Category: Success Stories

A lovely and welcomed letter from Jennifer. THANK YOU

From Jennifer Mckinley,

Hi Phil,

I just wanted to drop you a quick line to say thank you! You have changed my life. You and Dimitri seem so down lately, and I just wanted you to say you are having an effect on people and you still are helping people.

I just discovered you probably about two months ago. I had sort of been watching YouTube reviewers looking for good starter vapes and things like that for the last little while and then I started to delve deeper into yours because something just resonated with me.

I started smoking when I was 12 or 13 and I’m the same age as you so it’s been a while.
Since Covid started my smoking had doubled. I was working from home and home all the time. It was just getting to the point where I was scared. I was wheezing I was just not breathing right, and I just didn’t feel well. My boss had talked to me about how she had quit through vaping so in February 2021 I decided to go into a vape store. Not sure why but they’ve always been intimidating. I probably should’ve done a bit of research before I went in not after, but I was recommended a pod system. I can’t remember exactly how it went but I think I might have used it for a week and then I went back to smoking.

Don’t think I even looked at it again till end of September early October. I know it was around Canadian Thanksgiving I was vaping. I’m not gonna bore you with the whole rest of the story but from then to now there’s been a lot of frustration! There’s been a lot of going back to smoking again even and a couple more devices, lots of juice! Even went to salt nic (once I’m done with what I have, I’m going back to regular nicotine) and a lot of bad advice from vape stores.

Somewhere in all of that is when I found you and Dimitri. I will admit that I spent pretty much all of Christmas Day and Boxing Day and even today watching all your old videos. It blows my mind that you and Dimitri still understand what it’s like to begin vaping and the issues we have and that you really get it and relate to it.

The device it finally did get me to quit smoking was essentially a mod with a tank (not Innokin sorry). I wish I hadn’t been so afraid of these types of devices in the beginning, it might’ve changed things. Might not have had to go through everything I did to get where I am today. But I’m so grateful I stuck with it and found you guys.
I still need to do a little bit of fine-tuning. Once I’m all done my salt nic, like I said, I will get regular nicotine.
Something both of you had said on one of your older shows made me kind of go huh. I think I’ll get you higher nic for during the day and in the morning, and lower nicotine dessert type vapes for in the evening.

I love my little pink mod, it’s easy and has an integrated battery so it’s just kind of simple. I know eventually I will upgrade but for now this is perfect.
I did pick up a Kroma Z today as you can never have too many good devices. I will say it’s very hard to find Innokin here in Ottawa right now. And I am somewhat picky about my colours which sounds stupid but I am. So they did have one white Kroma Z at a good vape store that I found. Just a cheap and easy way to get into Innokin until more supply finally gets back in the stores here in Canada.

I know it’s scary for vaping right now! I’m scared I don’t know what’s going to happen and I just discovered this. But don’t stop being you! You are making a difference… you are helping people! You changed my life and I am so grateful and thankful so thank you, thank you, thank you.🙏

Happy New Years and all the best in 2022!!

Jennifer

Hey Phil,

Found you recently on YouTube and just wanted to add my voice to the thousands of others that I guess you’ve heard regarding vaping.

I’m 59 years old and live in the UK.

I’ve smoked for 43 years until a few weeks ago, when I decided to try vaping to give up smoking, mainly to improve my oral hygiene.

I’ve tried so many times in the past, using patches, gum, you name the nicotine replacement, I’ve tried it. Nothing worked and I’ve never been able to stop for longer than a couple of days.

I’d previously been one of the idiots who thought that vaping was as bad as smoking. Gotta say I’ve been turned around 180 degrees on vaping and I’m now a vocal advocate of it!

The health benefits I’m experiencing already are phenomenal! I was struggling to walk further than 100 yards, had severe joint pain in many joints, bad bowel problems, bad skin, the list goes on.

ALL of these issues have either been significantly reduced or have disappeared completely since I switched to vaping. So much so that, in all honesty, I’m astonished to see that smoking was the cause of so many of my health issues. I feel like a new man!

Keep doing what you’re doing man; you’re a force for good in this world and you should be proud that you make such a positive difference in so many people’s lives.

Sad to see what’s happening re vaping in the US. Hope you can stick the rod of truth up the corporate empire’s ass.

Thank you.

Pete.

PS: I got the Adept Zlide, fell in love with the Zlide tank and got hold of a Coolfire Z50 too – my vaping journey has just begun 😀

Hello Phil,
My name is Robert Wayne. I’m a 49yr old male. I’m a retired E7 chief petty officer of the United States Navy. I entered service at the ripe ole age of 18, 1990 right out of Highschool. I grew up in the Air Force and graduated from Torrejon Air Base Spain.

I had started smoking cigarettes during my senior year, ironically thinking it made me a bad ass while playing a linebacker on one of my schools football teams. ( no, not the European football despite being in Spain, the American version) I started smoking, it was the thing to do, hell at that time drinking age was 16, so, when in Rome right?

Before going to Spain, I had spent just about close to 12yrs of my life overseas, my mother and I following my father around during his Air Force career. Btw, he’s a retired Full bird Col. An A-10 warthog pilot who cross trained to the F-16 Fighting Falcon. And yes, they were both smokers, still are.

Enter my military career, I was eventually a QMC SW/AW Retired navy vet. (Sw is surface warfare specialist, AW is air warfare specialist) during my 20years I was a smoker. And I continued that even after I retired at the age of 38.

I’m now 49yrs of age, I called you and Demi last week on the smokers show, and got to speak to Mike (the god father of vaping) just so I could say I was a few days away from my one year mark of quitting smokes, and totally into vaping. It is April 6th now, 369 days since I quit smoking (call it a military thing, I keep track) thanks to YOU, DImitris and the Innokin brand.

Thank you again Phil Busardo and Dimitiris Agrafiotis, and of course Innokin.
You DO help change lives,

Sincerely,
Rob

Hello Mr. Phil,

Say my friend hope you don’t mind me writing and saying a few things. First off thank you for the couragement you give to help folks get off of cigarettes. I’ve been 30+ years smoker and when I got into vaper products several years back. Your one of the first reviewers I came across. And I’ll be the first to admit. You absolutely do an outstanding job of giving the information that folks need to hear and understand. You Sir are in my book number 1 top reviewer. You give the facts of a product as you see them. And as me as a consumer I appreciate that. It’s not something your trying to sell. As I see so many others trying to do. I try to watch your videos when ever I can which is hard since I’m a OTR driver. But I truly believe you’d be an interesting fellow to sit down with and have a cup of coffee with and sit and listen to what you had to say. I truly believe one could learn a lot of information from you. Mr. Phil don’t ever stop of what your doing. Cause trust me. A lot of folks appreciate what your doing. I know I’m one. I get a kick out of you always talking about your Watermelon peach. Wish I knew where to buy some. I’d sure like to try it. Not a big fan on fruit vapes. But I’ll give yours a shot. Anyways my friend. Thanks once again of everything you do. Fighting to change others minds for a better alternatives from cigarettes. Take care my friend. Later William

G’day Phil,

Wandering through your back catalogue just now and came across another
example of why you and Dimi are invaluable in this idiotic battle.
When I quit smokes and started on this vaping thing a few short months
ago I had NO idea how effective it would be and NO idea of the stupidity
of governments (the world over) and scientific and private groups who’s
true aim is…. I’m yet to figure that out.

Ok save the children, yes but do it where that is needed…..targeting
vaping is creating a war where none exists.
Kids….
will smoke
will vape
will drink
will drive
will fuck that girl/boy they fancy
will get pregnant
and on and on it goes…..

Do we ban smokes….
Do we ban alcohol
Do we ban cars
Or any of the million things stupid kids do growing up
I was there once a long time ago, I’m allowed to call it stupid.

Can government regulate that, stop that….NO never.
What they can do is educate and hopefully get the message across that
all the above is not a real bright choice in life.

Bring in the old guy who’s dying from lung cancer into the schools.
Bring in the kid who cant walk anymore after crashing dads car he took
for a drive late one night.
Or the girl at 14 who’s pregnant and who’s life has been destroyed at
that age.
Bring in the stupid fucker who wants to vape……I don’t fucking know
what ….Evali, vitamin E acetate ?. I’m ignorant here but I think those
ones are past help.

Teach, educate, and FUND the schools….. show the consequences of
making poor choices. You’ll get the attention of some, perhaps a
lot…not all. Get them when they’re young, I can’t think of a better
way.
All this education is fully funded, no need take money from anyone but
smokers. In Australia 17 BILLION per year is collected in tobacco tax.
Does the Australian government spend 17 billion a year on quit smoking
programs….lol you know the answer.
Nicotine patches and the like should be free here given they are utterly
fucking useless ….they are not.

Ok sorry for the rant here but the video in the back catalogue set me
off. I’ve seen it many times in other videos but none more than in this
one…..

The….
Outrage
Disgust
Maddening Frustration

The…..
Sadness
Stupidity
The raw passion for what should be but isn’t….

Common Fucking Sense….why is that so hard !

Vaping works where nothing else does for most, it’s the safest and best
option there is at present.
I’m 62 and not a fighter, I go with the flow on most issues…..call it
apathy, call it old fucker don’t give a shit cause I cant change it.
I DO CARE about this, smoking kills and vaping FUCKING works to stop
that. You want a study?, study me…..just a few days after getting off
the cigs I wasn’t coughing up a lung in the morning , FACT….that
stopped.
And that was the catalyst, I became my father….on his death
certificate smoking was one of 3 causes. I guess I got scared….or wise.

I don’t know what’s behind all this….Big Tobacco, follow the money or
what. I just don’t know what’s behind all the utter stupidity surrounding
vaping. It Works You Dumb Fuckers !

You and Dimi are worth your weight in gold, you do what most of us can’t.
Be a real shame if you disappeared from Youtube. Love seeing you guys
‘chucking a wobbly’ ….aussie slang for Outrage and Fuck This !
Dimi quite restrained and Phil far less so 😉

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7JzaRBpIe8
Love It !

Cheers to you Both
Wayne

Hi Mr. Busardo! I wanted to let you know that I received my Ares II from you late last week and I can’t put it down. Thank you so much! It’s really a wonderful RTA. I’m really blown away—not just by the flavour, but by the entire vape experience it offers. Thank you again. I hope that you and your family are doing well. Take care.

– Lindsay

Comment: Phil, you know what impress me the most of you, is that you care about everybody. Yes, everybody. You give your thoughts about the product you evaluate, you try to consider every style of vaping, even though, you are a MTL vaper. I love it. If I had to vote for the best advocate for vaping, I would vote for you…no doubt.

Greetings!
I only recently discovered you, Dimi, and the Smokers Show thanks to a mention of you on the website of the e liquid company I purchase from (Alice in Vapeland). I love most of their products so trusted their suggestion of checking your reviews out and I will forever be grateful to them for it. To give you a little background, I was a half-pack a day smoker for almost 30 years. Like you I began my vaping journey around 2008-2009. It started with a cigalike from a C-store and eventually I got up the courage to walk into a vape shop and purchased my 1st mod (innokin itaste vv). I am ashamed to admit that even though I quickly found vaping as enjoyable as smoking I just could never fully walk away from cigarettes. Fast forward 10 years and skip over $1000’s spent finding the “perfect” mod, today I can finally say that I am no longer a smoker and my “dual” use is a pod with tobacco salt nic for when my 9mg regular just isn’t enough. That suggestion was a game changer for me. Since trying that, I have been 2 weeks without a cigarette and currently I don’t even miss them. But the best vaping trick hands down for me has been the Smokers Show. I started binge watching past episodes (next up is #28 so I still have a ways to catch up) and it has acted as a support group for me and absolutely contributed to my staying away from traditional tobacco. Thank you and Dimi a 1000 times for what y’all are doing! I am so very grateful to have discovered your videos. Please keep it up!
Sincerely,
Leslie

Comment: Hello Phil. I spoke with yourself and Dimi last night on the show. My name is Danette and I am a 62 year old vapor proudly. I wanted to thank you for all you have done. I have watched you for years and almost every review to learn all that I could. You have and of course Dimi have given me hope. I was so scared with the PMTA that I was even having a hard time sleeping. You see I don’t to die and for me smoking is a death sentence with COPD and CHF. I tried everything to stop smoking and NOTHING worked but I tried. So please for me and the world keep fighting and keep talking until they listen and they will one day they will. Until please know that you matter and you are making changes in this world. Much love to you and yours, Danette #1 fan…..

Phil,

I just wanted to take a moment of your time to say thank you for the Innokin Sceptre deluxe kit that you sent me last week, it is really a great AIO.

After over seven years vaping it amazes me on how far things have come and where it might be allowed to go if the anti’s don’t get their way.

I appreciate all the work that you and Dimitri do for our community and working to help people get away from cigarettes and finding a safer alternative. Thank you for fighting for all of us.

Sincerely,

Tony