The Advent of the E-Cigarette

Nov. 21, 2009 - PRLog -- Smokers take heed: there is a brighter future looming on the horizon, all thanks to the remarkable advances in technology which grace our society with alarming and enticing rapidity.  The lot of the smoker has increasingly become that of the social pariah over recent years, as more and more restrictions have been placed on smoking in public areas and independent organizations of various sorts have come out of the woodwork to champion that good health of non-smokers—especially the young.  These reactions to smoking were only to be expected in a world where the negative effects of smoking tobacco have become more and more apparent, leaving smokers less and less wiggle room or arguments with which to defend themselves or their habits.  In the face of this new dynamic, smokers have been waiting for some sort of Godsend to get them out of this pinch…and it seems that it has finally arrived.

What smoker wouldn’t be tempted by the idea of a product that can pack the nicotine dose that they are craving and even sate the oral fixation that many smokers have, all whilst avoiding any sort of offense or injury to any person standing or sitting nearby (no matter how close!)?  And how about, on top of all that, the guarantee that no tobacco is consumer and none of the nasty chemicals it is treated with come into the picture at all?  Essentially what we’re talking about here is all of the benefits without any of the drawbacks.  But what sort of modern-day miracle could we possibly by talking about here?  No, it’s not another patch or chewing gum—no, what we’re talking about at this point is the latest invention of all to rock the smoking world: the electronic cigarette.

The electronic cigarette (also referred to as the e-cigarette, or simply e-cig) is a marvel of modern technology that presents smokers with an attractive and convenient alternative to what they would otherwise be reaching for: smelly, dirty, polluting and altogether dangerous tobacco cigarettes (that will draw the ire of others around you if you light up in the wrong place!).  Unlike ordinary cigarettes, e-cigarettes can be taken and used in just about any circumstance without worrying about “raising a stink,” so to speak.  That’s because there is nothing at all with which others around the e-cigarette user can be offended by: no nasty odors, no lingering cloud of smoke (which means no second-hand smoke inhalation, a major plus for all involved), no messy and disgusting waste to be dealt with (everyone knows the travesty of the spilt ashtray).  All you’re left with is a discreet, compact and in almost all cases reusable/refillable nicotine delivery system.

So what exactly is an e-cigarette?  Though there are different models and varieties, they pretty much all share certain basic characteristics: they are small devices manufactured to be roughly the same size as a cigarette or small cigar that, upon activation by the user (inhalation), intake air, heat it, and then pass through a final chamber where a vaporized nicotine solution is injected into the airflow, which then makes its way into the user’s mouth and lungs.  All that in one compact little device, broken down into a few parts (four separate parts is the most common configuration).  

At the “far end” of the e-cigarette, most models have incorporated an LED lighting mechanism that mimics the glow emitted by an actual tobacco cigarette or cigar when taking a puff.  A clever addition that does more than just add a bit of aesthetic glitz to e-cigarette usage: as most smokers will acknowledge, a real addict becomes obsessed by almost all the aspects of the smoking process, and thus the inclusion of this detail in the e-cigarette design helps round out the simulation experience, further enticing smokers to pick up an e-cigarette instead of their old-faithful.

The largest component comes next, and is comprised by the e-cigarette’s battery and circuitry compartment.  This would be the portion corresponding to the main part of the cigarette shaft.  Though some e-cigarettes are discardable, most models come with rechargeable battery units (conveniently, manufacturers have made many available for recharge via either traditional wall plug-in or alternatively using a car lighter jack or even a USB charger).

Next up (moving towards the user’s mouth, that is) is the heating piece, which in the industry and among those in the know is referred to as the atomizer.  This piece takes the nicotine liquid solution contained in the mouthpiece (the final piece which we will get to next) and brings it up to the correct heat to be vaporized, so that it can be inhaled along with the air you take in along with your drag.  

Thus, obviously, the final piece is the mouthpiece itself, alternatively referred to as the cartridge.  This is the “juice box” of the e-cigarette, where the yearned for nicotine burst is housed.  The nicotine solution cartridges that are inserted herein can either be refillable or can be replaceable; furthermore, the solutions can come in different concentrations of nicotine—a person stuck on really strong cigarettes can get their stiff fix if needs be, whereas an “ultralights” smoker can get their light fix.  Additionally, these solutions are offered in a wide variety of flavors, from very exotic and fruity concoctions to attempts at recreating the very flavor of a cigarette itself, with some narrowing in on the flavor of a particular brand.  A lifelong Camel or Marlboro smoker (just to mention two common brands of cigarettes) can continue along with a familiar flavor, yet abandon all of the dangers of actual tobacco smoke.

In the end, e-cigarettes are a remarkable innovation that are winning over countless coverts every day as more and more people become aware of the tremendous benefits posed by this ingenious solution to the traditional smoker’s dilemma.  So liberate yourself not only from the scourge of tobacco but furthermore from the stigma of being “the smoker” and enable yourself to follow your usual habits without worrying about getting berated by angry passersby or worse—your own colleagues or even your family!  Try an e-cigarette today!