Primarily seen as a physical vice and a precursor to life-threatening conditions, smoking is consistently being regulated by governments and disdained in contemporary society. Such is the extent of society’s disapproval of this offense, that it was banned on aeroplanes world-wide and on train platforms, in bus stops, working environments and generally in all public indoor areas in the UK and elsewhere.
The smoke free law came into force on 1 July 2007 and has since caused the price of cigarettes to surge as it reaches the highest rate of increase ever recorded by the Tobacco Manufacturer’s Association. More specifically, it rose by 50 per cent between 2007 and 2013, while the previous seven year interval showed a percentage of 26. The stated reasons behind these political manoeuvres are solemn oaths that governments are trying to motivate people to eschew smoking altogether for the good of all humanity. Regardless of their true reasons, they have the backing of the NHS, which recommends quitting urgently and occupying one’s time with exercise, sports and other endorphin-releasing pastimes, so as to make the transition to a nicotine-free life smoother during cessation and afterwards.
Once referred to as ‘the sacred herb’ due to its medicinal properties, tobacco was known for alleviating hundreds of medical conditions a few centuries ago, and it also facilitated scientific advancements in virology. Nowadays, along with a myriad of harmful substances in cigarette blends, like arsenic, cadmium, radioactive metals, benzene, formaldehyde and pesticides, it is at the forefront of possible causes for major conditions, such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease.
In the face of such opposition, some smokers search for alternatives, and many of them consider the option delivered by that most ingenious urge quencher, the electronic cigarette. Its proponents and adversaries are many and their reasons plentiful, but let us discuss the positive aspects of the personal vaporizer, electronic nicotine delivery system or simply e-cig in a bit of detail.
Firstly, one of the key indicators that strangers are smokers, or have smokers in their entourage, is the smell of their clothes, hair and belongings. To former smokers, that distinctive odour is as unquestionably unmistakeable as a drop of blood to a bloodhound. Non-smokers, on the other hand, react differently to the smell of impregnated tobacco, some even associating the odour with the scent of loved ones. E-cigarettes will set the odour debate to rest, though, as they are either free of distinctive tobacco odours, or even have sweet fragrances, to boot.
Secondly, electronic cigarettes are much more affordable than conventional cigarettes. There are several electronic cigarette hubs out there offering brilliant e cigarette deals, which makes the price of refill liquids quite low. By comparison, a pack of 20 conventional cigarettes costs £7.98, on average, according to the Tobacco Manufacturers’Association. In the long-run, even the relatively hefty price of the atomizers and batteries that go into e-cig kits are balanced and absorbed seamlessly, and the over-all range of e cigarette deals will continue to increase over time, as technology and competition intensifies. Also, the advantage of using refills is that you reduce waste by only using as much liquid as you find appropriate, and there is the added convenience of not having to share your cigarettes with anyone.
Another important aspect to factor into your decision to pick up e-cigarette smoking is the fact that the risk of accidental fires is extinguished. Most serious smokers will remember having fallen asleep with a cigarette in their hand, at least once, whether indoors or out, and the risks they incur are tremendous. According to the Department for Communities and Local Government, the years 2011 and 2012 witnessed 43,500 accidental dwelling fires in the UK, and 7 per cent of those or approximately 3,045 were caused by smoking material. An electronic cigarette does not require lighting, therefore bypasses the risk of accidental fire.
Moreover, as smokers are being stigmatized for their addiction due to ever-increasing societal expectations, the switch to e-cigs could have positive social effects by helping them blend in with their friends, family and workmates, by increasing job prospects, their relationship prospects, by allowing them to join in the festivities rather than smoke by themselves in bad weather, by giving them the ability to relieve stress whenever and wherever they so chose, and simply by allowing them to feel included in their entourage, rather than oppressed.
Returning to the issue of health, a plethora of medical conditions has been linked to smoking, either first or second-hand, ranging from lung cancer to children’s cavities.
As former smokers may still experience the implications of the vice decades later, it is never too early to cease smoking. The most affordable, enjoyable and effortless option available at the moment has to be the electronic cigarette
