Review: Electronic Cigarettes

Early this fall, when my fiance and I were wandering the Alaska State Fair, we stumbled across a booth selling Electronic Cigarettes. Fifteen minutes later we walked away with an E-Cigarette kit and my fiance fully convinced that we needed to try them. At that time I was convinced too- we needed to quit, or at least cut back, and the electronic cigarette seemed to be the way to do it. At least that is what the website and the lady at the E-Cigarette booth said.

Now it's almost two months later since the day we stopped at the booth. We still smoke a pack a day each and the electronic cigarettes sit in our "MacGyver Drawer". Neither of us have used one in a few weeks, and I honestly think my fiance has forgotten about the E-Cigarette. It is still an interesting idea, though.

What Is The E-Cigarette (electronic cigarette)?
The E-Cigarette, or the electronic cigarette, is a metal tube that is shaped like a cigarette. On the end there is a little LED light that flashes every time you take a puff or the cigarette needs to be charged. The filter end can be taken off to put in the flavor "juice" and filters that have varying levels of nicotine. The electronic cigarette unit is easily charged like a cell phone or an MP3 player- it can be plugged into a wall or your USB port in your computer. What users claim to be the best part of the electronic cigarette is that it does not give off the harmful smoke like regular cigarettes. The vapor from the electronic cigarette is considered to be completely harmless and legal in non-smoking places. The electronic cigarette also does not have the flame, tobacco, tar, or smell found in real cigarettes.

Many people that have used the E-Cigarette have claimed that they have no desire to turn back to another pack. They also love the idea of smoking where regular smoking is prohibited, like work or the store. The various flavors of the "juice" that the electronic cigarette can be dipped in is another draw. The flavors range from clove and chocolate all the way to the smokers favorite brand. People also say that they have cut back or completely quit with the electronic cigarette by stepping down the levels in the nicotine filters that can be purchased. The smoker would start with the nicotine level they were used to before starting to use the E-Cigarette and then slowly replace the nicotine filter with one that had less nicotine until they were completely weened away. The E-Cigarette can still be used without the nicotine filter, which is good for those trying to quit but still need something to occupy their hands.

The price of the electronic cigarette is comparable to that of buying a carton of cigarettes. We spent $75 on our kit, which came with two of the E-Cigarettes, a charger, and a little eye dropper container of the juice. That was only $5 more than we usually spend on a carton. The price can range up to $150, which is not bad considering that the electronic cigarette kit would last the average smoker longer than two or three cartons of cigarettes that would cost about the same.

Wow, right? Not so fast...

I have found that the electronic cigarette is hard to keep charged. Even though the USB port can be used, or a wall jack, the electronic cigarette seems to lose power rather quickly. I wouldn't feel comfortable taking it anywhere that I didn't have access to one of the power sources.

If I could take the electronic cigarette out and about and use it in a restaurant or a store, it just seems like it would worsen or enhance the habit of smoking. Some people say they will smoke on the E-Cigarette all day while at work. I personally like some of the limitations that smoking a real cigarette has versus the electronic cigarette. I'm okay with not smoking while shopping or eating. I figure if I can go that long, quitting without having to use an E-Cigarette would be easier. The E-Cigarette, even though it can successfully ween someone away from nicotine, seems to enhance the hand and oral fixation. It doesn't seem like the way to go if wanting to quit successfully, since it only seems to get rid of the nicotine habit and not the other half . I also don't find the idea of being able to suck on an electronic cigarette all day very alluring, since the unit tends to overheat and feel hot when you put it to your lips.

I have also found that the electronic cigarette doesn't take the edge off like a normal cigarette does. It just doesn't seem as fulfilling, which is good for quitting, but not for someone who wants an alternative to their cigarettes. I thought I could use it for 10 minutes or so and feel like I had a regular cigarette, but that wasn't the case. That's about the time I started smoking regular cigarettes again and put the E-Cigarette away.

For me, the E-Cigarette isn't something I would spend money on again. I still prefer the regular cigarettes and may enlist the help of Chantix to quit. But I do feel it is something worth trying. There are more people out there that like them a lot compared to the people like me. The E-Cigarette could be something to consider if you're not a heavy smoker and you're trying to quit, or someone that wants to smoke and their place of employment has rules against smoking. The electronic cigarette was just one of those things that did not work for me.

Sources:
http://www.smokingeverywhere.com/index.php