What if you could get the enjoyment of a cigarette without being exposed to the many carcinogens released when tobacco burns? How would you like to be able to go into your favorite restaurant, where people can no longer smoke, and “light up” anyway?
It’s all possible with an E cigarette (or e cig), which is a replacement for a cigarette, but much different, even though it looks very much like a cigarette. An e cig is a device that produces a vapor of flavored nicotine liquid. The e cig device has a battery, an atomizer that heats the e cig liquid into a vapor, and a chamber that contains a reservoir for the flavored nicotine liquid and the inhalation port. There’s no tobacco, no paper.
Is an e cig like smoking? Sure, except there is no smoke, and people around you detect no lingering odor. But the vapor released gives you the sensation of something like smoke in your mouth and nose, the satisfaction of the nicotine, and the flavored nicotine liquid leaves a taste for you to enjoy.
Do e cigs contain carcinogens? You are getting a pure dose of nicotine (like a patch) with none of the 4,000 or so byproducts of the burning tobacco and paper in a cigarette. Some of those burned cigarette elements are carcinogens, we all know. E cigs produce no known carcinogens.
What flavors are available? The flavored nicotine liquid in the e cig comes in many, many flavors. You can even mix your own blend of flavored nicotine liquid. Many companies now make e cig refill liquid and often offer varying potencies and concentrations of the nicotine that are part of the base liquid.
Do I want a flavor? That’s up to you. Companies that sell flavored nicotine liquid realize some former cigarette smokers would like a more robust nicotine charge, with little flavor; other e cig users would rather not taste the nicotine at all and are looking for more of a flavor.
Where do I buy an e cig? Many stores close to home, or online. And ever day there are more models to choose from. And there are many brands of e cigarette made in the USA.