October 2009 Archives

No matter which side you are on, there are indisputable facts that you should consider:

Electronic cigarettes can be used anywhere because they do not give of any combustion products. No smoke or odor is present --  only water vapor. This means you can smoke in all public places you used to. You will of course be questioned by some establishments but once they realize exactly what a smokeless cigarette is, you will have little trouble with them allowing its use.

Smokeless cigarettes will save you tons of money. Conservative estimates put the dollar amount anywhere from $2000 to $3000 dollars. That's because the cost of e-liquid (the component used in e-cigs) is about 1/10 the cost of an equal amount of tobacco cigarettes. Ecig users brag about saving upwards of $200 a month!

There is also the huge benefit of improved sanitation. No longer will you have cigarette butts, ashes, smoke or  hand-held fire hazard. Combine this with the ability to smoke anywhere and the fact that you'll save a butt-load of cash and using an ecig seems to be a no brainer.

Smokeless cigarettes may not be the Holy Grail of smoking cessation but they definitely need a thorough investigation as opposed to the knee jerk reaction they have been receiving.

More important information on cigarettes and smoking cessation.

The most important reason often over looked when making your decision to buy an ecig or electronic cigarette is the elimination of 2nd hand smoke.

Second hand smoke, or environmental smoke, is a combination of smoke exhaled by the smoker and the residual smoke given off by the burning cigarette itself. In the past, many people were exposed to second hand smoke on a daily basis. Today, smoking in public places is virtually unheard of. But the health problems of second hand smoke still exist for family and friends of cigarette smokers.

According to the Surgeon General, there is no safe level of 2nd hand smoke. Those close to a smoker are exposed to smoke in cars or homes and even inhale a considerable amount outdoors. The "Second Hand Smoker" suffers adverse health effects by inhaling the same nasty carcinogens and toxins as the smoker without ever taking a puff!

Some of the adverse health effects associated with second hand smoke include heart disease, cardiovascular disease, stroke and even cancer. Infants exposed to second hand smoke have an increased risk of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and the development of asthma and other respiratory illness.

When you make the decision to buy an ecig, remember you are actually improving the health of your loved ones that are exposed to your cigarette smoke. When using an electronic cigarette, the only thing given off is water vapor. Nothing else. None of the toxic chemicals -- Just water. The ecig will take away all of the health risks associated with 2nd hand smoke, stop the lingering odor of smoke around your home and stop the staining of the windows in your home or car. And best of all, you breath no longer stinks like an ashtray!

The safety of electronics cigarettes has sparked a huge controversy with both sides gathering steam for what may be the fight of the century. On one side, are the proponents of the ecig who rave about its health benefits and safety compared to tobacco cigarettes. On the other is the government agency the FDA who will be regulating it as either a tobacco product or a nicotine delivery device.

Long time users of electronic cigarettes say they are better than tobacco for numerous reasons including the health benefits, cost savings, convenience and safety. Experts from their camp say the ecig a better alternative to tobacco as users inhale only water vapor and minute amounts of nicotine and propylene glycol  all of which are considered safe. When compared to the 4000 chemicals (43 of which are known carcinogens) inhaled while smoking a normal cigarette, this does indeed sound like an alternative to be considered.

There are also the savings earned with the electronic cigarette. Estimates vary but a conservative savings of 50% is considered accurate. This would mean $1000 per year savings could be enjoyed by a pack a day smoker. If you smoke 2 packs a day, the savings would double that, 3 packs triple and so on.

Next consider the safety and convenience of this product. The ecig does not ignite or give of ashes & smoke so there would be no accidental fire issues (smoking in bed etc.). The absence of combustion also allows the device to be used in places considered "Smoke Free" such as restaurants and nightclubs.

On the other side of the argument is the FDA. On July 22 of this year President Obama signed into law the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control
Act of 2009 allowing the FDA to regulate tobacco products. Before this, there was no regulation of the tobacco industry.

Now the key word here is REGULATE. The FDA, under this act, could not ban tobacco products but could regulate their contents, make public their ingredients, demand larger warning labels and prohibit or control advertising campaigns.

The stumbling block for the government is whether to consider the electronic cigarette a tobacco product or a nicotine delivery device. The FDA regulates medications and medication delivery devices. So if the ecig is determined to be a nicotine delivery device, it will fall under the stringent controls used to regulate the medication industry. If it is determined to be a tobacco product, it will be controlled uner the "Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act".

It appears the electronic cigarette industry has a lot of work to due. For them to succeed, they must convince authorities that the ecig is a tobacco product and it should be regulated as such. If it is deemed a nicotine delivery device, it will most certainly be banned as it is highly unlikey that is can be presented as a medication delivery device.

The first time I saw an electronic cigarette or e-cig, I was totally amazed! It looks exactly like a cigarette and even has an LED light on the end to simulate the burning ash. With smoking banned virtually EVERYWHERE, the e-cig is really an interesting alternative.

The ecig holds a replaceable cartridge of liquid or "e-juice". The liquid is made of propylene glycol and has minute amounts of nicotine and/or flavor added. You can get cartridges with only nicotine, nicotine with flavor added or just plain flavor. There are many flavors to choose from like Strawberry, Chocolate, Watermelon, Coconut, Pepsi, Red Bull & Whiskey just to name a few. The flavors are really tasty and really cheap. A full cartridge is equal to about 15 cigarettes.

The e-cig has a small battery inside that powers the internal micro-electronics and the atomizer that converts the liquid from the cartridge into an inhalable vapor. The rechargeable batteries are lithium ion and will last about a month. They offer many ways to recharge the battery like a USB charger, car charger, pocket charger or AC charger.

People who use electronic cigarettes say that they smoke far fewer cigarettes and some even say they have quit smoking. Currently there are no studies showing this to be true. Even if they don't curb the urge to smoke, the fact that they are odorless and can be used anywhere smoking is banned is reason enough to take a look at them. They are great for the guy whose wife makes him stand outside in the rain and snow to get his nicotine fix.