You might not know that devices called electronic cigarettes are around. Also called e-cigarettes, their basic purchase price seems pretty steep, until you realize how much less they cost than cigarettes to last for the same amount of time. They look just like the real thing, and even have a glowing tip and release what looks like smoke. However, they don’t burn, don’t cause air pollution the same way as a regular cigarette, and aren’t banned in no smoking zones. Lots of people all over the world are giving up lighting up and turning to electronic cigarettes instead.

This is an extremely new type of smoking. It was developed by a Chinese company in 2004, and has been getting more and more popular ever since. Exact sales figures are hard to come by, but the most popular company making e-cigarettes out there says that more than 300,000 were sold last year. That’s a lot of people turning to the e-cigarette over their previous favorites. As smokers discover the difference that these devices could make in their lives, sales keep going up. The e-cigarette has even been listed in the top ten health trends of the past year. However, it may be difficult to learn if an e-cigarette is any healthier than regular tobacco.

An electronic cigarette looks just like a standard cigarettes, so it’s familiar to hold. They aren’t full of tobacco, though – the weight is mostly a battery. An e-cigarette also contains an LED. There’s a disposable filter holding a nicotine cartridge attached. This nicotine is dissolved in propylene glycol, or PG, used in personal products PG is also used to provide atmospheric effects in smoke machines. When the user breathes in, the internal sensor turns on a heating element. The substance inside the cigarette liquefies and is released in a form that is very smoke-like.

A strong cartridge has about the same amount of nicotine as regular strength cigarettes, but you get a lot more out of it – three hundred puffs, not fifteen. Cartridges won’t burn down if you smoke slowly, either. They are ready whenever you want one, and you can choose how much nicotine you’re getting – high concentrations to low, and even zero nicotine types for those trying to quit. A cartridge is very inexpensive. E-cigarettes do tend to deliver less nicotine than regular cigarettes, which some people see as good and others see as bad.

In every puff from an e-cigarette is a few micrograms of PG, flavoring, water, nicotine and alcohol. Unlike ordinary cigarettes, however, the electronic cigarette contains few to zero carcinogens – the risk is similar to that of the nicotine patch, not that of smoking. Second hand smoke is also much less of a problem, since these cigarettes don’t release carcinogens or carbon monoxide. The fine mist may look like smoke to people nearby, but it won’t cause the same health problems.

There are even a few people who say that smoking electronic cigarettes can help your give up smoking. There’s not currently any scientific evidence in favor of or against it, but slowly decreasing the concentration in your cartridges could be a way to feel like you’re smoking while you’re quitting. Even if smokers continue to use the electronic cigarette, it’s a lot less dangerous than ordinary types, and it’s less expensive in the long run. At the moment, they can also be smoked indoors, because there is no flame or second hand smoke. Your clothes don’t smell like smoke, your teeth don’t turn yellow, and all the other side effects of smoking are eliminated, only delivering the nicotine. This means that the electronic cigarette is better than regular smoking in almost all ways.

If you’ve been looking for something new, the e-cigarette might be just the thing you’ve been waiting for. It offers convenience, cleanliness and it’s not expensive. Sales are rising around the world for this unique product. Check out the new e-cigarette, and see why so many people prefer it to ordinary smoking.