Anyone had an elecronic cigarette?

Bottle_of_Smoke · 08-10-2008 12:45PM #1

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7658603.stm

Fears are being raised about the boom in sales in the UK of so-called electronic cigarettes.

The cigarettes use replaceable cartridges with shots of nicotine, but have become popular because they are not covered by the smoking ban.

While the products do not contain tar, tobacco or carbon monoxide, experts are worried as users inhale a fine heated mist and there is a lack of regulation.

But retailers said they were healthier than normal cigarettes.

Since the smoking bans came into force, smokers have been forced to go outside to light up.

Companies selling the electronic cigarettes have responded by marketing them as a way of getting round the ban.

And in recent months they have reported a rise in sales with some selling over 1,000 of the £40 starter-packs a month.

However, campaigners including the World Health Organisation, have raised concerns, pointing out there was a lack of knowledge about the products.

Douglas Bettcher, of the World Health Organisation, said there was a "regulatory blackhole" which meant no-one knew just what these products contain.

"We are facing a new product. We do not know what is in these cartridges besides nicotine. What are the effects of heating and vapourising the nicotine and inhaling it?"

And Deborah Arnott, of anti-smoking group Ash, pointed out that many of the products were made in China where quality control was "not very good".

"I think our concern is that we would really like smokers to use safer nicotine products but there is a regulatory gap.

"The advice is to use products that have been tried and tested such as nicotine gums and patches."

0ubliette · 08-10-2008 12:53PM

May aswel go the whole hog and shoot up some smack in the pub too while youre at it, probably no law against doing that indoors either

c - 13 · 08-10-2008 12:58PM

I'm sure a main indicator as to wether these will take off or not will be price of the inhalable stuff versus regular tobacco.

I'm sure if the inhaled stuff is cheaper a lot of people will go about trying it at the very least.

Interesting - I just did some further reading and it appears each cartridge for the e-cig is supposed to be the equivalent of a pack of normal smokes, you can buy a package of 50 cartridges for about £29.95, if its a similar product (it may taste like arse) then that would be a fairly big saving for smokers and could persuade a lot of them to change over, regardless of the fact that the substances havent been clinically tested.

I wonder if thats the real concern though and not the fact that smokers wont be spending a bunch on taxes if they do switch ?

ScumLord · 08-10-2008 01:31PM

I hate these reactions.

"We are facing a new product. We do not know what is in these cartridges besides nicotine. What are the effects of heating and vaporising the nicotine and inhaling it?"

The first assumption is it's really bad for you (worse than cigarettes? Really?). It's panic stations, something we don't understand and might not approve of is being used by people we don't know and may not like. Ban it! Criminalise everybody to save the children.

Gran Hermano · 08-10-2008 01:36PM

I've seen these on Dealextreme. Haven't ordered yet but I might
give them a try on my next long-haul flight.

jackdaw · 08-10-2008 02:00PM

I don't understand how this is legal ? .. it's still a health hazard to other people in the bar as its releasing smoke in the air ??

Dyr · 08-10-2008 02:19PM

omgz ppls are finding wayz to circumvent the nanny brigades attempts to impose their morals on everyone else! halp halp! wont somebody PLEASE think of the taxes?

They'll be trying to drink in pubs and all unless we stamp this out now!

Turd Ferguson · 08-10-2008 02:37PM

I've tried them and they're pretty shyte. I cant see them catching on at all to be honest.

anniehoo · 08-10-2008 02:37PM

jackdaw wrote: »

it's still a health hazard to other people in the bar as its releasing smoke in the air ??

Its not tobacco smoke...but some "fine mist" of heated nicotine!Tobacco smoking is banned not nicotine itself and its tobacco not the nicotine that causes health problems!

jackdaw · 08-10-2008 02:45PM

ah !! so it's not smoke thats released into the air then,

Nehaxak · 08-10-2008 03:11PM

Just bought the 60 pound black ecig kit. Will see how it goes, to be honest I'd try anything at this stage to try give up the demon cigarettes as I haven't the willpower left in me at this stage and the price of smokes are always on the rise.

Dinter · 08-10-2008 03:26PM

Nehaxak wrote: »

Just bought the 60 pound black ecig kit. Will see how it goes, to be honest I'd try anything at this stage to try give up the demon cigarettes as I haven't the willpower left in me at this stage and the price of smokes are always on the rise.

Let us know how it goes.

I'm seriously tempted to get these so I can smoke in the office.

c - 13 · 08-10-2008 03:29PM

To be honest though i'd still doubt a lot of pubs/offices etc. would allow these to be used on the premises, at present anyway.

They're still largely unheard of and good luck explaining to the barman/boss that that cloud you're exhaling isn't smoke !

phantom_lord · 08-10-2008 03:43PM

c - 13 wrote: »

To be honest though i'd still doubt a lot of pubs/offices etc. would allow these to be used on the premises, at present anyway.

They're still largely unheard of and good luck explaining to the barman/boss that that cloud you're exhaling isn't smoke !

it's a fine mist that disapates really quickly, you'd barely notice it tbh.

Prof.Badass · 08-10-2008 03:49PM

Bottle_of_Smoke wrote: »

"We are facing a new product. We do not know what is in these cartridges besides nicotine. What are the effects of heating and vapourising the nicotine and inhaling it?"

*sarcasm* hmm... I don't know, it's not like people have been heating and vaporising nicotine by means of smoking for hundreds of years.*sarcasm*

Don't give out about something through the media unless you know what you're talking about.

smk135 · 08-10-2008 03:52PM

I just g ave up smoking three hours ago.
yes, only three hours, but that would mean quite an amount to already not smoke at this stage.

But I'm not stressing. I'm not edgy. I'm happy I finally made the decision to do it. Cause I don't really want to smoke. (sweat sweat.)

And no gum, no patches etc so defo no electrnoic cigs - i rekcon I would just end up getting frustrated cause they wouldn't be the same / as satisfying as a real smoke and end up buying a pack when I'm drunk instead.

anniehoo · 08-10-2008 03:55PM

c - 13 wrote: »

To be honest though i'd still doubt a lot of pubs/offices etc. would allow these to be used on the premises, at present anyway.

They're still largely unheard of and good luck explaining to the barman/boss that that cloud you're exhaling isn't smoke !

I think the blue light at the bottom of it would be a fair give away thats its not a real ciggie.

ScumLord · 08-10-2008 04:28PM

These look pretty cool, at the very least they'd cut out the harmful effects of tobacco.

Now if only there was a way to put weed in them.

Nehaxak · 08-10-2008 06:11PM

ScumLord wrote: »

Now if only there was a way to put weed in them.

You can, cannabis oil. They already sell refill oils on their website, 3 or 4 drops they say refills the cartridge so don't see any reason why you couldn't drop some Cannabis oil in there instead

Nehaxak · 08-10-2008 06:15PM

Dinter wrote: »

Let us know how it goes.

I'm seriously tempted to get these so I can smoke in the office.

Yeah will do. Actually very impressed with the website and service, ordered around lunctime and it's already been dispatched in the post complete with sending me the tracking code. Hopefully get it on Friday or if not then next Monday.

dreamer_ire · 08-10-2008 06:19PM

Nehaxak wrote: »

Just bought the 60 pound black ecig kit. Will see how it goes, to be honest I'd try anything at this stage to try give up the demon cigarettes as I haven't the willpower left in me at this stage and the price of smokes are always on the rise.

Would love to know how you get on with this... I'm giving up on November 4th but if these would start to ween me off between now and then I'd def try them!

Blisterman · 08-10-2008 06:25PM

How is this different to nicotine inhalers, usualy used to get people off smoking?

I know a guy who's hooked on them. To get a better hit, He snorts them. I like his thinking.
Cigarettes are £6 a pack, nicotine inhalers, you get for free off the NHS.

Krieg · 08-10-2008 06:30PM

How the hell did I not hear of these 'til now?
Sounds like a great product to me

Looking forward to your review Nehaxak

Ciaran500 · 08-10-2008 06:39PM

Blisterman wrote: »

How is this different to nicotine inhalers, usualy used to get people off smoking?

No smoke off an inhaler.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyC_6ubvjFQ

jetsonx · 08-10-2008 07:34PM

I find this article hard to believe that electronic cigarettes are in someway "taking off"

I was at a retail trade event in London last year and i think I saw one person in the whole 3 days - talking to the "electronic cigarette" company that was attending.

Everyone else was just passing their stand...and sniggering.

c - 13 · 09-10-2008 06:41AM

anniehoo wrote: »

I think the blue light at the bottom of it would be a fair give away thats its not a real ciggie.

True but try explaining to the bar staff/boss that its not releasing any second hand smoke and that. Where I work anyway I doubt i'd get away with it.

phantom_lord wrote: »

it's a fine mist that disapates really quickly, you'd barely notice it tbh.

It looks a pretty noticeable in the video on the BBC website. It looks pretty much identical to a person exhaling after a normal cigarette drag, maybe the cloud is a bit more inclined toward white but thats about it.

ScumLord · 09-10-2008 11:31AM

Nehaxak wrote: »

You can, cannabis oil. They already sell refill oils on their website, 3 or 4 drops they say refills the cartridge so don't see any reason why you couldn't drop some Cannabis oil in there instead

I did a bit of looking up and apparently the nicotine is in a water based mix so it can be vaporised and of course cannabis isn't water soluble. Might be possible if you mix the cannabis oil with alcohol. Mmmmmm

Run_to_da_hills · 09-10-2008 11:59AM

The "electronic Joint" is born.

Dealers will now be offering you an assortment of tailor made hash refills to suit these devices.

They will have their advantages..........

No "give away" roach ends lying about in ash trays.

The authorities will have a hard time distinguishing them from normal electronic cigarettes.

Hash cassettes will look exactly like tobacco cassettes and will be sealed in vacuum packs.

There will also be a minimum of wastage unlike using conventional joints.

Danbo! · 09-10-2008 12:06PM

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

The "electronic Joint" is born.

Dealers will now be offering you an assortment of tailor made hash refills to suit these devices.

They will have their advantages..........

No "give away" roach ends lying about in ash trays.

The authorities will have a hard time distinguishing them from normal electronic cigarettes.

Hash cassettes will look exactly like tobacco cassettes and will be sealed in vacuum packs.

There will also be a minimum of wastage unlike using conventional joints.

You know that stuff can make you paranoid?

Run_to_da_hills · 09-10-2008 12:16PM

noblestee wrote: »

You know that stuff can make you paranoid?

:eek:

Nehaxak · 10-10-2008 05:39PM

It never arrived today in the post so will probably (hopefully) be Monday now at this stage before I can try it out. Pity as I was hoping to give the demon up this weekend.

Anyone had an elecronic cigarette?

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