Are Electronic Cigarettes Safe?

There has been a lot of discussion and misinformation over the past few years regarding electronic cigarettes. If you already vape, you have probably heard references to the “dangerous chemicals” the FDA says e-cigs contain. Oddly enough, this lecture usually comes from smokers, who are apparently quite comfortable with the poisons they are inhaling! It’s true that the Food and Drug Administration and some anti-smoking organizations have publicized some pretty negative and largely questionable information regarding e-cigs.

There are plenty of political and profit motives at work here and that subject will be saved for another day. In general, though, the FDA runs a pay-to-play operation that depends on the approval process to fund the organization. They want a drug approved before it is released and the electronic cigarette industry has failed in that regard. The administration is adamant that the electronic cigarette should be considered a drug because otherwise it is a tobacco product which is not subject to nearly as much of their oversight. Other organizations essentially are concerned because the electronic cigarette just looks and acts too much like a the real thing, which they hate with a passion. Update: in April of 2011, the FDA announced that it will comply with court rulings and will regulate the electronic cigarette as a tobacco product. While specific rules or guidelines have not been announced, this is generally considered to be good news for electronic cigarette users.

This negativity campaign is a shame, as e-cigs are one of the most promising smoking alternatives to ever come along. Electronic cigarettes still deliver nicotine, but none of the other harmful chemicals found in cigarettes. While nicotine is addictive, it has not been demonstrated to be harmful on its own. According to an article published by staff at the Mayo clinic, “While it’s the nicotine in tobacco that keeps you hooked, the toxic effects come mainly from other substances in tobacco, none of which are present in any meaningful level in an electronic cigarette. Smokers have significantly higher rates of heart disease, stroke and cancer.” Nicotine in itself is not a killer, but it’s guilty by association with cigarettes.

Quitting smoking is the healthiest thing a smoker can do and getting nicotine in another form can help. As Dr. Jonathan Foulds, director of the Tobacco Dependence Program at the UMDNJ-School of Public Health puts it, “Going back to cigarettes is not only dangerous, it’s deadly, quitting smoking is hard work and nicotine replacement products are safe to use for as long as it takes to kick the tobacco addiction. In fact, some individuals may need to use more than one NRT product at the same time to finally quit.” Another of their papers states that, “Nicotine patches, gum and lozenges do not cause cancer, emphysema or heart attacks, even for smokers who already have had heart attacks or heart disease. And using NRT does not create a new addiction. Smokers are already addicted to nicotine and NRT products deliver less nicotine than cigarettes.” Addiction can never be called a good thing, but for those who are already addicted, why not promote a safer alternative? Electronic cigarettes are no more dangerous than any of the other stop smoking aids which are already available. If you’ve made it this far in your research, however, you already know that thousands of smokers have demonstrated the electronic cigarette to be a much more effective alternative.

Nicotine is not the only ingredient in e-liquid (the liquid used to provide the vapor in an electronic cigarette). Most liquids are mixed using a combination of Propylene Glycol (PG), Vegetable Glycerine (VG) and flavorings, none of which are deemed harmful.

PG gets the most bad press, but “it does not cause sensitization and shows no evidence of being a carcinogen or of being genotoxic,” according to DOW chemical’s website. And according to the , Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, PG is a “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) additive for foods and medications. Propylene glycol rarely causes toxic effects, and then only under very unusual circumstances.” Some fear-mongers have tried to arouse worry over the use of PG in various personal care and pharmaceutical products by dwelling on the fact that it is used in antifreeze. The truth is that it is used in a non-toxic antifreeze and is often confused with diethylene glycol which is considered toxic but even that only in much larger concentrations than we are talking about here. As some personal vaporizer users have noticed, it can be mildly irritating to the throat and eyes, but no long term effects have been recorded.

Vegetable Glycerine (VG) or Glycerol has seen a large increase in usage in e-liquids primarily because it produces more vapor than PG. VG is used in many foods and beverages and is safe for human consumption. When mixing juices, USP grade VG should be used.

As with VG, the flavorings used in electronic cigarette e-liquids are also primarily food grade, so there is no cause for concern over them. Some tobacco flavors are developed using real tobacco leaves, so there is the potential for the presence of trace amounts of nitrosamines, but again only trace amounts. Some studies, most notably an FDA study that is largely recognized as flawed, found amounts of other chemicals with amounts are so small as to be insignificant in individual cartridges.

The only informed conclusion that can be reached at this point in the history of the electronic cigarette is that they are relatively safe. If that statement sounds just a little uncertain, it’s because it is meant to be. There have simply been no long term studies of the affects of prolonged vaping. All we know is that the ingredients are safe and that no negative health impacts have been reported, even though they have been in use for several years.

The real question should be whether electronic cigarette are safer. When compared to the burning tobacco that they replace, the answer is an unequivocal YES! Perhaps the American Association of Public Health Physicians (AAPHP) white paper states it best. “The AAPHP Task Force, on the basis of extensive literature review and analysis, has concluded that a national harm reduction initiative, based partly on the potential attractiveness of electronic cigarettes to current smokers, could save the lives of 4 million of the 8 million current adult American smokers who will otherwise die of a tobacco-related illness over the next 20 years.”

77 comments

  1. ex-smoker says:

    went to e-cigs about 2 weeks ago after 25 years of smoking. went from 3pls a day to none instantly. do yourself a favor. dont buy the el-cheapo (made) e cigs like blu,ect. get yourself an ego starter set or better yet, do as i did, buy a mod ( evic) and a couple of decent replacable burner tanks ( such as the protank, ismoka,ect) and the stuff to mix your own liquid. youll save a bundle and you can taper down on the nic.

  2. Scott says:

    I have smoked since I was 16. I have been upwards of 3 packs a day. I love smoking, but $105 every paycheck was killing me! I play in a band, and a lot of venues have gone non-smoking in recent years. Playing long sets can get rough when u need a smoke and can’t light up. My drummer has an EVod, and offered me a hit to get through the set. It was surprisingly satisfying! Even for the “Gummi Bear” flavor! Next paycheck, I went and bought the EGo Stardust, and 2 cartons of Marlboro Black 100’s instead of 3. I still alternated, but I ended up giving away several packs. The Stardust was a little harsh, so I went to the metal tank of the Evod, and I have barely wanted an analog since yesterday! I use the Mountain Dew flavor mostly, but the Black Cherry is also very good. I only bought one carton of analogs this payday, so we’ll see how it goes! At the least, I have cut way back on analogs, which has saved me quite a bit of money. Highly recommended!

  3. mini vape says:

    E-cigs are as night and day compared to cigarettes. If e-cigs are dangerous, then real cigarettes are a plague! Within months you will regain lung functionality, previously stunted by harmful cigarette smoke.

  4. Jess Long says:

    Hi everyone, I’ve been a smoker since I was 14, I’m now 36. Last Thursday I decided it was time for a change. I went to my local tobacconist and set myself up with a tornado ego-c. I have now been vaping for almost 4 days and totally smoke free, I love it and would highly recommend it to anyone

  5. RonRonnie says:

    I’ve smoked at least a pack of Marlboros a day since I was 17. I’m 39. I’ve tried quitting using the gum, patch, lozenge, rotating back and forth with no luck. I even tried the cheapo Walgreens/Walmart type e-cig. Nothing worked. So then I bought a second hand vape-type cigarette from a friend who had two. I didn’t really expect much and didn’t understand all the hype. I even still smoked Marlboros in the beginning of using the vape. Now real cigarettes taste HORRIBLE to me, and I will never smoke another Marlboro. Why wasn’t this invented years ago? The tobacco industry must hate vape-type cigarettes.

    • Eric says:

      Glad to hear your new ecig is working for you! When you say vape type, are you referring to an eGo model or a mod/APV? You are correct, though, that the better models are so much better than the little cig-a-likes.

      • RonRonnie says:

        I have an SOV eGo. I’m only a novice, so I don’t know all the different kinds. I did try the cheap kind that look like actual cigarettes. You can buy refillable cartridges, but that would get expensive. Plus they were wimpy. Months went by, and all the sudden everyone at work was smoking the kind that look like ink pens with liquid in them. I thought it was all just hype until I bought one from a friend who had 2. He kept bugging me to buy it, so to shut him up I bought it. It is like night and day compared to the cheapo e-cigs. And don’t even get me started on the EXPENSIVE nicotine gum/patch/lozenge. Total waste of money. I must have spent thousands on that stuff in a twisted merry-go-round of hope/disappointment. That’s what caused my indifference to this nice vape-type I’m using now. So glad I went ahead and gave it a try. Otherwise I was just going to get used to being a smoker for life. I love this thing!

      • RonRonnie says:

        …I must add that it was incredibly easy to quit actual cigarettes using this vape cig. I wasn’t even trying to quit smoking when I started using it. It’s almost as if I accidently (!) quit smoking if that’s even possible.

  6. Deborah Roman says:

    Happy to say, I have been ‘vaping ‘ for 2 yrs and it beats the alternative of smoking. Once I found the right mg. for me, I never smoked another cigarette. I introduced it to a couple of friends that were heavy smokers ( one was smoking 3pks a day), he is vaping for 18 months and totally smoke-free. : )

  7. curtis says:

    SMOKED ANALOGS FOR 40 YEARS,STARTED E CIG ON MARCH 2,2013 HAVEN’T HAD A ANALOG SINCE.IT WORKS! TODAY IS APRIL 26,2013 NO SIDE AFFECTS.FEEL GOOD……….

  8. Boydie says:

    I’m 38 this year and have been smoking since I was 15! Due to the constant rising cost I saw a single disposable ecig at the smoking counter in my local supermarket! I picked it up( along with 20 lambert and butler) and tried it! I was really surprised at how good it was! I didn’t even open my normal smokes! I was all pleased with myself and thought ” I could use these no problem ” until it ran out! Really disappointed me! Then I purchased my skycig s ( uk brand) and that’s been 4 weeks to the day I havnt had a single drag of a real cigarette and I know il never go back! Downside with skycigs is that there cartridges are throwaway and this was starting to get expensive! Then I stumbled across YouTube and a guy was refilling his skycig carts himself! So now I’m buying loads of e liquids and I’ve never been more happier! As I’m getting more and more into this, I’m learning so much about it! I love the menthol ones with hints of vanilla etc etc! One thing I would certainly recommend and is a total must for me is that you buy the “100% VG” e liquid! It is just so much better! Better vape and throat hit, and it lasts longer and the tastes are great! Anything else feels watered down and not as good! Just about to upgrade to jacvapours latest ecig and il never go back! Thanks for the report on “how safe” very interesting reading.
    Steven from Edinburgh Bonny scotland uk 🙂

  9. edwin says:

    i am 43 years old and i am on e-cigs for almost 2 years now. one reason i switched is i really never wanted to quit smoking. but for health reasons, i gave up on analogs. ecigs gave me the freedom to enjoy a lot of flavors without compromising my health. it’s what we call the better habit.

  10. Perez says:

    hey. you know, im just 14 years old, and im not a Smoker actually. but i used to smoke ego. is it safe for me?

  11. Paula M says:

    I have been an enthusiastic smoker for over 10 years. I bought my first ecig about three years ago and it was a very basic model. I was determined though at the time that I would use the ecig when I was in a place where smoking was not permitted (in California some places don’t even allow you to smoke outdoors or in your OWN CAR!) but that was it. I wasn’t going to give up the one thing I enjoyed the most, my hand rolled cigarettes. This year my mom bought me the eGo-c twist with a tank and flavored juice, but was still resistant. Finally I thought I’d really try to use it. I am telling myself that I’m not quitting all together and for the first week of avidly using it I would still smoke 2-3 cigs a day during routine times. It has been a week and now I’m CHOOSING my ecig over a cigarette by preference. I’m so grateful, except that my taste and smell have sharpened and some things I would rather not smell lol but now I can still smell cigarettes in my car and am amazed and shocked to discover what the people around me were smelling on me.

    Happy to not smell like an ashtray,

    Paula

  12. John says:

    well here is my story…i have been smoking 16 years..since i was 14. 2 years ago i have tried vaping for the first time from a friends ecig… I took it as a joke when he told me that it really works and it will help me quit smoking..i got my set of ecigs 3 days after..well people…since then..i have provaris lavatubes all the series of joytech cigs..evigs…all the series of tanks and mods etc ..i have never turned back to analogs…anything new that comes out i buy it…i have not spend more than 1k of euros yet and imagine that i buy 500ml eliquids cause i never want to run out of eliquid. i used to spend about 10 euros every day minimum on analogs…so make the math..i should have spend more than 7k !!! but as i have mentioned not even 1k..i fell better , i can smell better, i can breathe better and ecig tastes much better..

    • Eric says:

      Thanks for sharing your story, John. It’s always good to hear from someone who has successfully quit smoking. Vaping becomes a hobby for a lot of people because it is so enjoyable to try different flavors and devices. It’s still cheaper that cigarettes, though!

  13. Douglas says:

    Hi there.

    I’m from Malaysia. A couple of years back i saw the imitation type cigarettes and they didn’t work out for me. i was smoking a local clove type cigarettes and they were strong!
    A month ago, I saw the an Ego-T and and got myself a set immediately.
    Due to my heavy smoking nature, the the batteries didn’t last. i was adamant to stop the analogs from winning.
    So after researching around the web, and networking around the community, i ‘adjusted’ my habits to the e-cigs.
    i’ll say that it is NOT easy to quit. i’ve had cheater smokes. but e-cigs, especially the mods and tank type are really helping me out here.
    i’ll say that nicotine is bad because it is a very effective provocateur but the accompanying carcinogens are worse! and the addiction is only the first step. there is the psychological effects too! but the concept of e-cigs really, really is helping a lot of ppl i know of to overcome this.

    take a quick look.
    i saw 3 guys at my work place use e-cigs before i got mine. a week after i got mine later, it was about 10 guys. Now i see around 50 guys on a daily basis at work on site and we’re trying our darndest not to go back to the analogs anymore.

    i’d tell the big tabacco companies to hop on the band wagon as this is the future of smoking but they gotta know it already.

    That would also be another piece of news, and y’all knows what i mean.

    That is my two cents and thanks for allowing me to post.

  14. Jennifer says:

    I bought my Starburst Ego-C starter kit it will be 3 weeks this Saturday, and I haven’t touched a cigarette since. I am already reducing the nicotine level, and I was off the tobacco flavor after week 2. Love butterscotch from flavor crafters. Going to try chocolate mint next, and baileys.

  15. Lisa says:

    My partner was a 1-2 pack a day smoker for 30+ years. In April she was forced to quit temporarily in order to have an elective surgery. She started with pre-filled V-2 Cigs and was successful. Then she discovered Halo juice and the Provari and hasn’t looked back!! She’s been smoke free now for 6 months!!

    There have been one or two occasions where she’s taken a hit off a cigarette and she couldn’t stand it…she said it tasted like dirt.

    I don’t care what anyone says…ecigs are definitely healthier than cigarettes and she’s proof of that. She no longer coughs, breathes better, has stopped snoring and she can now smell and taste her food so much better!!!

    • Eric says:

      Thanks for sharing another success story! There are a lot of people out there who accidentally quit smoking with electronic cigarettes, and we love to hear from all of you!

  16. Adam says:

    I’m 50 now, I have smoked regularly since I was 14, and smoked my first cigarette at 9. I was a habitual 1.5 pack a day smoker with some marathon sessions going to 2 or more packs a day. Had to have one when I woke up, even before my coffee (I didn’t start drinking coffee until I was 10!) The last thing I would do before going to sleep was chain smoke a cigarette.

    A few years back, I started to notice a shortness of breath, especially after those marathon sessions. I always had a dry cough, and sometimes coughing spells that got pretty nasty. I just put up with it.

    A few years ago, I got a brand new car (my first ever) and made the vow that I would not smoke in it. I was successful with that vow, but that meant that when I was taking a trip, I was stopping every half hour or so to have a cigarette. Smoking invaded and controlled every part of my life. And not just mine.

    My wife has smoked for many years also. She had the worrisome habit of waking up several times a day (she works nights) to smoke a cigarette. While she was smoking those cigs, she would almost fall asleep. That was very worrisome to me.

    About 5 months ago, I saw an e-cig display at Walmart and decided to get a starter kit. My wife liked the idea, and she promptly confiscated those e-cigs from me. She has not smoked a regular cigarette since. Her constant ragged cough is gone, she still gets up to smoke, but now the worry is gone. Her car now smells clean and even the house doesn’t smell like cigarettes.

    It took me another 3 months to get some e-cigs for myself. I don’t like them as much as regular cigarettes, mostly because of the mechanics and taste, but they have definitely cut my regular smoking down to nothing. I have smoked about 4 packs of cigarettes in two months…I call them my “cheater” smokes. I am looking into better delivery systems, so that I can finally stay away from cigs for good. BTW, I have tried many different methods to quit, but not one single method worked without some discomfort. This is the first method that can actually make you quit rather than wean.

    • Eric says:

      Thanks for sharing your story with us and glad to hear electronic cigarettes have been working for you. As for delivery systems, I’m not sure what you are using now, but if it’s still the Walmart product, an eGo would be a good step up. A kit with cartomizers or the CE4 tanks are some of the easiest to start with.

  17. George says:

    Hi Im on my 23 day of not smoking real cigs. I quit after having a tooth pulled. I was fine for the first week then all heck broke out. I was mad, could not stop thinking about hold a cig and feeling the kick as I took a puff. I broke down and went to Walgreens and purchased a blu cig. It has worked for me as I have it for those times when I need a puff. I have to say that I only take one or two puffs at a time over the corse of a day. That is just enough to help. I am now looking into a kit. Im have been using the blu for a week and still getting puffs. George

    • Eric says:

      Congratulations on making the switch. If you’re ready to move past the “looks like a cigarette” phase, I would suggest buying an eGo kit and some extra cartomizers and e-liquid. You will be amazed at the increase in performance versus the Blu.

  18. Galileo says:

    Hi I am researching about e-cig and i just want to know what e-cigs are best to buy today. I bought an ego-T last year but i accidentally broke it. It was washed in the laundry two months after I purchased it. And now i’m back to smoking cigarette and I really want to quit before it gets worse. Please advise me what e-cigs to buy. I’m 22 and from the Philippines. Thanks for this very informative article.

    • Eric says:

      There are lots of great options available, and it is hard to pick just one. If the eGo-T was working for you, I would probably recommend the new eGo twist batteries. They’ll give allow you to add a little extra voltage to your experience. Beyond that, check out some of the great new variable voltage devices and APVs (mods) that are available.

    • Douglas says:

      Good news Galileo, i started on e-cigs and i can tell you that you will find a L O T of e-cigs re-sellers in the phillipines, all the types from just-to-get-by types to the real pleasurable types. hook up with a re-seller and check it out.. i got friended one popular Facebook in the phillipines and she goes by the moniker AngelVapes…

  19. Donovan Bean says:

    I’m 42 and have smoked since I was 16. I successfully quit using gum once for 2 years, but stress and stress built up and I caved in and started smoking again. I hated the smell, I hated the cost and I hated the shame of trying everything and not being able to quit.

    About a month ago I saw a blu ecig display at a Cheveron and, on a whim, bought the starter kit. It tasted nice but didn’t really have a good throat hit, and the batteries didn’t last very long, but I was determined to make it work, so I ordered more carts and started researching other alternatives. I found a local vape shop, grabbed my girlfriend, who’s also trying ecigs to quit, and headed over.

    The people at Vapoligy (vapoligy.com) were very friendly, well informed and laid back. They basically interviewed us, asking how much and how ofter we smoke and made suggestions for starter kits for each of us. As well, they had us drip several flavors to see what worked for us. Each of us found something that felt like it would work as a substitute to smoking, me, harsh coffee and tobacco flavors and she settled on cinnimon.

    I got the kit with the stronger batteries (~$60) as I was smoking up to 2 packs a day, and my gal got the smaller battery setup (~$35) We each grabbed a few bottles of our favorite niquids (nicotine liquids)… after a week we were both cigarette free and remain that way.

    I’ve since started to delve into mixing my own niquids and have been very happy with some of my creations.

    I see ecigs and vaping as a lifesaver. I couldn’t be more happy. I’ll eventually taper down my nicotine levels, but for now, I’m a vaper, and regardless or how silly that sounds, it has worked.

  20. Lorraine Murray says:

    I am 50 years old. I have been a smoker since I was 13. My smoking got out of hand and I was smoking over 2 packs a day. Almost 2 months ago I was told about electronic cigarettes at Walmart so I decided what the heck I’ll try it. I have tried numerous other times to just quit cold turkey and wasn’t successful with it. At first, when I purchased my starter kit, I was still smoking my regular cigarettes cutting back as much as I could. I have done some online research to find the cheapest method of using the ecigs as I could and discovered that the cartridges I was getting at the store, even tho they say they are not, Are refillable so I found a place online that sells ejuice and began ordering it. I would suggest ordering something with a little bit of flavor rather than just plain tobacco as it helps in completely quitting. I have finally stopped regular cigarettes they just started tasting nasty as apposed to the flavor of my ecig. Hoping now I will feel better. Good Luck with your venture with this it’s a great choice for people that can’t do it any other way.

    • Eric says:

      Thanks for sharing your experience and glad to hear electronic cigarettes are helping you quit! As I’ve mentioned in some posts, finding the ecig at Walmart has undoubtedly helped people who would otherwise not have heard of them, and your story is a great example. Filling your cartridges is a great way to save some money and there is a wonderful variety of e-liquids available. Have fun trying them!

  21. christine says:

    I am 32 and have been a smoker since the age of 18. Over the last few years, my cigatette intake went from bad to worse, and I found myself smoking a pack and a half daily. My lungs are in really bad shape as a result. In my smoking life, I have tried EVERYTHING to help me quit….the patch, the gum, the pills, cold turkey, classes, and even hypnosis. I would always fail. The withdrawal symptoms were unbearable for me, and I would find myself miserable without a cigarette so I’d go back to smoking to ease the discomfort. I learned of the e-cig via a random stranger walking around best buy using one. I was amazed at how it really looked like she was smoking….so I asked her about it. She pointed me in the direction of the e-GO electric cigarette, and I decided to give it a try. I am amazed at how this device truly is helping me. I am on week 4 of using the e-cig, and feel great! This takes all of the Psychological withdrawls out of the quiting process which I can honestly say no other quit method has ever done. When I feel the desire to have a cigarette, I simply puff on my e-cig for about the same time it would take me to complete a real one. Since I’m getting my nicotein, my body isn’t going nuts either. The goal is to eventually be done with the e-cig as well, but until then, this is a true help in the GIANT step to saving my own health. I would suggest this to anyone who is interested in quiting! The e-GO e-cig is not shaped like a regular cigarette which takes some getting used to, but it gives that throat sensation when you inhale, a good ammount of vapor, and the battery life is amazing. It also comes in a variety of flavors. Some mimic the taste of an actual cigarette which I’m using because I’m still new to this. You can use a high mg of nicotein then gradually lower it. You even have the option to vape nicotein free. Anyhow, sorry to ramble, but this is truly something I feel I need to share. I’m living proof that e-cigs work.

  22. Lonnie says:

    I am 47, been smoking since I was 13, tried to quit at least 100 times, always went back to cigs. Then I discovered e-cigs. I Got the eGo-t and have not smoked in 2 months. I felt better in 1 week, can breathe better, food tastes better, I smell better and have more money in my pocket. E-cigs have given me hope that I will be able to quit altogether, even if I never get off e-cigs, I feel I am doing less harm to my body.
    I highly suggest any one who really wants to quit, try it, It’s really the best way to go.

  23. Sherri says:

    I can’t believe I didn’t try e-cigs sooner!!! I am 39, have been a heavy smoker for 20 years, My son spiked my interest in them when he came home from the Military with stories of how his buddies would use them because they couldn’t smoke in the clubs and things, So I ordered my first kit The Apollo extreme and I couldn’t believe that it actually smoked like a analog and the battery life is really good! I just ordered my 2’nd kit cig easy KR808D-1 because I’m not happy with their tobacco flavor and can’t seem to find other carts that are compatible and I want to try to refill my own. It is very confusing for a “newbie” I haven’t picked up 1 single analog since I opened my Apollo extreme! The coffee flavor is good though. Can you recommend a good tasting carto brand for the 808 that is reasonably priced and that is close to lasting at least a pack?
    Your site is awesome! It has helped so much even though i’m still quite confused on what to buy as my next step to get good juice and carto’s, there is just so much info!

    • Eric says:

      I think the Volt cartomizers are among the best, although there have been good reviews of the Apollo. Neither one will last as long as a pack, however. You would need to get into mega cartomizer size for that, and I haven’t tried any of these on the KR808. I can’t say for sure, but I have read that standard 808 not have proper airflow on the Apollo even though they fit.

    • Don says:

      Glad that you’ve taken to e-cigs, Sherri!

      You’ve already dealt with the supplier who carries my current favorite e-cig: CigEasy’s Elite 808, which I recently reviewed. The batteries are 380 mAh, so more than your current 280 mAh KR808D-1 batts. But the truly wonderful thing about this model is the cartomizers: 2ml capacity with fantastic vapor, flavor, and throat hit. The starter kit is $50, but you could check out just the cartomizers, using them on your current Kr8 batteries.

      However, those cartomizers are blank; you’ll need to fill them with your own e-liquid. And on that, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that there are so many different flavors and mixers/suppliers to choose from. The bad news is that there are so many different flavors and mixers/suppliers to choose from. 😉 Where to start?

      Well, CigEasy is an obvious place … if 24mg nicotine strength is good for you. Also many of the suppliers with banner ads on our site specialize in or have large selections of high-quality e-liquid. In addition, I have enjoyed the juice from Backwoods Brew and Gourmet Vapor.

      My favorite prefilled cartomizers are those carried by Smokeless Image VOLT … and many vapers enjoy the Wow cartos from Vapor4Life (get on V4L’s mailing list to be notified of their frequent ~20% off discount codes).

      Enjoy the adventure!

  24. Ziutek says:

    I’m a 42 years old smoker, I’m smoking currently for about 25 years and I feel badly especially in the morning. Tried 1 week ago vaping and I didn’t touch an analoque cigarette, I don’t simply need it anymore! The only point is to chose the right one which delivers the right amount of smoke, all the cheap stuff is disappointing as the amount of smoke is not even. I’m smoking the Tornado, but waiting for Provari wchich is much more stable. I was introduced by my friend at work and it really works, now the normal cigarettes are stinky! It costs about $250, but I spent normally such a money every month for cigarettes. It is really worth to try, even if you won’t quit completely, you’ll be able to limit cigarettes on daily basis as my wife did! She smoked about 15 a day, now 3-4 only. Belive or not, it works and I’d like to recommend vaping, this will also lower the e-cig prices for everyone!

    • Don says:

      Thanks for your testimonial, Ziutek!

      I’m not sure what you mean by the ProVari being “more stable.” It certainly is an outstanding (and quite expensive) variable voltage mod. However, I wouldn’t want readers to think that one needs to spend all that money to get a really good, effective e-cigarette.

      Good e-liquid in a good cartomizer on a good battery (such as sold by the suppliers in the banner ads here) will provide a wonderful vaping experience … at a start-up cost around $60 … or less.

      • Ryan says:

        Couldn’t agree more, Don. I was able to kick smoking after 14 years with a cheaper kit. I got some better ones over time, but that initial RN4081 kit did the trick for me, personally.

  25. Lynda Caldwell says:

    I am 47 and have smoked for 22 years. It’s killing me. Heard about e-cigs from my son, and cant wait to learn more. i will definitely try this.

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