Today we came across this from the heart testimonial that was share on social media! We were able to track down the writer and appreciative that Shannon from Nova Scotia, gave us permission to share it on our blog. We think Shannon voice is a voice shared by many of us!
An urgent plea to all of you who hold the fate of my health in your hands,
I am a 43 year old mother, a personal support worker...and, a *former* pack-per-day cigarette smoker.
I had been smoking since the age of 15.
Over three years ago, I was a wheezing mess.
I was terribly ashamed of my habit, and would hide outside and puff.
I'd have to chew gum and change my top before giving my son a hug, or serving my clients.
My kids were (understandably) VERY concerned about my health, as, they are old enough to know the damage smoking does to the human body.
We *all* knew the truth: chances are, at the rate I was going, I would probably not have lived to see my future grandchildren grow, as, my children would (probably) have ended up losing their mum prematurely, due to a smoking related disease or condition.
Sadly, EVEN my love for my family was not enough for me to break my addiction.
- I could NOT quit.
Each night, after brushing the FOUL smokiness out of my oral cavity and scrubbing the cigarette odour off my hands, I'd lie down beside my (non smoking) partner and feel shame.
Breaking the silence, with that "wind in the willows" sound coming from my lungs, I was reminded, nightly, of the damage cigarettes were doing to my health.
My immune system was terribly weak, and when I caught a cold, the cough would last weeks after I'd recovered from the bug itself.
My lung capacity was terrible. I would get winded very easily.
I wanted to quit, but had tried EVERYTHING on the market, to no avail.
In October, 2013, I discovered THE ONLY smoking cessation product that ever worked for me.
"ECigarettes"
On the 26th of October, 2013, I had my last cigarette, and, embarked on a new chapter of my life.
Since that day, a cigarette has not touched my lips.
I now use a vaporizer, and have lowered the nicotine level of my ejuice to 3 (-not to say that the nicotine is *the killer* in traditional "smokes").
Interesting things began to happen mere months after I quit smoking:
since I began vaping, I can go more than six months without a chest infection/head cold (-in the past, prior to quitting I had been very susceptible to colds, and would catch them almost monthly).
I had never attributed my weakened system to smoking, but to what else could I attribute my restored health? *Nothing else* in my lifestyle had changed. Also, since quitting,
that -previously ever-present- wheeze,
is GONE.
Today, I have better energy, and my lung capacity has improved significantly.
I'm not coughing up grey-brown mucous.
I can hit the "high notes" again, when I sing along to music.
I can safely vape indoors, without fear (-no more disappearing to chain-smoke outside while on the phone/ with my coffee for hours in the warm months...no more bundling up like a dumb-dumb and suffering the bone chilling temperatures just to feed my addiction).
I never have to worry about exposing my family to thousands of toxic chemicals or the harmful products of combustion when they come outside on the deck to hang out with me.
I am shocked and bewildered to hear of the proposed changes (regulatory restrictions) being tossed about by our government, with regard to vaping.
I am a "researcher", by nature and follow all news and discoveries relating to vaping.
This is what I know:
1. The government of the U.K., after (rigorous enough) testing, has determined that Vaping should be considered a much healthier alternative to smoking...to the degree that it is RECOMMENDED and PROMOTED by physicians, and, in some cases, is a practice ALLOWED on HOSPITAL PROPERTY
2. It is over 90% safer than smoking
3. In many cases, the toxins in vapour are equally as harmful as random indoor air samples taken office buildings and rooms in residential dwellings
4. Vaping has helped tens of thousands of Canadians successfully quit smoking and improve our health--like nothing before
Knowing this, I am EXTREMELY CONFUSED by the apparent cluelessness of our government.
At first, I thought, "they must not understand the benefits of vaping".
-after all, there is a lot of *mis*information on the subject; anti-vaping propaganda floating around...
But REALLY, people.
It has been a few years now, and more research has been done.
If the UK government has embraced vaping, why is your (collective) head still in the sand?
I am so frightened by the bizarre legislation on the horizon, it makes me question the TRUE motivation of the Canadian government.
Why on earth would our government want to discourage something that is, LITERALLY,
SAVING LIVES?
The ONLY answer to that is nothing short of chilling.
I surmise that it must come down to money.
After all, the government makes a killing (-pun intended) from the taxes it receives on the sale of cancer sticks.
In light of this hateful and dangerous (YES, DANGEROUS) decision to DISCOURAGE what is a LIFESAVING smoking cessation option, I no longer trust my government.
If selection, quality, and availability of supplies are limited, and, access to vape products is difficult;
if the flavours that help keep us away from smoking are eliminated,
if PROMOTION of these products is prohibited,
PEOPLE WILL DIE.
We will die an ugly death.
I URGE you to consider the implications of these new regulations/laws, and consider the message you are sending Canadians:
You would prefer to have us become ill and die, rather than take a financial hit.
The government is profiting from keeping us sick, and this is horrifying and, is, quite frankly, unacceptable.
My future (the future of my loved ones, and, the future of countless Canadians) hangs in the balance, here.
If I am wrong about the motives of the Canadian government, and, if misinformation and ignorance is actually to blame,
if there is doubt or confusion on your part, I beg you:
PLEASE take it upon yourselves to research the benefits associated with quitting smoking, in favour of vaping.
To the government, I say: If need be, tweak the regulations in less damaging ways to allay your fears (-about kids picking up the habit, etc).
There are other regulatory measures that can be taken to address the issues that concern you.
This hard-line approach is EXTREME and unnecessary.
What you are proposing will turn the industry on its ear, and we, the people, will suffer.
The statistics are there. The information is there. Real science supports vaping as a healthier alternative.
The Canadian government ought to be going out of its way to ENCOURAGE vaping.-certainly not making it more difficult to access.
---and banning the sharing of information?
Muzzling people within our communities, so they are no longer allowed to counsel people re: the benefits of quitting smoking via vaping?
In what country am I living?
I feel as though I am living in the Twilight Zone.
I implore you, reconsider this STRANGE direction you're taking.
My job is very stressful and intense, and I could not survive with my sanity intact if I did not have the option to vape.
I am an ADDICT.
My fear is that I will fall back into old habits.
My hands shake as I type these words,
as I think of my children without me.
My loved ones have been so supportive of my method of quitting. So relieved. -and to think that, with one swipe of the pen, all my progress could backslide, is absolutely devastating.
