The Benefits of Electronic Cigarettes

Electronic Cigarettes are being marketed as a cigarette substitute, for the smoker who wants to continue to enjoy the act of smoking, but without the risks. The idea is to promote a healthier alternative to tobacco smoking, since most of the harmful material produced by the combustion of tobacco in traditional cigarettes is not present in the atomised liquid of this innovative product. They have also been marketed as a way to keep or curtail an addiction to nicotine. 

The general aim is to assist smokers, and protect young people, by making cigarettes less addictive. Why? Well, for one thing, smoking kills and nicotine is an addictive substance, causing the smoker want to keep inhaling smoke toxicants. Most smokers know they ought to quit for health reasons. Tobacco addiction varies from mild to fierce. A less fierce addiction could make it easier for many adolescents to quit smoking before becoming regular smokers, and make it easier for many older smokers to quit. The nicotine content of cigarettes is excessive and can be reduced by the manufacturer if the law requires it. 

The second point is that addiction to smokeless tobacco can be just as addictive, but no smoke is inhaled and the risks of using smokeless are about 20 times less than the risk of smoking cigarettes. Lastly, addiction to nicotine, as occurs with about six percent of nicotine gum chewers, does not kill the chewer. 

This electronic cigarette mimics the smoking experience more closely than any smokeless product to date and provides a rapid nicotine hit, without causing smokers to cough. Various toxicological studies of the electronic cigarettes have been conducted, with some concluding that electronic cigarettes are less harmful than traditional tobacco cigarettes, because they can deliver nicotine into the lungs without the carcinogens and toxicants. 

So what is an electronic cigarette exactly? Well, it is termed as a mechatronic (mechatronics is the combination of mechanical engineering, electronic engineering and software engineering) version of a cigarette. 

It looks and acts like a cigarettes.      The device takes the form of a tiny rod which is slightly longer than a normal cigarette. The mouthpiece of the device contains a replaceable cartridge filled with liquid. The main substances contained in the liquid are nicotine and propylene glycol. 

When the user inhales through the device, the air flow is detected by a sensor. A microprocessor then activates an atomizer or nebulizer which injects tiny droplets of the liquid into the flowing air and vaporises the nicotine. This produces a vapour mist which is inhaled by the user. The addition of propylene glycol to the liquid makes the mist better resemble normal cigarette smoke. 

The microprocessor also activates an orange LED at the tip to simulate real smoking. Electronic cigarettes generally use a rechargeable battery as a power source, with battery life varying between devices, with some lasting a day between charges and others lasting a week. The technology is patent pending worldwide, and the electronic cigarette comes in a variety of colours nowadays, with some even mimicking cigars in a wood finish!