Smoking is Dumb

Some of the best selling items for smokers in recent years have been stop smoking products such as nicotine gums and patches. A doctor’s prescription was originally required to use the smoking cessation product but eventually over-the-counter sales were approved as there were no serious side effects when the products were used as directed.

The patches provide a slow release of nicotine while the gums provide nicotine release on demand. The goal of both stop smoking products is to help an addicted tobacco user gradually quit his habit with a gradual withdrawal of nicotine over a ten week period of time. The nicotine replace patches and gums continue to sell well today.

Smokers who chose the nicotine patch use the maximum strength (21 mg) for the first six weeks. The instructions are to replace the patch with a fresh one every 24 hours but some smokers find their sleep disturbed and wear the patch only during waking hours. In weeks seven and eight the nicotine level is reduced to 14 mg and then to 7 mg for the final two weeks of the program.

Tobacco prices have drastically risen in the past few years. It is common for a heavy smoker to spend no less than $70 per week on his addiction. The total cost of patches for a 10 week smoking cessation program will cost a bit over $200. Clearly, this is cheaper than smoking tobacco for the next ten weeks. Nicotine replacement products are not advised for use by diabetics. This eliminates 8% of the U.S. population who cannot use the patches at all.

Another stop smoking product that is popular with consumers are nicotine gums. Similar to chewing gum this nicotine replacement product contained 2 or 4 mg of nicotine in each foil wrapped piece which is about the strength of nicotine contained in one or two tobacco cigarettes. The nicotine is absorbed by the tissues of the mouth and delivered to the bloodstream.

The user controls the nicotine release of the gum. First the gum is chewed for a few seconds until it becomes soft and creates a tingly feeling in the mouth. Then it is tucked between the user’s cheek and gum and held there for a few minutes. As needed the gum is chewed again for a few seconds to release more of the nicotine tingling sensation. One piece of gum will last for about 30 minutes before the nicotine is depleted.

There can be side effects associate with nicotine gum. Reports of uncontrollable hiccups and a feeling that the throat muscles were constricted may be caused by swallowing saliva containing high doses of nicotine. Nicotine will constrict blood vessels and use of the stop smoking gum over a long period of time may lead to gum disease.

Used in the first trimester of pregnancy, nicotine replacement products have been links with increased risk of birth defects and neither gum nor patches should be used by pregnant women or nursing mothers.

Prescription drugs do not replace the nicotine when you quit smoking but it reduces the cravings felt. Most of the drugs are antidepressants meant to calm the stressful time of nicotine withdrawal. Though popular with the public there have been rising concerns about potential serious side effects. Smokers that can tolerate the drugs seem to have a high rate of success than those who use nicotine replacement products.

You can’t compare patches, gums and pills meant help you stop smoking with electronic cigarettes. The e-cigarette is meant to provide safer alternative to smoking rather than to help you quit. Smokers who buy e-cigarette (s) are those who want to continue smoking but in a healthier and environmentally friendly manner.

Mary Kay Rivers is an expert on all facets of electronic cigarettes. Her articles about the realism of electronic cigarettes or how to buy electronic cigarettes are very popular.

New buyers often express concern about the health aspects of using an e-cigarette. This is a good question to ask about any new product that you will be ingesting into your body in some way. The safety of electronic cigarettes has not been scientifically proven as yet. This is due to the newness of this product on the market. However, it is not difficult to believe inhaling a water vapor is much less risk to health than inhaling toxic smoke.

Tobacco is a natural plant and smokers argued for a long time that it could not be a health danger as it was part of nature. What they ignored was the change the plant leaf undergoes when burned. Burning released chemical particles and carcinogens and we know now the health dangers pose by tobacco use.

Sold initially as a gimmick or gag gift, electronic cigarettes have only been on the market since 2003. Rapid advances in technology and battery development has led to the gimmick becoming a viable tobacco alternative. There is no argument that there are few products sold that carry more health risk than tobacco items. That may account for the growing popularity of e-cigs.

Nicotine is part of the electronic cigarette but by itself has not been considered to be a dangerous ingredient. Propylene glycol is used to create the vapor mist but and is the ingredient most often mentioned by those raising health concerns about e-cigarettes.

The FDA approved propylene glycol many years ago as safe for inhalation and it is an ingredient in many products made today. Some will say PG is antifreeze but that is diethylene glycol and a different chemical compound. For over forty years, propylene glycol has been an approved food additive.

Electronic cigarette supplies do not claim there are no health issues associated with e-cigarettes. To date, no issues have been determined yet it will take time for full testing of this new product. Although the e-cigarettes health risk is not yet fully known it is safe to say that inhaling vapor mist is safer than smoking tobacco.

The e-liquid used to refill e-cigarettes has been shown to be unreliable and if there is a health risk associated with e-cigarette (s) it is with these refill products. Quality control of some cheaper varieties is nonexistent and it is wise to purchase refill e-solution only from a recognized seller.

Chinese imports were tested and found to contain unreliable nicotine levels. Some were so low as to be almost non-existent while other bottles of e-liquids contained far more nicotine strength than is healthy to use. These are cheap imported refill products that are not under any quality control as yet.

Buying an electronic cigarette with pre-filled replaceable cartridges eliminate the need to buy or even worry about the questionable quality of the e-liquid refills on the market. This removes the only valid health concern associated with the e-cigarette today.

Mary Kay Rivers has become a true expert on all aspects of electronic cigarettes. Her publications such as an electronic cigarette review or about electronic cigarette benefits are very popular.