Fast Facts on Electronic Cigarettes

• The first “smokeless cigarette” was actually invented in the 1960s, but it wasn’t until the 21st century when the “modern” e-cigarette was designed in China. It quickly became popular there, before being exported to Europe and then around the world.
• Attempts to regulate electronic cigarettes have created a crazy and confusing quilt of local, state and federal laws. In a few countries they’re banned completely, in several like Australia only e-cigarettes containing nicotine are banned, and Britain is planning to regulate them as “medical devices” within a few years. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which was given the right to regulate e-cigs as “tobacco products,” is expected to issue their new proposals shortly. The most common regulations currently in effect around the world ban the sale or use of ecigs by those under the age of 18 in many jurisdictions.
• There have been no definitive studies answering the question “are electronic cigarettes safe” and no major research on whether they’re safer than tobacco cigarettes. There’s no debate that an enormous number of toxins and chemicals that are in tobacco smoke are not present in e-cigarette vapor. The next research steps, however, are yet to be taken. Most arguments on both sides are based on small samples or anecdotal.
• The number of vapers is growing rapidly worldwide. E-cig sales increased from only 50,000 in the year 2008, to 3.5 million just four years later. And in the United States around 20% of regular smokers have at least tried the product, with around 10% of current or former smokers in Britain now using ecigs.
• Big tobacco initially did what it could to stop the spread of electronic cigarettes, in order to protect its market share. But recently almost all of the major tobacco companies have either bought existing e-cigarette companies, or developed their own e-cigs in-house, in order to compete in the rapidly-growing market.
• Companies continue their efforts to improve and innovate, with some of the latest products hitting the market the “stealth” e-cig which makes it easier to “hide” the fact that you’re vaping by releasing much less vapor, and more powerful batteries which last longer between recharges.
• Using a quality electronic cigarette is a good simulation of smoking a tobacco cigarette once you get used to the experience. The e-cig is heavier and it takes a bit more pressure to inhale completely, but the feeling of the vapor is similar to the feel of inhaling smoke, and the clouds from a good e-cigarette look almost exactly like smoke.
• Your choice of an e-cigarette brand should depend on several factors: the “throat hit” in the back of your throat and feeling in your lungs (some ecigs carry the punch of inhaling strong smoke, while others feel more like inhaling a smooth or light cigarette), the taste (many different flavors are available), the feel of the product (most two-piece models are the size and shape of a regular cigarette, while many three-piece models are larger), the look (many brands offer a number of “fashion” alternatives), and the electronics (how long a battery charge lasts, for example).
• E-cigs work by heating fluid known as “e-liquid” contained in the product, turning it into a vapor that’s inhaled by the user and then exhaled as mostly water vapor. The e-liquid contains only a few ingredients, primarily a “base” of either propylene glycol or vegetable glycerin (often used as a base in food products and an FDA-approved substance) and flavoring agents. The eliquid and the atomizer that heats it are usually in the “filter” part of the device, and the “long” part of the cigarette contains the battery.
• It initially costs more to buy an electronic starter kit than it costs for a pack of cigarettes. Starter kits can run anywhere from twenty dollars to well over 100 dollars, depending on the accessories you get. After that, however, vaping is much less expensive than smoking, with replacement cartridges or eliquid costing as much as 50-70% less than cigarettes. Disposable ecigs usually run around 10 dollars apiece or so.
• You can buy e-cigarettes over the counter at convenience stores, tobacco stores, e-cig boutiques or a growing number of other types of outlets. You can also purchase them online. The selection, pricing and availability of accessories is usually much better online and it can be more convenient to just order replacement carts or eliquid from your home. It may be more convenient to pick up a disposable ecig at a local store if that’s your choice, however, and the growing number of boutiques and ecigarette stores can be fun places to shop.
• Rechargeable electronic cigarettes are a much better investment in the long run if you plan to be a regular vaper. Disposable e-cigarettes, which last the equivalent of a couple of packs of cigarettes, are much more expensive overall. They can be a good choice, however, if you are going out for a night on the town and don’t want to carry extra batteries, cartridges, liquid or a charging case. They’re also a good way to try the experience of vaping without spending a lot of money.
• Many more people choose a two-piece design over a three-piece design for their regular electronic cigarette. The two-piece unit is much easier to use; you just screw a filter onto a battery, and you’re ready to vape. When the battery runs down or the cartridge runs out, you make a quick switch and you’re all set. The three-piece units are usually preferred by hobbyists, those who want a more powerful hit, those who want much longer battery life, or those who like to “mix and match” flavors of e-liquid for fun.