FAQ

Electronic cigarettes (also known as e-cigarettes or personal vaporizers) are an alternative to tobacco cigarettes. They are battery-operated devices that create a mist or vapor that is inhaled instead of smoke. The rechargeable battery powers a heating element called an "atomizer." The element uses low heat to turn liquid in the cartridge, which contains propylene glycol, glycerin, food flavoring and nicotine, into a fog-like mist. There are many models of e-cigarettes available. Some look like traditional cigarettes, others look similar to a pen and some even look like small flashlights. Some have LED lights, some have built-in liquid reservoirs, others have combined atomizer cartridges, some are tubular and some are even rectangular boxes. They come in all shapes and sizes and have different features for former smokers who wish to distance themselves from anything resembling a traditional cigarette or want a longer battery life and/or better performance.

While anything containing nicotine cannot be called 100% safe, evidence from numerous studies strongly suggests that they are magnitudes safer than tobacco cigarettes. Harm reduction experts can point to research supporting that switching from cigarettes to a smokefree product will reduce health risks to less than 1% of smoking traditional cigarettes - nearly the same as non-smokers. For tobacco harm reduction health professionals, it is misleading and irresponsible for public health officials to tell smokers that smokeless products, such as e-cigarettes, are "not a safe alternative to smoking" simply because they are "only" 99% safer and not 100% safe.

No. This myth was created by a 2009 FDA press statement regarding electronic cigarettes. The FDA tested 18 cartridges from 2 companies. Of those 18 cartridges, 1 tested positive for a non-toxic amount of diethylene glycol (approximately 1%). While diethylene glycol is occasionally used in anti-freeze, the chemical is not a standard ingredient in e-cigarette liquid and it has not been found in any other samples tested to date. The base liquid for e-cigarette liquid is usually propylene glycol. Propylene glycol is considered GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) by the FDA and EPA. While it is also sometimes found in anti-freeze, it is actually added to make the anti-freeze less toxic and safer for small children and pets. Propylene glycol is a common ingredient found in many of the foods we eat, cosmetics we use and medications we take. It is also used in the fog machines used in theaters and night clubs.

Though testing by the FDA and some researchers have discovered trace amounts of tobacco-specific nitrosamines, which are known to cause cancer with high exposure, the amounts found were extremely low and unlikely to cause cancer. To put it in perspective, an e-cigarette contains nearly the exact same trace levels of nitrosamines as the FDA-approved nicotine patch and about 1,300 times less nitrosamines than a Marlboro cigarette. This means that e-cigarettes would not be any more likely to cause cancer than FDA-approved nicotine gums, patches or lozenges.

The reports that there are studies that show potential health risks due to e-cigarette use are premature. In spite of what has been reported, the studies done to date have not only been largely inconclusive, but have actually found that the levels of contaminants detected in e-cigarette liquid and vapor are so low that it is highly doubtful they would even pose a health risk. Most certainly, they are thousands of times less of a risk than continuing to smoke. The fact is, the mere "detection" of a chemical does not mean that a product is hazardous. Every day we harmlessly consume and breathe in chemicals that would be toxic at much higher levels. It is disingenuous for public health organizations that disapprove of e-cigarettes to point to the trace levels found in e-cigarette studies as conclusive evidence of a potential health risk. In 2011, The FDA issued a statement regarding the approved smoking cessation drug Chantix, which has been linked to over 500 deaths, suicidal tendencies and heart attacks. The FDA stated that "the drug’s benefits outweigh the risks." E-cigarettes have been on the market nearly as long as Chantix, without reports of significant adverse reactions or deaths. Studies have shown that while chemicals have been detected, they are too low to pose any significant health risks and are certainly far less exposure than found in cigarette smoke. It is clear to anyone who reviews the more than 60 available studies on e-cigarette liquids and vapor that the benefits of e-cigarettes also "far outweigh the risks."

Good question. Unfortunately, we don't have a clear answer. What we do know is that pharmaceutical companies do not like to see smokers switching to e-cigarettes instead of using pharmaceutical drugs and nicotine products. The pharmaceutical industry and its "foundations" fund a lot of anti-tobacco research and supports many of the anti-tobacco organizations and politicians that object to e-cigarettes and tobacco harm reduction policies. We also know that there is a small, but very vocal, part of the public health community that is against anything that doesn't require 100% abstinence from all tobacco and nicotine. Their objection to e-cigarettes appear to be more ideological than science-based and it seems they would rather smokers remain uncertain enough about e-cigarette safety that they will choose to keep trying to quit smoking with traditional methods instead. Unfortunately, while this may be an option for those smokers who are actively trying to quit, it keeps smokers who aren't trying to quit - or who fail to quit using traditional methods - using the most hazardous product on the market, rather than a far safer alternative.

This is a common question and the best answer to that question is "none" and "it doesn't matter." Since those considering e-cigarettes are usually seeking to replace tobacco cigarettes, they are under the assumption that having the most realistic, tobacco-flavored e-cigarette will bring the most satisfaction. The truth of it is that after switching to e-cigarettes for a few weeks, the vast majority of users discover that looks ultimately don't matter - performance does. And the best performing e-cigarettes don't necessarily look anything like traditional cigarettes because they require larger batteries. And the most popular flavors with experienced users are often as far from tobacco-tasting as one can get. One problem is that none of the tobacco flavors really taste like burning tobacco - they taste more like fresh tobacco smells and slightly sweet. So, experienced e-cigarette users will tell you that nothing tastes exactly like a burning tobacco cigarette. But, we know you won't believe us and insist on buying something that looks and tastes like a tobacco cigarette. That's ok - we've all been there!

Press the battery “on” button 5 times to turn it on. It should blink 5 times. If this does not work, place the battery on the charger for 3-4 hours, depending on the battery size to make sure it’s charged.

Open your tank and make sure the coil is tightened down.

Your coil may be burned out and you will need to replace it. Another option is to blow through the mouthpiece to clear any juice out of the tank.

If your battery is on, charged, and your coil is tightened down, but you are not getting any vapor then your coil may be burned out and needs replacement.

A coil on average lasts about 4-10 days depending on how frequently you vape and how dark your e-liquid is. You can tell when your coil is burned out by your flavoring tasting like a burned flavor or producing very little vapor.

Make sure your coil is tightened down, there is no rubber pieces missing from the coil, and the wick is still in the coil. Do not remove the cotton wick at the bottom of the coil.

Make sure not to leave your ecig in heat for prolonged periods of time. What happens is the eliquid becomes thin due to the heat, and will leak through. If you leave your ecig in heat, clean out the tank by shaking or blowing it out, and clean the area around the ecig to remove the remaining eliquid. A suggestion is placing the ecig in the fridge for 5 minutes to allow the eliquid to thicken and help prevent it from leaking again.

Vaping is a different experience than smoking a cigarette. You may be drawing too hard on the ecig. If eliquid is coming up the mouthpiece and leaking out of the bottom of the tank, then take your tank off with a paper towel, and shake the eliquid out of the tip. Once it is no longer flooded, draw on the ecig slower and softer.

Vaping is a different experience than smoking, where when you vape you want to draw the entire vapor into your mouth and then inhale. If you draw directly into your lungs, the PG will cause your throat to become raw over time. Another factor is your nicotine level. At high nicotine levels it can cause more of a throat hit that some may not be comfortable with.

You have vape tongue. The thing about vaper's tongue is it's totally unpredictable. There are those who have been vaping for years and never experienced it, while a vaping newbie might feel the effects of flavor fatigue just days or weeks after switching to e-cigs. Before you get too panicky wondering why vaper's tongue is happening to you, you should know that it is not a medical issue at all – rather there are some simple explanations as to why this phenomenon occurs:

Quitting Smoking. New vapers who recently stopped smoking traditional cigarettes are prime candidates for vaper's tongue. As you probably know, smoking dulls your sense of taste, so when you start vaping your olfactory senses can get overwhelmed by the intensity of flavors, causing your taste buds to take a break for a little bit. This can happen several times as your body transitions to being a non-smoker.

Dehydration. The process of vaping will dehydrate you. The solutions in e-liquid (PG or VG) attract and draw out moisture like a sponge, which means not drinking enough water while vaping can dry out your mouth and a thin film might form on your tongue. This film acts like shield that blocks flavored e-liquid from reaching your taste buds.

Not Enough Variety. Do you have a favorite flavor that you vape all the time? It's hard not to when you find something you really like. However, too much of the same ol' same ol' can desensitize your taste buds to a particular flavor. Basically, your brain gets so used to the taste of the e-liquid that it starts treating it like white noise and tunes it out.

Cold or Allergies. When you get sick, often the first thing to go is your sense of smell, which in turn renders your taste buds practically useless. Having a cold or sinus issues makes it nearly impossible to taste anything at all—vaping flavors included.

Just Because Sometimes. E-liquid exhaustion has nothing to do with any of the reasons listed above—sometimes it just happens for no reason at all. This can be the most frustrating cause of flavor fatigue. It's like your taste buds randomly decided not to show up for work. With no rhyme or reason, it's best to just move onto the remedies.

Here are some other tips for getting rid of flavor fatigue:

Rotate E-liquid Flavors. Mix up your repertoire of e-liquid every once in a while to avoid getting desensitized to a certain flavor. Plus, there are plenty out custom blended flavors there to choose from, so why not?

Brush your teeth.Give Your Senses a Flavor Shock. Sometimes all your senses need is jolt to get working again. Try vaping strong flavors like mint, menthol or cinnamon and see if that does the trick. Rinse out your mouth…not because you used foul language, but because sometimes your palate needs to be cleansed. See if a strong minty mouthwash like Listerine helps.

Smell Some Coffee Grounds. Taking a whiff of coffee grounds is a trick commonly used by wine tasters and perfume experts. The smell of coffee can cause the olfactory senses to reset, which may help revive your taste buds.