Smoking Without The Smoke: But Is It Safe?

It seems like everything in the world is going electronic. First it was mail. Then it was books, movies, music, even daily social interaction. And now it's... cigarettes?

Yep, the electronic cigarette is here. Introduced in 2004, the Ruyan cigarette uses new technology to vaporize nicotine and allow it to be inhaled like a traditional cigarette. When you smoke one of these electronic cigarettes (which are battery powered), the resulting nicotine is like a fine spray that, though it burns no tobacco and makes no smoke, is similar in sensation to smoking a cigarette.

Otherwise, however, the Ruyan cigarette is completely different from a traditional cigarette. One "cigarette kit" costs anywhere from $50 to $250 and comes with replaceable cartridges for your nicotine fix. You can choose the flavors of your cartridges, along with the intensity of nicotine in each one. Each cartridge is the equivalent of about one pack of traditional cigarettes, and you generally buy them in packs of 20.

And, even more interestingly, the Chinese manufacturers of the Ruyan cigarette claim that their electronic cigarette completely safe for your health. Especially when compared to traditional cigarettes.

Why They're Exciting

One of the neatest things about an electronic cigarette is its similarity to a traditional tobacco cigarette. Slim and white, the battery-powered cigarette has a glowing "ember" tip, and releases a white vapor that looks, for all intents and purposes, like smoke. But because no actual burning takes place when you smoke one of these cigarettes, the manufacturers claim that they don't have the same cancer-causing gases and other ingredients that you'll find in traditional tobacco products. Sort of like a nicotine patch that you smoke, the Ruyan cigarette can either be used as a cigarette replacement, or as a way for quitters to wean themselves off of traditional cigarettes.

As a bonus, the e-cigarette doesn't create any secondhand smoke (or any smoke at all, for that matter), and so can generally be used in bars, restaurants, etc., that don't normally allow smoking. Which, these days, is practically all of them.

While the electronic cigarette hasn't yet been studied in depth, some experts are going along with the idea that the unique delivery system makes smoking one safe. According to them, nicotine isn't what makes cigarettes so deadly-- it's the way that nicotine is delivered into the body. Smoke damages the lungs and the body. A smokeless nicotine vapor, supporters insist, does no similar damage. Many even claim that the electronic cigarette will save lives in the long run.

Why They're Controversial

Did you catch the operative statement in the paragraphs above? Yep, it's: "while the electronic cigarette hasn't been studied in depth." Sure, the manufacturers and even some medical professionals claim that the electronic cigarette has no ill effects on a person's health. But until these cigarettes are researched in depth, those claims will be no more than advertising pitches. According to the World Health Organization, there is not yet any evidence to support the fact that electronic cigarettes are safe. In addition, since electronic cigarettes look so much like real cigarettes, the WHO worries that their increasing sales will get in the way of attempts to prevent smoking in teenagers and children.

The simple fact is, unlike nicotine gums, patches, candies, etc., the e-cigarette hasn't be tested for safety and long-term effects. So while the manufacturers' claims may well be legitimate, they've yet to be proven. Electronic cigarettes may well turn out to be a great solution for those people looking to be able to finally write "non-smoker" on their internet dating profile. Or they may not. Only time will tell.

Seed Newsvine

Bookmark this article in your preferred program

Comments

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 at 4:15 AM, by Mike
Great article! I love my electronic cigarette! Here's a really informative site that reviews lots of different kinds of e-cigarettes, for anyone considering switching over that wants to learn a little more about them:

http://greensmokes.blogspot.com

And here are some videos showing how different brands of e-cigs work:

http://www.youtube.com/healthysmokes

Add Comment

Popular Articles in this cathegory

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.