Healthy Smoking New Zealand - sounds like a contradiction, doesn’t it? Or an oxymoron!

My name is Mark, and I’m a 35 year old smoker from Auckland, New Zealand. I started smoking cigarettes 20 years ago - a teenager being your typical rebellious teenager!

I was brought up around smokers - most of my immediate family were heavy smokers (parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles), and nothing would be thought of taking a long family drive in the car, widows wound up, both parents smoking furiously - I’m surprised my father could see through the smoke to drive!

Around my home, growing up, no-one thought about the risks of second-hand smoke. Maybe the dangers weren’t as well known? All I knew was that “grown ups” smoked. That was just one of the things that you did if you were a grown up. Until you were a “grown up” however, smoking was strictly off limits - and before I was a teenager, I wouldn’t have dared touch a cigarette.

That soon changed however, and as a teenager, my aim was to become a “grown up”, and of course, one of the things I needed to do in order to attain that status, was to smoke. Since the age of 14, subsequently, I have been addicted to nicotine - possibly long before then, but who knows.

Over the last 5 years I have tried various methods, attempting to quit my pack-a-day addiction. None of the methods I tried even came close to providing me with freedom from my addiction. Three years ago, I suffered from a collapsed lung, and subsequently had lung surgery to remove damaged tissue. That was a pretty good method of quitting, and it worked for all of about 5 months before I was once again lured back - as always, it only takes one.

I guess, for me anyway, once a smoker - always a smoker, which brings me to the present time . . .

Recently, I saw a news item on TV regarding the amazing new e-cigarette, a microprocessor controlled nicotine delivery device - basically, an electric cigarette. The e-cigarette looks like a real cigarette, tastes like a real cigarette, but has none of the harmful and obnoxious chemicals and compounds found in your traditional combustible cancer stick.

The main thing which drew me personally to the e-cigarette was the tactile aspect - something to do with the hands. The process is the same as smoking, so I don’t feel like I’m missing out, or depriving myself of anything whilst I’m smoking the e-cigarette. In short, it’s fantastic! I have only had my e-cigarette a short time, but I can already feel the health benefits.

I would urge any smoker who may be visiting the site to have a good look around, ask any questions you might have and DO try the e-cigarette! If you’ve tried everything else and still can’t seem to kick it, you’ll find the e-cigarette to be a life-changer!

Happy Smoking!
Mark