Are Electronic Cigarettes Bad for You?

Short answer: No

What do doctors and scientists say about the risks of electronic cigarettes?

A recent study states: “Non-cancer risk analysis revealed “No Significant Risk” of harm to human health for vapor samples from e-liquids”.  Further, ”For all by-products measured, electronic cigarettes produce very small exposures relative to tobacco cigarettes.  The study indicates no apparent risk to human health from e-cigarette emissions based on the compounds analyzed.”  Full abstract website.

No e-liquid without nicotine was tested. However, since e-cigarette liquid with no nicotine has the same base recipe to make it as nicotine enhanced e-liquid (propylene glycol, glycerin, water, flavoring) it follows that the results would be the same, probably even better for the lack of nicotine.

The study compared cigarettes to electronic cigarettes, and against current standards for indoor pollution as set by the government.  Obviously, “for tobacco smoke most findings markedly exceeded risk limits indicating a condition of “Significant Risk” of harm to human health.”  As for electronic cigarettes, it may shock some of the new readers somewhat to find out there was no risk to non-users of e-cigarettes in vapor filled rooms (the carbon dioxide from everyone breathing out is just as dangerous).

We wish the government good luck in pushing through a new bill that will enable the selling of nicotine-filled electronic cigarettes in countries where they have been banned (Canada, for instance).  The bans were mostly founded on a lack of empirical evidence, and the stigma attached to the words 'cigarette' and 'nicotine', as I understand it.

Happy Vaping!

What to do with your new electronic cigarette?

There are many different types of electronic cigarette, so in this how to guide, I'm just going to cover the basic battery-atomizer-tank start-up routine for e-cigarettes that look like real cigarettes (510s, etc.).
I'm only covering these, as cartomizers are pretty much plug-and-play (tank/atomizer combo).

Separate all the pieces if not already done so.

Plug in and charge your battery - try to completely charge and then completely use it, it will make the battery last longer (for these kinds of batteries, they usually last a few hours of vaping for me, personally (a moderately heavy vaper)

Clean your atomizer - Primer fluid is gross, and all new atomizers come with it included (yuck).  Basically, blow it out (mouth to the side that is not threaded to the battery) and rinse it in warm water thoroughly, letting it sit in a pool of it for about 5 minutes or so. Blow again, then make sure to dry it completely, especially the part that comes into contact with the battery, as if this gets too wet, it could cause the battery to short out.  Then add a few drops (2-3) to the wick of the atty (the end that comes into contact with the cartridge) and let it sit for a few minutes.

Fill your cartridges -  Hopefully you got the right fluid from someone and have a bottle of good e-juice ready to go.  Put your cartridges into the atty to break the little seal.  Make sure to twist it around a bit to make sure it's good and popped off.  Take it out and you will notice a little hole in the end where it came into contact with the atomizer.  Fill this full of your fluid (make sure to do it over the sink till you get the hang of not spilling).  Clean it off with warm water (don't get any inside though) dry it, and put it into the atomizer.

Make sure the battery side of the atomizer is clean, as well as the port of the battery, then spin the atomizer into the battery and you're ready to go.  Take a few warmup breaths (sucking the smoke into your mouth but not your lungs) to get the hang of it and also warm up the atty (atomizer).  It'll take a while before you're used to it, and the flavour will also get better with time (not sure why, it just does).

The type of electronic cigarette featured here is the 510-T (all pics are of this type).

And now, you're ready to go.
Happy Vaping!

What are the best juices you can buy?

Here's a small list of some of my favourites.  Though one's own taste in e-juice is entirely subjective, these particular e-juices have really caught my attention, and hopefully you pick up a few favourites of your own.

Remember Canadians, don't order the ones with nicotine in them, as it will get stopped at the border.  Order them without.  Nicotine could possibly be added later, though the government of Canada tends to frown on this behaviour.  However, they can suck it at the moment, and can't stop me importing my flavoured juices for 'uses other than e-cigarette vaping' ;).

Tobacco Flavors:

• RY4 – Backwoods Brew
• Casablanca – Backwoods Brew
• Tampa – Vapor Station
• Tennessee Blend – Vapor Station
• Organic Tobacconist – Vaperite
• Red Oak Domestic – Johnson Creek

Non-Tobacco Flavors:

• Bobas Bounty – Alien Visions (listed under tobacco but isn't really)
• Malty Toffee – Backwoods Brew
• Malty – Backwoods Brew
• EcoPure Rich – Intellicig
• Craveloupe – Alien Visions
• Nutty – Backwoods Brew
• Gorilla Juice – Alien Visions
• Boston Cream Pie – Prime Vaping

Electronic Cigar

          Back in my analog smoking days (actual cigarettes) I had a great appreciation for cigars.  There was no act of finery greater than a glass of whiskey and an expensive cigar, in my opinion, and to be frank it's still pretty great.  The only drawbacks to this is the inability to speak properly for the entire next day for fear of coughing up my guts, and the fact that I absolutely reek, as everyone I love finds great pleasure in telling me.

Though the days of tar are behind me, I still find myself yearning for the old sensations, and so I come to my look at electronic cigars.

Though there are permanent varieties, I chose the disposable.  I already have a wide variety of pieces, and have no need to add to the clutter.  I regret doing this now.  The draw was both thick and intensely satisfying, as was the outrageously long battery life.  Though surely too much for a novice, from someone who has smoked a fair few cigars and vaped many, many packs worth, it was grand to have that feeling back, without the grumbles of my loved ones and the grating of my lungs.

Electronic cigarettes in Canadian law

According to Canadian Law, importing Nicotine-filled cartridges or fluid of any kind is illegal.

What does this mean to you?

It means that though you can import electronic cigarettes and accessories by themselves, you should not, under any circumstances order e-fluid with nicotine or starter kits that come with pre-filled cartridges from anyone outside of Canada.

I don't care if they tell you they have a safe way to send it to you, bottom line is there is a chance it will get confiscated at the border and you will lose everything, not just the liquid itself.

That being said, there are suppliers of liquid nicotine within Canada, and possibly e-juice.  You would have to find this out for yourself, as such practices are frowned upon by the Canadian government.

You could, for instance, buy liquid without any nicotine from a canadian supplier, and VG or PG (e-liquid bases) with added nicotine from someone else, and add them together.  This is somewhat difficult to do, and if you aren't very careful, may end up in overdose, so I do not recommend this course of action.

Instead, like I said earlier, ask around town or scour the internet until you find an experienced vaper that knows what's up and what to do.  Each area has its own supplier, so even if I wanted to help, I could not.

When in doubt, go to ECF (The electronic cigarette forums) and ask.  They have been very helpful to me personally, and will no doubt help you, provided you give them the same kindness and respect you expect in return.

What is an electronic cigarette?

What is an electronic cigarette?  Well, in short it is a miniaturized vapourizer, much like a very small, high-tech smoke machine.  It generally consists of (from right to left) a battery, an atomizer, and a cartridge for the e-liquid.

It is not smoke, nor is the person smoking in any sense of the word.  They are vaporizing.

This allows the user to ignore no smoking laws without guilt, as the vapor is also non-staining, and not harmful to others.  It quickly disperses into the air without leaving yellowish gunk, as cigarettes do, instead leaving a very, very faint aroma, as if someone had spilt vanilla extract (or whatever flavour the juice is) a few days ago.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_cigarette