Karien is a blogger by profession. She is fond of writing on technology and lifestyle. Beside this, she is fond of gadgets. She recently wrote an article on futuristic robots. These days she is reading a book on architecture. Check out her full site at BornTechie.
Smokeless E-Cigarettes: The number one replacement for tobacco cigarettes?
The smokers have surly tried to quit the smoking habit many times. There is enormous pressure from friends and family; most common spaces including the workplace, restaurants, buses, etc are smoke-free. Even in the home, the adverse impact of second hand smoking on family members and the persistent problem of retained odors on furnishings, carpets, and even clothes is a major deterrent. The addicted smoker, however, tends to return to smoking due to the physical and emotional satisfaction he derives from it. The Electronic Cigarette or e-cigarette has been developed as a device to help in the cessation of smoking.
The Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik invented the Electronic Cigarette or e-cigarette in 2003. The concept was, however, written about by Herbert A. Gilbert in 1963, well before the public campaigns that led to the current restrictions on indoor smoking.
The e-cigarette is shaped to resemble a conventional cigarette, cigar, or pipe and consists of a cartridge containing propylene glycol containing a nicotine solution and some flavoring agent to resemble tobacco. When the smoker puts the e-cigarette to his mouth and draws air through it, an in-built heater element causes the liquid to vaporize. The power source is a rechargeable button battery. The vapor mist containing the nicotine and the tobacco flavoring gives the smoker the same experience as the conventional tobacco smoke. Once the smoker stops drawing air through the cartridge, the heater automatically switches off. The liquid cartridge is replaceable. Often a spare rechargeable battery is included for the frequent smoker.
Propylene glycol is considered a safe ingredient and is used in asthma inhalers. The vapor rapidly disperses into the atmosphere and does not have any odor. The nicotine solution is available in various concentration levels labeled low, medium or high depending on what the smoker was used to, when smoking tobacco. The intention of the manufacturers is that the smoker may be able to progressively reduce nicotine dependency by changing to lower concentrations. In addition, the tobacco flavoring agent can, over time, be replaced with other flavors, as the smoker is able to wean himself away from the need for the tobacco flavor.
Health professionals and social scientists have discussed the subject of safety of e-cigarettes around the world. So far, the consensus is that e-cigarettes do not pose any health hazards to the user or to people around him. Only Health Canada has the concern that e-cigarettes may promote nicotine addiction and possible nicotine poisoning. The e-cigarette manufacturers have responded by building in a timer device that would switch off the vapor if there is prolonged inhalation of over 8 seconds at any time.
The e-cigarette while continuing to provide the nicotine that the smoker needs to transition to complete withdrawal, has the benefit that it does not have the carbon monoxide or tar that are the major carcinogens in conventional tobacco smoke. To that extent, there is one school of argument that prolonged use of e-cigarettes is acceptable. Others, in particular social scientists argue that the common availability of e-cigarettes and their indoor use could encourage young people to experiment and some of them may, then, get addicted to conventional tobacco cigarettes. They also point out the use of e-cigarettes is comparatively recent and there is, yet, insufficient experience to pronounce them safe for use. Still others are concerned of the possibility of e-cigarette cartridges being filled with more harmful drugs.
The e-cigarette does appear to fulfill the need for a product to help wean smokers away from tobacco smoking.
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