You're at your favorite restaurant, enjoying a meal. A diner at the
next table is puffing on a cigarette, letting out a cloud of smoke.
Because smoking isn't allowed in the restaurant, you're thinking about
asking the smoker to put the cigarette out. But before you protest,
consider this: Your neighbor may not be smoking at all.
Electronic cigarettes, also known as smokeless cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or e-cigs, are an alternative method of consuming nicotine,
the addictive chemical found in tobacco. Manufacturers often design
e-cigarettes to look like regular cigarettes, but they contain no
tobacco and don't require a match -- or any flame at all.
An e-cigarette is a battery-powered
device that converts liquid nicotine into a mist, or vapor, that the
user inhales. There's no fire, no ash and no smoky smell. E-cigarettes
do not contain all of the harmful chemicals associated with smoking
tobacco cigarettes, such as carbon monoxide and tar.
Manufacturers
and satisfied customers say the e-cigarette is a healthier alternative
to tobacco cigarettes, which cause millions of deaths every year. Some
users say e-cigs have helped reduce their "smoker's cough," sharpened
their senses of taste and smell, and even improved their sleep.
The
electronic cigarette was invented by Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik, who
patented the device in 2003 and introduced it to the Chinese market the
following year. Numerous companies are now selling e-cigarettes to
customers around the world. But as e-cigarette smoking -- or "vaping" as
it's sometimes called -- has grown in popularity, some have concerns
about its safety, including the possibility that the vapor created by
the devices contains dangerous chemicals.
Is the electronic
cigarette a cleaner, healthier choice for smokers? Or is it a dangerous
device with hidden risks? Both viewpoints have their merits, but on the
next page we'll start with the basics: how the product works, and why
it's popular.
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