CDC: Tips From Former Smokers - Kristy G.: It Wasn’t Better for Me

Kristy wanted to quit smoking. She tried e-cigarettes to help her quit, but never stopped smoking completely. She eventually quit using e-cigarettes, but kept smoking. In this video from CDC's Tips From Former Smokers campaign, Kristy explains how she finally realized that she had to quit smoking cigarettes completely.

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[andrewtalton]

Im sorry for what happened to you. But just to be clear it was smoking not vaping that caused your problems. I stopped smoking when i started vaping. Ive been smoke free for almost 4 years and i believe vaping a safer alternative but you have to actually quit smoking. If it wasn't for vaping i believe i would have died a smoker.

[dms]

e-cigarettes worked for me. One month and 22 days smoke free

[nathankristoff]

Smoked a pack a day for 8 years. Two years ago I got my first e-cigarette and haven't gone back since. It's at least worth a try.

[cjoszman]

17 Year smoker 2 packs of Newports a day. I tried the Gas station ecigs it didn't work. Then I got a Liberty flights Ego with first gen Cartomizers around 2004 went back to smoking. 2 years ago I got my first Kanger tank with 30mg juice (on a tank not dripper) and an 18650 mech mod and I did both for about a week then I stopped real cigarettes after a rough 48 hours of detoxing and vaping. 2 years later  I'm now down to 3mg (last 6 months) and I can run more then 2 miles without feeling like I'm going to die and ride a bike twice a week 30+ miles.  The trick with myself and a few friends I got to quit cigs was to do both trying to ween off the other chemicals over a week, but no more then 3 cigs a day(Monday, Tuesday) stepping down to 2 (Wednesday, Thursday) then just 1 mid day (Friday). Then none for 4 days just the ecig with a 20 to 30mg in a tank not sub ohm (10-15mg for subtank) non tobacco flavors preferably a coffee or a crème (not fruity), brush and rinse 3 times a day drink lots of water, by the 4th day sense of taste starts to return and if you try a cigarette you will probably feel ill. Most of them couldn't stand the taste or smell after 3 weeks most couldn't tolerate the smell of cigarettes.  After 2 weeks start lowering the nicotine levels to a lower level. Should be able to go down to a 6 on a sub ohm tank and not have any adverse effects (withdrawals)

[yoji]

I'm sorry for your troubles. My wife and I quit smoking cigarettes completely 2 years ago using nothing but electronic cigarettes. Nothing else worked, we tried everything available. Being able to customize the draw, warmth, power, and nicotine levels was the key for us. 20 years, 1.5 packs a day, and we're on no nicotine liquid now and almost finished with that. Again, the pivotal part is it was the cigarettes that got you, not the ecig. The problem is the CDC and the government are losing money on taxes, and they're flailing trying to spread misinformation. You're now part of that action. They are actively trying to cause people to either keep smoking (sin taxes) or only use their overpriced and usafe products. Everything we tried that was "government approved" made us sick in one way or other. The CDC should be backing all the research it can get it's hands on, but instead of progressing as technology grows, they stay in the past making harmful statements and lies. Get on track, CDC. You're contributing to the deaths of thousands with your backwards thinking.

[markstave]

You weren't hurting yourself as bad - IF you were cutting down your smoking. If you want to stop smoking, stop smoking. You, and anyone else, can replace smoking with vaping and reduce their risk by 95% according to peer reviewed studies done in the UK (Where vaping can be prescribed by physicians, and paid for by medical insurance). I am disturbed that the CDC would promote videos of people who clearly do not understand what they are saying, the content of which has been shown to be false by peer reviewed papers.

[michaelschoonover]

Look at Kristy. She smoked for many, many years. She tried to quit by vaping and failed. Kristy went back to smoking. Kristy suffered from a collapsed lung. Kristy and the CDC blamed it on Vaping. Do not be like Kristy and the CDC. Be like me, Mike. Mike is smoke free and vaping for two and a half years quitting a thirty eight year smoking habit. Be like Mike.

[frilledb]

I quit on my 50th birthday with vaping and have not touched a cigarette sense that was 2 and a half years ago.  I smoked for 35 years and was up to two packs a day.

[Leonar]

how is your lack of will power the vape's fault...

[jadegoodysghost]

Vaping ended my tobacco use over night. 2.5 years cig free today and feeling a whole lot better for it.

[maxwelljrj]

So she smoked for years, started using an ecig, and is mad at the ecig. Forget the years of smoking . This makes total sense .

[toddallen]

3 years cig free thanks to vaping. I haven't touched a conventional cigarette since my first vaporizer and have no desire to. obviously everyone is going to have different experiences, some people can go cold turkey some the patch works for and to demonize someones method of quitting because it didnt work for you is ridiculous.

[CrunchyFeet]

I smoked for 20+ years tried many e-cigs but they were crap. They didn't satisfy my smoking urges, always went back to the cigs. Then I bought an actual vape...that's what helped me stop. Its been since Oct 26th 2015 since I've had a cig. NO more cravings I find them disgusting. I feel so much better and healthier. If the crappy Vuse, Blu or any other pretend cigs don't help you stop smoking look into a better model to get your nicotine. There are many different kinds to choose from that generally are cheaper in the long run than those E-cigs. Do some research to figure out what would help you best.

[reflexsodepeditorco-leader]

"I couldn't stop smoking because I lacked the willpower therefore E-Cigarettes are bad for you" I expected the CDC to be more thorough with their campaigns. If you're going to start an anti-vaping agenda then use solid facts. Millions of people have quit smoking because of e-cigarettes, including myself. Sure it might not be healthy, but it's much healthier than smoking.

[therudestrudler]

I'm sure the same thing could be said about any smoking cessation/ nicotine replacement products. Nicotine is an addictive drug, we already know this. However, vaping is unequivocally better for the individual than smoking (by a massive margin) and is also just as effective(infact it works better) as any other nicotine replacement. A smoker has 3 choices A - Keep smoking Tobacco B - Quit Cold Turkey C- Vaping/Other Nicotine replacement. If you want to quit cigarettes the choice is either B or C then statistically what has the best chance of success? I dont have the fiqures at hand (hopefully someone in the know can reply to this comment with the stats) but I think we all know that vaping has a far better chance than cold turkey.

Also even if the individual continues vaping it is without a doubt still a health move than continuing to ingest smoke and tar. This is a dangerous video and it is not in the publics interest to scare them from this method of nicotine replacement.

[stevendepater]

As Andrew mentioned, I'm sorry for what happened to Kristy. The CDC, however, seems to suggest that there is no validity to the idea that vaping helps smokers quit. In reality, thousands of people have kicked the habit and vaping was their literal saving grace.

[kittyv]

This person and the cdc are harming any smoker that watches this. I smoked and quit successfully with vaping, just like many thousands of other people have. I find it frightening what a hold big tobacco has on the cdc, so much so, that this garbage commercial is being shown to the public. It could cost countless lives of smokers that will be tricked into continuing to smoke. If you keep smoking, I can tell you what's going to happen. If you switch to vaping, you will be amazed at how good you will feel. And for once in your life, it will work. You will be a non-smoker. And trust me, it's great!

[daringwhois]

Kristy needs some will power!!! 40 yr @ pack a day, switched and now at three months cigarette free.

[fynnpl]

Sorry. I bought my 1st vape and 8mg nic/ml liquid today since smoking 30 cigs/day for 4 years did me no good at all (I'm 21 now). I experienced reduced stamina, soft ed, more frequent illnesses, tireness and hairloss.

Since I'm in a pure smoker family and have to deal with social problems and university every attempt at giving up smoking failed for me so my last hope is the vape. I don't think vaping us cool but I just want to reduce the nicotine level from 8 to 0 within 3-6 months so I can stop vaping too. Cold Turkey might be the best method but also the hardest. Respect to anyone quitting cold turkey but also best regards to anybody giving up on nicotine by using other tools.

In the end an addict fuels his addiction just to feel like a non addict.

[castello]

It took me months of smoking and vaping to find a proper flavor and setup to quit buying cigarettes. I haven't lit up a real cigarette in four years now. Is this video trying to tell us vaping is no safer than smoking? I've heard they are orders of magnitudes safer.