Electric cigarettes (or e-cigs) are on the rise and many people and organizations have taken notice. There is a large debate over whether they are a safe and effective smoking cessation device.
An e-cigarette, if you don't know, is a smoking device that looks almost the same as a real cigarette. It behaves similarly to a cigarette in that the user can take a drag and inhale water vapor that tastes like smoke. While there are no carcinogens in the e-cig, the user is given a dose of nicotine with each drag. However, many medical professionals have said that while nicotine is addictive, it is safe in moderated amounts and can be harmful in large amounts, similar to caffeine.
The electric cigarette consists of three parts: the battery, the atomizer, and the cartridge. The battery, of course, runs the device, and is usually only activated when it senses air flow through the device, meaning the user is taking a drag. The cartridge serves as the mouthpiece and is where the water and nicotine mixture (or "e-juice") is stored. Between the cartridge and battery is the atomizer. The atomizer heats the e-juice when the battery is activated, converting the juice into water vapor that tastes like tobacco.
Because the e-cigarette satisfies both the psychological and physical addictions of smoking, unlike nicotine patches or gum which satisfy the physical addiction, many smokers are finding it to be an extremely useful smoking cessation device. Yet the FDA is fighting many electric cigarette companies, saying the e-cigarette is a smoking cessation device and therefore must be approved and regulated. However, every e-cig company says that the purpose of its devices are to provide a smoking alternative, not guaranteed smoking cessation. Because of this, more than one court has ruled that the FDA cannot regulate e-cigs, yet the FDA is still spontaneously seizing shipments of e-cigs.
So what do you think? Should e-cigarettes be unregulated by the FDA and openly sold as a smoking alternative? Do you think this could be beneficial to the general smoking population?
Find out more about electric cigarettes at E-Cig Me.
An e-cigarette, if you don't know, is a smoking device that looks almost the same as a real cigarette. It behaves similarly to a cigarette in that the user can take a drag and inhale water vapor that tastes like smoke. While there are no carcinogens in the e-cig, the user is given a dose of nicotine with each drag. However, many medical professionals have said that while nicotine is addictive, it is safe in moderated amounts and can be harmful in large amounts, similar to caffeine.
The electric cigarette consists of three parts: the battery, the atomizer, and the cartridge. The battery, of course, runs the device, and is usually only activated when it senses air flow through the device, meaning the user is taking a drag. The cartridge serves as the mouthpiece and is where the water and nicotine mixture (or "e-juice") is stored. Between the cartridge and battery is the atomizer. The atomizer heats the e-juice when the battery is activated, converting the juice into water vapor that tastes like tobacco.
Because the e-cigarette satisfies both the psychological and physical addictions of smoking, unlike nicotine patches or gum which satisfy the physical addiction, many smokers are finding it to be an extremely useful smoking cessation device. Yet the FDA is fighting many electric cigarette companies, saying the e-cigarette is a smoking cessation device and therefore must be approved and regulated. However, every e-cig company says that the purpose of its devices are to provide a smoking alternative, not guaranteed smoking cessation. Because of this, more than one court has ruled that the FDA cannot regulate e-cigs, yet the FDA is still spontaneously seizing shipments of e-cigs.
So what do you think? Should e-cigarettes be unregulated by the FDA and openly sold as a smoking alternative? Do you think this could be beneficial to the general smoking population?
Find out more about electric cigarettes at E-Cig Me.
Golden Enterprises, Inc. - CEO
Iconiplex, LLC - Managing Member
Emerald Summit Capital Group, LLC - President
Iconiplex, LLC - Managing Member
Emerald Summit Capital Group, LLC - President
