N
F
E
R
F E AT U R E S
H
Diary
OF A VAPER
With Darren Pomfret
Selfless Darren Pomfret had to make some serious lifestyle
changes after being viciously assaulted by a gang of thugs.
He was targeted after coming to the aid of a defenceless
pensioner who was being attacked in the street.
As a result of his injuries, Darren, who had been smoking
since he was a teenager, suffered a stroke aged just 25.
Shortly after this he heard about vaping as an alternative to
smoking and in 2008 he decided to give it a go for himself.
Darren said: “Vaping worked like a charm for me and I had
no diffi culty in making the switch and cutting out cigarettes
completely.
“Vaping improved my health; I could breathe easier and I was
able to do more. With the health conditions I had, I wasn’t
able to move about properly and everything was a strain.
But it didn’t just improve my physical health, it improved
my mental health because it gave me something to do, as I
learned how to fix vaping devices.”
Darren now fi xes mods, builds his own devices and feels a
strong sense of pride in belonging to a vaping community of
like-minded people.
He added: “Building mods was a big part of my recovery
from the stroke. It wasn’t just the hand-to-eye coordination,
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it also helped with the mental frustration I’d get when I
couldn’t accomplish something. Things as simple as being
able to say a word or fi nding myself not being able to speak
properly, it was just overwhelming, and this gave me an outlet.
“Vaping also gave me a community when I fi rst got involved
with the scene and I can’t even begin to describe the level of
help that I have received from them. I have made so many
friends from vaping and it has had a hugely positive impact
on my life. I wouldn’t be here without that; it’s saved my life.”
Darren, 38, from Manchester, said he is appalled by the
current vaping situation in America and said we were so
lucky to have a different regulatory climate in Europe.
He said: “Hearing of shops having to close down so the
people running them aren’t able to provide for their families
anymore, it’s heart-breaking and absolutely disgusting.
“It’s sad that everything boils down to money and that
somebody’s life isn’t worth anything. That’s what vaping
does: vaping saves lives. But, because I can make my own
vapes from parts, even if they stopped selling e-cigarettes
here I’d still go and make my own, there’s no way I’m giving
this up. Not a chance.”