Posted on May 9, 2012 on Eversmoke.com

If you are in a relationship, and your partner is not a smoker, surely there has been some discord on the subject. Smoking and nonsmoking are really two different lifestyles. However, like any challenge in a relationship, it can be overcome. E-cigarettes can help, however if you need some insight, here is a list of reasons your loved one wants to make your cigarette habit a thing of the past.

1. You smell. It doesn’t get more honest and blunt than that, but its true. Every couple I know where one member smokes and the other doesn’t, for the nonsmoker, the odor of smoke is a problem. It is a major turnoff, and can really be bothersome. Even the strongest and best colognes don’t do much to conceal it. Showering will, but it’s only a matter of time before another cigarette is smoked. In moments of closeness, it can really turn a sweet situation sour! This even extends to cigarette breath, which is a huge concern!

2. The habit itself. The smoker has to continuously excuse them self from whatever is going on to head outdoors to smoke. Whether it’s a regular activity, or a special occasion, it creates a pause in time spent together.

3. The high cost. No matter how independent you are, even in a relationship, cigarettes are a really expensive, detrimental habit. No one really has the right to tell another person what to do, and how to spend their money, but when you care for someone deeply, wouldn’t it bother you if you saw them wasting their cash on an addiction that was deadly? A pack-a-day smokers are shelling out around $40 weekly!

4. Most importantly, your health. No one wants to see their partner struggle with health issues. Most smokers have bad coughs, develop breathing problems, experience exacerbated complications from minor ailments like colds and the flu. Eventually fatal diseases and cancers are possible. Protecting your health is the most valuable thing you can do for yourself, and if your partner is on edge about your cigarette habit, your health is their main concern above all.

So, don’t be offended when you receive an electronic cigarette starter kit as a gift! Keep in mind all of the reasons listed above, and understand it is with total love and concern that a loved one would rather you smoke electric than tobacco! While they are not a means by which are designated for quitting smoking, they are a fabulous alternative. If you choose to quit nicotine altogether, good for you! But at least in the meantime, you can enjoy it sans the smoke!

Why Your Significant Other Wants You to Quit Cigarettes

In addition, studies have also determined that second hand smoke puts infants at a higher risk for SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). Children who are repeatedly inhale the smoke from their parents and care-givers also show increased ear and respiratory infections, and more severe and more frequent asthma attacks. Overall, these kids have more pneumonia, coughing, wheezing, and bronchitis than children of more conscientious non-smoking parents.

All this information makes one wonder why a parent would ever smoke near a child! However, everyday, I see parents walking down the street, with a cigarette in one hand and their child’s hand in the other hand, or pushing a stroller while smoking, or puffing away while they fill their car up with harmful smoke. It is so upsetting to see how ignorant these parents are of the harmful effects they are having on their own kids. I’d like to assume that they just don’t know how bad it is….because the alternative is that they do know, but they just don’t care.

Parents and caregivers of children are a great target audience for electronic cigarettes. The difficulty quitting and the strong addictive nature of cigarettes is well-documented. While trying to quit, parents should be trying e-cigs so that they eliminate the harmful effects of second hand smoke on their children.

According to the American Cancer Society, secondhand smoke is classified as a “known human carcinogen” (cancer-causing agent) by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US National Toxicology Program, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a branch of the World Health Organization. We’ve known for years that tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemical compounds; more than 250 of these chemicals are known to be harmful; and at least 69 are known to cause cancer.

Second hand smoke is clearly linked to lung cancer. A growing body of evidence suggests that it may also be linked with childhood leukemia and cancers of the larynx (voice box), pharynx (throat), brain, bladder, rectum, stomach, and breast cancer. A pregnant woman who inhales second hand smoke raises her chance of a miscarriage, still-born birth, low birth- weight baby, and other pregnancy and delivery problems. A male who is breaths in second hand smoke can have reduced fertility. Did you know that second hand smoke causes lung cancer in people who have never smoked? Even very brief exposure to other people’s smoke can damage our cells and start the process that leads to cancer.

This isn’t just guessing, it is proven research that the smoke that YOU exhale and WE inhale is harmful. I chose not to smoke, yet I am being harmed when I walk past you at the bus stop, in a restaurant or bar (where it isn’t outlawed yet), at the beach or in a public park. It is really hard to avoid being around smokers, especially those who smoke in public places and aren’t sensitive to those around who are trying to lead a healthy life. I really hope that you will reconsider how your choices are impacting others.

Finally, I ask that if you can’t or won’t stop smoking…please try e-cigarettes instead. E-cigarettes use a vapor delivery system that eliminates second hand smoke. Research is on-going to determine the overall safety for smoker, but early information shows that the vapor does not have the harmful elements of traditional second hand smoke.

Thank you very much for stopping smoking and saving ALL of yours!

Mr. SmokeE

P.S.  As always, the e-cig route should come with some research.  Make sure that you see our main site on electronic cigarette reviews.

According to the American Nonsmokers’ Rights Foundation, almost 80% of the U.S. population lives under a ban on smoking in “workplaces, restaurants, bars, by either a state, commonwealth, or local law,”. In addition, about 48% of us live under a ban covering all workplaces and restaurants and bars. A smoking ban (either state or local) has been enacted covering all bars and restaurants in each of the 60 most populated cities in the United States except these 17: Arlington, TX, Atlanta, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Memphis, Miami, Las Vegas, Nashville, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Tampa, Tulsa, and Virginia Beach.

The trend is continuing every year, as more and more places to smoke are banned by the government….some with criminal offenses attached. I’m not commenting on whether or not this is good for country, or if it’s another case of “big brother” regulating our lives. I’m just letting smokers out there know that big brother is coming…and your options for smoking outside of your own bathroom (with the door locked, blower on, and window open), are becoming more and more limited. My research showed that one of the only states that has no legislation about smoking is Oklahoma. So, if you aren’t ready to quit, keep it indoors, or switch to e-cigarettes…then you should probably pack your bags and move to Muskogee.

CBS News and The Daily Mail have articles on this guy.  When these articles first started getting posted it was like a lynchmob of fools going after e-cigs and the new dangers.  I really enjoyed a tweet that I saw (and re-tweated) that read “Electronic Cigarette Explodes, finally cigarettes are dangerous again”.  Follow us on twitter @SmokeeReviews to see  the tweet that I am referencing. All said, I am sure someone will do some investigating here and realize that 1 – Shit happens and 2 – Shit happens more when you mess with a good thing.

In the interest of our better understanding we started looking into the batteries used in e-cigs.  The tech is identical to what is in most cellphones and laptops.  Most batteries are lithium ion.  There have been stories of cell phones and laptops on fire as well, so accidents will happen but those are typically the failure of other attached components and typically they get real hot a head of time.

Lithium Ion batteries are a family of battery types that includes a newer technology called Lithium Ion Polymer. One of the brands that we review under our electronic cigarette reviews is Eversmoke.  Eversmoke seems to be ahead of the game by using Lithium Ion Polymer that runs a little cooler and holds a longer charge.

This is an ongoing internal research project on e-cig battery tech.  We will keep you up to date as it moves along.

“For the first time in the long recorded history of smoking, there is an alternative to tobacco.  No longer is the smoker restricted to the choice of a tobacco product. No – instead, because electronic cigarettes offer the same sensation and feel of a traditional tobacco cigarette, the public finally has another choice – albeit one that comes in a smokeless, odorless and ashless form.

Challenges Facing the Electronic Cigarette Revolution

It should be noted that this right to choose is being challenged. From misinformed lawmakers to scared big tobacco companies, actions are being made to limit the sell and use of electronic cigarettes. Lawmakers and tobacco lobbyists have seemingly made it their crusade to stop the use of electronic cigarettes, and in turn take away your right to choose.

As an e-cigarette user, you have a right to know about the bills that are being proposed, passed, and thankfully, challenged around the country.
From proposed bans based on inconclusive or incomplete data in Utah to unfair and biased attacks claiming that e-cigarettes are aimed at children, the popular thing to do seems to be to bury the e-cig revolution before it has a chance to take root.

Success Lies with You

This is why it is important to note that just like any successful revolution, the responsibility for the  future of the e-cig rests squarely on the
shoulder of the individual. So stay informed. Visit sites like CASA or your favorite E-cigarette Brand’s News Feed. Write your congressman. And if you hear of proposed bills that you think the rest of the e-cig community needs to be aware of, share it with us and let us know.”

Honolulu Magazine posted an article today entitled “State Proposes Absurd Tax on Electronic Cigarettes”.  This article discusses the insane proposition of hitting e-cigs with taxes like regular smokes.  It just brings up yet again just how crazy “sin” taxes are. I discussed in my previous article on saving money with E-Cigs by avoiding taxes.  While I expected the sleeping giants to awake and realize they were loosing money, I did not expect this to hit so soon.

I am not familiar with any e-cig companies based in Hawaii and given the logistics of shipping everything from Hawaii, I doubt there are.  If they do implement the tax, it will most likely only impact local sales and not affect online shipments.  There has been a lot of talk about the states putting an end to tax-free Internet sales of products across the board, but that has yet to be seen.

For the moment lets just hope that this gets politically crushed here and does not start the domino rally of other states.

Perhaps we will have to add the state of each e-cig company that we review on our site.

My proposed question is if you are a guy dating a smoking woman, or perhaps you both smoke, is Valentines day the time to buy an electronic cigarette kit for the woman you love. It seems like there is a lot of press releases and bloggers out there touting “yes, get your loved on and e-cig for Valentine’s day”. On the surface this seems like a good idea. There are health benefits for her him. Saving money in the long run is still never a bad idea. You can read more about that in my post here.
While on the surface this seems like a great idea, you should probably have the conversation first. You should especially vet this out beforehand if you have not been dating all that long. You don’t want the gift to say “Hey you stink, her is an e-cig” (even though that may be what you mean). Don’t be a dork though and list out all the pros of electronic cigarettes.
Once you have the nod from your lady, have a look at the reviews that you can find online. Search out the best deal and go for it. Making and informed and smart decision is always key.
For reviews on the best electronic cigarettes online, have a look at SmokeE.com. Keep an eye out for the best rebate program on the web, coming soon to smokee.com.

Update: 2/6/2012 – Checking over my Facebook feed, I see that Eversmoke is pushing their premium starter kit. Check out our review page on SmokeE.com for Eversmoke to see what our users are saying.

As if the world didn’t have enough infographics in magazines, there has been an unending flow of these little gems pushing everything imaginable from products to political agendas. Many of them can be picked apart if you get a good look at that stats and see how everything adds up.

In spite of my opinion on Infographics, Blu has recently put out an infographic that I can get behind.  This builds upon one of our recent posts that explain the tax money that can be saved by making the switch from conventional cigs to e-cigs.

http://www.smokee.com/save-on-cigarette-taxes/

Have a look at the infographic on the right.  It takes am even more conservative approach on the savings that can be had by making the switch.

Here is what Blu has to say for themselves…

“blu is an innovator and the leading provider of electronic cigarettes in the U.S., offering an alternative to smoking. blu’s high-tech “e-cigs” look and feel just like traditional cigarettes – without the smoke, smell and ash. blu eCigs are battery-operated – creating a smoke-free vapor “puff” that evaporates within seconds. blu Cigs are available in convenient disposables or rechargeable packs for continuous daily use, with or without nicotine and in a variety of flavors. blu eCigs have been featured in the presenter gift bags at the Grammy Awards and other celebrity events, and are used by a number of A-list actors, musicians, and athletes. Based in Charlotte, NC – at the heart of tobacco road – blu eCigs is the only e-cigarette provider whose ingestible contents are 100% made in the USA. For more, visit www.blucigs.com.”

Remember to visit Smokee.com for the best electronic cigarettes on the web.

On one side of the argument, we have a device that functionally creates flavored water vapor. It comes in all kinds of kid friendly flavors like “Very Vanilla”, “Cherry Crush” and”Peppermint Party”.  When look at it from this narrow perspective, it is really not a big deal to let kids enjoy vaping the non-nicotine cartridges. But that is jsut crazy talk.

We all know where this goes.  It is a slippery slope from sticking a vaporizer that is shaped like a cigarette in your mouth to upgrading to cartridges with nicotine.  E-Cigs are fine for adults that know they are hooked up on nicotine, but clearly the world does not need any new nicotine addicts, especially young ones.

It is going to be interesting to see how this shakes out, many of the states in the US are pushing bills in an attempt to stop underage e-cig smoking the the way that regular tobacco cigarette smokers are banned.  Specifically Idaho is working on passing a bill.

“E-cigarettes are marketed with flavorings, he said, as “an enticement to get children to start smoking.” He called the bill “a first attempt … to regulate the sales of these so they don’t get to minors.” - Rep. Bob Nonini

“Rep. Sue Chew, D-Boise, noted that a clause in the bill requires any mail-ordered electronic cigarette purchased on a credit or debit card to be shipped only to the address of record of the cardholder, as part of its age-verification requirements.” Clearly this is a non-perfect first step, but a step in the right direction none the less.

Here are a few links to further your research:

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/jan/30/idaho-bill-would-ban-e-cigarettes-kids/

http://www.aolnews.com/2010/09/16/your-kids-buy-e-cigs-do-you-know-whats-in-them/

Please share your ideas and opinions with us in the comments below. For those of you that are clearly of age and are considering a switch to e-cigarettes, please have a look at our review site @ smokee.com for the best electronic cigarettes.

Looking at your return you know exactly how much you paid the feds and the state.  Well that is not the whole story.  You still pay sales tax to your state and even more so if you smoke regular cigarettes. In my home state of New York ,the cigarette taxes are INSANE. At the bottom of this article there is a table by state of the taxes on conventional cigarettes.

As a little exercise, let me work out what a typical smoker would pay in cigarette taxes in a year in that great state of New York. This is most likely worse in New York City.  I am goign to make some assumptions.

1 Pack a day, every day * 365 days * $4.35 =  $1587.75

To that is $1587.75 in extra taxes just for the average tobacco cigarette smokers of New York.

Now if we take that another logical step, how about the price of the cigarettes in general?  So in NYC cigarettes are $10/pack or $3,650 per year.  Now compare that with a premium E-Cig kit at $100 and $50/month in cartridges that equals $820 your first year and $100 less every year thereafter. Buying your electronic cigarette online in many cases like Eversmoke, you are not charged any sales tax by the seller.

So now that you have seen the numbers, why not make 2012 the year that you save yourself some money on taxes, get off the tobacco cigarettes and maybe save yourself on medical bills down the road.  Have a look at the reviews, discounts and rebates for the best electronic cigarettes at SmokeE.com.  Be sure to leave a review if you already have one of our products or after you make the switch.

Tax Chart from: http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/health/2010-state-cigarette-excise-taxes.aspx

Please let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Does an E-cig go well with a pint in an Irish Pub in Dublin? Do they Irish see this as a way to improve their heath?  Perhaps I need to take a trip across the pond to do a “research project” in the bars of Ireland.  (Thinking, hot Irish women with the Irish brogue) .. no back to the blog.

Whatever the people of Ireland are thinking, they are clearly thinking the right thing as e-cigs cut all the nasty out of cigarettes and make the ladies (or men) less apt to run away because you reek of filth.

Hopefully the rest of Europe catches on to the electronic cigarette craze and it wouldn’t hurt if they came on over to smoke.com to learn about the best electronic cigarettes that money can buy.  If you are visiting our little corner of the web  from Ireland, please leave a comment and share your Irish love with us.

So from a marketing standpoint c-cigs can not be sold as devices to quit smoking. Given that electronic cigarettes lack the chemicals that make traditional cigs harmful and that you can get different nicotine strengths, one would think that you could use it to cut your nicotine intake while still enjoying the habit. They still have nicotine which some companies and organizations say is still bad and others not so much.

Have a look at this page on the “Americans For Non-Smokers Rights” site for some more detail on the issue from a legal perspective.

I personally love online reviews, as long as they seem trustworthy.  Whenever I go to look at a product that I have not bought before like tech gear or gifts for someone.  I always have a look at the aggregate (total) review and then number of people that the review is made up of.  One person staying that product is 5 stars is not all that powerful, but 0 people saying it is 5 stars and 10 nay sayers is more compelling.  I typically have a look at the crappy review just to make sure that these are out-lier situations or just complainers. Many times I find that these care customer services issues and people that bought the product for some reason that it was not intended.

In the relatively new world of electronic cigarettes (it has only really been a few years)  there are a lot of brands, a handful of technologies and a lot of unknown “stuff”.  So as with everything these days, the best place to turn to for the answer on these products it to social media and user generated reviews.  There are many review sites and forums on the web that specifically cater to electronic cigarette smokers. I will offer a few of the most popular and useful sites here, but in addition you can try Google searches and find many more.

Apparently many South Africans are increasing their health consciousness and health of their loved ones.  I invite these South African electronic cigarette smokers to come to Smokee and enjoy our reviews on the best electronic cigarettes on the web.  As I under stand South Africa has a few brands of their own that we may add to our site in time.  Should anyone come to the site from south Africa, please be sure to drop us a comment and let us know your favorite brands.

We  understand that given what the world now knows about the perils of tobacco use that anything that eliminates tobacco from the smoking equation is great.  Electronic Cigarettes look, taste and feels like a regular cigarette. However smokers can get their daily nicotine fix, without smoke, ash and harmful side-effects.

I assume that all people that smoke cigarettes enjoy the many favor an potency variations in the cartages. I look forward to comments from South African on what their preferences are so that we can compare them to the US based preferences.

I hope that this post is the first in a multi part series on the vaping habits of the South African people.

This then got me thinking. How much nicotine does a an analog (conventional) cigarette have?

I went out looking for this and found a few forums that discussed the issue.  Not everyone can seem to agree but here are some things to think about.

Nicotine needs to be absorbed to make an impact on your body.  So what is the absorption rate like with an e-cig?  Well  in a cloud of  liquid vapor, the particles are much
larger than smoke particles. In smoke, the nicotine is contained in much smaller particles and therefore is absorbed much more readily.

Everyone seems to agree however that smokers and e-cig users know how much they need to use to feel normal.  So that either means you vape stronger concentrations or you vape more of lower concentrations and you personally sort it out.

Here is a comparison between analog cigarettes vs electronic cigarettes e-liquid strength. This is a basic idea… as starting point and is not perfect by any means.

5- cigarettes a day – 8mg e-liquid or lower
10 cigarettes a day – 11mg e-liquid
20 cigarettes a day – 18mg e-liquid
30 cigarettes a day – 24mg e-liquid
40 cigarettes a day – 36mg e-liquid

Feel free to post comments if you agree or not.

The quote below is a well stated statement from Wikipedia who is also joining the SOPA protest

“SOPA and PIPA cripple the free and open internet. They put the onus on website owners to police user-contributed material and call for the blocking of entire sites, even if the links are not to infringing material. Small sites will not have the sufficient resources to mount a legal challenge. Without opposition, large media companies may seek to cut off funding sources for small competing foreign sites, even if big media are wrong. Foreign sites will be blacklisted, which means they won’t show up in major search engines.

In a post SOPA/PIPA world, Wikipedia –and many other useful informational sites– cannot survive in a world where politicians regulate the Internet based on the influence of big money in Washington. It represents a framework for future restrictions and suppression. Congress says it’s trying to protect the rights of copyright owners, but the “cure” that SOPA and PIPA represent is much more destructive than the disease they are trying to fix.

If you’d like to learn even more about SOPA/PIPA, click here.”

Interested in finding out more about who is/was involved in the protest?  Click to this  article, Smokee.com was also listed.

“There are many reasons to switch from traditional cigarettes to electronic cigarettes at any during the year – but it seems most people make the switch around the beginning of the year. The New Year is an opportunity to give up your worst vices and that most definitely includes smoking traditional cigarettes. While there may be numerous reasons to switch, there are three that stand out above the rest. List below are the top four reasons switching to electronic cigarette starter kits. South Beach Smoke in 2012 just makes better sense.”

They propose the following  reasons for making the switch in the new year…

• Live Better and Longer
• No more second-hand smoke
• Smell Better
• Save Money

Seems like sound logic to us. Be sure to visit our South Beach Smoke Page for reviews and special offers.

Heigl reportedly said, according to the Huffington Post…

“”Now I use an electronic cigarette,” she said. “I know it’s ridiculous, but it’s helping me not to actually smoke real cigarettes. You feel like you are smoking, and you get to exhale but it’s just water vapor and not nicotine. I’ve been doing it for six months. Smoking sucks!”"

Have a read of the full article in the Huffington Post.