Nice link. Here's what I posted:
Gary is spot on, with all his comments.
I've been smoking tobacco for over 40 years. Tried the gum, and smoked while chewing. Tried the patch (three times through the whole routine) and smoked with the patch on.
I started with electronic cigarettes last October, and haven't had a cigarette since. It took me less than a week, fine tuning my e-cig setup, to go from about a pack and a half of "full flavor" cigarettes to zero.
I'm gradually reducing the nicotine in the products I use, and will eventually be totally off all of that.
In the meantime, I know that I'm no longer inhaling the host of combustion products that are harmful. My lungs are better, my stamina is better, I sleep better. And my wallet is fatter!
Citing the SciAm article, "Carcinogen levels in e-cig vapor are about one thousandth that of cigarette smoke, according to a 2010 study in the Journal of Public Health Policy."
I think the benefits are clear.
And here's the link to the SciAm article, in case anyone wants to just jump straight there:
Do Electronic Cigarettes Really Help Smokers Quit?: Scientific American