Of all the stop smoking aids that have been marketed throughout the years, the most intriguing, and possibly most effective, is the electronic cigarette (also known as the e-cigarette or smokeless cigarette). At first glance, this device appears to be a real cigarette in size, weight, and usage. However, since it does not contain tobacco, its operation does not expose the smoker to the over 4000 toxic chemicals and 60-70 known carcinogens found in traditional cigarettes.
Electronic Cigarettes as a Stop Smoking Aid
So, how do these “fake cigarettes” help people stop smoking? In several ways, actually. First of all, they contain a cartridge that, upon inhaling, generates the taste of a traditional tobacco cigarette. Different manufacturers offer a wide variety of flavors (tobacco, menthol, and even options like apple, strawberry, and chocolate, to name a few), and users should try out a few different brands and varieties to see which ones are the most pleasing to them personally.
If desired, smokeless cigarettes can also be used as nicotine delivery system. When choosing the cartridges to be used in your electric cigarette, you can specify a nicotine level of high, medium, low, or none. This makes the electronic cigarette a true “quit smoking cigarette,” since you can start at a higher nicotine level, and gradually reduce your nicotine intake, just like you can with other stop smoking aids such as the nicotine patch.
Next, the physical actions required in smoking electronic cigarettes are identical to those used to operate a regular cigarette, thus giving the smoker something to do with their hands. This is perhaps one of the most cited reasons for failure when attempting other quit smoking methods; nicotine gum or patches do nothing to replace the physical routines and habits involved in smoking addiction.
E-Cigarettes Allowed Where Smoking Is Banned
Finally, since they do not emit actual smoke, the use of electric cigarettes is allowed in places traditional cigarettes have been banned: restaurants and bars, theaters, workplaces, sporting venues, cruise ships, and more. You see, e-cigarettes expel a water vapor that looks and tastes like smoke, but it virtually odorless and dissipates into the air almost immediately. This is due to the electronic cigarette’s atomization chamber, that heats up the liquid contained in the cartridge and produces a vapor that gives the user the physical sensation of smoking, but without the harsh smoke and irritation of traditional tobacco.
Make Sure to Try Before You Buy
I’m sure you’ve noticed the multitude of brands and varieties of tobacco cigarettes on the market – there are literally hundreds to choose from, and each smoker has his or her own specific favorite. Now that smokeless cigarettes have evolved on the market, the situation is no different. Each brand and style of electric cigarette will be different from the next in ways such as taste, feel, usage, and convenience (carrying, charging, refills, etc.). That’s why many electronic cigarette manufacturers give you the opportunity to take advantage of a risk-free trial of their product before you commit to spending the $100 or so that it takes to purchase a complete kit.
For a small shipping and handling charge, usually between $2-8, you can receive an e-cigarette starter kit that contains everything you need to try the product out for yourself. You will be given a period of time, generally 10 days or so, to use the electric cigarettes at no risk, and see if you are satisfied with your choice. If you wish to keep your smokeless cigarette kit past the trial period, simply do nothing and you will be billed for the total cost of your purchase. If you are not completely happy, just follow the enclosed instructions to contact the company and return the unused portion of the product. Some companies will even allow you to extend the length of your trial period if you need a bit more time to decide.
So stick with those New Year’s resolutions and make 2010 the year you give up smoking traditional tobacco cigarettes for good!
