The Electronic Cigarette: What Exactly is an Ecig?

I quit smoking traditional cigarettes well over two years ago. I love my electronic cigarette. I can vape anywhere, including sitting at the computer writing this hub, and I don't have to worry about anyone around me complaining. It's also nice to know I'm not killing myself with 4,000 toxins, just one. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor meaning it constricts blood vessels. There is very little evidence that I have found proving nicotine alone causes lung cancer. It's all the other chemicals in the tobacco that make traditional cigarettes dangerous. I'm not saying you should rush out an buy one of these, far from it. I'm writing this hub to share information on an item I have personal experience with in order to help anyone trying to make a decision to buy. You should always consult your doctor before using anything to help you quit smoking.

The electronic cigarette has become quite popular despite attempts to ban the product (although some countries have been successful). It has become useful as a way to quit smoking instead of nicotine gum or patches. Quitting smoking with an electronic cigarette may be an easier way to go for some people because it still feels like smoking. Instead of smoke, however, vapor is inhaled. There is no secondhand smoke, no scent of any kind and it can be used anywhere including inside buildings and on planes. Some electronic cigarettes even look like a cigarette being the same weight and length of a traditional smoke.

Electronic cigarettes go by many different names; vapor cigarette, ecig, electric cigarette just to name a few. They work by heating and evaporating (hence vapor cigarette) a liquid, or “ejuice,” containing nicotine and either propylene or vegetable glycol. An “atomizer” or “cartomizer” is used as the heating element to evaporate the ejuice and connects to a battery. The vapor created is inhaled and exhaled like traditional smoke (also known as vaping), however it has no odor and it dissipates quickly.

Ejuice is the liquid that is dripped onto the atomizer and evaporated. It can be in a disposable “cartridge” that slides onto the atomizer or it can already be attached to it creating a “cartomizer.” There are also options available that allow the user to drip the ejuice straight onto the atomizer themselves. This is my preferred technique simply because I don’t have to worry about the cartridge running dry and having to change it. The ejuice comes in many different flavors. The nicotine strength, measured in milligrams, varies from 8mg up to 24mg. There is also an option for no nicotine for those who want to quit smoking all together, which brings me to the next question.

Since the ejuice comes in different strengths, it is possible to taper the milligrams of nicotine down to zero at your own pace. What really makes this successful is its portability and access. Electronic cigarettes can be used anywhere you want. Electronic cigarettes also offer the hand-to-mouth action that many smokers, including myself, enjoy. This makes withdrawal highly unlikely, reducing the need for antidepressant and smoking cessation medications. There is no risk of accidental overdose because each ecig has a built in safety feature. Most ecigs will stop producing vapor after a 5 second drag or if too many drags are taken during a set period of time, which is usually around two minutes.

Ejuice contains only nicotine and propylene or vegetable glycol. Traditional cigarettes contain nicotine and over 4,000 toxins including arsenic, cyanide and formaldehyde. Propylene and vegetable glycol is a common preservative used in the majority of foods we eat every day. Some studies have shown propylene glycol to have some protective qualities in the lungs, although this has yet to be proven. Cosmetically, ecigs do not yellow the teeth or fingers and since there is no secondhand smoke, there is no pungent smell on clothes.

There are several brands out there on the market. I’ve seen ecigs range from $12 to over $100 on the web. I started out with blucigs, a company based out of North Carolina and one of the more popular brands. They now sell their starter kits, cartomizers and disposable ecigs at many retail stores including Walgreens. The kits start at $69. I was happy with them until they switched from propylene glycol to vegetable glycol and the flavors changed dramatically, not to mention their customer service is subpar. I then tried my, now, personal favorite: Volcano. Volcano ecigs range from $13 for disposables to $75 for the top of the line model starter kits. Volcano also has an ecig forum where you can chat with other vapers for more information. They do have a superior product and their ejuice tastes amazing, but I'm biased. Their customer service is excellent, however.

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