Electronic Cigarette FAQ
What is it?
An electronic cigarette (e-cigarette, e-cig, personal vaporizer, or PV) is an alternative for committed smokers to continue to enjoy the “hand-to-mouth” action of smoking and to use nicotine without many of the problems of smoking.
How does it work?
E-cigarettes comprise a battery and a heating element (atomizer), which work together to heat a liquid solution contained in a cartridge. This creates an almost completely odorless vapor mist that many smokers find mimics the act of smoking closely enough to be a satisfying alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes.
An electronic cigarette (e-cigarette, e-cig, personal vaporizer, or PV) is an alternative for committed smokers to continue to enjoy the “hand-to-mouth” action of smoking and to use nicotine without many of the problems of smoking.
How does it work?
E-cigarettes comprise a battery and a heating element (atomizer), which work together to heat a liquid solution contained in a cartridge. This creates an almost completely odorless vapor mist that many smokers find mimics the act of smoking closely enough to be a satisfying alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes.
What makes the “smoke”?
E-cigarettes create vapor (not smoke) with propylene glycol and/or glycerin. The “fog” you see at concerts is made with propylene glycol. It’s a commonly used ingredient found in food, toothpaste, and asthma inhalers).
Is it safe?
The American Association of Public Health Physicians estimates e-cigarettes to be at least 99% safer than smoking, so while no one can claim that e-cigarettes are “safe”—and while there are no long-term studies of e-cigarettes—there is little doubt that they are considerably safer than smoking.
Did the FDA find ingredients in e-cigarettes that cause cancer and/or are toxic?
In July 2009, the FDA released a preliminary analysis on 18 cartridges from two e-cigarette manufacturers. In some of those cartridges, it found detectable levels of cancer-causing agents (TSNAs) and tobacco-specific impurities. In one cartridge, it detected a small amount of DEG, a contaminant. It found nothing that isn’t already found in traditional cigarettes.
To put this in perspective, the TSNA level in e-cigarettes is 8. In the nicotine patch, it is also 8. In a Marlboro cigarette, it is 11,190.
Will it help me to quit smoking?
Hundreds of thousands of former smokers have successfully switched from smoking to “vaping” (that’s what e-cigarette users call what they do). What we haven’t quit is the hand-to-mouth behavior or, most often, the use of nicotine, although some people “vape” e-cigarettes that do not contain nicotine.
But isn’t nicotine bad?
Nicotine is considered highly addictive, but there is no evidence that it causes cancer, COPD, or any of the other illnesses caused by smoking. In other words, the main problem with nicotine is the way it’s usually delivered: by smoking. That said, some people believe it’s bad to be addicted to anything, even if it’s not especially risky.
What’s the best kind of e-cigarette?
Just as smokers prefer different brands of cigarettes, vapers prefer different models of e-cigarettes. The models most often recommended for new vapers are the “510” and the “KR-808.”
Where do I buy one and how much does it cost?
There are numerous places online to buy e-cigarette starter kits at a reasonable price ($35 - $80). It pays to do your research before buying. Here are a couple of good places to start:
Forums (where you can register and ask questions, or not register and just read):
Vapers Forum
Right to Vape
E-cigarette Forum
Websites:
Vapers Network
Smoke vs. Vapor
E-cigarettes create vapor (not smoke) with propylene glycol and/or glycerin. The “fog” you see at concerts is made with propylene glycol. It’s a commonly used ingredient found in food, toothpaste, and asthma inhalers).
Is it safe?
The American Association of Public Health Physicians estimates e-cigarettes to be at least 99% safer than smoking, so while no one can claim that e-cigarettes are “safe”—and while there are no long-term studies of e-cigarettes—there is little doubt that they are considerably safer than smoking.
Did the FDA find ingredients in e-cigarettes that cause cancer and/or are toxic?
In July 2009, the FDA released a preliminary analysis on 18 cartridges from two e-cigarette manufacturers. In some of those cartridges, it found detectable levels of cancer-causing agents (TSNAs) and tobacco-specific impurities. In one cartridge, it detected a small amount of DEG, a contaminant. It found nothing that isn’t already found in traditional cigarettes.
To put this in perspective, the TSNA level in e-cigarettes is 8. In the nicotine patch, it is also 8. In a Marlboro cigarette, it is 11,190.
Will it help me to quit smoking?
Hundreds of thousands of former smokers have successfully switched from smoking to “vaping” (that’s what e-cigarette users call what they do). What we haven’t quit is the hand-to-mouth behavior or, most often, the use of nicotine, although some people “vape” e-cigarettes that do not contain nicotine.
But isn’t nicotine bad?
Nicotine is considered highly addictive, but there is no evidence that it causes cancer, COPD, or any of the other illnesses caused by smoking. In other words, the main problem with nicotine is the way it’s usually delivered: by smoking. That said, some people believe it’s bad to be addicted to anything, even if it’s not especially risky.
What’s the best kind of e-cigarette?
Just as smokers prefer different brands of cigarettes, vapers prefer different models of e-cigarettes. The models most often recommended for new vapers are the “510” and the “KR-808.”
Where do I buy one and how much does it cost?
There are numerous places online to buy e-cigarette starter kits at a reasonable price ($35 - $80). It pays to do your research before buying. Here are a couple of good places to start:
Forums (where you can register and ask questions, or not register and just read):
Vapers Forum
Right to Vape
E-cigarette Forum
Websites:
Vapers Network
Smoke vs. Vapor
Click below to download this FAQ and use it as a flyer to give to smokers who are interested in learning more about e-cigarettes.
| electronic_cigarette_faq.pdf |
