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Electronic cigarette

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An e-cigarette

Several companies are currently selling an electronic version of a cigarette.

The device takes the form of a tiny rod which is slightly longer than a normal cigarette. The mouthpiece of the device contains a replaceable cartridge filled with liquid. The main substances contained in the liquid are nicotine and propylene glycol.

When air flows through the device, it is detected by a microprocessor. This microprocessor then activates an atomizer which injects tiny droplets of the liquid into the flowing air. This produces a vapor mist which is inhaled by the user. The addition of propylene glycol to the liquid makes the mist better resemble normal cigarette smoke. The microprocessor also activates an orange LED at the tip to simulate real smoking. It not only simulates cigarette smoke but also the temperature of common cigarette's smoke (50-60 °C).

The units use a rechargeable battery as a power source. Energy produced by battery is enough to heat the nicotine inside and produce smoke like usual cigarettes do. No harmful tars; only nicotine, in small concentrations of course. [1]

Nicotine solution cartridges

The technology is patented by European Patent EP 1 618 803 A1. The patent mentions four different recipes for the nicotine solution of the cartridge to be used with the electronic cigarette:

Substance Recipe 1 Recipe 2 Recipe 3 Recipe 4
Propylene glycol 85% 80% 90% 80%
Nicotine 6% 4% 2% 0.1%
Glycerol 2% 5% - 5%
Tobacco essence - 4% 4.5% 1%
Essence 2% - 1% 1%
Organic acid 1% - - 2%
Anti-oxidation agent 1% - - -
Butyl valerate - 1% - -
Isopentyl hexonate - 1% - -
Lauryl laurate - 0.6% -
Benzyl benzoate - 0.4% - -
Methyl octynicate - 0-5% - -
Ethyl heptylate - 0.2% - -
Hexyl hexanoate - 0.3% - -
Geranyl butyrate - 2% - -
Menthol - 0.5% - -
Citric acid - 0.5% 2.5% -
Water - - - 2.9%
Alcohol - - - 8%

Health issues

E-cigarettes are marketed as a "healthier" alternative for the consumption of tobacco (in comparison to smoking) since the atomisation of the substance does not produce the particulate matter which results from the combustion of plant material. Nevertheless, nicotine is linked to several harmful circulatory diseases.

A toxicity study of the nicotine solutions (text in German) has been performed by Prof. Dr. Bernd Mayer.

In the European Union some countries have stipulated a decision according to the legal status of e-cigarette products.

The Austrian Agency for Health-care Safety has issued their decision on April 18th 2007 expressing that an e-cigarette should be seen as a Class IIa medical device (according to the EC directive 93/42/EEC) intended to administer medicines (nicotine solution) to the human body. The nicotine depots have to be considered as a medicinal product according to EC-directive 2001/83/EG (since the nicotine is a solution and not a tobacco plant product anymore). According to this classification, any type of e-cigarette needs to be CE-marked prior to distribution and for trade and distribution of the nicotine depots a registration as a medicinal products is inevitable.

In the UK the electronic cigarette is distributed legally. It is not classified as a smoking cessation device and the MHRA have approved it to be distributed without a medicinal license.

The Netherlands has forbidden advertising the electronic cigarette as long as there is no European legislation or guideline.

Footnotes

  1. ^ Tar free E-cigarettes

List of American companies

List of International companies

¹ [1] (Slovakia)

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