As a physician interested n smoking cessation, I often recommend that doctors should refer patients who have been unable to quit smoking by the usual methods to a vape store. It is hard for a doctor to refer a patient to someone with no background or qualification in health care. Most of them have never been inside a vape shop or talked to anyone who works in one. To help bridge that gap, I want to share, with permission, an email I got from Jason, who owns and operates two “Eastside Vape” locations in Vancouver. This is his story:

“Our company was created based on helping people quit smoking.

It was born when I promised my wife back in 2009 that I would quit smoking before the birth of our first child. This was a promise I was honestly not certain I could follow through with. I started smoking when I was 15 years old and quickly got to a pack a day. I continued to smoke until I was 30 years old. The next year, 2010, we got pregnant and now I had to make good on my promise. During those nine months I had tried everything from quitting cold turkey, to nicotine patches, nicotine gum and, the worst one of all, Champix. Champix really threw me for a loop. The dreams I would have were so vivid they were utterly frightening and it made me feel down. 

 In the end, I found vaping through a person that I was doing a plumbing job for. As I was working away in this guy’s basement changing his hot water tank, he was hovering over me sucking on this thing that appeared to be a cigarette, until I realized there was an LED light on the end of this thing. I asked him what it was. He kindly explained that it was an e-cigarette, and directed me where to obtain it. I finished up my job and hastily made my way to pick this device up. I had really high hopes for this device to get me off the cancer sticks, I really did. Two days later I was back onto smoking cigarettes.

I thought about this and came to the conclusion that I was only satisfying my hand to mouth action of smoking but I was missing the nicotine which was the other half of the battle for me. Back in 2010 vaping was not a “thing” yet. I had to dig into the internet. After many hours of searching, I found something similar to the first device I had purchased but with one main difference. The cartridges had the secret ingredient… Nicotine.

When the package was delivered, I set this thing up, not sure of what to expect. Long story short: it was amazing. I took my first drag from this device and instantly knew that I could do this. I tossed my remaining cigarettes away and never looked back. For me personally, I know it is my addiction to nicotine that keeps me vaping. 

I can clearly identify the benefits of vaping over smoking based on my personal experience with it. I know for a fact smoking cigarettes was beating up my immune system. I used to get sick with the cold or some illness twice a month. Now, I don’t remember the last time I had a cold or was ill. Within six months of replacing smoking with vaping I noticed a large increase in lung capacity. I wouldn’t get winded easily doing something like walking rapidly. I don’t cough all the time anymore. I don’t feel the need to spit anymore. All in all, I am blessed to have found vaping as it has honestly helped me in almost every aspect of my life. 

 I have helped many of my friends and family quit smoking which eventually developed into an online business and then to a physical business.  Our company is based firmly around the story of my personal journey with vaping which is why I believe that Eastside Vapes has succeeded. I have been in business for 12 years to this day and can honestly say that it is a pleasure to help people let go of that nasty habit of smoking by replacing it with something much less harmful. I also believe that being straight up and honest with people who walk into our shops is the key to helping them to let go and make the switch to vaping. All we can do is relate to them as former smokers and share our personal experiences as vapers in hopes that they make the decision to help themselves.”

Jason, Eastside Vapes, March 2022

This story highlights so many aspects of vaping. Starting to smoke as a teen, being unable to quit by conventional methods, not getting the necessary amount of nicotine from an early “cig-a-like” vape, an easy and instant transition from smoking thanks to a well-made vape, totally quitting tobacco use, leading to improved health and a desire to help others follow the same path. Thank you for sharing, and congratulations on your success both at quitting smoking and at running a vape shop.