In Canada electric or electronic cigarettes are just getting off the ground. The Health Ministry has mentioned they are looking into them.
They are not typically found in stores; but e-cigarettes are available for purchase online worldwide from sites such as this one:
http://electric-
Some countries have restricted sales of electronic cigarettes; but most governments allow them.
Norm Weaver of the Ridgeside Anti-Smoking group said in a recent interview that "the new electric cigarettes have not been studied at great length yet; however it seems pretty safe to assume that they are much better for you than real cigarettes, given that they produce no actual smoke.”
These "ecigs" are the same size as a normal cigarette. Using a battery, liquid nicotine is vaporized and inhaled by the user when they take a drag. It feels like a regular cig but there is no actual smoke or tar. The vapor is like a room temperature steam, and just disappears after you breath it in. The actual sensation of smoking is the same but there is no harmful tabacco smoke. No bad breath, no ash or flame, and you can smoke everywhere, even in “no smoking” areas.
For those looking to quit smoking, e-cigs offers an interesting alternative. One can basically keep smoking; but without so many of the negative side effects
Owners of electronic cigarettes buy cartridges of nicotine which turns out to be much cheaper than buying “real” cigs. They are available in differing strengths – typically strong, medium and mild. Some brands even offer flavored cartridges.
Hopefully the market for electric cigarettes in Canada will improve once the government has had a closer look. In the vast majority of countries worldwide, e-cigs are totally unregulated. However they face powerful opposition from the tobacco industry as well as government concerns about their tobacco tax revenues. Hopefully in the end, policy will be driven only by what is best for the people.
