Tobacco Facts.

In a society where public smoking is largely frowned upon and where it is easier to find a parking spot at Cal State Fullerton than to find a smoking zone on campus, there are other options for those yearning for their daily dose of nicotine.

The electronic cigarette is a device that acts similarly to an ordinary cigarette would, and users can puff on it as they would a real cigarette, but the difference lies in the fact that the e-cigarette cannot be lit, and instead of producing smoke from combustion, it produces a fine, heated mist that is absorbed into the lungs.

Ruyan Group Holdings Limited, a Hong-Kong based Chinese firm, was the company that invented the electronic cigarette in 2004.

Ruyan first introduced the e-cigar and the e-pipe, and in 2006 the Ruyan E-cigarette, or V8, became available on the Chinese market.

In my experience, I found that the e-cigarette comes very close in terms of experiencing the sensation of smoking a real cigarette.

The sleek design is very impressive, and also has a fake filter complete with a glowing, orange LED light on the other end. Although the vapor from the e-cigarette is slightly white in color, it dissipates very quickly and leaves no smell in your surroundings or person.

Compared to a real cigarette, the “hit” is not as intense, but the best part is often being able to smoke without being detected.

Trying my luck in a restaurant, I found that, other than the occasional curious stare, hardly anyone complained that I was “smoking” despite being seated just about four feet away from others.

Most e-cigarette kits can be found online, their prices ranging from $49 to $150. Starter kits usually include atomizers, batteries, a USB charger, a user manual, and five to ten pre-filled cartridges. While it may seem expensive to invest in one of these, many smokers feel that it works out much cheaper in the long run.

Made of stainless steel and powered by a rechargeable battery, the e-cigarette has a chamber for storing liquid nicotine in various concentrations. When a user inhales through the device, air flow is detected by a sensor, which activates a heating element that vaporizes a nicotine solution stored in the mouthpiece. It is this vapor that is inhaled by the user. In manual models, user are required to depress a button in order to begin the heating process.

On some models, an LED on the opposite end of the device is also activated during inhalation, which serves as an indicator of use and simulates the glow of actual burning tobacco.

The smokers still get their nicotine, which is only two percent of the contents of an e-cigarette cartridge, but don’t get the side effects attributable to tar, which contains real tobacco.

However, the World Health Organization and the United States Food and Drug Administration have expressed concern about the safety of the e-cigarette and the way it is being marketed. In July 2009, the FDA announced that a laboratory analysis of electronic cigarette samples was shown to contain carcinogens and toxic chemicals such as diethylene glycol, an ingredient used in antifreeze.

Although the e-cigarette cannot be considered a complete replacement of the traditional cigarette, it is most certainly an excellent stand-in for smokers who desire to puff away without the fear.

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