Electronic Cigarettes: A Little Bit Of Controversy

Electronic Cigarettes – What’s to love?

Although they haven’t been around long, electronic cigarettes have already caused controversy across the globe. They were introduced in China in 2004 by Ruyan Group Holdings, also known as the Golden Dragon Group, which has prevailed in several international lawsuits since the introduction of their patented innovative ultrasonic atomizing technology.  Ruyan means “almost like smoke” and indeed it is. Atomizing vaporizers create water vapor that simulates smoke, and offers numerous advantages over normal tobacco for dedicated smokers.  Several other Chinese engineers followed up on inventor Hon Lik’s patent for Ruyan, and new innovations crop up constantly. Smokers love their habit, and e-cig smokers love their new, improved habit.

So, what’s to love about yet another electronic device to complicate our lives? Ask an e-cig smoker and you may get a long, passionate response, which starts with all the advantages of vaping. That’s what it’s called – vaping.  It’s not smoke, it’s vapor, so it’s not called smoking, it’s called vaping.  In actual use, each drag on an e-cig causes the atomizer to heat up a liquid, creating steam or vapor. The atomizer operates on a rechargeable battery, a very small one, which means the unit requires frequent charging. But plugging in is not even a slight deterrent to the proliferating e-cig culture.

First of all, electronic cigarettes do not involve tobacco

Which means none of the thousands of toxic substances inherent in tobacco smoke inhaled by traditional tobacco smokers are present. And no actual smoke means no second-hand smoke, so everybody in the car or in the room isn’t breathing toxic smoke either.  E-cig aficionados will tell you that they are choosing their new habit or hobby because it is safer and healthier than regular cigarettes, for themselves and for others.

Second of all, electronic cigarettes vaporize a liquid composed primarily of five to ten ingredients generally recognized as safe for human consumption, which list may or may not include nicotine. In other words, e-cig smokers can purchase prepared liquids from an enormous menu selection of different nicotine concentrations, or no nicotine at all, flavored with almost anything, including tobacco, chocolate, coffee, strawberry and tira misu. And that’s just for starters. If you think there are a lot of coffee flavors available these days, you haven’t seen anything until you’ve been exposed to e-cig flavorings. It’s almost incomprehensible.  So that means it’s possible to enjoy smoking something  that actually tastes good to you, while controlling, reducing or even eliminating your nicotine intake.  Are you starting to see the draw?

And finally, it’s probably no surprise that the largest age group of e-cig users is over forty.  Smokers beginning to admit the toll that tobacco smoke is taking on their personal health and the health of others are more likely to get excited about choosing amongst the many brands of electronic cigarettes and the mind-boggling menu of liquid options. And they are more likely to make the initial investment of $50, a bare minimum for the unit itself, and that doesn’t include a variety pack of flavored liquids. Part of its charm is that an electronic cigarette offers unlimited options forever.  Seasoned smokers can feel good making a healthier choice that also happens to be delicious.

About Jennifer DaSilva