Electronic Cigarettes

12 Advantages to Switching to Electronic Cigarettes

Smokers know that traditional smoking is harmful to their health. Yet, for some it is a relaxing or social experience they are not ready to give up. Beyond addiction to nicotine, there are rituals many smokers enjoy that delay their quest to seek ways to stop. Modern technology has a way of catching up and making our lives just a little easier. Possibly one of the greatest new discoveries is that of the electronic cigarette.

The electronic cigarette is basically a device that looks like a cigarette, delivers “smoke” and nicotine, and allows the smoker to enjoy the smoking experience. So if the smoker is still smoking, how can there be advantages?

To begin, because the electronic cigarette is electric, it runs on batteries. This means no lighters, no matches, and no actual flame. At the end of most e-cigarettes is a small light that glows when taking a puff. If you are to drop it or put it down, there is no fire to catch onto anything. Batteries give three advantages. There is no flame so fires are less likely to occur. The consumer will no longer need to purchase lighter fluid, lighters or matches, making for much less pollution. And the batteries are rechargeable, also adding to less waste.

The smoke emitted from an e-cigarette is not really smoke but just a vapor. It lasts just long enough to give the appearance of being smoke, but quickly disappears into thin air. There is no hovering cloud of smoke or second hand smoke. Since there is no smoke, the smell does not permeate clothing, hair, and surroundings like real smoke. No second hand smoke makes the use of electronic smoking devices safe around friends and family. The lack of saturating or offensive odors and no dangerous emissions make e-cigarettes sociably friendly.

A cartridge for the electronic cigarette can last the equivalent of 2 packs of cigarettes. When comparing waste left behind from smoking, this cartridge uses far less resources than the production and waste left from even one pack of cigarettes. Instead of as many as 40 cigarette butts and 2 empty boxes, there is one small cartridge and mouthpiece. This makes for savings in personal space when traveling. Gas is saved in the transport of product refills. And landfill pollution has just been greatly reduced.

While the cost of tax on tobacco increases, the cartridges used with smoking an e-cigarette are not subject to those taxes. E-cigarettes can cut the cost of smoking in half or more. In addition, patches and other quit smoking medications can be just as expensive as cigarettes. While the e-cigarette has not been proven to be an official smoking cessation device, it does provide a healthier alternative to smoking without the side effects caused by the patch and medicines. A smoker can cut their smoking costs in half and reduce the risks of tobacco smoking by avoiding those 4000 toxins found in regular cigarettes.

Finally, because electric cigarettes are not considered smoking, they are legal in more places. This means you can use the device in some restaurants and places where it is unacceptable to smoke. This alone could be the biggest advantage to a smoker. Many apartments and rentals require non-smoking tenants. Users of e-cigarettes are not considered smokers.

These advantages are just the beginning. Perhaps with research, e-smoking can eventually be used as a successful replacement for smokers, and lead to permanent nicotine reduction for those wishing to do so in the future. For now, it is definitely something for every smoker to consider as a better, considerably less toxic way to smoke.

The Arrival of My NJOY

Yesterday my order of the NJOY smoking device arrived in the mail. I had spent some time reading up on the subject. I was hoping for the best, but was prepared for the worst.

I’ve been visiting some family in upstate NY, and just a week ago the cigarette tax raised the price of my Benson and Hedges Deluxe Ultra Lights up by about another dollar. These have always been a little more than something like a standard Marlboro. The realization of the now nearly $7.00 a day habit had me a bit on edge.

I’ve done the patch before – a couple of times. By about day 3 the nightmares and crazy dreams would begin. I had to move the patch quite often as my skin would turn red. And the price on the patches was just as bad as actually buying cigarettes. The difference was I didn’t get that wiggy feeling if I just continued to smoke.

I got very excited when I came across a video for NJOY. Not only did it sound less toxic than cigarettes, but the price could not be beat. Sure – I was going to have to buy the initial kit – but even so it came to less money over the course of a few weeks when I factored the savings on ordering the cartridges.

The offer could not be beat. If for any reason I was not happy with the product I could return it all for a refund, used, no questions asked.

So I had done it. I ordered and now it was sitting before me in a brown box.

From my research I knew the first thing I needed to do was charge the batteries.

I had just finished my morning coffee – as well as the last 3 cigarettes I had in a pack. 3 hours was the initial charging time suggested. The charge would be complete when the light turned green. I waited probably less than an hour and the charge was full.

The kit came with 4 cartridges. Full, medium, light, and a nicotine free. Light had been suggested for an ultra light smoker, so I proceeded to take the cartridge out of the well sealed container and load it into the chamber.

I screwed the battery into the other side and proceeded to take that first hit.

The first thing I noticed was a bit of a “whizzing noise” and realized I didn’t need nearly as much suction to get the smoke. I took a long slow drag, held it in for a moment, and watched as the smoke billowed.

Wow.

I immediately felt the nicotine like I would with a cigarette but noticed something a little different and actually quite nice. The flavor was like a smooth tobacco with possible undertones of strawberry. The smoke, which is actually a vapor did look like real smoke!

A few hours later I finally got a ride into town and had to pick up some Father’s Day cards and items, as well as a couple of packs of Marlboro’s for my other half who was working. I purchased 1 pack of my old cigarettes as a back-up just in case things got weird. I never opened it yesterday. I didn’t feel the need to.

Last night I did some work late on the computer. Instead of running down to the basement to have a cigarette I stayed put and e-smoked in the room I was working in. No hovering clouds of smoke to annoy anyone, and no trace of any odors you would usually encounter after someone smoked in a room. The windows were closed and the air was clean. No fear of smoke getting into the electronics of the computer either.

This morning I got up, made my coffee, and continued on with the NJOY. Curiosity got the best of me and I decided to open the B&H just to see how it would be after using the e-cigarette.

Strangely, my old cigarette left a bit of a dirty taste in my mouth. It also just was not as enjoyable. I put it out and went back for the Njoy. Later in the day my fiance came home and was shocked I had not used the cigarettes.

I am ordering some more cartridges, and I don’t want to look back. I am thinking of getting the lights and the nicotine free and alternating.

This is looking a whole lot healthier than smoking, it tastes better, and I think when I am really ready to quit this will be the ticket.

What is NJOY or the Electronic Cigarette?

Here’s a quick little video: