An electronic cigarette, or E-cigarette, is a smokeless and odourless nicotine delivery device that utilizes a propylene glycol carrier to provide vaporized nicotine. Inhaling an electric cigarette activates battery-powered electronic circuitry that vaporizes the liquid nicotine contained in each cartridge. The result is a fine vapor that tastes, feels, and looks like traditional tobacco smoke. As you inhale, an LED light at the end of the device glows to simulate the appearance of a traditional cigarette.
While traditional cigarettes contain many harmful additives such as arsenic and formaldehyde, electronic cigarettes are free of these contaminants. As with any nicotine-containing product, the electric cigarette carries health hazards associated with nicotine use, but does not contain the many potentially carcinogenic substances found in regular cigarettes. The propylene glycol contained in electronic cigarettes is a harmless compound widely used by the pharmaceutical industry as a carrier for suspending and delivering various medications, from antifungals to asthma inhalers. In a 2010 study published in the Journal of Public Health Policy by professors Zachary Cahn and Michael Siegel, the levels of carcinogenic substances found in electronic cigarettes were similar to those found in nicotine patches. Consequently, the exhaled vapor from the electronic cigarette is completely safe to those around you.
Electronic cigarettes do not carry the associated risks of secondhand tobacco smoke exposure. As a result they are safe to use indoors. This feature avoids the potential embarrassment of having to go outside every time you choose to light up. The lack of tobacco smoke also prevents your breath, clothes, and upholstery from smelling like cigarettes. Furthermore, the amount of nicotine that the electronic cigarette provides per puff can be adjusted by using interchangeable nicotine cartridges calibrated to different strengths. For those who enjoy the flavor of menthol cigarettes, electronic cigarettes can be equipped with menthol, vanilla, cherry, or chocolate-flavored cartridges.
In addition to being a safer alternative to regular cigarettes, electronic cigarettes are significantly more affordable. A smoker averaging forty cigarettes a day can expect a monthly savings of over sixty percent using refillable electronic cigarettes.
With a combination of convenience, affordability, cleanliness, and an excellent safety profile, electronic cigarettes provide an alternative for those who enjoy smoking and are not ready to quit.