Yes, I vape. Go ahead and make all the "jokes" and snide comments because I have heard them all before. And I am tired of it. Everyone vapes for a different reason. But so many people will judge me for it because I am only doing it "to look cool" which is not the case.

I smoked cigarettes for almost two years. It is an expensive, smelly, dangerous and gross habit. But I smoked cigarettes for two years. I could tell you all the excuses for why I started but they do not matter anymore. Why? Because I quit by using a vape.

I tried to quit cold turkey. That was awful and did not last. I tried to limit myself to less and less cigarettes per day. But then midterms happened and I got stressed out and back to four cigarettes a day I went. I wanted to quit. I really did but I could not do it. So after failing all my other attempts at quitting, I bought a vape.

And yes, I know they can be obnoxious and I agree that if an area is "no smoking" that counts for vapes too. But that does not give anyone the right to mock me over something that has helped me stop a much more unhealthy habit.

So how about we lay off a little bit on the "Vape Nation" jokes and focus on the fact that I no longer have tar in my lungs. Because that's really the important part.