This Mother's Day I won't be needing any of the classic flowers or candy or gifts of any kind. There won't be any walks in the park, no banquet meals of mom's favorite food shared around the family table, no hand print poems, songs or Happy Mother's Day banners hung across the door at my house. For me, mother's day means one thing: a trip to the cemetery.
You see in August of 2001, almost 9 years ago now, I lost my mother to COPD, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, a disease most usually caused by cigarette smoke. Notice I say "smoke" and not "smoking" because nicotine, the substance her body was addicted to, didn't kill my mom, rather it was the smoke from the burning tobacco she used to get her nicotine that did. And you don't have to smoke to get COPD or it's counterpart, chronic bronchitis which I suffered from as a child from living in a small house with a pack a day smoking mom.
Eventually, all that tar and smoke and the thousands of toxic chemicals it contains clogged her lungs, her arteries, and her heart until finally they just gave out.
Mom just wouldn't quit Smoking
For over 50 years my mom smoked unfiltered cigarettes and as much as everyone tried to get her to quit, she flatly refused. She'd say "they haven't killed me yet" or "Old dogs can't learn new tricks" or "I'll outlive all of you" and she would become very upset at any suggestions she quit and demand we stop talking about it. She simply refused to even consider using the patch or the gum and being very wary of all prescription drugs she absolutely refused any of them as well.She just didn't want to quit. She was afraid and a bit stubborn and set in her ways. In her day everyone smoked. It was hard for her to admit smoking was the cause of her coughing fits and even harder for her to try to quit since cigarettes had become such a big part of her life. She couldn't imagine living without them.
Does this sound like your mom?
the Best Mother's Day Gift for Stubborn Smoking Moms
If your mom is like mine and just won't quit smoking, or has tried before and failed, there may be a better gift for her this year than flowers or candy. Enter the electronic cigarette.I first heard of these, ironically enough, around mother's day 2009 and my first thought was "If only we had these when my mom was alive, maybe she'd still be with us." I thought the idea was fascinating but I wondered if they could really work. So I set out to learn all I could about them. I studied everything I could find about them. I read every website and study and report there was. I talked to the users who swear by them and then I bought one myself and I have to say, I love them and I believe they can revolutionize smoking and help millions of those who refuse to quit. So much so that I quit my job and started this website to help other people discover this new life saving technology.
I know, you are thinking to yourself "an electronic cigarette? What?"
Well, the first design for an electronic cigarette, and the one most modern ecigs are based on, is usually credited to Hon Lik of China, an avid smoker and pharmacist who was looking to create a less toxic alternative to smoking after losing his own father to lung cancer.
Here's how they work.The long part is a battery, most often with an LED at the end that tells when it's working and flashes when it needs a charge. It also looks a bit like the lit tip of a real cigarette when it lites up as the user inhales.
But the real magic is in the replaceable mouthpiece (called a cartridge or cartomizer), that's where a liquid nicotine solution is heated up by what's called an atomizer, turning the liquid into a vaporized mist, giving the user all the visual and sensory sensations of smoking without any actual smoke or burning of tobacco!
Instead they are inhaling nicotine, a bit of flavoring and propylene glycol, a type of glycerin "generally recognized as safe" by the FDA that is used in nicotine inhalers and theatrical fog machines.
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It's not the nicotine that is the real killer, it's the smoke. E-cigarettes let mom get her nicotine without all the deadly smoke.
Can Mom Quit Smoking with E-cigarettes?
E-cigarettes are NOT sold as a smoking cessation device. There have been no clinical studies to show their effectiveness at helping people quit smoking and the FDA and the FTC prohibit their marketing as smoking cessation devices. They are simply a smoking alternative and unfortunately, until the industry can afford the 10s of millions it will take to do long term clinical trials, no one can prove they will help anyone quit smoking.There are however, thousands of "vapers" as E-cigarette users like to be called, who claim they've not picked up a real cigarette, or "analog" as they call them, since they started using electronic cigarettes and many of them claim to have quit smoking altogether by stepping down their nicotine intake.
The cartridges, or cartomizers as they are also called, come in various strengths of nicotine. Usually as you see below:
- 20-25mg = comparable to roll your own cigarettes
- 16mg = comparable to non-filtered cigarettes
- 8mg = comparable to 'Full Flavored'
- 6mg = comparable to 'Lights'
- 4mg = comparable to 'Ultra Lights'
- 0mg = cartridges with flavor but which contain no nicotine at all.
But the main factor in someone quitting smoking is their desire to do so and a formal plan to cut down gradually with the goal being to free themselves of nicotine altogether. E-cigarettes are not sold with such a plan, are not FDA approved and should not be considered as a nicotine replacement therapy. There are no medical studies yet to show e-cigs help you stop smoking and again, no claims as such are being made here or by any reputable seller of these devices.
Electronic Cigarettes are simply a smoking alternative that will allow mom to get her nicotine fix, minus the smoke, the tar, the carbon monoxide, the smell and of course, the high cost of cigarettes.
Mothers Day Flowers cost $40 - $100 Bucks!! Get Mom a gift that counts for the same price!
Why waste money on expensive flowers or candy or expensive "best mom in the world" stuff when you can get your mom a gift that might really do her some good for around the same price? Perhaps you can finally get her off smoke and maybe insure she gets to spend a few more mother's days with you. Hopefully it will show her she can live without cigarettes and encourage her to quit forever!I'll tell you what, if my mom were still alive she wouldn't be getting flowers, candy or a sunday dinner from me. She'd be getting an electronic cigarette. Maybe if we had these things back in 2000 I'd be buying my mom flowers she could enjoy instead of simply ones to put on her grave.
Where Can I Buy E-cigarettes? Which are the best?
As with anything, you get what you pay for and there are literally dozens of brands to choose from. As electronic cigarettes gain in popularity you can find over priced versions at the mall and more and more cheaper versions are being sold on the internet, some with "free trials". But after months of research I've found these to not be of the highest quality and in the end, the "free trials" end up costing as much as a good brand. Just go with a company you can trust from the start and mom will love you for it and be a lot happier with your gift.I'll suggest the following brands. They are the ones I've found to have the highest quality, are easiest to use, have the best taste and the best customer service. There are good choices in everyone's price range.
Green Smoke
Get mom the best! One of the oldest and most popular brands and a company with a great reputation for first class products and customer service. They feature a 30 day Money Back Guarantee and a 1 year Warranty on batteries and chargers and Free Shipping. Their nicotine fluid is now made in the USA and their new flavors are awesome! (the chocolate is to die for, really!). After some tests of the new cartridges, they seem to be lasting three times as long, as much as 2-3 packs of cigarettes!This is the brand I smoke myself and here's what one customer had to say about them:
"I started smoking at 9 years old, and quickly became a heavy smoker. I just turned 70 this past October, and decided to quit. Yep, fat chance! That lasted about an hour, but I spent that hour, and many more, checking out a dozen or so electric cigarettes on line, and I decided that Green Smoke made the most sense. I ordered on a Thu. morning, and was enjoying Green Smoke by Sat. afternoon. I am using Green Smoke, about 2 weeks now, and I can’t get over the tobacco taste, unlike a real cigarette that burns, it’s a sharp clean taste that is really good and enjoyable. As far as I am concerned, with Green Smoke, you can’t get any closer to real, with out being real! Because of this, I have no desire to go back to tobacco, … well, … at least not until the battery go’s dead. I need to order a few batteries, to keep on hand. I have spoke on the phone, to a few different people at Green Smoke Inc. and they were all the same, very knowledgeable, and down to earth, with just a touch of humor. Great people to do business with!!! I like it so much, I WILL sell them to everyone I know, that smokes!"January 21, 2010 10:05 AMby Lewis Kallish
 | Starter Kit Price: $139 Cartridges: $14.95 / 5 pack (100-150 cigarettes) It includes:
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| Order Green Smoke Here | Use discount code: disc10-6073 to get 10% off orders over $100 and disc5-6073 to save 5% off cartridge reorders in the future. |
Electronic Cigarettes Inc
A good company based in NY, they call themselves the "original E-cig company" and have been around a very long time. Their products are good and their customer service is as well. Although they only offer a 30 day warranty with a 7 day return policy. They do offer two types of e-cigarettes, the Duo Pro, which is similar to the GreenSmoke in that the cartridges come prefilled and all you have to do is screw on a new one, or they also have the Vapor King where you refill your own cartridges with liquid. They offer liquid made in the USA and claim their new cartridges last 300 puffs, but I've not tried the new ones. | Starter Kit Price: $79.95 for the Duo Pro or $54.95 for the Vapor King Single Cartridges: $9.95 - $14.95 / 5 pack (100-150 cigarettes) The Duo Pro includes:
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| Order Electronic Cigartte Inc Here | Free Shipping in the US and Canada |
ProSmoke
A great company with offices and warehouses around the US who has been around quite a while and have spent a lot of time designing the best ecigs they can. They have some of the best customer service around: you get your very own customer service rep if you have an issue, so each time you call you will probably be talking to the same person! I've really grown to respect this company with their very honest and personable attitudes. They have very high quality products with a 1 year full warranty and some pretty good flavors. A big difference with them, besides the lower cost, is that they use Vegetable Glycerin in their fluid for those who may be allergic or concerned about propylene glycol. If you are looking for a lower cost ecig that is still pretty good, ProSmoke is the answer. | Starter Kit Price: $59.95 Cartridges: $8.99 / 5 pack (100-150 cigarettes) uses Vegetable Glycerin instead of Propylene Glycol The ProSmoke includes:
The ProSmoke electronic cigarette has no on or off switch and is always ready to go; it doesn't turn on until you inhale on the unit. Read on to see what makes us #1. Low Resistance Atomizer: The ProSmoke Electronic Cigarette has a quality, solid built atomizer with porcelain reinforcement. This means it will last MUCH longer than other electronic cigarette brands. The atomizer is a low resistant atomizer which means it will actually add warmth to the vapor and provide you with a more life like smoking experience. It will feel like a real cigarette! Superb Quality: The ProSmoke Electronic Cigarette quality is beyond par. Everything about it down to the last detail is excellent. It works amazing, it's lightweight but it's solid. It is engineered to perfection and everything fits together perfectly like a puzzle. Long Lasting Cartridges: The ProSmoke Electronic Cigarette cartridges last longer than any other e-cigarette in our class. We have almost doubled the capacity of a standard cartridge while keeping it the same size. If you are sick and tired of small cartridges, give ProSmoke a try, you wont regret it! Hundreds of hours of research has gone into getting our solution perfect for our customers to ensure the best taste, safety, and consistency. Unlike most of our competitors, who use VG for the base of their solution, ProSmoke has opted to use VG; which can cost more we feel this ensures our customers are getting the best! One of the best warranties on the market: ProSmoke has a 12 month manufacturers warranty! Thats 365 days of warranty on the ProSmoke Electronic Cigarette; thats four times the typical smokeless cigarette. Color Options: The ProSmoke e-cig is available in solid black (Or custom colors for bulk orders). With unsurpassed power in both its batteries and atomizers, the ProSmoke has been well established as the workhorse of the industry. |
| Order the ProSmoke Here | Use Promo Code: EcigReviews for 5% off |
Wish Mom a Happy Mother's Day for Me
While I hope you have not gotten this far and are busy getting your smoking mom an ecig as a present, even if you don't let me share some personal advice:Enjoy your mom while you can. Trust me, it's going to be far too soon when she is called away from you and you need to enjoy every minute you can with her now. Don't let another Mother's Day go by without telling your mom how much you love her, how important she is to you and how much you appreciate all she's done for you during your life.
It's not about the flowers or the gifts or how much you spend this day. Just give her a big hug and tell her how much you love her. That's the best present for any mom and really, that's all they want. And, believe me, when the day comes you can't anymore, you are going to wish you'd done it a lot more often.
Have a great Mother's Day and give your mom a hug from me!
Reg Mann
the E-Cig Guy
*yes, i do get a small commission from each of these companies. While you have no reason to believe me, I don't sell electronic cigarettes for the money, I sell them to help smokers who refuse to quit find an alternative solution that will allow them to hopefully spend a few more years with their loved ones and show them they can live without cigarettes. I sell them because I know too many people, my mom and myself included who just couldn't quit smoking. I believe in and use the technology and I believe in every brand I feature on my site. If you do a little research you will soon discover I don't feature half the brands out there, because I simply don't believe in them, don't use them and find some of their marketing tactics and cheap products to be questionable. I could make a lot more money hawking the free trials! The brands I've shown here today are the brands I would give to my own mom. I hope you give your mom one too.
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