South Africa

I start smoking from a young age, was hooked and could not see myself without the smoking it is part of me and who I' am. 24 years later my children was born and could not let them inhale the same smoke that I had as a child and also develop the same edictions I had. My goal was to change my behaviour and not set an example how to start smelling like an ashtray and think it is right to be like that and sit with all the same closed chest and health problems I sit with while smoking.

To stop smoking cigarettes, I have tried cold turkey, Nicorette gum, Nicotine patches and hypnosis. Since vaping started to take off in South Africa I tried that and is the only thing that helped. Never wanted to quit smoking completely, just quit cigarettes. I still vape today and feel younger and healthier than I did 12 years ago!

I started smoking cigarettes in 2016. At first, it was honestly just part of growing up. I was young, trying to fit in, trying to be cool, and somewhere along the way, smoking just became normal to me. But I eventually realised something had changed. It started with one cigarette here and there. Then it became a cigarette when I woke up, after a meal, before bed. And whenever life got stressful, my first thought was, “I need a cigarette.” Without even realising it, I had become dependent on something I once thought I was in control of. From 2016 to 2019, I managed to completely stop smoking. I remember feeling like I had finally broken free from it. Then 2020 came, lockdown happened, life changed, and I found myself going back to cigarettes on and off till the beginning of this year. I would stop, then life would get difficult, and somehow I would find myself reaching for a cigarette again. And that cycle taught me something important: it wasn’t always about the cigarette. A lot of it was in my mind. I had convinced myself that I needed a cigarette whenever I was stressed, overwhelmed, or going through something. Eventually, I had to ask myself, “Why am I still giving this thing control over me?” That was the moment I decided I needed to take my power back. I chose to move away from cigarettes and, for my own journey, I turned to vaping instead. Since the beginning of this year, I haven’t smoked a cigarette. And one of the biggest things I’ve noticed is the change in my mindset. I’m not constantly thinking about when I’m going to have my next cigarette. I don’t feel like I need it to get through a difficult moment anymore. I also started going to the gym, exercising and taking better care of myself. And slowly, I started feeling like I was becoming more in control of my own life again. I’m not saying my journey is perfect. I’m just proud that today, cigarettes don’t control me the way they once did. For me, quitting wasn’t just about putting down a cigarette. It was about taking back control of my mind, my choices, and ultimately, myself.

I started smoking tobacco products at age 16 due to peer pressure and stress through grief, in my last year of high school I discovered THR products that kept me off cigarettes for good and changed my lifestyle and self esteem completely for the better.

I smoked cigarettes like mad vaping hellped me not to smoke cigarettes no more vape make me sleep better and reduces stress its way more easier then cigarettes vaping also dont make u smell like cigarettes

I quit smoking hubbly because I realized my health is more important than a temporary habit. What started as something social became something I no longer wanted controlling me. So I chose to stop, breathe better, and choose my future. I’m proud of myself for choosing me

So, my story begins late grade when I was curious to see how a cigarette would make me feel and from that one puff I was hooked, but over the span of 2 years I had felt really bad health wise and tried quiting and finally came right with vaping and it made me feel 10 times better, healthier, more focused, and less of a hot head

Started smoking at a very young age. But seemed to quit the habit. Until I found vaping. I have never been happier to this day. Feel refreshed everyday. No more coughing or drained energy or the smell of smoke clinging to my clothes. I would never turn back to cigarettes

Smoked for 2 year's sigarettes stopped by using disposables then started using refillable devices

I started smoking when I was 12, still in primary school due to peer pressure. I quite enjoyed it though, and carried on smoking into my 20’s. On my 22nd birthday I remember playing football on the beach and I could t even play for 5 mins before having a coughing fit. That was the point I decided I needed to quit smoking. I tried nicotine gum, the patch, cold turkey… My mother even suggested hypnosis, even though I didn’t try that. Eventually, at the age of 27, I came back to South Africa from a job abroad and went out for drinks with some friends of mine. He handed me a vape pen and said “Here, Try this”… I took a puff and was immediately blown away. The flavour was fantastic, it lasted longer than a cigarette, I could take a few puffs and put it in my pocket. This was great. I then went to the store the following day to get one. It wasn’t cheap in those days, but I had wasted so much money on trying to quit in the past that I decided to make the investment and go with it. I remember popping my box of cigarettes and a lighter in my car cubby hole when I got into the car. Well, let’s just say, that was 15 years ago. I haven’t touched a single since that day and I owe it all to vaping. My sleep improved, my health improved, my wife doesn’t moan that I snore at night either. I’m able to run and jog again and because of vaping, I’m able to run again.