There’s a lot of talk these days about electronic cigarette devices that have started appearing in gas stations and local corner stores recently. Much of the talk about electronic cigarettes has to do with their safety since it is such a new product. These small devices contain a heating element called an atomizer that heats a substance commonly referred to as “e-liquid” inside. The e liquid contains a combination of ingredients including flavorings (such as vanilla ice cream or watermelon), propylene glycol (a solvent), vegetable glycerin, and nicotine. The nicotine itself is not in the form of tobacco but simply the chemical itself. According to HowStuffWorks.com, “Liquid nicotine is extracted from tobacco, but unlike tobacco leaves, liquid nicotine can be lethal. It can cause harm when it’s inhaled, but it can also be harmful when ingested or absorbed through your skin.” From the previous information it is evident that there are pretty big risks if the nicotine in the e cigarette leaks or is somehow ingested beyond its intended use. The e-cigarette craze passed me by before I got into it. I recently bought an APV or Advanced Personal Vaporizer. These devices are essentially vaping devices that tailor to the users every tiny detail. The picture above shows an APV that I own and use. The customization options, style, and vapor production are much more emphasized in the APV’s. In these devices however, e liquid must be manually put into the device before being able to vape it. Along with rechargeable batteries, it makes the devices reusable and even cheaper than a $1000/year cigarette habit. Liquids come in 6, 12, 24, and 32 ml nicotine content options in 10 or 20 ml bottles costing around 5 dollars each. The handling of these liquids must be done under precaution and knowledge that the liquids might cause damage if absorbed through the skin, but that is why I personally use only the smallest nicotine content per volume or 0 mg nicotine e liquids. This allows for flavorful clouds of fun without the scare that nicotine brings to the e cigarettes or in my case, APV’s.

Sources:

http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/smoking-cessation/10-facts-about-e-cigarettes.htm#page=3

http://platinumepuffs.com/refill-flavors/creamsicle-en.html