How To Stop Smoking

An excellent smoking alternative is the new gadget for smokers today. First launched in 2003, the electronic cigarette provides an alternative solution for those addicted to tobacco. It’s a product welcomed by many smokers unable to quit the habit yet worried about health concerns.

You can smoke the equivalent of a pack of tobacco cigarettes for about $2 with e-cigs. When compared to the five to ten dollars a pack cost of cigarettes these days, the price advantage is huge. The electronic cigarette gadget provides a system to deliver nicotine and flavor that tobacco addicts crave. At the same time, e-cigs avoid the dangerous tar and chemicals released by burning tobacco.

Technological advances made the development of electronic cigarettes possible. The e-cigarette gadget is composed of an atomizer and a battery component. Screwed together the two portions look like a ball point pen or a cigarette depending on the brand you choose. Other models provide alternative smoking experiences for pipes, cigars and there is even a hookah electronic model available.

The mouthpiece is the atomizer and may be round or oval shaped on one end. Inside is a cup filled with absorbent material that holds an e-liquid solution that provides flavor and nicotine in a base of propylene glycol or glycerin. You can choose the taste of regular tobacco or menthol tobacco or can pick from a variety of other flavors. For models with replaceable cartridges you can change flavors any time you want.

When the flavor fades or a burned taste is present you refill the atomizer with a few drops of e-juice dripped from a small bottle. The contents of one bottle of e-liquid are approximately the same as five cartons of tobacco cigarettes..

The lower section of the e-cig is the battery. An LED light at the tip may be red to simulate a burning cigarette or may be blue, green or any one of the colors now available. The popularity of the best e-cigarettes has led manufacturers to add some style the products so colors of the product or the LED light can be chosen by the customer.

Two batteries are usually included in starter packs for the best electronic cigarettes. This allows the customer to use one battery for smoking while the other is recharging. The most popular e-cig products are automatic versions but there are some manual models that require the user to press a button to release vapor for inhaling.

The user draws on the mouthpiece of this gadget for smokers and the battery activates a tiny heating element which vaporizes the e-solution in the mouthpiece. This releases a nicotine laced vapor for the user to inhale. The process occurs very quickly and in the best electronic cigarettes the vaporization replicates the act of smoking tobacco.

The cartridge model is the best electronic cigarette gadget according to many users. No liquid is needed as the small mouthpiece is a disposable cartridge equivalent to one pack of standard cigarettes. Maintenance and cleaning are not necessary with an e-cigarette using replaceable cartridges. Occasionally removing an old cartridge and adding a fresh one is a simple task.

Mary Kay Rivers has become a true expert on all facets of electronic cigarettes. Her articles such as a review of the Green Smoke e-cig and about the electronic cigarette and the smoking ban are very famous.

Originally posted 2010-02-15 19:12:01.

Nicotine patches and nicotine gums were available only with a doctor’s prescription when they were first introduced. After several years of proven safety when taken as directed the products were offered for sale over the counter. The quit smoking products were an instant hit with smokers.

Smokers gratefully accepted the nicotine replacement products in the quest to quit smoking. The stop smoking products worked by providing a smoker with a source of nicotine that would reduce cravings and was designed to facilitate a gradual withdrawal allowing the user to quit smoking over a ten week period of time.

The ten week program recommended to user of the nicotine patch begins with six weeks at maximum dosage (21 mg). Following that the user reduces his usage to a 14 mg patch for two weeks and then to the lowest level (7 mg) for the final two weeks of the stop smoking program. Because the patch can cause sleep disturbances in some people not everyone can wear that patch the full 24 hrs as recommended.

A two pack a day smokers spends at least $70 per week on his habit. The total cost of using nicotine patches for 10 weeks would be a little more than $200 which is far cheaper than the current cost of tobacco cigarettes. A drawback for patches is that not all smokers can tolerate the patch. Diabetics are warned not to use nicotine replacement products which eliminates 8% of the U.S. population from using this product

Nicotine gum is another popular stop smoking aid with consumers. Similar to regular chewing gum each piece is wrapped separately in foil. The strength of 2 or 4 mg is comparable to the nicotine delivered by one or two standard cigarettes.

The user chews the nicotine gum until it is soft and a tingle is felt in the mouth. The tingle indicates nicotine is being released and absorbed by the tissues of the mouth. From there it is delivered to the blood stream. One the tingle begins, the gum is tucked between the smoker’s cheek and gums and held there for a time. As more nicotine is needed the smoker chews again for a few moments until the tingle starts once more and then tucks the gum as before. One piece of nicotine gum will last for about half an hour.

There can be unpleasant side effects for user of nicotine gum. Used excessively, they may cause the throat muscles to feel constricted and cause hiccups. The muscle discomfort is thought to be a result of high amounts of nicotine swallowed with saliva. Nicotine naturally restricts blood vessels and overuse of these gums over time may lead to gum disease.

Use of nicotine replacement products in the first trimester of pregnancy has been linked to an increased risk of birth defects. No nicotine products should be used by pregnant women or by nursing mothers. Risk groups are identified on the product packaging.

The antidepressant prescriptive drugs that are used in stop smoking programs have raised concerns about serious side effects. Although the quit rate is somewhat higher with the stop smoking pills they should be taken under the supervision of a physician. The pills do not replace the nicotine for a smoker but they provide a calming feeling and reduce the physical cravings of nicotine withdrawal.

You can’t compare patches, gums and pills meant help you stop smoking with electronic cigarettes. The e-cigarette is meant to provide safer alternative to smoking rather than to help you quit. Smokers who buy e-cigarette (s) are those who want to continue smoking but in a healthier and environmentally friendly manner.

Mary Kay Rivers is an expert on all facets of electronic cigarettes. Her articles about the realism of electronic cigarettes or how to buy electronic cigarettes are very popular.

Originally posted 2010-05-26 14:53:09.

When trying a new product it is wise to ask about the potential risks that may be encountered. When it comes to health, e-cigarette producers will honestly tell you the scientific studies have not been completed for this new product. However, they will also tell you that inhaling a vapor mist is not comparable to the health risks of inhaling tobacco smoke.

Tobacco is a natural plant and smokers argued for a long time that it could not be a health danger as it was part of nature. What they ignored was the change the plant leaf undergoes when burned. Burning released chemical particles and carcinogens and we know now the health dangers pose by tobacco use.

Sold initially as a gimmick or gag gift, electronic cigarettes have only been on the market since 2003. Rapid advances in technology and battery development has led to the gimmick becoming a viable tobacco alternative. There is no argument that there are few products sold that carry more health risk than tobacco items. That may account for the growing popularity of e-cigs.

The carcinogens created by burning tobacco leaves are not present in electronic cigarettes. There is nothing burned and no smoke produced. Some concerns expressed about health and the e-cigarette product focus on propylene glycol used to produce vapor.

Some claims have be publicized that antifreeze is an ingredient in electronic cigarettes. Most antifreeze is made with ethylene glycol which is a different chemical compound. Propylene glycol used to create the vapor mist has been approved as a food ingredient safe for consumers for more than 40 years.

In time the safety of electronic cigarettes and any health factors associated with the e-cigarette will be proven scientifically. To date, no substantial health hazards have been identified. Manufacturers do not claim there are no health risk in using e-cigs but they honestly say almost anything is safer than smoking tobacco.

One risk that has been identified is with product used to refill e-cigarettes. E-solutions are manufactured without oversight or ingredient requirements. To insure quality of the e-liquid used to refill e-cigarettes, consumers are urged to buy only from reputable manufacturers who conduct ongoing testing.

Chinese imports were tested and found to contain unreliable nicotine levels. Some were so low as to be almost non-existent while other bottles of e-liquids contained far more nicotine strength than is healthy to use. These are cheap imported refill products that are not under any quality control as yet.

Buying an electronic cigarette with pre-filled replaceable cartridges eliminate the need to buy or even worry about the questionable quality of the e-liquid refills on the market. This removes the only valid health concern associated with the e-cigarette today.

Mary Kay Rivers is an acclaimed expert on all aspects of electronic cigarettes. Her publications such as an electronic cigarette review or about electronic cigarette benefits have become well-known.

Originally posted 2010-05-27 13:55:39.

With the aim of discrediting the electronic cigarette industry, big tobacco hs made claims about propylene glycol that are not supported by scientific research. Although a 1942 study in mice at the University of Chicago’s Billings Hospital seemed to indicate inhalation of PG might lead to pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses, follow up studies did not support that conclusion. Long term effects were the focus of the expanded study on monkeys and other animals. No ill effects were observed from propylene glycol.

Shouting “danger”, the FDA and tobacco companies point to an ingredient that has proven safe through many years of use. The misinformation about propylene glycol ignores one very important fact. We know e-cigarettes are safer than tobacco products when inhaled. We know smoking almost anything is safer than smoking tobacco.

PG in electronic cigarettes dilutes the nicotine in solution so it can be provided as a vapor to the user. Propylene glycol is a commonly used food additive included in the many products we eat today. It is also the substance used in fog machines and there is no warning issued to avoid breathing that fog.

It is interesting that the many cautions about propylene glycol found online are not found on scientific or medical sites or referenced as articles in scientific journals. The dire warnings are on conspiracy blogs, natural healing sites and on the sites of anti-smoking groups. Several entries claim that propylene glycol is antifreeze. No. Not true. That would be ethylene glycol.

A tremendous amount of information can be found on the internet but it’s important to know who you are listening to. PG is used in baby wipes and even the FDA is unlikely to approve a dangerous product for use on infants. The best electronic cigarettes deliver only a very small amount of PG to the e-smoker. Some e-liquids use glycerol rather than PG as a base but propylene glycol is the most used ingredient in e-liquid solutions.

Consumers are smart to closely examine ingredients in the products they eat or inhale. We have all become more educated about food additives that may cause problems even as they add healthy color. We know to check for a variety of terms when looking for low sugar product as sucrose, fructose and various “syrups” are alternate names for sugar.

Thirty years ago the FDA announced a ban on saccharin and any products containing saccharin. The public was in a panic and threw out their boxes of sweet and low while manufacturers hustled to change the recipes of their food products. Only later was the public told the truth.

What the FDA didn’t tell the public was that the research did not apply to people. The mice had been given huge doses of saccharin daily. Adjusting the amount to that needed for a person to develop cancer would require the person to consume at least 400 cans of diet cola every day for months. Today, saccharin is once again fully available for sale to the public.

The delivery of vapor for e-cig users relies on the use of propylene glycol. The tobacco companies continue to spread false information about PG even though there is no scientific data to prove their claims

Mary Kay Rivers is a true expert on all aspects of e-cigarettes. Her articles about COPD and e-cigarettes and about the best electronic cigarette have become very famous.

Originally posted 2010-02-14 18:52:08.

You can purchase the highest quality e-cig and will be buying cheap electronic cigarettes. Tobacco taxes have risen drastically on both federal and state levels. Legislators in Washington, D.C. voted last year to increase the tobacco tax from 38 cents to $1.01 per pack. Tobacco taxes have also been on the rise in several states as state legislatures try desperately to cure their state’s financial woes.

Major tobacco companies took advantage of the timing to increase prices on their products at the same time the new taxes were taking effect. Most consumers didn’t notice the price increases while the media focused only on the tax burden. Smokers of premium tobacco cigarettes had been paying $5 per pack but now pay $7-10 for the same product. For those accustomed to the low cost brands the price went from $2.50 to $5 per pack.

Electronic cigarettes are cheap compared with the current high costs of tobacco. The e-cig system delivers an inhalable vapor to the smoker. The quality of electronic cigarettes is judged by the reliability and performance of the delivery system that creates the vapor. The “draw” is similar to that of the tobacco version and the term “throat hit” is often used by consumers to recommend their favorite brand. Smokers want a good volume of vapor from an e-cig when they inhale as that is what provides the physical sensation of smoking.

Buy the best electronic cigarette available and you will save money when compared to the cost of tobacco products today. A starter kit provides disposable cartridges or liquid for refilling the e-cig as well as a battery charger and the basic reusable components of the product.

A built in atomizer is the disposable cartridge which contains a water and nicotine solution. Maintenance is nonexistent with the disposable cartridge models and no cleaning is required. Both a short and long cigarette battery is the second part of the e-cig. This battery has an LED light at the tip. The cartridge is available in several strengths of nicotine which allows the user to choose regular or light as he prefers. A home battery charger, extra cartridges and instructions for use are also included in the starter kits.

The battery is in the second piece of the e-cig and contains a heating element and a battery which must be charged initially for 2-3 hours. The cartridge section is simply screwed onto the battery. Each cartridge is estimated to be equivalent to 400 puffs which translates to about one pack of cigarettes per e-cig cartridge at a cost as low as $2 per cartridge.

Some cartridges can be refilled. Users choose from a variety of flavors and nicotine strengths when buying e-liquid. The e-liquid used to refill the atomizer is widely available but it’s recommended consumers buy only from reputable sellers. Some varieties, especially those imported from China, have been shown to have poor quality control and the nicotine levels may not be as promised.

The replaceable cartridge are the best choice for most people as they most closely mimic the habit of smoking tobacco. When the vapor becomes weak screwing on a new cartridge is no more difficult than opening a pack of cigarettes. Smokers now have an alternative with cheap electronic cigarettes.

Mary Kay Rivers has become a true expert on all aspects of e-cigs. Her publications about e-cigs and about the best electronic cigarette are very popular.

Originally posted 2010-02-23 22:07:35.

The e-cigarette industry launched the Electronic Cigarette Association to provide a platform to speak for the producers, distributors and retailers of electronic cigarettes. The trade association was formed in 2009 in Washington, D.C. and is funded through donations and by the members. The ECA answers questions about e-cigs, provides accurate information and focuses on public relations.

The ECA hopes to provide a collective voice for the industry and electronic cigarettes organizations and providers. This mission is pursued by dispensing truthful information and providing tools needed to the media, policy makers and leaders of public opinion throughout the country. This trade association intends to institute industry-wide standards and a code of conduct with the goal of educating the public and reassuring legislators about the use of e-cigs.

Powerful lobbyists of big tobacco and large pharmaceutical firms have attacked e-cigarettes from the time the products were introduced in 2003. Pressure from these highly financed lobbies resulted in the FDA conducting a very limited and unscientific study of e-cigs and issuing a caution about their use.. The Electronic Cigarette Association aims to combat the push to ban the products. Results of the FDA testing found a trace amount of a risky compound but did not compare that result with a similar test for the compound in tobacco products. The big corporations realized in 2003 that the electronic versions could damage their profits and they have been applying pressure for a ban since then.

The e-cig is presented as a safer and cheaper alternative to tobacco products in the information disseminated by the ECA. Users are encouraged to share their stories about tobacco and e-cigs and urged to contact legislators and argue against any ban of the product.

When new products are introduced, especially if they are innovative, misinformation is to be expected. For generations the health risks of smoking tobacco have been well documented and accepted. Smoking tobacco products was totally acceptable for generations and accomodations (and ashtrays) for smokers were available wherever you looked. The macho Marlboro man died of lung cancer. The feminist Virginia Slims lady is not seen as glamorous by women today.

The number of ingredients, additives and compounds in tobacco are now fully understood as are the serious health risks involved in smoking. Public buildings and places of entertainment such as restaurants, theaters, and even bars have banned smoking and the trend toward non smoking public areas is spreading to more public places.

Some large companies are at risk of losing a large block of their customers with the alternative of electronic cigarettes now available. Lost customers are lost profits and those industries have done everything to profit their profit shares. Those who condemn e-cigs out of greed are joined by some legislators who want all smoking banned. Whether motivated by greed or health concerns, both groups have disseminated false information regarding electronic cigarettes.

The first warnings on cigarette packs appeared after the surgeon general declared tobacco as a health hazard forty years ago. The FDA has refused to intervene in regulating tobacco products or additive and has shown no interest in banning the use of tobacco. Electronic cigarettes have been available to the public for only a few years yet the FDA has repeatedly mentioned banning or regulating e-cigs. The Electronic Cigarette Association was created to publicize the truth about electronic cigarettes in the hope that e-cigs will remain available to the public as a safer alternative to tobacco products.

Mary Kay Rivers is a true expert on all aspects of electronic cigarettes. Her publications about the electronic cigarette lifestyle or a review of the best electronic cigarette are very popular.

Originally posted 2010-02-23 18:24:33.