Behavior Modification: Smoking

Even as a child, I’ve always known smoking was bad for your health. My dad smoked when I was very young, but quit due to the health risks he imposed on his family as well as himself. He quit cold turkey, meaning immediately and solely by himself. He said it was hard, but he got over it. Since then he told me never to smoke. Now I can’t exactly tell you how I picked up smoking, but it definitely started after my 18th birthday when I was legally able to purchase cigarettes. I bought my first pack just because I could, and I smoked them periodically at school, especially when others were doing it, and especially if they were attractive females. This made me think I was cool enough to associate with them. As the months went on, I started getting more and more stressed with school and work, I slowly grew dependent on cigarettes. By the time I was 19, I needed to smoke whenever I studied, worked, or socialized with my friends, because most of my friends were also smokers. I have quit numerous times and succeeded at the goals I’ve set because I would set goals such as not smoking for two weeks, however I have never set a permanent goal due to fear of losing my crutch. For example, I would not smoke for two weeks, what allowed me to abstain was the thought that I can have a cigarette after two weeks.

Tracy Orleans, et al., (1991) conducted a research study on quitting smoking interventions. The study consisted of four groups, (a) the self help group, who were given a standard self quitting guide to quit with no other support, (b) the social support group, who were given the same self quitting guide along with a support guide for their family and friends, (c) the telephone group, who were given the same self quitting material, but with four telephone calls to a counselor, and (d) the control, who were given only tips to quit smoking and a referral to local quit smoking programs. The results of the study were not significant, the quit rates of the control and experimental groups were about the same, the only difference was the way the two groups quit. The experimental groups tended to quit using behavioral requiting strategies (e.g. setting a quit date, switching brands, etc.) while the control group tended to use outside interventions (like voluntary group therapy, nicotine gum/patches, etc). An interesting finding in this article was that heavier, long time smokers were less likely to quit using self help interventions alone, than were lighter, less addicted smokers (Orleans et al., 1991). This may appear like common sense in hindsight, because clearly longer, heavier smokers are more addicted, therefore its harder for them to quit, similar reasoning could be added to the opposite; lighter smokers are less likely to quit because they feel that the health threats are trivial because there is no immediate concern, whereas long time smokers are more likely to be diagnosed with a chronic illness as a result of their smoking, thus forcing them to stop due to their health. Although the former is a finding as a result of the study, the latter was found in my specific intervention, as well as my brief encounter with smokers in the past.

My specific strategy was to monitor my smoking for five days, then implement my plan, which was to smoke one less cigarette a day. Now I only smoked about 4-5 cigarettes a day so my plan was to start with five, then kick it down to zero. Of course, as I’ve stated before I knew this would be easy because my goal for the future was to smoke again. I started my change in behavior smoking five the first day, only three the next day, but then on the third day I was angry at the thought that nicotine was controlling me, so using self control, I smoked no cigarettes on day three. Day four I was supposed to smoke two, but only smoked one at night, this one cigarette at night felt better than any cigarette I had previously smoked in weeks. I wanted this feeling again; I knew it was from nicotine withdrawal. The next three days I went off track of my original plan and smoked one cigarette a night. I used a form of operant conditioning, where “the individual performs a behavior, and the behavior is followed by positive reinforcement” (Taylor et al., 2006). In this case the very euphoric feeling of a nicotine rush is the reward due to a nicotine withdrawal from not smoking all day (which is the behavior). Sure this may not be the ideal goal of operant conditioning, but it did greatly reduce the number of cigarettes I smoked in a day.

This behavior change was only temporary in my mind, as were the past attempts. I chose to monitor my smoking habits because it is probably my most health compromising behavior (aside from riding my motorcycle but I don’t think that is a “health” issue, more of a “lifestyle” issue). According to the text, “smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable death…In the United States, it accounts for at least 430,700 deaths each year” (Taylor et al., 2006) Even without the book, and without the media telling me the negative effects of smoking, I knew it could not be good for me. When I go to sleep just after smoking, I notice my heart rate is very high, anytime I do strenuous physical activity, I always gasp for air after, although I do notice that I can hold my breath longer than many of my non smoking peers. I smoke mainly because the immediate payoffs outweigh the immediate consequences, and because I am human, evolutionary psychology shows that my immediate future is more salient than anything many years ahead (Ornstein, 1991). Sure I can get lung cancer or heart disease in 20-30 years, but that is less salient on my mind, besides I, like many others fall into the false consensus effect theory; I believe that the same health compromising behavior that kills hundreds of thousands a year, probably won’t affect me.

After the twelve day period, I continued with the one cigarette a night, after a few days of that, I went to one every other night. As I am writing this paper, I am down to two a week. My goal is to bring it down to zero, however as I have implied, the thought of being able to smoke in the future is the only thing allowing me to go without a cigarette for a period of time. What worked well in my intervention was that I did not give in to the abstinence violation effect which is “a feeling of loss of control that results when a person has violated self-imposed rules” (Taylor et al., 2006). On a couple of days I gave in and smoked more then I was supposed to, mainly because I was with my smoking friends, a main effect of abstinence violation is relapse, but I made sure I did not by telling myself it was a one time thing and I will continue with my original plan, that definitely helped me from saying “screw it” and continue to my old ways of four to five cigarettes

This intervention has taught me a lot about my specific cues for smoking and I have realized that for the most part it is not a severe addiction for me; rather it is just something to do between classes, lunch breaks, or socializing with friends. I am very thankful that I had the opportunity to do this, as I probably would have never monitored my smoking otherwise. Because of this project, I have cut my cigarettes down to only six percent of what I used to smoke, with no signs of relapse, or cravings during the day. Perhaps for the future, I will only smoke when girls hit on me, which is never.

References

1) Orleans, CT, Schoenbach, VJ, Wagner, EH, et al. (1991). Self-help quit smoking interventions: effects of self-help materials, social support instructions, and telephone counseling. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 59(3), 439-448.

2) Ornstein, R (1991). Evolution of Consciousness: The Origins of the Way We Think. New York: Touchstone

3) Taylor, S.E (2006). Health Psychology: Sixth Edition, Health-Compromising Behaviors (pp. 133-148), Health Behaviors (pp. 54-78). New York: McGraw Hill

With smoking becoming not only anti-social but now outlawed in many countries, the search for an effective, natural stop smoking remedy is more furious than ever before.

Perhaps it would be best to begin with a definition of what we mean by “natural.” After all, there can be few, if any, more widespread unnatural things to do than the voluntary inhalation of poisonous, noxious fumes many times every day! No one made you do that, and there is certainly no instinct for it!

Hence, the search for a “natural stop smoking remedy” has the in-built irony of being a natural way to help you to desist from doing something entirely unnatural!

Let us assume that natural in this sense would mean not placing any more artificial substances in your body.

Nicotine patches, gum, sprays or other means of administration therefore need ruling out. They don’t come with actual fumes, but the ingredient that keeps you hooked on tobacco is, of course, nicotine, (ask anyone who’s ever tried to quit by switching to “herbal” tobaccos). Therefore, finding another way to administer the same drug is one of the toughest ways to quit, and the failure rate is quite high.

Where they succeed, it is only (in this author’s opinion), because they force you to break up the routine of lighting up, inhaling and exhaling and so on. Furthermore, they enable you to “ingest” nicotine, (a powerful insecticide!) in areas where smoking itself would be forbidden, so once again, you are feeding yourself unusual behaviour patterns.

The “habit” or routine of smoking is thus tampered with, but the cravings aren’t dealt with and often the wearer/chewer only wishes for a cigarette, often ending up doing both. (This is a very dangerous practice incidentally, as too much nicotine can cause a heart attack).

Then we have hypnosis. This is far closer to our quest for a natural stop smoking remedy, but is sadly often misunderstood or misrepresented. The smoker is hoping for a completely passive “cure” from the therapist in many cases. The expectation seems to be that you will turn up fully addicted to smoking, whereupon you will be rendered by means of a swinging pendulum, into a zombie-like state of which you will have no awareness or recall. When you are brought out of this state, you will in all other respects be restored to your normal, cheerful, sunny self with the single exception that the desire to smoke will have completely and utterly vanished!

Ah! The quest for the holy grail of both smokers and therapists alike! Let me tell you now, if you go to a hypnotherapist that is about as far from what will happen as your next encounter with a real monster from Star Trek!

The reality is that you will be completely aware of the hypnotherapist’s suggestions and although hypnosis can unquestionably smooth the transition from you being a helpless addict to becoming a happy non-smoker, you will still need to consciously apply your new “programming” especially in the first few days whilst the nicotine departs from your body with the inevitable “pangs” accompanying that process.

Surely the most natural stop smoking remedy must be good old fashioned “cold turkey.” Statistically if you choose this route you have a 10 per cent chance of staying free for life. However, you are likely to become one of those whingers who spends the rest of your days wishing you could have “just one more puff.”

May the Lord have mercy – not only upon you, but upon all your long-suffering friends, (smokers and otherwise), and family! Plus, you have a ninety per cent chance of returning to smoking – with probably all the accompanying guilt, self-recriminations and possibly criminal-like secrecy. Not desirable.

The best natural stop smoking remedy of all then would surely be one where no artificial “gimmicks” are required, (by the very definition of “natural stop smoking remedy” – this goes without saying).

Furthermore, you should understand every step of the process, and finally you should not be wrestling with your own willpower – the emotional desire to smoke versus your logic trying to restrain you – for the rest of your days. Indeed, you shouldn’t have to endure that agony at all!

Quite possibly the ultimate in natural stop smoking remedies (since it fulfils all of these criteria) is one which employs NLP. (Neuro-linguistic programming – but don’t bother looking it up unless you’re one of those geeks who needs to look under the bonnet of your new Porsche instead of just enjoying the experience of driving around in it!).

NLP works for smokers because it utilises the very mechanism we use when we simply change our minds about something. You don’t need willpower to decide you no longer take sugar in your tea, or that you now love Robbie Williams’ music … or whatever.

If ever there was a way to pull yourself out of the hole you got yourself into with smoking, this surely has to be it because it bypasses the need for willpower – every smokers’ nightmare.

There are many different medications, tools and techniques that you can incorporate into your plan to stop smoking. In terms of mainstream medicine, these primarily include nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) in the form of patches, lozenges, nasal sprays and gum. The primary concept behind these products is to provide an alternative to quitting cold turkey and allow individuals to slowly reduce their nicotine intake, thereby decreasing the severity of withdrawal symptoms. At the same time, switching to an alternative source of nicotine helps break the other behavioral habits that are a strong component of any addiction. In this way, you can get used to the changes in your daily routine that will come with giving up cigarettes, without having to deal with the side effects of nicotine withdrawal all at the same time.

Other medications such as Bupropion (Zyban) are also thought to help individuals through nicotine withdrawal, although the processes through which this works are not fully understood. Similar in composition to an antidepressant, this approach may contribute to an emotional calm that makes it easier to resist temptation through lessened agitation and anxiety during withdrawal. These drugs are not appropriate for everyone, and need to be discussed with your doctor in terms of effectiveness and potential side effects.

Traditional, herbal products can also be used to help you quit smoking. Teas, capsules, and patches are all available to assist you in a variety of ways. Herbs can reduce your desire to smoke by making cigarettes taste bad, as well as promote relaxation to help decrease the underlying stress or nervousness that may otherwise compel you to smoke. Herbs can also help cleanse, detoxify and flush out your system, reducing cravings and promoting recovery and improved general health. In some cases herbal products contain ingredients that act as substitutes for nicotine, effectively convincing your body that it is not missing the stimulants it has grown accustomed to. Explore your options in herbal formulations designed specifically for the purpose of stopping smoking to determine if these might be useful as a part of your individualized stop smoking strategy.

Depending on the severity of your addiction, the strength of your desire to change, and your general willpower, you may require more or fewer tools to help you along the way. Quitting smoking is different for everyone, and it is important to enlist as much help as necessary in order for you to achieve your goal. From conventional medicine, to alternative herbal remedies drawing on more ancient healing formulas, there are a number of choices for you to consider. Withdrawal is not easy, but it is temporary, so do not give up. It will not belong before you have made it over the first and most difficult hurdle, and from here on the road to better health will get easier and more straightforward as you go.

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Nicotine is such a powerful agent, it is not going to submit to any type of auto suggestion, or verbal arguments. When over the counter medications fail, any types of reasonings will not have the desired effect, you have another alternative to try—stop smoking herbal products. In any area relating to health, if past experience and experiments are any indications, herbal stop smoking methods are bound to succeed. Another important thing—they don’t create any side effects.

The connection of nicotine is directly with the brain. Even your intelligent brain thinks that nicotine is giving it the pleasure, and it accordingly sends you signals for more and more pleasure. You obey the command and light another cigarette. The cycle goes on and more and more pleasure is demanded. You become the cigarette addict. Now, smoking is not your view of life, it is a way of life.

There is nothing that the Nature does not know about you. It knows your strength. It knows about your weakness. It has remedies in store. This traditional herbal knowledge has brought the humanity from the brink of precipice many a times, in many areas. In the area of smoking also it is making significant contributions to make you quit smoking. The garden variety oats is used to treat opium withdrawal. With the application of the same reasoning, an alcoholic extract of the herb, in the form of a tincture is used for nicotine withdrawal. It has provided highly beneficial results.{mospagebreak}

Another mixture of the herbal tinctures of white-horse hound, mullein, green oats, peppermint, and golden seal, in appropriate quantities, put on the tongue in drops, whenever you have the craving to smoke a cigarette, gives you good results.

Acupuncture also does the supportive role. Mixture of the prescribed medicated oil is applied to the acupuncture points. This needs to be done by a acupuncture specialist only.

Many such natural herbal kits are available. Natural products also have taken the seat of over the counter medications. There are herbal aromas, herbal cigarettes, herbal liquids, herbal lozenges and many such products out to help you in your effort to stop smoking. Over all these products, one thing reigns supreme- Your strong will power to quit smoking for ever!

You may find it difficult to believe—but it is true! If you don’t smoke the next cigarette, and resist the temptation to smoke the next to next cigarette, you are on the winning spree. You have already purchased the last cigarette of your lifetime!

The electronic cigarette online survey.

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), which rush in popularity in 2008, may be the most promising product for tobacco harm reduction yet. E-cigarettes deliver a nicotine vapor without the combustion products that are responsible for nearly all of smoking’s health effects. Other than anecdotal accounts, there is little information about who uses e-cigarettes, and whether people who switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes experience changes in symptoms caused by smoking. This pilot online survey, conducted by tobaccoharmreduction.org, investigated e-cigarette use for smoking cessation and changes in health status and smoking caused symptoms.

A convenience sample (n=303) was enrolled by e-mail and links on various blogs and forums in May-June 2009. Independent university researchers at the www.tobaccoharmreduction.org project analyzed the data.

All respondents previously smoked and 91% had attempted to stop smoking before trying ecigarettes.

Most respondents resided in the USA (72%) and 21% were in Europe. About half

(55%) were 31-50, while 32% were >50 years old. Most (79%) of the respondents had been using e-cigarettes for <6 months and reported using them as a complete (79%) or partial (17%) replacement for, rather than in addition to (4%), cigarettes. The majority of respondents reported that their general health (91%), smoker’s cough (97%), ability to exercise (84%), and sense of smell (80%) and taste (73%) were better since using e-cigarettes and none reported that these were worse. Although people whose e-cigarette use completely replaced smoking were more likely to experience improvements in health and smoking caused symptoms, most people who substituted e-cigarettes for even some of their cigarettes experienced improvements.

These are highly motivated and passionate e-cigarette users who may have different experiences than average e-cigarette users or smokers, and thus the estimates cannot be extrapolated to all smokers or e-cigarette users. However, the results still suggest that very few e-cigarette users are not using them to replace cigarettes and there are many switchers and current smokers who could have the reported experience. Unfortunately e-cigarettes have been banned in some jurisdictions (e.g., Canada, Victoria (Australia)) where switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes was documented. The lack of available and legal e-cigarettes may cause some users to resume smoking.

Introduction

Awareness and use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) has dramatically increased in the past two years. These devices, which are manufactured and sold by several different companies, deliver nicotine by vaporizing a gel composed of water, propylene glycol, flavorings, and nicotine. E-cigarettes deliver nicotine without the products of combustion that are inhaled by smoking cigarettes. Therefore, the health risks are likely similar to those from smokeless tobacco, which has approximately 1% of the mortality risk of smoking. There is likely some remaining risk due to the stimulant effects of nicotine. E-cigarettes are one category of no combustion nicotine product (others being smokeless tobacco and pharmaceutical nicotine products) that are promising for tobacco harm reduction, the substitution of less harmful nicotine products for cigarettes [3,4].

E-cigarettes are widely available in the United States and Europe and are also available online through many different distributors. E-cigarettes have been banned in some jurisdictions including Canada [5,6] and Victoria (Australia) [6] and are subject to the indoor “smoking” bans in others (e.g., [7]). Although there are legitimate concerns about quality control and product tampering, the importation/sale bans have been criticized by public health advocates because they do not merely address the products’ flaws, but eliminate a promising smoking cessation intervention, offering few realistic options for bringing the product back to market. There is a high likelihood that some people who switched from cigarettes to e-cigarettes but lose access to e-cigarettes will resume smoking.

There are many testimonials and anecdotes on the internet about people switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes but, to our knowledge, there have been no quantified data published.

One online e-cigarette distributor based in the United Kingdom conducted an online marketing survey of their e-cigarette users and made their data available to researchers at the University of Alberta School of Public Health for re-analysis.

The objectives of this study were to describe e-cigarette users’ patterns of cigarette and e-cigarette usage and smoking cessation attempts and to compare health status and smoking-attributable symptoms between people who completely switched from smoking to e-cigarettes, those who partially switched, and those who supplemented cigarette smoking with e-cigarette usage.

The survey assessed respondents’ use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, smoking cessation (including use of pharmaceutical products and switching to e-cigarettes) and changes in smoking-caused symptoms since using e-cigarettes. The dataset included 304 observations, one of which excluded from all analyses because only country of residence and comments were entered.

There were two sets of two observations each, which had the same IP address. There were no entries with the same e-mail address. In addition, there were 31 observations with no IP or email address.

Results

Approximately half of the sample was between the ages of 31 and 50, one-third were more than 50 years old and none were under the age of 18. Nearly three-quarters resided in the US, followed by 17% from the UK. Most of the respondents had been using e-cigarettes for less than six months and all had smoked prior to using e-cigarettes. Most of the respondents had previously tried to stop smoking multiple times.

The majority (86%) of respondents had tried pharmaceutical products to quit smoking, nearly two-thirds of whom indicated that these products did not help them to stop smoking. However, most of the sample was able to use e-cigarettes as a complete replacement for cigarettes.

The majority of the respondents indicated that their general health, smoker’s cough, ability to exercise, sense of smell and sense of taste were better since starting to use e-cigarettes and none indicated that these were worse when responding to these five questions.

On average, respondents who lived in Europe had used e-cigarettes for longer than respondents in the US, but were less likely to use e-cigarettes as a complete replacement for cigarettes. There was a positive relationship between the number of times participants had tried to stop smoking and using e-cigarettes as a complete replacement for cigarettes. Most (81%) of the respondents who indicated that pharmaceutical products did not help them stop smoking used ecigarettes as a complete replacement for cigarettes.

Although the majority of respondents reported that their health and smoking-caused symptoms improved since using e-cigarettes, there were some notable trends in which groups were more

likely to report improvements. Respondents who had been using e-cigarettes for a longer period of time, who had completely replaced their cigarettes with e-cigarettes, or were younger, were more likely to report improvements.

Visit us on www.TheSmartSmokers.com

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There are 4 main styles of electronic smoking devices, e cigs, or eCigarettes people should be familiar with before they “take the plunge” and buy their first starter kit.

At first, these styles may seem familiar and obvious to you, but in the world of e smoking each style actually has practical value associated with it.  In this article I will reveal each functional advantage and disadvantage, or pro and con for each style.

Style vs Type

I want to make one more important distinction between style and what I call “types” of e cigs.  Style refers mainly to external appearances whereas type refers purely to function.

There are also 3 main types of electronic cigarettes that are typically referred to as 1-piece, 2-piece and 3-piece.  If you would like to better understand how the 3 main types differ from the 4 styles you can read this article on the 3 main types of electronic cigarette kits, but I suggest you read this article about style first.

If you are totally new to electronic cigarettes then you may want to start with a quick google for and e cigs FAQ (frequently asked questions) page before you continue.

4 Main Styles of e Cigarettes

The 4 main styles of eCigs are:

* mini electronic cigarettes
* pen style electronic cigarettes
* electronic cigars
* electronic pipes

Pen-Style e Cigarette

The pen style is probably the least familiar style to most people so I will discuss this style and its pros and cons first.

As its name implies, a “pen-style” electronic cigarette is resembles an ink pen in size and shape, but without the shirt clip, so no pocket protector necessary!

Seriously though, pen-Style e cigs can also resemble cigarette filters you sometimes see rich people smoking in old movies, but maybe a little shorter.

The main advantage or pro of the pen style e cig is that it is a good balance between form and function.  Even though they are about twice as long as a regular cigarette, they are still relatively small and skinny, but have larger nicotine refill cartridges and batteries that last longer and produce good vapor.

Another advantage of the pen-style ecigs is that most don’t resemble regular cigarettes in appearance and are NOT usually mistaken for regular cigarettes and therefore can almost always be smoked in non-smoking areas without much trouble.

At the time of writing this article it is technically not illegal to smoke an electronic cigarette in non-smoking areas because it is not considered a tobacco product and is not combustible.

In fact, establishments aware of the virtually odorless and non-combustible electronic cigarette (such as many casinos and some bars) actually encourage the use of electronic cigarettes to give their clientele an alternative to smoking where smoking indoors has been banned by law.

The only real con or disadvantage to the pen-style electronic cigarette is that if you are not used to the size or appearance of this style it may be awkward in social settings, at least the first few times you get together with friends.  Strangers that smoke however, tend to be very friendly when inquiring about a pen-style e cig.

Mini Style e Cigarette

The mini electronic cigarette tends to be the most familiar to people as this style is the most similar in size and appearance of a real cigarette which can be both its main advantage and disadvantage.

Since pen-style e cigarettes came out first and were then miniaturized over time, the term “mini” however, is now really used to describe ANY electronic cigarette smaller than a pen style device.

In fact, e cigs that are closest in size to actual cigarettes such as the blu electronic cigarette, are now sometimes called super-mini.

Since mini electronic cigarettes tend to look almost like a regular cigarette right down to the glowing cherry ember on the tip you will probably feel most comfortable in a social setting or with other smokers with this style.

Also, if you are trying to switch to smoking e-cigarettes instead of regular cigarettes then the mini e-cig style will require the least amount of adaptation of your habits and behaviors.

The disadvantage of the mini e cigarette being so similar to actual cigarettes is that it can negate one of the huge would-be benefits to smoking e cigs; smoking them in public.

Some businesses such as restaurants and other typical non-smoking areas such as airplanes not aware of e cigs may ask you to not use the devices on their premises even after some explanation just on principle.

Sometimes this disadvantage can be mitigated by choosing a mini style e cig with lighted tip in a color other than orange such as blue or green.  This way, people may still be confused as to what you are smoking, but at least they can be reasonably sure that it is not a real cigarette.

The other disadvantage that comes with the small size of the mini electronic cigarette is that their small cartridges and batteries do not last near as long as the other larger styles so you will find yourself switching batteries and cartridges often.

The small batteries also sometimes have difficulty in producing copious vapor because the batteries aren’t quite as powerful.

Electronic Cigar Style e Cig

Of course, electronic cigars are made to resemble real cigars in size weight and shape.  Since cigars tend to be larger than cigarettes and ball point pens there is a lot of space to work with in the design of these devices and a couple clear advantages that come at a cost.

The first major advantage of electronic cigars is that they have very large and powerful batteries and large refill cartridges although many electronic cigars are actually disposable and not meant to be refilled.  A good disposable cigar however won’t quit for 1800 puffs on average.   Non-disposable cigar style e cigs will not last quite as long.

Strong odor is a common complaint with regular cigars and pipes , but this is not a problem with electronic cigars and pipes because there is virtually no odor.

You even have greater flavor choices with electronic cigarettes and cigars so if you always wanted to be boisterous at a casino by smoking a cigar, but were never crazy about the taste of cigar tobacco, you can smoke cola flavor in your electronic cigar instead.

As stated earlier however, smoking electronic cigars comes at a cost.  Even refillable designs often have the vaporizer heating element built into the body of the device.

This vaporizer component also known as an atomizer, wears out over a period of 6-12 weeks so if it is built into the body of the electronic cigar then it can’t be replaced like in the other styles.

When the atomizer in an electronic cigar dies, you usually have to buy a new housing or starter kit which can become expensive.

Disposable electronic cigars are more economical but offer less flavor choices.

Electronic Pipe Style

Electronic pipes of course look just like real pipes and can also be a more costly style.

Atomizers in electronic pipes are replaceable and the batteries / refill cartridges are large, but electronic pipes are not in as high demand so even the cheapest electronic pipe starter kits can be very pricy.

If you like the style and experience of smoking a pipe and just get complaints about the odor then the virtually odorless electronic pipe is for you.

Any flavor that is available in an electronic cigarette is also available in an electronic pipe.

Which Style is Best

After reading some of the pros and cons in this article you should be starting to get a feel for which e cigarette style will be best for you.

Most veteran e cig smokers have a couple different styles to suit their mood or circumstances so read some reviews to make sure the quality you are looking for is there and don’t be afraid to experiment.

There is actually a 5th style if you will, of full custom or modified electronic cigarettes that are far less common, but available to those trying to perfect their e smoking experience.

This 5th style includes electronic hookahs, so called USB pass-throughs that get power from a USB port, and a wide variety of many other variants that strive for optimization of form and function.

So, don’t give up.  Smoking electronic cigarettes can be quite a bit different than smoking regular cigarettes but must people like it once they find the e cigarette style that suits them best.

While I think I covered everything in this article, a picture is worth a 1000 words.  Visit the electronic cigarette review to see pictures of the 4 styles of e-cigarette and to find a comprehensive list of reviews and links to many suppliers of this break-though device.

Sparky has smoked e-cigarettes since 2008 and is the founder of the popular electronic cigarette reviews site www.electroniccigarettereview.com.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/quit-smoking-articles/4-styles-of-ecigarettes-pros-and-cons-of-each-1730916.html

ECD: Given what we know about the ingredients and carcinogens contained within the electronic cigarette, is there reason to believe it could be a safer alternative to regular cigarettes?

Carl Phillips: I think that’s quite an understatement. I think there’s absolutely no doubt that it is a safer alternative to regular cigarettes. Now safe, that’s a word that implies there is absolutely no health risk from something, and that doesn’t really apply to anything. But our estimate is that it is probably in the order of 99 percent less harmful than smoking, I think there’s little doubt that it’s down in the neighborhood.

ECD: Professor Michael Siegel suggested that if we banned electronic cigarettes based on the carcinogens found in the FDA study we would have to ban peanut butter. Is that something you would agree with?

Carl Phillips: At least! We’d have to ban half the foods that are available. I mean, the FDA study really didn’t find any cancer risk. That study was basically pure propaganda.

ECD: Is there any danger of passive smoking with electronic cigarettes?

Carl Phillips: Probably not. As far as we know, the vapour, the propylene glycol vapour, has no human health risks at low concentrations, so it’s possible that there’s some miniscule risk, far too small for us to have ever noticed it or measured it. The amount of nicotine that escapes out into the air is also quite trivial and nicotine itself has such a low risk profile… so again it is never proper science to say that there is absolutely no risk from something, just as it is not proper science to say simply that there is a risk from something without trying to quantify it. But I guess there is no serious risk from second hand vapour as I guess it would have to be called.

ECD: In your opinion, could the electronic cigarette aid smoking cessation or be of use as a tobacco harm reduction product?

Carl Phillips: Yes, not only could it but it clearly is already being used for exactly that. Self reports suggest that thousands, tens of thousands of smokers have quit smoking by switching to the electronic cigarette which is the perfect proof that it does work as a smoking cessation aid and a tobacco harm reduction tool. A good example of a reliable ecig brand is Endless Vapor

ECD: Electronic Cigarettes have been in use for several years now, and there are a few organisations which are concerned about them. What side effects have been found so far?

Carl Phillips: As far as I know there hasn’t been any discoveries of acute side effects, which of course is good news. There is no reason to expect any but you never know quite what is going to happen with a new exposure. You can have reports that start to trickle in of a case here or there of something very strange happening. I’m not aware of any such thing. We of course know that long term use of nicotine poses a small, a very small but non-zero risk of some cardiovascular diseases so I suppose you could call that a side effect which is predictable for the long run, but that’s a total risk which is down in the range of drinking coffee, nothing remotely similar to the risk from smoking cigarettes.

ECD: What’s your biggest concern with regards to the electronic cigarette?

Carl Phillips: Well, we don’t know too much about the manufacturing process and there’s not enough quality control, or at least there is not enough guarantee of quality control in the process. Now, this of course varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, but with reasonably free entry that just about anybody with an appropriate factory in China can start manufacturing these and start putting them out under some brand name there is worry about contamination. I mean this is not a plastic toy or something like that, which alone generates a lot of worry about Chinese manufacturers. This is something that is delivering chemicals into the body in a way which is definitely going to be absorbed so it doesn’t take much of a production mishap to create something that is very harmful. And I really fear that it is going to happen one of these days if we don’t get some effective regulation and it is going to give the entire product line a bad name which of course would be inappropriate but quite understandable.

ECD: Following on from those concerns about the quality of production, let’s talk about the FDA. The FDA carried out tests on electronic cigarettes in which they found diethylene glycol in one “Smoking Everywhere” e-cigarette and traces of tobacco specific nitrosamines in both Smoking Everywhere and NJOY electronic cigarettes. So what are the significance of those findings?

Carl Phillips: There’s no significance of those findings whatsoever from a scientific or health standpoint. From a political standpoint the fact that they did that was quite significant. So on the first point the fact that there are any detectable levels of any small molecules that that can be found in the tobacco plant in the e-cigarettes is not surprising at all. The nicotine comes from tobacco and our ability to detect a few stray molecules of contamination means that basically any molecule that is small enough to be a contaminant that is found in the tobacco plant will also be found in e-cigarettes. It’ll also be found in nicoderm, nicorette, any product that contains nicotine that has been extracted from a tobacco plant. So that’s completely meaningless – the quantities of the nitrosamines in the electronic cigarette were so many orders of magnitude smaller than those, say, in smokeless tobacco, which has been shown to not cause a measurable risk of cancer, so we know that that doesn’t matter. Now, there is some more significance in finding contamination in the carrier chemicals, not that there was enough in this particular case that it was going to be harmful but because there is not supposed to be anything other than the propylene glycol and the water there, it does mean that there is a manufacturing problem – a manufacturing problem under some circumstances could be quite a bad thing. Now what really is the biggest problem is the politics that this reflects.This shows up in all sorts of harm reduction type situations and the basic rule of thumb is, if you ban something or if you’re trying to ban something, declare war on it, then you can’t regulate it, you can’t make it safer. So if you have a war on injection drug use and you simply want to forbid it and don’t want to admit it is happening in any way, you will prevent needle exchanges from happening which would save a lot of lives. If you want to have a war on prostitution and just absolutely forbid it and pretend it doesn’t exist then it is impossible to impose rules that force prostitutes to get health exams and so forth. Similarly if the FDA is intent on declaring war on electronic cigarettes and simply forcing them from the market then they are going to be abdicating their responsibility to make sure that the electronic cigarettes are what they are supposed to be and keep them safe and that goes back to this quality control problem. The FDA would really be the perfect entity to help impose some quality control on ecig manufacture even though they are manufactured in a different country but it looks pretty bad in terms of the possibility of them doing that.

ECD: What health benefits, if any, might smokers find if they smoked electronic cigarettes, or changed to electronic cigarettes?

Carl Phillips: The health benefits of switching are almost exactly the same as the health benefits of quitting, and this applies to electronic cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and pharmaceutical nicotine. If a smoker can manage to switch from smoking to one of those other products the benefits are approximately the same as quitting – they lower their cancer risk, they lower their cardiovascular disease risk, they get rid of acute symptoms of lung and airway problems, a risk that comes from smoking for pulmonary diseases and so forth. Switching is so close as good as quitting that from a health point of view there is no point in worrying about the difference.

More Articles Like This: Real Ecig

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Green Smoke is an electronic cigarette that does not produce smoke. What looks like smoke is actually a harmless vapor that is produced through a battery and an atomizer.  The vapor released is harmless to people, pets, indoor and outdoor environments, and as such, is not subject to No Smoking Bans. It does not burn nicotine, but vaporizes it.  It is truly a “Green” product, and as such, the company encourages the return of empty cartridges for recycling. Green Smoke consists of two parts; the battery and nicotine cartridge. The battery is rechargeable and resembles the white part of a cigarette where the tobacco and approximately 4000 harmful and addictive chemicals are located. “Do an internet search on the ingredients that are used in traditional tobacco products, and you will be disgusted by what smokers are subjected to. The cartridge resembles the filter of a traditional tobacco based cigarette, but contains the atomizer, purified water, flavoring, and nicotine…if desired. It contains propylene glycol, which if you do an internet search, you will find people that will tell you that it is an ingredient that is found in anti-freeze, which is true, but it is an entirely different grade. The propylene glycol contained in the cartridges are FDA approved, and is found in food coloring and various food products that we consume on a daily basis, and has been deemed safe, and helps to flavor the cartridges (chocolate, vanilla, coffee, etc). Green Smoke comes in different flavors, and different levels of nicotine, from 16mg to 0mg. Green Smoke is not marketed as a smoking cessation device, but it could easily be used as one by people that are determined to quit smoking. For long term smokers, it can be very helpful, since part of the addiction is the oral fixation and using your hands. Nicotine in itself is in line with the addiction to caffeine. The tar that builds up in the lungs, the thousands of chemicals added, as well as the smoke itself are the main source of cancer and respiratory problems among smokers. Green Smoke also offers a 30-Day Money Back Guarantee and a one year warranty, so you have nothing to lose, and if Green Smoke is right for you, then you have plenty to gain!

I can see why some people are willing to pay a little extra for Green Smoke e-cigarettes. I just love the convenience of the two piece system that only Green Smoke offers. Their started kit comes with a lot of extras the others don’t all offer as well.

“I never thought that something as an e-cig would amount to anything. I was wrong. Believe me, it works! Give up the old tar and chemicals and this is so satisfying, you’d wonder why you never knew about it before. It’s just like smoking your old cigarettes. The best is that you can still smoke this anywhere you want and it truly satisfies you. I can’t say enough about this. All I can say is try it. It’s expensive, but, if you don’t like it, send it back. I’ve been smoking 40 years and I don’t know how, but this thing really works for me. Believe me, it is nothing short of a miracle.” Electronic Cigarettes & Accessory Store. Fun Smoking with Many Flavors & Nicotine Levels. Try it out. QUIT SMOKING Regular Cigarettes! Green Is Great! you can save by switching to Green Smokes.  You’ll be amazed!

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Electronic cigarettes are a somewhat new product on the market now. I will be give an general idea of how electronic cigarettes work and their benefits. Electronic cigarettes are a good choice if you are trying to quit smoking.

Electronic cigarettes look extremely like a standard tobacco cigarette. They have a chargeable battery, and a cartridge filled with water, propylene glycol, nicotine and a flavor. When you breathe in, you will see a mist that is similar to smoke. You do not start burning these with flames, and there is no bona fide smoke that will trouble other citizens around you.

It is thought that holding a regular cigarette, and going through the motions of bringing the cigarette up to your lips, and drawing in, then exhaling the smoke is a thing that those that smoke pine for when they are attempting to refrain from smoking. Through making use of the electronic cigarette, you will go through the same tangible motions and this will assist you to discontinue smoking.

The electronic cigarette does contain nicotine in the vapor, but there is no smoke. You can enjoy these cigarettes anywhere you are, without annoyance to other citizens. You do not have to go outside to smoke if you are out having a meal at a bistro. This is then useful for you. You need not hum like an ashtray any longer.

All smokers are familiar with how much cigarettes cost currently. By investing in the electronic cigarettes you will save about Seventy-five% of the amount you would use up on standard cigarettes. Consider that for a moment. You could conserve all of that cash simply by switching from a real cigarette to an electronic cigarette.

The electronic cigarettes do include nicotine, but not the tar and other chemicals that injure the lungs. If you smoke standard cigarettes, you recognize that you are addicted to the nicotine. Smoking the electronic cigarettes, you are still feeding your dependence, but not breathing in anything else.

An Individual electronic cigarette cartridge will last you approximately as long as half a pack of conventional cigarettes. You will no longer have yellow teeth or fingernails from holding a normal cigarette. A different gain is that you will start to feel better, since you aren’t depositing the tar and unpleasant toxins into your body. One very last advantage is you don’t have to be frightened of setting anything on fire, for the reason that you don’t set alight the electronic cigarettes.

Now that you have a fundamental summary of the electronic cigarette, I hope you will consider trying it. If you sincerely are willing to refrain from smoking normal cigarettes, then perhaps this point is the time to invest in an electronic cigarette. The benefits far offset the negatives. Think of it in this way, you will be in this world longer if you stop smoking standard cigarettes today. This is  an excellent alternative to take a crack at when all the different quit smoking aids have been a failure.

Electronic Cigarettes

I-Cig

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