like one. Hmmmm….Well when I smoked regular cigs, I’d wake up and the first thing I’d do is light up a cig. Took that first drag in deeply to make up for all the hours my body has been deprived of nicotine. Ahhhh,,, that burning sensation as the smoke fills the lungs and exhales with a feeling of my spirit lifted off of the ground. That’s what I get every time puff off this e-cig. Pure and simple …end of story,,,,,and now to me as I was weaning myself off the regular cigs, the e-cig actually tasted better.


Looking like one. Hmmm…. Again you have to think about what the e-cig is made of. My two piece model that I got at …cough cough… bleep bleep,,,, zzzzzzz….errrr….eeee ….is only made of a battery and a cartridge with a built in atomizer. So obviously that’s going to be heavier than a real cigarette. Duh???? So again, I knew this before buying ANY e-cig. Geese the three piece models were atrocious with this long FDR looking apparatus hanging from my mouth. Now if I wanted to look like the Penguin from Batman, I’d stick with that because it was the cheapest way to go. But again; if I wanted this to work, I would have to get the one that looked like my old love. So when I tried the one at …..bleep bleep….eeeee…rrrrrr..zzzzzz…… it really fit my needs because it was the closest thing to looking like my love for 15 years. Ya know, quitting smoking is somewhat like breaking up with a significant other, right? I mean think about it, “oh come on,,, one last time…. Just for good o’ times” or “I just want to remember this feeling for the rest of my life”….”I can’t live without you”…. You get the idea. Anyway, like any transition trying to replace the things we once loved with others could be a good thing if you are honest with yourself knowing that it could never be the same as what you had before. Now I admit, using this e-cig fully for a month now has been really liberating. It’s always for the better right? Changes that is… and for me I’m breathing so much better now that I’m using this.


So when I started, a couple of months back, I just smoked regular cigs at home. Since I couldn’t smoke in the house, I started to smoke this e-cig more. I even found it more refreshing than a regular cig. Let’s face remember what I said earlier? Yeah they all (the regular cigs) taste like shit. Anyway, the long and the short of it was I just made the switch. Kissed my fair American Spirits goodbye, knowing I would never be with her ever again. And like with all different phases of life, it’s always for the better. Good luck everyone and hang in there!

Friday, August 14, 2009

FDA Cares More About Your Health or the Lobbyists?

I’m sure all you veteran vaporists know what’s going on with FDA and how they evaluated 19 different e-cig companies in which they found two companies to have known carcinogens. First, we have to take a step back and think about the multi-billion dollar industry with tobacco companies on one side, and Big Pharma (with their nicotine replacement products) on the other. The FDA profits on both ends and so we might even see a false paradigm to where the issue is not really about our health but rather about the almighty dollar. Now, we have a product that costs significantly less (depending on where you buy it) and smokers are flocking to this as THE ticket to salvation from the horrible cancer sticks that have enslaved them for so many years. The FDA is not getting any of that and so stop the press ladies and gentlemen…. THESE E-CIGS ARE NOW BAD …. Cough cough uhmm….until further notice. Until what??? Until these e-cig companies give you money to endorse their product??? Come on FDA, this is so transparent it’s not even funny. And if they do become ordained by the Holy FDA; oh yes ladies and gents, expect our prices to go up.

Although there may be some companies who put other glycols and or chemicals (which may be harmful) in their product; apropos, I know the company I go through just has water, nicotine, and an organic compound called propylene glycol. Don’t believe me, please ask them yourself. PG is known to be commonly used in foods, medicines, and cosmetics. The FDA regards PG as a generally safe product with no adverse reactions. There haven’t been extensive tests on the inhalation of PG; however, I did find one thing out there that was quite interesting. After reading the below article and with the possible stronger H1N1 strain ramping up for flu season (fall / winter), I now actually want to smoke more of this e-cig! No, I will not say where I got it from,,,because again, you all know where I did, and this is not for the purpose to promote or spam, but rather to educate J. Nonetheless; experienced e-smoker or not, hopefully you find this information useful.

The following I found in Time Magazine about a Dr. Oswald Hope Robertson and his three year study on the inhalation of PG. "Air Germicide". TIME. Time, Inc.. 1942-11-16. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,932876,00.html. Retrieved on 2009-05-23.

(I also copied and pasted it in case if you’re like me and too lazy to click on the link)

…A powerful preventive against pneumonia, influenza and other respiratory diseases may be promised by a brilliant series of experiments conducted during the last three years at the University of Chicago's Billings Hospital. Dr. Oswald Hope Robertson last week was making final tests with a new germicidal vapor—propylene glycol—to sterilize air. If the results so far obtained are confirmed, one of the age-old searches of man will finally achieve its goal. The idea of sterilizing the air is not new —London's great fire of 1666, for example, was touched off by the countless fires which townsmen lit to purge the air of plague. Use of chemical sprays to control air contamination was first attempted in 1928 by three doctors who tried a fine mist of sea water containing sodium hypochlorite. This venture gave promising results, but all such research lapsed for another decade. Within the last few years, several research groups (notably the University of Pennsylvania's new Air-Borne Disease Laboratories) again began testing various sprays. Many chemicals were found to kill airborne micro-organisms quickly, even in concentrations as low as one gram of chemical per 500 cu. ft. of air. Trouble was that all these air germicides smelled bad, or were toxic, or irritated the respiratory tract. Dr. Robertson's propylene glycol vapor is odorless, tasteless, nontoxic, non-irritating, cheap, [and] highly bactericidal.

Its discovery was accidental. Dr. Robertson and his colleagues were trying out another possible germicide—a detergent or "soapless soap" (similar to Dreft, Aerosol and other products widely sold for household and industrial use). Water solutions of the detergent were only mildly effective, so the researchers tried solutions of detergents in propylene glycol, which is a sort of thin glycerine. Results were much better. Then the researchers found that the propylene glycol itself was a potent germicide. One part of glycol in 2,000,000 parts of air would—within a few seconds—kill concentrations of air-suspended pneumococci, streptococci and other bacteria numbering millions to the cubic foot.

How did it work? Respiratory disease bacteria float about in tiny droplets of water breathed, sneezed and coughed from human beings. The germicidal glycol also floats in infinitesimally small particles. Calculations showed that if droplet had to hit droplet, it would take two to 200 hours for sterilization of sprayed air to take place. Since sterilization took place in seconds, Dr. Robertson concluded that the glycol droplets must give off gas molecules which dissolve in the water droplets and kill the germs within them.

Dr. Robertson placed groups of mice in a chamber and sprayed its air first with propylene glycol, then with influenza virus. All the mice lived. Then he sprayed the chamber with virus alone. All the mice died. Propylene glycol is harmless to man when swallowed or injected into the veins. It is also harmless to mice who have breathed it for long periods. But medical science is cautious—there was still a remote chance that glycol might accumulate harmfully in the erect human lungs which, unlike those of mice, do not drain themselves. So last June Dr. Robertson began studying the effect of glycol vapor on monkeys imported from the University of Puerto Rico's School of Tropical Medicine. So far, after many months' exposure to the vapor, the monkeys are happy and fatter than ever. Dr. Robertson does not expect mankind to live, like his monkeys, continuously in an atmosphere of glycol vapor; but it should be most valuable in such crowded places as schools and theaters, where most respiratory diseases are picked up…

Hmmmm FDA says PG is generally safe, studies so far suggests benefits,,, ok guys and gals it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. The E-Cig has definitely put a wrinkle in the page of these lobbyists. I really do hope we can continue to vape. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe in a safe product, so before you buy …do your research. I’m glad I did. Happing vaping!!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

In response to the first entry of the E-Cig....

Hi,


There are a lot of questions I'm getting about this product at http://www.freesmokeless.com/. I understand that some may be put off that I'm advertising too much in this blog which is fine, I can respect that.

The purpose was to give my first hand count on how I found the right e-cig for me. Seriously, I've tried the gum, patch, zyban, herbals,,, etc. This is by far the best thing I've found. I really thought and still think that if there was a product that can come close to a cigarette, I’d get it….and I did. Was I the first in line,, come on man it’s just an expression. Cut me some slack, I’m very new to this networking site. Is it a cigarette? No… obviously not. Does it taste like one? Well, in all honestly… it’s the closest thing that does. To give a clearer picture, someone asked… does it REALLY taste like a cig? I simply explained take a fresh back of cigarettes and open them up. Without lighting the cig, take a drag off the unlit cig and you’ll taste the tobacco flavoring etc. To me that’s the best I can describe it and I haven’t tried any other flavors out there, because the purpose for me was to replace the harmful cigs with the healthier ones.

About the guarantee and warranty at http://www.freesmokeless.com/:

Yes if you are not satisfied with the product in any way, simply return the product and you’ll get your money back. This is for those people who want to try it and if they don’t want it,,,for any reason,,, you get your money back so you have nothing to lose. On the warrantee, it does cover the battery since the cartridges are disposable. HOWEVER, I’m sure if you had any faulty cartridges (just by chance, personally haven’t had a problem with them) they’d replace those. If you had a faulty USB charger or wall charger, again… I’m sure they’d replace it. To better direct you, please contact their customer service because I’m not the company and no I do not manufacture these. They are very friendly over there and are very helpful with anything questions or concerns.

Is it really the most advanced?

For those who are experienced e-cig junkies or vapor monkeys like me, we know there has been an evolution of the e-cig as we know it today. That said, a 3 piece e-cig isn’t as advanced as a two piece. Again, you get a fresh atomizer in each cartridge. I don’t know how much more I can explain that the technology is superior. To me that’s better than having to replace the atomizer every so often….right?

Is it the cheapest?

Well it’s the cheapest with the two piece technology. That said, most companies who also offer the two piece technology sell their cartridges more (14-15$ for 5) than the ones at http://www.freesmokeless.com/ which sells theirs 10 for $18.95. Obviously that’s cheaper and I haven’t found a company that sells them cheaper. Remember the built in atomizer cartridges. If you find them cheaper, please let me know! However, I’m not going to order in bulk rate or anything,,, I just don’t have that kind of money lol.

The only three ingredients in the cartridges are water, propylene glycol, and nicotine…

Yes it’s true, ask the manufacturer yourself…. I don’t make these, so if they tell you different or if they are lying, please let me know.

So again, I’m a regular human being that has a day job. I’m not the manufacturer, owner, or whatever. I’m a data analyst and love smoking on the job! :-D Actually, I just wanted to quit cigarettes and this was the best thing out of all of the ones I’ve had before.

I wish anyone who wants to quit smoking,, the best… it worked for me with ease.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Operations Manager Caught Me Smoking!

Ohhhhh yes smoking anywhere with this electric cigarette or e-cig if you will, is so cool. I was walking out of a meeting and the Operations Mgr. from his office saw this thing light up and asked, "(*&(& are you doing?!" Obviously everyone at work knows that I smoked but not everyone knew I quit with this electric cigarette from http://www.freesmokeless.com/. I gladly explained to him what this was and that it doesn't involve tobacco and it was water vapor coming out of my mouth. Funny isn't it? I mean like I'm sure anyone would want to pick up one of these just to see what the boss's boss would say. Cool huh? Well anyway,,, the long and the short of it was that he ended up congratulating me on quitting smoking and thought it was the coolest thing. He used to smoke too, but used auricular therapy and for him that worked. As for me,,,, I likessss to smoke. And, if there ever was a product that tasted, felt, and obviously looked like a cigarette,,,,, I'd be the first to buy it. People just do your research... I want everyone to get the most bang for their buck. Nowhere else I've found it to be cheaper. http://www.freesmokeless.com/ ... the cheapest most advanced e-cig electric cigarette around. If you find it cheaper,,, reply! lol good luck everyone!