Questions and answers about electronic cigarettes

What is the Electronic Cigarette?

The Electronic Cigarette is an electronic device, which simulates a regular cigarette by providing nicotine inhalation and a vapor output.

It is an alternative way for smokers of regular tobacco cigarettes to regulate and control their nicotine intake.

How does it work?

The user inhales on the electronic cigarette, this causes a sensor to signal to the microprocessor to activate the atomizer. The atomizer converts the liquid nicotine which is held in the cartridge into vapor using heat, the vapor is then inhaled and exhaled by the user, the vapor resembles smoke but has no risk to its user or people around them.

What powers the Electronic Cigarette?

A rechargeable lithium battery powers the device.

How do I know when the battery is fully charged?

Chargers have a LED indicator which changes from red to green when the battery is charged.

How long does it take for a battery to charge?

An initial charge time of between 6-8 hours is recommended. After that it takes between one and two hours.

Note: During the initial charge if the LED light indicates green (fully charged) before the 6-8 hours you should still leave it on charge for at least 6 hours.

What charger types are available?

Mains electric charger and USB charger. The USB charger can be used in your USB computer port. The Titan Joye 510 also has the optional PCC (portable cigarette charger)

Will I need spare batteries or Atomizers?

Lithium batteries permanently lose capacity over time and electronic cigarettes require a great deal of power to function properly. This is why the batteries generally have a relatively short life of 2-3 months, it has been known however for some batteries to last for many months, it also depends how often you use it, ie: heavy smoker/light smoker etc.

Likewise with atomizers they will deteriorate over time due to heat and e-liquid build up. Please remember Electronic cigarettes are classed as consumables, so it is wise to carry a stock of the separate parts should one falter.

How to tell if your battery or Atomizer is faulty?

When you screw the battery into the charger and the light does not change from green to red, and/or flash to indicate that the battery has been properly connected to the charger, then it is more than likely that the battery is faulty.

When you inhale on the device (with a fully charged battery) and there is no vapor or the LED does not light up this may mean a faulty battery, however this could also be the atomizer, so please try a new atomizer before discarding the battery as faulty.

How does it compare to smoking a regular cigarette?

The Electronic Cigarette will not only help the user to regulate their nicotine intake, but it also looks like a cigarette thereby helping the user with the psychological and physical habit of holding a regular cigarette.

The Electronic Cigarette has been awarded EC and ROHS certification as a safe electronic device.

What substance is in the Cartridge?

The liquid in the cartridge is a mixture of liquid nicotine, tobacco extract flavourings and Propylene glycol. The liquid contains no harmful chemicals, unlike a tobacco cigarette.

What is Propylene glycol and what is it used for?

It is an organic compound, it is clear and odorless

Applications of Propylene glycol

Propylene glycol is used in some of the following industries:

As a moisturiser in medicine, cosmetics, food, toothpaste, mouth wash.
In electronic cigarettes to make thevapor better resemble cigarette smoke.
As a medical and sexual lubricant.
As a solvent for food colourings and flavourings.
As a humectant (to keep product moist) food additive.
As a carrier in fragrance oils.
In hand sanitizer lotions.

Please note this is not a full list, but is of the most common applications.

Safety

The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated propylene glycol to be "generally recognised as safe." Wikepedia 09/08.

Propylene glycol shows no evidence of being a carcinogen or being genotoxic.

Propylene glycol can be irritating to some individuals.

Clinical Trials

The electronic cigarette is a new product, and as yet does not have a data base of trials and evidence as to the long term effects.

Clinical trials have taken place in New Zealand using the electronic cigarette as an aid to smoking cessation, but to date the results have not been published.

The Electronic Cigarette - The Law.

The Law introduced in the United Kingdom in the Health Act 2006, banned the use of tobacco cigarettes in public places.

The Act was introduced in response to where tobacco based cigarettes kills over 100,000 people each year in the UK, lit tobacco produces tar, carcinogens, carbon monoxide and up to 400 other toxic substances.

In Chapter 28 that incorporates the Smoking ban, the definition of smoking is stated as :

smoking refers to smoking tobacco or anything which contains tobacco, or smoking any other substance, and smoking includes being in possession of lit tobacco or of anything lit which contains tobacco, or being in possession of any other lit substance in a form in which it could be smoked.

The electronic cigarette is excluded from this Act as the device contains no tobacco; it is not ignited, and it produces no smoke from burning substances.

The electronic cigarette can be used in any location and within any premises that introduced a ban on tobacco based cigarettes with the introduction into Law of the Health Act 2006.