The latest buzz for people who are trying to quit smoking is the electronic cigarette, or e-cigarette. Seemingly overnight, this industry sprung up as a supposedly viable solution to quitting smoking, and with good reason: the electronic cigarette isn't actually a cigarette, it just soothes your cravings for nicotine. So, is it really a good idea?

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The electronic cigarette falls under the same category as nicotine patches and gums: Nicotine Replacement Therapy. In the same vein, it has the exact same problems as the other nicotine replacement methods: it's merely a band-aid for your urge to quit.

As I was trying to quit smoking, I tried virtually every trick in the book. None of them worked, and for good reason: when I ran out, I went right back to smoking. I never sat around and said, 'Wow, I could really go for one of those nicotine patches right now!'

Of course, the solution to this is to keep an ample supply of whatever replacement you're using on hand. But what happens when you're out at a bar or puff bar with friends? Everyone's out smoking, you're not going to be that person who turns on their e-cigarette and takes a few drags, being all high and mighty over the other smokers. It just doesn't make sense.

There is really only one real way to quit smoking: willpower. Many people say that cold turkey is the hardest way to quit smoking, and with good reason: they go about it all the wrong way. If you know what you're doing and stomp out your want for cigarettes before you start, you'll be able to quit and never look back!

A question that most smokers who are considering quitting smoking ask is "What is the best method to stop smoking?" There are millions of people who want to stop smoking. The health problems that smoking can cause are well known, but people are not able to quit because of the highly addictive nature of nicotine, which is in tobacco. Common quit smoking aids which replace the nicotine without smoking, include gum, lozenges, and patches. These aids which are referred to as " Nicotine Replacement Therapy Products" do help satisfy the craving for nicotine.

The problem for many is, the habit of smoking is an overall "experience". It's not only the nicotine. Smokers also like the sensation of raising a cigarette to their mouth and inhaling and exhaling the smoke. The act of smoking gets linked to a pleasurable experience like having a smoke with a good cup of coffee, or after a good meal. The "experience" along with the nicotine, make cigarette smoking an extremely difficult habit to break.

There is a fairly new product on the market that is gaining in popularity. It's called an electronic cigarette and I think it makes a lot of sense as a method to stop smoking. The electronic cigarette is a battery operated cigarette that gives smokers the feeling of smoking a regular cigarette without all the harmful toxins. The electronic cigarette looks and feels very similar to a regular cigarette. It has a chamber that turns pure liquid nicotine into a puff of vapor giving the sense of smoking a regular cigarette, without all the chemicals that are present in regular cigarette smoke. Smokers get the nicotine and the smoking "experience" without all the health risks of cigarette smoking.

Electronic Cigarettes contain nicotine cartridges which are interchangeable and available in different strengths. This allows a person to gradually reduce the amount of nicotine they consume by switching to cartridges with less nicotine content. The cost of electronic cigarettes is much less than regular tobacco products.

Although electronic cigarettes are much healthier than tobacco, nicotine is very addictive. If you're not a smoker, I definitely would not start. If you're an adult who already smokes and you're looking for a way to reduce the amount, or quit, I would recommend looking into e- cigarettes.