| Statistics show there are over 4.5 million tobacco | | | | The mouth piece or cartridge is a disposable cup |
| users in the US alone. By 2025, there would be over | | | | affixed to the end of the tube. Inside the cup is an |
| 1.6 billion users worldwide if this trend continues. | | | | absorbent material that is flavored with the nicotine |
| This is a staggering amount of tobacco users with | | | | solution producing the desired flavor. These flavors |
| annual health cost reaching into the billions every year | | | | vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and typically |
| due to smoking related diseases. Despite gallant | | | | include tobacco, menthol, or cherry flavors to name a |
| efforts by health organizations and the federal | | | | few. These cartridges are also available in different |
| government to heighten awareness of the dangers of | | | | nicotine strengths which varies from 16mg to 0mg |
| smoking, the smoking population continues to increase | | | | depending on manufacturer. |
| at an alarming rate. | | | | The heating element called the atomizer, vaporizes the |
| Focus needs to shift from trying to get smokers to | | | | liquid in the mouth piece so it can be inhaled. Most of |
| quit, to offering an alternative. The best alternative in | | | | these devices use lithium batteries as its power source |
| existence today are electronic cigarettes more | | | | that can be recharged via a wall unit or USB port on |
| commonly known as "ecigarettes". | | | | your computer. Some makers have become very |
| An electronic cigarette is an alternative to smoked | | | | creative and innovative, and actually produce chargers |
| tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and | | | | in the form of the 'ecigarette' pack which allows you to |
| pipes. It is a smokeless battery powered device that | | | | charge your batteries while you're on the go. |
| provides inhaled doses of nicotine by delivering a | | | | There are excellent statistics coming out of the |
| vaporized propylene glycol/nicotine solution. This | | | | electronic cigarette industry, proving the use of these |
| vapor provides a flavor and all the physical sensations | | | | devices emits only about 20 harmless ingredients, as |
| of inhaled tobacco smoke, while no smoke, tobacco or | | | | compared to the 400 ingredients, 60 of which are |
| combustion is actually involved in its operation. | | | | extremely deadly from traditional tobacco products, |
| An electronic cigarette usually takes the form of an | | | | ingredients such as carbon monoxide an other |
| elongated tube, and most are designed to resemble | | | | carcinogens. |
| real smoking products like cigarettes, pipes and | | | | Like any other tobacco related product, there are |
| cigars. They are reusable devices with replaceable | | | | manufacturing and labeling guidelines that minimizes |
| and refillable parts. A number of manufacturers have | | | | access to this device by minors. The threat of it |
| developed a disposable version as well, making the | | | | being available to our youth population is almost non |
| action of smoking and throwing it away more realistic. | | | | existent because of the need to produce ID when |
| When a smoker inhales through the device, air flow is | | | | purchasing, just like you would if purchasing traditional |
| detected by a sensor which activates a heating | | | | tobacco products. |
| element that vaporizes a nicotine solution stored in the | | | | The "ecigarette" is the hope to averting deaths from |
| mouth piece. On some models equipped with an LED | | | | the prolonged use of tobacco products. It is the best |
| light, the LED light is activated during the inhalation | | | | alternative being offered to the tobacco smoking |
| process simulating the glow of actual burning | | | | population if used prudently. By encouraging the use |
| tobacco. While electronic cigarettes take many | | | | of these devices, the success rate of converting |
| forms, they are all comprised of the same basic | | | | tobacco users will be much greater. |
| components. | | | | |