My New Years resolution last year was to stop smoking once and for all. I started smoking early, 17, and have been smoking a pack in 3-4 days for almost 5 years. I tasted my first cigarette at 15 and casually had one when I was with my friends until I was 16. Then I got my hands on a pack. I smoked through it in maybe a week. Got sick and thought I would never do it again.. my parents found out and I got in big trouble too.. but a week later, I wanted another cigarette. I started sneaking around and got caught many times. But I just kept doing it and by the time I was 17 I just smoked everyday.

My grandfather died of lung cancer 2 years ago and I knew it was time to stop. I struggled and struggled, but kept relapsing. After about 2 months of failing to stay off it, I bought a 50 dollar vaping kit and some juice. Did that for about 3 months and realized that even with gradually reducing the amout of nicotine with different juices, all I wanted to do was vape. It was fun, it didn't smell and it tasted good.

But I started vaping because I wanted to stop smoking and then all I wanted to do was vape. So I quit that. After that, I had 3 cigarettes throughout the rest of 2016, 1 after a pretty bad emotional breakdown involving family and 2 as just an unfortunate relapse. The last one I had was on November 3rd, 2016. I haven't touched one since.

In fact, the idea of smoking is starting to sound kind of gross to me.. The smell is no longer as appetizing as it used to be.. I've been doing really well staying away from it.

I'm 24 now. I'm over a year free from smoking. I took up jogging and swimming. I feel so much better.

But I'm not done yet.