I didn't have a lot of time to post much details earlier, so here's more of my story, and recommendations for others wanting to go to electronic...
Yeah, Bad Santa, for anyone who's trying or quit tobacco completely, do what ever works. I tried cigarest the first time around, back in the late 80's (not sure if you can even buy that anymore)...quit 3 years. Did the Nicoderm CQ patches for 11 weeks...3 months later I was back on the smoke.Tried a few other programs as well, with very short-lived results. About 8 years ago I was smoking based on the time of day...started at 1 hour intervals, then 1-1/4 hours, all the way to 2+ hours...was working well to cut-back, but I moved too fast into the 2-hr interval and was already suffering from withdrawal, then got stressed-out and went back to almost 1-1/2 packs/day...GRRR!!!!
Anyway, I decided that instead of quitting all together, I'd go electronic. I dumped the nasties, but am still chemically dependent...I can live with that for now, as the only real down-side of nicotine is that it can elevate your heart-rate a little (mine is always normal anyway, as well as my blood-pressure) and it can reduce the body's ability to heal itself after an injury or illness that causes tissue or organ damage. That was 3 years ago when I took the first real step towards an ecig...as long as I had supplies, I was smoke-free. Now, I have a steady supply of liquid and replacement parts, I'm using a more reliable system and have been tobacco-free for 20 months straight, and counting, without any worries of relapse. As soon as I start using ecigs, I stop smoking...no dilly-dallying around with just cutting back by using an ecig now and then...it's all or nothing for me. When I vape, I don't smoke, plain and simple...but that is my personal commitment and resolution that I can follow through with. Every other method I tried to stop smoking met me with limited success, as I didn't (and still don't) have the will and determination to stay with it (I enjoyed smoking, a lot). Electronic cigarettes do what I need right now, until I decide I don't want to mess with them anymore...maybe in a couple more years, maybe in a couple more months, I'll drop all use of anything to with nicotine, but for now, I'm not planning on quitting, just staying with the program I'm on and rolling with it. I've probably saved over $800.00/yr with ecigs vs tobacco. A 2.5-3 month supply of eliquid costs me $68.00 now, compared to around $625.00 - $750.00 for cancer sticks. Replacement parts, batteries, etc are minimal costs, and usually are less than $10.00/mo, average.
EGo is my current brand...inexpensive and reliable...other brands I've tried became money-pits, eventually...batteries crashing on regular intervals, etc. The eGo has a variety of batteries and clearomizers to fit most any one's needs...I was using the CE4, but due to not being able to do much with them when they malfunctioned or became inoperable, I now am using two T3 bottom coil clearomizers (no wicks to foul or scorch), and I have replacement coils for each, if needed (these are a lower resistance coil, so are expected to last longer). It's high enough liquid reserve to last most of the day, and I'm a heavy user, and while using the CE4 I was vaping-up 2-3 fills/day (about 2 ml, average). A 650 mAhr battery will last me all day when my system is working properly and efficiently. You can't beat the tank/atomizer combination, IMHO (commonly referred to as a tankomizer). I tried a mini tank system for over a year (Vapor King E-Tank), but the leakage from them, even with the silicone plug modification, is down-right messy, wasteful and annoying, plus battery and tank capacity are severely limited. I had 5 batteries for this set-up, and two chargers, one running pretty much non-stop...not a good system for a heavy user like me.
I'm sure there are plenty of other brands that compare to the eGo, but as long as you have high capacity batteries, that's the key to being able to use it all day on the go without having a battery in a charger 24/7, like I used to do. Tank capacity, well, if you don't like to refill several times each day, then get bigger tanks. The CE4 is a good starter, being easy to refill, but reliability and durability due to the basic design (has o-rings which are sensitive to improper torque when assembled after refilling) and sensitivity to shocks from dropping, etc, became an issue for me. Also, the coils don't last very long, in my experience (2-4 weeks) So, when the sales person offered me the T3 and explained their capability (I also researched all of clearomizers they had available on-line), I grabbed 2 plus spare coils, and also grabbed one CE4 just for those occasions when I may want a smaller package, but will also have less risk of subjecting it to harsh treatment/abuse, as is common for me while I'm working.
By comparison, the T3 is a 2.4 ml capacity (they sell bigger ones, but who would need it???) and the CE4 is 1.6 ml capacity. The T3 should last me all day with one fill-up, while the CE4 only takes me about 1/2 the day or less to vape it up.
Best wishes to any and all trying to quit smoking. Try any method that you think will work for you, but if your situation is similar to mine, just grab an ecig kit. Research the brands and types before you buy, and read the reviews from users. There are tons of hyped-up brands, some with high-dollar pricing...just rememebr that the mini-types (just larger than a real cig) are for limited use only. An ecig will get you off tobacco as long as you make the commitment to use it faithfully. I have absolutely zero desire to pick up smoking again, but without an ecig in my pocket, I probably would relapse again in short order...I don't have the discipline for it to last...if I did, I never would have started smoking back when I was 14, or whenever it was, and been struggling to quit since. If you choose to go the ecig route, get a system that will work for you in your individual situation to keep you in the groove, because there's nothing worse than going through repeated episodes of nicotine withdrawal while your system is malfunctioning or you run out of supplies (been there, too many times). I drive for a living, so getting drowsy while I'm at work is not an option, if you catch my drift.
Oh, and I have no affiliation with the eGo products, I'm just a happy and satisfied customer.
Remember, the only good cigarette is the one you didn't smoke.
Vape on!
Eric
