ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES, WHAT ARE THEY?
An electronic cigarette, also known as an e-cigarette, personal vaporizer or PV, is an electronic inhaler that vaporizes a liquid solution into an aerosol mist, simulating the act of tobacco smoking.



 
 
 
Electronic cigarettes produce a vapour or “artificial smoke” which looks similar to the smoke generated by the combustion of a conventional cigarette. This vapour can be flavoured (with different aromas such as mild tobacco, brown tobacco, fruits etc...) and can contain nicotine or not. Unlike the smoke generated by the combustion of a cigarette, this vapour does not smell like tobacco, and is supposed to contain less carcinogenic substances. E-cigarettes do not contain any tar.
In their design, e-cigarettes often have a cigarette shape. Some of them look more like a pipe or a cigar, and they are referred to as electronic pipe or electronic cigar. However, you will come across some very
original designs.
Electronic cigarette users avoid some terminology when describing their relationship with the product: they regard themselves as “vapers” (as opposed to “smokers” ) who “vape” (from “vapour”).
 
The main advantages offered by electronic cigarettes.
 
-  No combustion, none of the 4000 harmful substances found in traditional cigarettes: you only inhale a flavoured vapour with some nicotine or not, depending on your choice.
-  You can use the electronic cigarette everywhere, including bars, restaurant and all public places.
-  No passive smoking, as there is no combustion.
-  Your health will quickly improve (taste, smell, breathing..), you will no longer harm those around you.
-  You will save a lot of money
-  No more lighters, cigarette boxes, ashtrays...
-  You will still do the gesture of smoking, feel the same sensation and still enjoy “smoking”
 
Elements of an electronic cigarette

Three main elements compose the electronic cigarette:
- An electric resistance (atomizer)
- A cartridge which serves as a reservoir for the e- liquid
- An electric component which feeds the resistance, in most cases it’s a battery.
 
The part that includes the heating coil (along with the wicking metal mesh or silica wick to draw the liquid in) is known as the atomizer. When the cartridge and the atomizer are integrated as a same unit, you are then dealing with a cartomizer (short for cartridge and atomizer) or a cartridge with an embedded atomizer.
Thus, one can screw on either an atomizer or a cartomizer onto the same battery. A general standardisation of battery threading seems to be the new policy among manufacturers; however it is not yet the case across the board, as different types of threading are on the market (“510”, “901”, “eGo”) fitting different models of e-cigarettes.  As a result, we are faced with different families of atomizers of cartomizers compatibles with these types of threading. You also have the option of getting a threading adapter to connect different family type components.
 
E-Liquids

An E-Liquid is a combination of propylene glycol (PG) and/or vegetable glycerine (VG) mixed with concentrated flavours, and optionally, a variable percentage of liquid nicotine concentrate. Nicotine-free solutions are also common. Bottles of e-liquid are sold separately.
 
Electronic cigarettes and heath issues
 
Vaping is a combustion-free process; therefore e-cigarettes belong to the family of tobacco substitutes such as inhalers, gums or nicotine patches, all of which have none of most of the ingredients found in a
conventional cigarette.
-   Electronic cigarettes have few or none of the chemicals which could be harmful to human health.
-   Although it remains early to speak in definite terms, it seems so far that electronic cigarettes are less harmful than conventional cigarettes and show toxic levels similar to that of gums, inhalers or patches.
-   E-cigarettes contain 1000 times less carcinogens in terms of concentration than conventional cigarettes.
-   Preliminary studies claim that e-cigarettes could be an efficient substitute to conventional cigarettes, mainly because users simulate the act of smoking.
-   In terms of distribution of nicotine, this system appears to be more efficient than other methods, as the stimuli associated with the act of smoking have a long-term effect against withdrawal symptoms.
 
 
 
Source: wikipedia