Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) on Monday fired back at House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) over her opposition to electronic cigarettes, writing in a letter that they could “very well save my life."

“Yes, I vape — as do millions of other Americans,” Hunter wrote in a letter to Pelosi. “And why do I vape? It is because it prevents me from smoking the real thing.”

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In the letter, Hunter criticized Pelosi for her efforts to restrict the availability of e-cigarettes. Last week, she sent a letter to fellow lawmakers noting that Democrats killed a policy rider in the government spending bill that would’ve provided for greater access to e-cigarettes.

Hunter also detailed his own struggle with tobacco products, dating back to his time as a Marine.

“E-cigarettes are a suitable alternative to cigarettes, and they could very well save my life, as well as the lives of so many Americans who are making their best effort to quit cigarettes,” Hunter wrote.

“Ironically, by not supporting the commercial availability of e-cigarettes, with all their advancements in recent years, you are giving your support — whether intended or not — to traditional cigarettes and other products,” he added.