Why Would You Buy An Electronic Cigarette?

The electronic cigarette (sometimes called a vapor cigarette) started to be distributed in the United States near the end of 2006 and the industry has now grown to a number of million consumers worldwide. The devices have improved in that period so that they now look very akin to a actual cigarette and are now easy to use.
What Precisely Is An Electronic/Vapor Cigarette?
This is a device comprising a "smoke" cartridge (originally refillable but now usually disposable) with an atomiser powered by a rechargeable battery. The smoker holds and smokes the product in the same way as an actual cigarette and a vapor is created which looks like smoke. The end of the electronic cigarette even glows like a real one.
The cartridges are available in a number of "flavors" and it is up to the smoker if this includes nicotine and, if so, at what strength.
So an electronic/vapor cigarette can deliver nicotine to the smoker or it can be used nicotine-free but still satisfying other aspects of the smoking experience. Even if operated with nicotine it doesn't emit any of the additional noxious ingredients contained in standard cigarette smoke and the vapor produced is not detrimental to those around the smoker.
What is the Electronic Cigarette intended for?
Is it:

• to help with giving up smoking by gradually reducing nicotine
• a healthier alternative to smoking normal cigarettes
• a way of smoking without affecting other people
• a means of getting round no smoking regulations?

Precisely how electronic cigarettes ought to be categorized and regulated has been uncertain, the FDA's (US Food and Drug Administration) current situation is that they should be regulated as "tobacco products". The FDA also assert that the safety of electronic cigarettes is not yet proven by proper scientific studies.
The result is that electronic cigarettes aren't intended to be sold as beneficial to health or as aids to quitting smoking. This does seem to challenge the whole point of them as you would suppose that these would be the main reasons people would buy them. Nevertheless you will notice that the manufacturers trade on the following factors:

• Cost - It is much cheaper to smoke electronic cigarettes than normal ones.
• They are cleaner - You are not left with a butt to get rid off and there is no ash to dispose of.
• No Odor - There is no tobacco smell on clothes or breath.
• No fire risk - You do not actually burn anything in these devices so there is no risk of causing a fire.
• No impact on others - The "smoke" that is produced is just water vapor so there is no impact on those around the smoker.
• No restrictions - You should be able to use an electronic cigarette even where smoking is prohibited.

The future of this regulation with be fascinating as suppliers would without doubt like to make health claims and will be seeking proof for this. In the meantime you can buy an electronic cigarette starter packs from reputable companies and avoid the many low cost imported options now for sale.