I’ve told this story thousands of times, and I’ll keep telling it until public health officials finally set the record straight. I started smoking at 15 years old and spent most of my early 20s trying to quit. The stress of life always seemed to pull me back, and I’d convince myself that I didn’t really need to quit. But at the age of 30, I received a reality check that I could no longer ignore: I was diagnosed with a blood clot in my right leg.

At the time, my son was only 4 years old. It hit me hard—most 30-year-olds don’t suffer from deep vein thrombosis (DVT). I knew in my heart that continuing to smoke had led me down this dangerous path, and I could no longer brush it aside. I had quit smoking through my entire pregnancy, but I still ended up back at it once my son was born. That was the wake-up call I needed.

My hematologist strongly advised me to quit for good, so I tried everything I could: patches, gum, and even prescription medications designed to help you stop smoking. But nothing worked. I found myself frustrated and back at square one. Then, life threw me another curveball. I went through some difficult changes and eventually moved from New York to South Carolina. The stress of the move and adjusting to my new life made me forget the lesson I had learned in that hospital bed.

In South Carolina, cigarettes were a lot cheaper—and I smoked more than ever.

As I searched for a new job in my new city, I found myself working at a tanning salon, just to get by. The owners also sold e-cigarettes to their customers, as both had used vaping to kick their smoking habits. They were so enthusiastic about sharing vaping with anyone who’d listen. I was curious, but skeptical. I had tried some disposable e-cigarettes before, but they were expensive, never fully satisfied my cravings, and I’d only used them when it was too cold to step outside for a smoke.

One day, my boss handed me a basic vape kit: a disposable tank, a 650mAh battery, and a bottle of pina colada e-liquid with 18mg of nicotine (since I was a pack-a-day smoker). I figured it was worth a shot, but I wasn’t expecting much.

Then it happened… I was blown away. Without even realizing it, I was done with cigarettes. A few days into vaping, my battery died while I was out at a bar. I thought, “Well, I’ll just step outside and have a cigarette.” But when I took that first puff, the taste was awful, disgusting even. That was it. I never smoked another cigarette again.

Not long after, my bosses transitioned their salon into a full-blown vape store. Then they opened another location, and I eventually went on to manage the new store for the next four years. Every single day, I helped people quit smoking, and it was one of the most rewarding jobs I’ve ever had. When customers came around the counter to hug me, thanking me for helping them, I knew we were onto something big.

My story isn’t unique, and that’s why it’s so important to share. There are millions of adults just like me—people who struggled to quit smoking but found freedom in vaping. Yet, these stories are constantly ignored by politicians who focus solely on youth vaping. Youth vaping, by the way, has dropped dramatically in recent years, but it still remains the only narrative in the public health space. Meanwhile, adult smokers—many of whom are desperate for a safer alternative—are left in the dark.

The latest data from the CDC offers promising news: teen e-cigarette use has hit a 10-year low. Only 5.9% of students in grades 6-12 reported vaping in the past month—a notable drop from 7.7% last year, and a far cry from the 2019 peak, when rates were three times higher.

This downward trend highlights the effectiveness of public health efforts and stricter regulations targeting youth vaping. With this progress, the FDA should now prioritize approving vaping products designed to help adult smokers quit.

Harm reduction advocacy is a thankless job. It often feels like we’re shouting into the void, but we do it because we know how vital these alternatives are. I might not be here today if I hadn’t discovered vaping when I did. It saved my life, and it continues to save the lives of so many others.

Adults who smoke deserve the same opportunity to quit as I had. It’s not about ignoring the risks of youth vaping; it’s about recognizing that harm reduction works for adults who are trying to escape the clutches of combustible cigarettes. We deserve to have our voices heard, and I’ll keep sharing my story until that happens.

This is why it’s so important to keep fighting for vaping, despite the odds. The people who stand with harm reduction know that we are saving lives, even if the world refuses to acknowledge it. Vaping gave me a second chance, and I’ll keep advocating for that chance to be available to others.