Like many products before it, the electronic cigarette seems to have become stronger since the health organisations urged caution, claiming not enough testing had been done to prove them safe.
Whilst the organisations distanced themselves from the electronic cigarette, the sales have continued to grow and with the UK smoking ban now entering its second winter, the thought of standing outside the pub or office in the freezing temperatures seems to be enticing smokers to try something different.
Some pubs and bars are now even beginning to sell the electronic cigarette , realising they are becoming more popular, sensing a potential profit and that the punters are becoming more willing to try them, not simply as an alternative to a cigarette but as a genuine reason not to stand outside and freeze for a smoke.
During this time of credit crunch, many smokers who don't actually want to quit smoking altogether but are looking for something more affordable are also turning to the electronic cigarette.
With a little shopping around, the prices for smoking the electronic cigarette are vastly less than their standard counterparts. One such electronic cigarette company provides a table to show the significance of the savings and it goes a little bit like this:
Approximate only
•Electronic Cigarette:10 a day for one year = £ 122
• Real Cigarettes : 10 a day for one year = £1004
That equals a savings of more than £800 per year.
•Electronic Cigarette:40 a day for one year = £ 487
• Real Cigarettes : 40 a day for one year = £3529
That is an incredible saving of more than £3000 per year.
With those figures in mind it is not difficult to see why the electronic cigarette is becoming a very attractive proposition.
There are apparently no carcinogens or toxins in an electronic cigarette, immediately making them a far healthier alternative. Nicotine and flavourings seem to be the only substances present in the device.
In summary, with none of the dangers of real cigarettes present, a massive cost reduction over real cigarettes and social benefits too, (no dangers of passive smoking and no restrictions under the smoking bans) the electronic cigarette still provides a nicotine flavour, revealing a very genuine alternative and potential aid for those who wish to quit smoking.
As the winter's harsh realities sink in, at least there seems to be some hope on the horizon, not just for smokers but for their families and friends too. Perhaps if the electronic cigarette proves itself in the next few years we may be approaching a new era and a much less smoky, healthier one at that.
