Market Research: How E-cigarette Users Go from "Cigarette Dependence" to "Control of Life"

Luccious, a 38-year-old architectural designer, was once a heavy smoker who smoked two packs of cigarettes a day. He never put down his cigarette while drawing, and the sofas and curtains in his home were stained with the smell of cigarettes. His wife and children often quarreled with him because of this. During a physical examination in 2023, the doctor reminded him that "his lung function has declined and he needs to control his smoking", so he made up his mind to try e-cigarettes. At the beginning, he chose the "classic tobacco flavor" (3mg nicotine) which is close to the taste of cigarettes, and replaced 5-6 cigarettes with e-cigarettes every day. After three months, he found that he coughed less frequently and no longer had the problem of "dry and sore throat" when he got up in the morning. “Now I only take a few puffs of e-cigarettes when I’m working overtime. The smell of cigarettes is gone at home, and my wife even takes the initiative to help me organize the cigarette cartridge storage box. The family atmosphere is much better than before.” Luccious said with a smile that there will no longer be small holes caused by cigarette burns on his design drawings.

Marry, a 27-year-old kindergarten teacher, previously faced professional challenges due to her smoking habits. “When parents see me smoking, they worry about the impact on their children. Once, a parent even complained to the principal.” In 2022, she tried e-cigarettes on the recommendation of a friend and chose “nicotine-free” fruit-flavored e-liquid. “This e-liquid does not have the odor of secondhand smoke, and using it in the office will not affect my colleagues. Parents are more at ease when they know about it.” Now, Marry regards e-cigarettes as a “stress relief tool”. She spends 10 minutes relaxing after class and then devotes herself to teaching. Her teaching satisfaction has ranked first in the kindergarten for six consecutive months. "I used to smoke in secret, but now I can relax and enjoy using e-cigarettes. This sense of control has made me more confident."

Emily, a 52-year-old retired teacher, tells a touching story about how she used e-cigarettes to help her husband, Jack, reduce his smoking. Jack has been smoking for 30 years and his blood pressure and blood sugar are high. Emily has tried many methods but to no avail. In 2023, she accidentally learned about e-cigarettes and bought Jack a model with a "smart reminder" - it would vibrate to remind him if he used it more than 10 times a day. "At first, Jack wasn't used to it and said it was 'boring'. I accompanied him to try different flavors, and slowly we found the 'orange flavor' he liked." Six months later, Jack's smoking volume dropped from 20 cigarettes a day to less than 5, and his blood pressure returned to normal. "Now he proactively uses e-cigarettes every morning and shares his 'reduction tips' with his former colleagues. His whole mental state has changed."

Though these three users have different professions and ages, they share one thing in common: using e-cigarettes to find a "harm reduction method" that works for them and regain control of their lives. Their experiences also demonstrate that by choosing the right product and using it wisely, e-cigarettes can be a valuable tool for smokers.