E-cigs - A New Smoking Trend

An article I wrote a few days ago introducing e-cigs. I've seen a few of these for sale in Egypt, if you're interested in finding a location that sells them in Hurghada, please contact me and I can give you a few locations :). 

What is an Electronic Cigarette?

You  may have seen one. A strange looking cigarette with an LED light at its tip that will often light up red, blue or green. Electronic cigarette’s are the newest innovation to hit the smoking market.

Electronic Cigarettes, or e-cigs as they are often called, are made up of three parts. A battery that powers the e-cig, an “atomizer” that vaporizes liquid, and plastic cartridge with a dual purpose. The cartridge’s primary purpose is to function as the mouthpiece of the cigarette, and its second purpose is to house the liquid that is the core that enables the e-cig to work in the first place.

A Chinese pharmacist known as Hon Lik is widely considered the inventor of the present-day electronic cigarette. A heavy smoker for years,   Hon Lik used to smoke up to three full packs of cigarettes a day. It wasn’t until his father died of lung cancer, having also been a heavy smoker, that Hon decided to kick the habit. It was this decision that led to the creation of the e-cig.

Hon Lik promotes it as “a much cleaner, safer way to inhale nicotine.” Like many smokers before him, the nicotine becomes the addictive element of the cigarette, and overcoming that addiction provides the greatest challenge. The negative health implications of smoking have been widely documented, but Hon’s electronic cigarette throws these pre-conceived notions on their head.

Firstly, with an electronic cigarette there is no smoke. In fact, E-cigs don’t burn at all.  The plastic canister with the liquid holds nicotine which has been diluted into a propylene glycol solution.  With the use of the lithium battery, it powers the atomization of the nicotine liquid solution. This is then inhaled by the smoker from the mouthpiece, and when exhaled it resembles cigarette smoke! It gives smoker’s the nicotine kick they are looking for yet reduces the harmful effects that tar and other additives that a normal cigarette would pose.

Electronic cigarettes hit the market in China in 2004, after Hon Lik was awarded a patent for their creation in 2003. But it’s only recently that they are being introduced into the United States’ market. One e-cig carries a retail price of around 25$. Although that might sound expensive, consider that one e-cig is said to contain the equivalent amount of nicotine of up to four packs of regular cigarettes, so they do present as a cheaper alternative.

One of the selling points of the electronic cigarettes these days are that they deliver nicotine to smokers without the stress of gum, or nicotine patches. They are designed to be fun, and come in a variety of styles and flavors, including strawberry! E-cigs are also rechargeable. The plastic cartridge containing the liquid nicotine can be replaced. The concentration of the nicotine can also be altered, ensuring that each smoker gets exactly what they are looking for.

The only downside to the electronic cigarettes in the minds of many consumers may be that it is battery operated, and therefore will require charging. The weight of the battery may also be a hindrance, as the longer you want your e-cig to hold a charge, the larger the battery will need to be. But aside from that, e-cigs are being met with great enthusiasm around the world as modern-day alternative to cigarette smoking!