Leaford of e-smoker-forever.com graciously agreed to be interviewed for my little website. Leaford has become a trusted source for unbiased reviews of electronic cigarettes products and somewhat of a celebrity in the e-smoking community. This is the first of two parts.

When did you first discover e-cigarettes and what attracted you to them?

I decided I needed to quit when one of my pet Parrots died.

She ws old for a lovebird, but I still wondered If I had stolen a couple years of her life with my second hand smoke. My other parrot, Mike has a longer lifespan, and I decided I owed it to him to change. He could outlive me, and deserved that chance. So I tried, and failed, to quit. I decided instead to just try keeping the smoke from him, and looked on Froogle for a "smokeless ashtray" to see if anyone had invented one that worked. One of the results was for what I now know was a sub-par model of e-cigarette, the DSE-101, but at the time it looked like a miracle to me. That first one wasn't very good, but it proved the concept to me, and I smoked my very last cigarette ever that day. I've been tobacco free ever since.

Were you a tobacco user before you started using e-cigarettes?

I was a cigarette smoker for about 15 years. Not as long as some, perhaps, but long enough.

Have you noticed any health effects either positive or negative from the use of e-cigarettes?

Yes. My breathing has improved tremendously. I have completely stopped coughing, waking up with what felt like a galloon of mucus in my throat and lungs, etc. I walk to and from work, a mile and a half each way. It used to take me 35 minutes each way, now I make it in 25 minutes, without even trying to wak faster. I live on the fifth floor, and I can now walk up all five flights without stopping to catch my breath.

As for negative, a dry throat when vaping, which for me means constantly. Also, there was an adjustment periood when I first started, and occasionally now when I change liquid brands, where I had a rough, sore feeling throat. It cleared up after a week, or maybe a bit less, although as I said I occasionally get that again when I switch liquids.

Do you still use tobacco? if so, in what form?

No, not at all.

Would you say that your use of nicotine is a choice or do you consider yourself an addict? (or both?)

Both. Nicotine is highly addictive, so I am an addict. But, I chose to smoke, and become an addict. SO I can't deny an element of choice. And I now have the choice to try to wean myself off that addiction, but choose not to. I do enjoy the feeling and effects of Nicotine, many of which are beneficial, especially in regards to neurological problems, like I have. The stress reduction, anti-depressive effect, and the state of alert relaxation, and so on.

From a personal rights perspective and a political perspective do you have any opinions on high tobacco taxes, government efforts to reduce tobacco use, and smoking bans?

I HATE that the government is using it's tax power to try to change people's personal choices and habits. Tobacco taxes are punitive, and punitive taxes are IMO an abuse of the tax system. If they were truly designed to repay society for the social costs of smoking, as supporters say, the revenue would be going towards health care, or anti smoking efforts, not to schools or general budgets.

Smoking bans are another matter. They make sense, in public buildings, offices, etc. Banning smoking in bars, goes a step too far, IMO. And the worst thing is that that is spreading to other parts of the world.

Do you think that e-cigarettes are a safer alternative to traditional smokes?

Look, let's define our terms. Can I prove, or point to a study to prove, that it is safe? No, the research hasn't been done. So, in theory there COULD be some UNKNOWN long term danger to inhaling PG and nicotine this way.

But the key words are COULD and UNKNOWN. There is no known harm other than the nicotine itself.

OTOH, there IS known harm to the tar, carbon monoxide, tobacco-specific nitrosamines, other carcinogens, and thousands of other chemicals which are in tobacco smoke.

In fact, studies on vaporized and inhaled PG seem to not only suggest it may be truly safe, but also somewhat beneficial. Back in the 40's PG was studied as an anti-microbial agent. Researchers found that small amounts of PG vaporized into the atmosphere, as little as 1 part in 2 million, would kill many varieties of airborne microbes, including those that cause pneumonia and influenza. A tiny amount heated and vaporized into the air could sterilize a liter of air.

And a test done with mice and monkeys, immersing them in an atmosphere containing PG for months at a time showed no ill effect from the PG. And that's breathing it with EVERY breath for months.

So, while only time will tell for sure, I feel confident there's no reason to worry.

Check back next week for the second half of the interview with Leaford. Till then checkout his website at e-smoker-forever.com.