Ready to quit smoking? You'll want to read these four real-life, relatable reasons that will finally get you a breath of fresh air.
Everyone has their own reasons for quitting smoking. For example, some people may choose to quit due to hygiene concerns, while others cite cost as the reason. However, quitting is not as easy as one might think. Fortunately, several former smokers can understand your plight and are willing to give you some advice. We spoke to former smokers Dominic Png, Victor Chan, Jason Lim and Sushil Nayer to find out why they said goodbye to their smoking life and why they decided to switch to e-cigarettes.
If you want to quit smoking but need some extra motivation, here are four reasons given by former smokers.
1. The smell of cigarettes is a thing of the past
One of the most common complaints from smokers is the smell of cigarettes on their clothes. The distinctive smell of smokers is always a sign that is easily noticed by those around them. When riding in a taxi, you may have experienced it yourself, the interior decoration of the car is constantly exposed to this smell - it is indeed unpleasant.
“One of the main reasons that really convinced me to switch to e-cigarettes was the smell!” said copywriter Dominic Png. He talked about how everyone thought he had a unique smell and even joked that “ashtray” was his eau de toilette. He claimed that by switching to e-cigarettes, he could happily socialize with his peers without having to worry about any bad smells.
“Once I changed my clothes, I could finally hang out with my friends without having to worry about my body odor,” Dominic revealed.
2. Quit smoking to avoid an empty wallet
Smoking is an expensive habit— save up to buy something you really enjoy.
The cost of buying a pack of cigarettes every day could go up to around RM510 per month, or up to RM6,120 per year.
That money could have gone toward a gaming laptop, a high-end tablet, or even the much-lauded PS5, both of which have far more fun and practical uses than cigarettes.
This is the choice made by Kuala Lumpur-based graphic artist Victor Chan.
“I was spending way too much money on cigarettes. When I calculated how much money I was losing because of this habit, I was really shocked!” Victor shared.
According to Victor, this realization immediately made him think about changing jobs.
Victor now spends his weekends streaming his video game sessions on Twitch, where he has quickly built up a following.
Victor added: “Not only is the PS5 more cost-effective than cigarettes, but streaming games has actually helped me relieve some of the stress I’ve been feeling due to the pandemic.”
3. Habuk , go away !
I imagined the ashes falling across the table —what a mess !
Besides the smell and cost, another issue that keeps people away from smoking is the ash and litter that comes with the habit. “The smell of smoking is bad enough, but the stains and burn marks left by ash on your clothes and in your surroundings can make people think you’re a non-smoker , or worse, addicted !” says Jason Lim, a writer from Ipoh.
According to Jason, he's had enough of all the mess cigarettes cause.
“One time, I was vacuuming up ashes in the middle of the night and it pissed off my neighbors!” Jason laughed.
Not only that, but the ash will fly everywhere—even in places you wouldn’t expect.
“I once went through a whole roll of lint removal tape because my clothes were getting so dusty,” Jason said.
He said that these problems would not occur if he switched to e-cigarettes. "After using the cartridge, it's fine. No smoke, no ash!" Jason added.
4. Smoking wastes too much energy
Smoking is one of the most inconvenient habits.
Let’s face it, how many times have you forced yourself to finish a whole cigarette just because you had a meeting to attend?
“That’s why there’s a shift to e-cigarettes,” said musician Sushil Nayer.
"I was just smoking during my break, but because of a sudden meeting, I had to force myself to finish a whole cigarette twice as fast as usual!"
According to Sushil, there is no such problem with vaping: "Just take a few puffs, then turn off the device to do something else, and then turn it back on when you are done. It's that easy!"
Sushil said that not only are e-cigarettes very accessible, but they also do not cause any of the problems associated with cigarettes, such as odor and messy ash, which brings convenience to everyday users.
There are many reasons why people decide to quit smoking or look for alternatives . For those who want to experience an ash-free, smoke-free journey, e-cigarettes are a great option. After speaking with 4 friends who have switched to e-cigarettes (Dominic, Victor, Jason and Sushil), people now have more reasons to quit smoking.