High Tech Cigs Beat Ban

[pillbox38]

September 24, 2008 1:59 PM

By PHILIP VICTOR, ABC News London

Smokers in the United Kingdom facing public smoking bans may now be able to enjoy their pastime in a slightly unorthodox way.

An UK based company has managed to find a way around the public smoking ban. The Electronic Cigarette Company has developed just that – an electronic cigarette.

So what exactly are these contraptions?

Electronic cigarettes, according to the Electronic Cigarette Company, are battery-operated devices featuring an atomizer, which is activated by the user’s inhalation. The atomizer then converts the liquid nicotine into a vapor to be inhaled while releasing a water vapor, saving bystanders hazardous second-hand smoke.



Jason Cropper, managing director of the Electronic Cigarette Company, told ABC News that the new cigs do not have nearly the same detrimental effects as their traditional counterparts.

“There is no tobacco and it’s a lot healthier,” said Cropper, referring to carcinogens released from the burning of tobacco in normal cigarettes. He added, “they are totally legal because nothing is burning.”

The high-tech cigarettes do, however, contain nicotine.

The cigarette can be purchased for about £36 ($67) as part of a starter pack that includes the electronic cigarette itself, a charger, and 5 nicotine cartridges. Each cartridge includes nicotine roughly equivalent to 15 cigarettes. Further cartridges can be purchased as needed.

In light of the public smoking ban, some UK establishments have decided to give these new cigarettes a try, hoping they may become a new trend. The British pub Butler Arms located near Birmingham introduced the product about a week and a half ago and claims it has been met with some interest.

James Cook of Butler Arms told ABC News that the pub has sold “about seven or eight” starter packs, and said “we’d like to sell as many as we can.”

So will these cigarettes give users the same kick as traditional cigarettes?

“It tastes a lot like a cigarette,” Cook said. Cropper agreed, saying “it feels like a cigarette in your hand and 95 percent as real.”

The new cigarettes may even be a matter of convenience for those needing their nicotine fix in the U.K.

The smoking ban has forced many smokers to take their puffs outside and, as Cook pointed out, that can be a major inconvenience in the unpredictable U.K. weather.

Cook says: “Because you can’t smoke anywhere outside your house these days and you’re never too sure about the weather, why not introduce this?”

Of course, this begs the question: Why bother with an electronic cigarette at all if you can just buy a pack of nicotine gum? It might even help you kick the habit someday




http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/433071/33800762

 

[pillbox38]

Only one way to market the E.Cig now as a beat the ban product..

we got told to pull all references from the site that suggested this might be a nicotine replacement therapy.

Looks like Nicorette Et Al are getting worried

 

[Kate]

The link at the bottom of your first post is broken Pillbox.

Who told you to pull references about nicotine replacement therapy?

 

[pillbox38]

Kate i cant remember the agency, but it was a government type body...Look on our website all references to NRT have gone..We complied, then spoke to them, i did,nt but my partner did and they were fine.

 

[MagusSteele]

Not really a replacement, if its giving nicotine i would think.

Its a nice story above, untill the last sentence. Reporters always have to screw things up at the end, it cant be totally positive, ever.
Its ignorance like that, that is going to be the up hill battle.
From everything Ive ever read, these work better, and are safer then the patch or gum.
But since they are established and make them money to sell, its going to be hard to convince people otherwise, because the people we will be fighting, never smoked, or used those items in thier lifes, in most cases.
I had a boss have a heart attack from those patches, No way will i use one. Also know people that Have ODed from the gums.

But over all, its a start in the right direction, we need more articles like that one.

 

[SMILIN]

Nice article, congrat's, and I have cut down kool's mby 80% in 4 days

Just ordered 2 bottles of menthol, wicked baby!!!!

Please get it to me FAST!!!!!!

 

[paxes]

Kate that would be MRHA. I've had to do the same They told me they were writing to 20 other UK suppliers.

 

[Denni]

Hm interesting, but at least they're leaving you alone for the time being.

Following the idiots who placed WHO logos on their sites and/or alluded to approval by WHO, I'd say comply and avoid any further trouble and adverse publicity. But we should get away with emphasising the 'harm reduction' factor, which may get the gov agencies on our side.

And yes, established nic replacements have tons of problems associated with them. On top of that, they never stopped me smoking (they made me crave a real ciggy!) whereas the e-cig has replaced the analogues without me intending to give them up! Sure, these are all anecdotes, but I hope the press picks up on a few of those.

P.S. Looks like you're the Inventor of the E-cig, Jason

 

[Kate]

If it was Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency MHRA ? Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency - Home page then we shouldn't be surprised that they don't approve.

We are not ready for approval as a medical product, it would be naive of us to think otherwise. Medicines are rigorously tested and that is how it should be, to imply that we have a history of medical testing would be just misleading the public.

 

[pillbox38]

Denni, i know must get the Patent

Joking aside it was a positive article and the guy was fine when he called, the pub is one of our re-sellers and its amazing still that the vast majority of the Public still are clueless re the E.Cig.

Also article on one of the london radio stations yesterday and the Star Newspaper today(apparently) i havent seen it.

It all stems from Mr Giles contacting a local paper, a Birmingham press agency picked it up, called me for a sample, so i sent them 3 kits...looks like it might have been worth it..

 

[Nazareth]

Of course, this begs the question: Why bother with an electronic cigarette at all if you can just buy a pack of nicotine gum? It might even help you kick the habit someday

Well golly gee whiz- so might electronic cigarettes help you kick the habit- plus you don't have to give up the pleasure that comes with mimicking smoking which is a panacea for many by using hte ecig whereas with hte gum you get none of the herlp with withdrawing that Ecigs gives- you just chew a disgusting gum and have rto swallow nicotine which irritates the stomach and can worsen ulcers and other bowel problems- I'll stick with hte ecig thanks- I liek the act of vaping, and don't like the act of chewing a block of gum thakjs

 

[Miss Diane]

my sister in law rang me this afternoon to say there had been a discussion or advert on an english radio station this afternoon, it also mentioned a pub in the midlands selling these

 

[Nazareth]

Sonds liek they are really startign to get soem recognition- not sure if it's a good or bad thing just yet to get exposure for these, might prompt government agencies ot step in, or to simply state 'they're ok', but we'll see

 

[dandamegs]

It was on Heart FM this afternoon.

I think it may have been part of the news, but not sure as I only caught the last bit.