Being a smoker sometimes feels like having mixed personality disorder – a part of you knows the habit is hazardous for your health while the other part can’t go more than a few hours without the much craved nicotine dose. Like so many others, I started smoking in high school because it seemed a cool and very popular thing to do at the time, and ended up going through almost two packs a day after graduating from college and getting my first job. Cigarettes usually calmed me down and helped me focus on my work, but at the same time affected my health, personal life and budget.
I know quitting might seem impossible to some, but I can guarantee that nothing could ever give you a greater sense of personal achievement than realizing you can go for days without lighting up a cigarette. Hi, my name is Dave, I am a product reviewer and blogger committed to testing and writing about some of the newest vaping products on the market today – from mechanical mods and rebuildable atomizers to variable wattage personal vaporizers – and I want to tell you some things about e-smoking from my personal experience.
I started vaping a long time ago, after seeing one of my colleagues using an e-cigarette during breaks. I was fascinated by the technology behind them and I bought my very own starter kit in a matter of weeks. Then I made the transition to a vape pen and found an e-liquid that tasted somewhat similar to the brand of cigarettes I was using. After a couple of months I finally decided to invest in a mechanical mod and to document myself about resistances, coil building and all the different types of vaping gear.
I was really impressed with the quality and quantity of vapor produced by the mod and it helped me cut down and eventually quit smoking for good. I was still puffing out clouds, but this time without any of the nasty side effects and with a wider choice of flavors. Soon enough I was feeling a lot better both  physically and physiologically and I was so full of positive energy. I decided to help others in their quest to overcome smoking and, with the help of some friends, I managed to get a website about ecigs up and running in only a few days. The goal was to talk about the different types of e-cigarettes, vape mods and accessories and to always give readers objective and unbiased opinions about the products worth buying.
The first items we wrote about were wither owned, purchased or borrowed, but after a while we started receiving products from different companies for the purpose of writing honest and comprehensive reviews. What started as a hobby turned into an information rich database of vaping products and articles and a great ecig guide for all the smokers trying to make the switch.
An because many people are still skeptical about electronic cigarettes, I want to present the top 10 reasons for vaping from my personal standpoint.
- IT’S CHEAPER
Now, I know you probably hear this every single time someone tries to convince you about personal vaporizers, but it’s a reality and I did the math multiple times. If we take an average of $6 per pack of cigarettes, a pack-a-day user is going to spend around $186 each month. That’s over $2,200 a year on cigarettes alone, without taking into account other costs (lighters, cosmetics, breath mints etc.). On the opposite side, a reasonably priced ecig starter kit sells for around $50 and for this you are only going to need a one year supply of coils and e-liquid. A coil usually lasts 2 weeks and it costs around $2.6 per unit. A 30ml e-liquid bottle can last for several weeks and costs around $17. So we have $50 for the mod + $62.5 for the coils + $272 for the e-liquid (considering a bottle lasts for three weeks) equals a total of $384 per year. That’s nearly six times less than the cost of cigarettes and I did the calculations considering a reasonably powerful variable wattage personal vaporizer. With an eGo style vape pen the numbers would be even smaller.
- NO MORE SMOKE AND LINGERING SMELL
One of the nastiest side effects of puffing on cigarettes is obviously the smoke and the lingering smell. It gets stuck in your hair, your skin and clothes and it can act as a repellent for your non-smoking friends. And if you’ve visited a smoker’s house or apartment you’re probably aware of the typical ashtray smell that ‘welcomes’ you inside each room. Because personal vaporizers produce vapor and there is no combustion, the smell only stays around for a couple of minutes and then magically disappears. Also the aromas are way nicer, ranging from tobacco mixed with cherries and clove to cinnamon roll and even blueberry smoothies.
- CAN BE USED INSIDE THE HOUSE ESPECIALLY WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD
Any smoker is probably well aware of those moments when he or she had to go outside in the autumn or winter cold just to be able to puff on a cigarette. Since personal vaporizers are more socially acceptable and they don’t produce any smoke and lingering smells, they can easily be enjoyed inside the comfort of your home or at a friend’s place or party (however, be sure to ask for permission first).
- NO MORE LOST OR BORROWED LIGHTERS
Feeling the urge to puff on a cigarette and having no lighter available is one of the most frustrating things for a smoker. Lighters easily get lost or tend to be borrowed by friends who don’t always return them, resulting in unnecessary stress and plenty of nerves. With e-smoking you simply need to press a button and enjoy the same great taste over and over again. And since your devices lets you know whenever it’s time to recharge your battery and you can always spot the level of e-liquid in your tank, chances are you’ll never run out of ‘fuel’.
- VARIABLE NICOTINE CONCENTRATIONS
With tobacco cigarettes your choices in terms of throat hit and nicotine concentration are very limited. Strong, regular or lights is probably the best thing you’ll get and this offers no control on your daily nicotine intake. Since personal vaporizers work with nicotine infused e-liquids, it’s easy to determine your desired concentration and even to gradually decrease it and fight off the addiction. Nowadays e-liquids come in various nicotine levels such as 24mg, 18mg, 12mg, 8mg, 6mg, 3mg and 0mg so you can always find one that’s perfectly suited for your needs.
- ENDLESS FLAVOR CHOICES
If you are tired of puffing only on tobacco and menthol, electronic cigarettes will open the door to a new world of flavors, with endless combinations and new lines of products being released each month. From various blends of tobacco and mint to fruity flavors such as ‘cherry limeade’ or ‘strawberry ice tea’ and desserts such as ‘pineapple cheesecake’ or ‘pecan vanilla sundae’, chances are you’ll find more than one e-juice to vape with the ultimate satisfaction.
- NO MORE STAINS ON YOUR TEETH
You can tell if a person smokes by only looking at his or her teeth and this too is one pretty nasty side effect of combustible tobacco. People spend hundreds of dollars a year on different whitening gels or expensive toothpastes just to hide these problems. With personal vaporizers these issues are completely gone because e-liquids are made from a handful of ingredients which are also used in the cosmetic industry and there is no smoke. As a bonus, some minty flavors can even act as a breath freshener.
- NO FIRE HAZARDS
Thousands of people lose their lives each year due to fires caused by cigarette smoke. It’s easy to fall asleep with a cigarette in your hand, especially after a few beers with friends, and this is probably the shortest recipe for disaster. With personal vaporizers the risks are minimal or virtually nonexistent. Every device has an auto cut-off period of a couple of seconds if the button is continuously pressed and thus prevents the product from overheating. Also if you understand battery safety, charge it with only the supplied cables and keep it out of direct sunlight, you are always on the safe side.
- MORE ENERGY
Smoking is known to have a very bad effect on your lifestyle and health and once you start fighting the habit you can already witness signs of improvement. Many smokers who made the switch to vaping have noticed a variety of nicotine withdrawal symptoms as well as the fact that their bodies started a ‘self-cleaning’ process. In a few weeks their sense of smell got a lot better and also their appetites. They felt more energized and their lifestyle improved dramatically.
- FEWER CHEMICALS
Everyone is well aware that cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals and carcinogens which can have some pretty serious side effects on a person’s health. With personal vaporizers we only have an e-liquid that’s being transformed into vapor through a heating element called an atomizer. The e-liquid is commonly made from Vegetable Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, nicotine, and flavorings. Both VG and PG are also used in the food and cosmetic industry and they are obviously not considered dangerous in small doses. As for the nicotine, it’s the same chemical as the one found in tobacco smoke and despite being extremely addictive and dangerous in high doses, studies have shown that the quantity absorbed through vaping is smaller than through smoking.
