E-cigs. like or Dislike?

I think they are a great alternative for those that are having a hard time quitting and if I still smoked I might make the switch so I did not smell so badly anymore. But, I don't like the fact that people seem to think that this is healthier because they are still getting a bunch of chemicals, including nicotine. And with what is in the filler it can be dangerous for kids or pets if they get a hold of it. In short, I certainly don't love them, but they are a step up from cigarettes.

I just did a huge presentation on E cigs for my dissertation.
This is my take on them.

They are not yet approved by the FDA, but they started on that process this week. It will take about three years for the approval to go through.

There are two types - the cigalike, and the 2nd generation.
The cigalike are the "blu" type. They look like a cigarette and they come with prefilled cartridges that you have to buy.
The 2nd gens come with a chamber that you fill with liquid.

There are between 9 and 450 times less harmful toxic chemicals in an ecig than a traditional. Contrary to popular belief it is not the nicotine in a cigarette that is the carcinogen, it is all the other chemicals that are produced.

They contain no tobacco. In fact they only contain just a few ingredients.
Propylene glycol (PG)
Vegetable Glycerin (VG)
Nicotine
Flavorings
distilled water.

The great thing is you can choose the level of nicotine - high med low or none.

They still contain nicotine, which is a vasoconstrictor. Still not good for you. But in my opinion e cigs are a better alternative, and can help you quit. No smell, no staining, and no passive smoking for others.

It's just a different drug delivery system.
It's even referred to as a personal vaporizer (PV) or electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS).
Am I for or against syringes? Neither.
It's merely a matter of the right tool for the right job.
A patch can deliver nicotine without inhaling smoke and all it's by products too.
So can chewing tobacco - it still causes mouth/throat cancer even without burning/inhaling it.
The thing is - no one is sure about how healthy the by products of the vapor used in e-cigs is.
It might be a trade off of one set of carcinogens for another set of carcinogens.
It's certainly an eventual life line to tobacco companies and their profit margins.
(Considering tobacco companies are in the drug delivery business could they really be considered to be an unofficial big pharma industry?)
As a tool for eventually quitting - it might be a good thing.
As a substitute for the continued addiction to nicotine - no, I don't like them.
I'd have just as big a fit if my son came home with an ecig as I would if he came home with a cigarette.

They're still putting nicotine in your body, at varying levels but often equal to the same as a normal cigarette. I think they are a better alternative for those who smoke, but my friends who went to e-cigs are still addicted to the nicotine and still need their fix regularly. I don't think that's good and I hope they eventually quit altogether. Liquid nicotine can also be dangerous if misused and could be lethal, especially to a child. People should be very careful with their supplies and keep them away from kids who might ingest them or get the liquid on their skin. I am also doubtful that the liquid is totally free from other impurities. There are also not enough regulations on the devices or the liquid. They originated in China, home of lead in children's toys. So, yeah. I'm skeptical that they are that much healthier than the burning version. They're better for ME because I'm not inhaling 2nd hand smoke, but still hurt the user. (Though there seems to be some debate on how much nicotine exposure people get second hand from e-cigs, so I'm probably still exposed to some when I happen to be around the e-cig people).

Overall, not a fan. I think people think they are healthier than they really are.

ETA:

Mama Duck, even the ones with "no" nicotine have been found to have trace amounts. I think they are overall very misleading.

In the military a LOT of people smoke. Vapeing has been a godsend to many of them. I personally know about 30 people in my building who have used the e-Cig to quit smoking regular cigarettes. About half of them have quit all nicotine completely, and the other half still use their e-Cigs recreationally.

I think they're pretty fabulous.

They are better than a standard cigarette. If they help someone stop smoking I am extremely glad. I think they should have to follow basic rules like not being allowed to smoke them in stores or restaurants and the like. I still have to smell them. I still don't want to be exposed to them.

I'm afraid that they will end up being what gets kids to smoke all over again. We've made great inroads to cutting down a lot of the smoking in the US. Nowadays, the tobacco companies make more money on selling cigs overseas.

I really hope that the tobacco companies are not allowed to advertise e-cigs. They will start pushing the product onto young people like they used to do with regular cigarettes.

As someone who had a two pack a day habit for a very long time, I would never try a e-cig. I don't smoke anymore, and have no desire to go back to that habit.

Hubby bought one a few weeks ago-he quit the real thing 6 years ago. He didn't like it.

I bought one for my husband 2 years ago for Christmas.

He loves it. He can smoke inside the house without bothering anyone...he can smoke in the car with the family and it doesn't bother us....

good for you for quitting smoking!! it's hard!

He doesn't use it every day...he uses it on really hot days or cold nights...

The interesting thing is that I know a couple of people that had quit smoking and now "vape" using liquid that has no nicotine in it. Maybe it's the hand to mouth thing that some people are addicted to. I definitely don't think it's a quit smoking alternative, but more of a hobby/replacement. Nothing is getting burned, so a lot of the burning byproducts are not present. That has to be better than cigarettes, right?
I do think that these should definitely be regulated to adults 18 and over. But then again, I think caffeine should, too. Both caffeine and nicotine are addictive and stimulants. For some reason, there seems to be no governmental intervention/regulation when it comes to caffeine and children. But, that's a whole other post. :)

If you don't smoke and haven't for over 16 years, I would just stay clear of them. Why get yourself back into the habit?

There are a LOT of issues with e-cigarettes, the biggest in my mind being the deceptive way that they are marketed. They are not cessation devices, but they are aggressively marketed as such, which is violative of the very few restrictions that do apply to the industry. In fact, there are several studies that show that e-cigarettes actually prolong smoking, particularly in young people. They may have potential as a cessation device, but there is a long, long way to go before the net benefit to society is realized. Re-glamorizing smoking, putting smoking images in front of kids, and telling kids that they can consume a drug and it's "just water vapor" are all bad things. The studies that have been done on the content of e-cigs...the actual content, not just what they tell you is in there...shows that there is no consistency from brand to brand, between types within a brand, and even between two e-cigs of the same exact type. Some concerns include the high volume of ultrafine particles, which may have the same or worse cardiac effects as smoking traditional cigarettes, byproducts of heating the battery, including cadmium, lead, tin, and other metal particles, and a host of carcinogens created by heating various chemicals used in flavoring.

Bottom line- if Big Tobacco is on board with something, I am guessing it is not a smoking cessation device.

E-cigs have been a godsend for people who wanted to quit smoking but other methods didn't work.
Nicotine in and of itself is a mild stimulant no more dangerous than caffeine. It's all the solids in the smoke from tobacco that are health hazards.

What I think is great about the e-cig is the amount of people, grown adults who are interested in quitting. I see them everywhere I go. I see the toughest tattooed guys with an e-cig and love that they want to give up the cig.

What I fear is the long term side affects. Even approved medications have had unexpected side affects.

I overheard a couple of case workers talking about a mother who tested dirty for alcohol and they believed it was from her e-cig, but the judge ruled her children could not return. I don't know anything about the e-cig's, but certainly don't hear it is alcohol based. Hopefully those with alcohol issues know what they are getting into when they make the switch.

I am not a smoker, but I think E-Cigs are the latest and greatest trend. I don't really see how this is a better alternative to smoking an actual cigarette. It still has nicotine in it, albeit a lesser dose, but it is still there.

The better alternative is to stop altogether. It's like replacing one vice for another and trying to determine which is the lesser evil.

I think they are disgusting and should be regulated the same as regular cigarettes.

Vaping is my husband’s hobby. The main ingredients are super common, and ingested by most people except vegans and people who only eat organic. The flavors are usually FDA approved food grade flavorings. When you mix your own juice you can even use all natural extracts. So, not too concerned about the ingredients. One concern is that the nicotine levels can be raised to alarming levels. Different nicotine levels are a matter of preference. It is possible to intake far more nicotine from an e-cig than a traditional cigarette. Most of the stores in my area only sell up to 18mg (about the same as regular cig). As always, you should be cautious about where you purchase your e-juice from. We recommend buying from true vaping retailers, because they know exactly what they are selling, and use the same products themselves. The little kits they sell at gas stations aren't that bad either, but the cashier won't have much knowledge about the product. Please do NOT buy vaping supplies from head shops (places that also sell glass pipes and incense). These stores are selling product that they have never tried, know nothing about, and they do not care what’s in it or where it came from. They will also sell you “knock off” equipment at the “name brand” price. I compare it to buying a Coach Handbag from e-bay, you will not get what you paid for. And that’s my two cents.

ecigs are the way to go, why pay for your funeral one cig at a time? can think of plenty of better ways to die then emphysema..cant you ?? K. h.