# Questions about E-cigarettes
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [July 20, 2017, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725 "2017-07-20T15:45:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@frontie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frontie)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2017, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/1 "2017-07-20T15:45:32Z")
Hi,
I am having some questions about e cigs and I saw other thread about that but many of the companies and products mentioned no longer exist. I think it is probably a good idea to start a new thread.
I want to quit smoking using electronic cigarettes, but I don’t know what to use. Can anyone recommend me some e cigs brand to start? I am having a look at Juul starter kit and V2 so far, what do you think about pros/cons there or any other brands worth trying?
Thank you
---
### Author:  [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2017, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/2 "2017-07-20T15:59:21Z")
Moved from General Questions to IMHO.
**samclem** , moderator.
---
### Author:  [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2017, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/3 "2017-07-20T16:06:23Z")
My wife and I stopped smoking several years ago by switching to e-cigs. Very easy to do, but we still use e-cigs regularly, so we didn’t go all the way to being nicotine-free. Still, very worth the slight effort.
Asking which e-cig to buy is like asking which car to buy. It’s a big deal now to have the biggest batteries, make your own juice, wind your own coils, and so forth.
I’d suggest looking at some of the Evod options. You can get a set of two (complete) for about $40 on-line. They have standard threads and replacement parts are readily available. If I were going to give any other advicel, I’d suggest opting for the batteries that can be charged with a micro-USB cable. Makes it much easier to recharge them and they can be used while they are recharging (e.g., when you’re driving).
---
### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2017, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/4 "2017-07-20T17:08:23Z")
I use eGo-T. I don’t have a clue where the name comes from. I buy batteries and “clearomisers” the tank, wick and mouthpiece on Ebay.
“Magic Mist” sells a tobacco tasting fluid.
---
### Author:  [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2017, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/5 "2017-07-20T19:13:12Z")
> [@frontie](#):
>
> I want to quit smoking using electronic cigarettes…
But you’re not “quitting smoking”. You’re merely feeding your nicotine addiction via a different drug delivery method.
It’s possible that with e-cigarettes, you might find it easier to ‘wean’ yourself off your addiction, rather than quitting cold turkey. But I’m not sure if any scientific studies have shown that to be actually true.
---
### Author:  [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2017, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/6 "2017-07-20T19:20:32Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#):
>
> But you’re not “quitting smoking”. You’re merely feeding your nicotine addiction via a different drug delivery method.
>
> It’s possible that with e-cigarettes, you might find it easier to ‘wean’ yourself off your addiction, rather than quitting cold turkey. But I’m not sure if any scientific studies have shown that to be actually true.
Yes, he (she) IS quitting smoking, but he (she) is not quitting nicotine. Not inhaling toxic smoke is a step in the right direction, don’t you think?
---
### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2017, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/7 "2017-07-20T19:25:05Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#):
>
> But you’re not “quitting smoking”.
E-cigarettes are widely discussed as a smoking cessation method, but I been given to understand that the manufacturers did not want them to be, lest they run afoul of the FDA.
---
### Author:  [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2017, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/8 "2017-07-20T19:28:17Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#):
>
> Yes, he (she) IS quitting smoking, but he (she) is not quitting nicotine. Not inhaling toxic smoke is a step in the right direction, don’t you think?
Yes, it is.
The only problem is that the addiction to nicotine is still there, and it’s all too easy to back slide back into smoking.
---
### Author:  [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2017, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/9 "2017-07-20T19:45:52Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#):
>
> Yes, he (she) IS quitting smoking, but he (she) is not quitting nicotine. Not inhaling toxic smoke is a step in the right direction, don’t you think?
Yes, it is. Plus the fact that nearby people aren’t breathing in that toxic smoke.
But I hesitate to consider it a valid way of ending nicotine addiction. Based on the experience of friends who’ve tried it – none of them kicked the habit.
---
### Author:  [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2017, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/10 "2017-07-20T19:58:29Z")
> [@MindsEye\_Watering](#):
>
> Yes, it is.
>
> The only problem is that the addiction to nicotine is still there, and it’s all too easy to back slide back into smoking.
But if you get your own juice you can start to cut back on the amount of nicotine in each bottle. It’s fairly easy to do and you can do it gradually. That’s what I did…started off at 25, then 20, then 15 then 10. These days I get them with 0 and still enjoy using the e-cig for the taste alone and the physical habit of having something to smoke.
I still have an occasional (real) cigar at this point, but the need for it has totally gone away, and I’m good with just 1 or 2 a month…instead of 3-4 a week or even 1 a day. Not only has it helped my health but it’s helped my pocket book much more. 😛
---
### Author:  [@k9bfriender](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/k9bfriender)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2017, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/11 "2017-07-20T20:17:37Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#):
>
> Yes, it is. Plus the fact that nearby people aren’t breathing in that toxic smoke.
>
> But I hesitate to consider it a valid way of ending nicotine addiction. Based on the experience of friends who’ve tried it – none of them kicked the habit.
I quit smoking cigarettes 5 years ago due to e-cigs, and that has made a drastic improvement in my life. I have been addicted to nicotine since I was a kid, having parents who smoked rather heavily in the house. I would actually go into withdrawal every day while at school, that is, until I picked up smoking myself.
Quitting nicotine is simply not something that I am able or willing to do. I have gone as much as a year without smoking, but every day of that year, I felt cravings for cigarettes, until I finally gave in and started smoking again. All it took was one cig, and I was completely hooked again.
With e-cigs, I never have those cravings. I can smoke a cig or two with friends every now and then (less than once a week, and really more like less than once a month), and not crave another later.
Sure, it may be healthier to quit the nicotine too, but quitting all the other chemicals that come with cigarettes is enough improve my life.
Anyway, to the OP, I say, good choice. The science isn’t entirely in on e-cigs, so there is a risk of some other health gotcha down the road, but IMHO, it will be orders of magnitude less than the effects from smoking. Do us all a favor though, and treat it like a cigarette as far as etiquette is concerned. There are many who complain about second hand “smoke” from them, and while I do not think that the “smoke” has anything that is particularly harmful, it is at least the polite thing to do to not vape in any public areas that smoking is not permitted. As one of the big complaints against e-cigs is the “cloud chasers” don’t be that way.
Also to the OP, I would recommend a “Spinner 2” battery that you can get cheapest off of e-bay, and probably a cheap tank like [this](https://www.mtbakervapor.com/tanks/kanger-evod-clearomizer/), and you are all set. Total setup be less than $20. I get my juice from the baker vapor place as well, but that is personal preference. I prefer fruity flavors, with a high VG/low PG content, but that is really something you need to experiment with to find what you like.
---
### Author:  [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2017, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/12 "2017-07-20T20:35:35Z")
Let’s not hijack this thread into whether using eCigs are a valid smoking cessation method. The OP wants recoemdations for eCigs, not advice if this plan will work.
Probably would be a very interesting thread if someone wants to start one, and link back to this.
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#):
>
> But you’re not “quitting smoking”. You’re merely feeding your nicotine addiction via a different drug delivery method.
>
> It’s possible that with e-cigarettes, you might find it easier to ‘wean’ yourself off your addiction, rather than quitting cold turkey. But I’m not sure if any scientific studies have shown that to be actually true.
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#):
>
> Yes, he (she) IS quitting smoking, but he (she) is not quitting nicotine. Not inhaling toxic smoke is a step in the right direction, don’t you think?
> [@carnivorousplant](#):
>
> E-cigarettes are widely discussed as a smoking cessation method, but I been given to understand that the manufacturers did not want them to be, lest they run afoul of the FDA.
> [@MindsEye\_Watering](#):
>
> Yes, it is.
>
> The only problem is that the addiction to nicotine is still there, and it’s all too easy to back slide back into smoking.
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#):
>
> Yes, it is. Plus the fact that nearby people aren’t breathing in that toxic smoke.
>
> But I hesitate to consider it a valid way of ending nicotine addiction. Based on the experience of friends who’ve tried it – none of them kicked the habit.
> [@XT](#):
>
> But if you get your own juice you can start to cut back on the amount of nicotine in each bottle. It’s fairly easy to do and you can do it gradually. That’s what I did…started off at 25, then 20, then 15 then 10. These days I get them with 0 and still enjoy using the e-cig for the taste alone and the physical habit of having something to smoke.
>
> I still have an occasional (real) cigar at this point, but the need for it has totally gone away, and I’m good with just 1 or 2 a month…instead of 3-4 a week or even 1 a day. Not only has it helped my health but it’s helped my pocket book much more. 😛
---
### Author:  [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2017, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/13 "2017-07-20T20:57:00Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#):
>
> Yes, he (she) IS quitting smoking, but he (she) is not quitting nicotine. Not inhaling toxic smoke is a step in the right direction, don’t you think?
maybe. . . according to the US Surgeon General and [The American Lung Assoc](http://www.lung.org/stop-smoking/smoking-facts/e-cigarettes-and-lung-health.html)
> [@](#):
>
> Nicotine is not safe. The U.S. Surgeon General has found exposure to nicotine during pregnancy harms the developing fetus, and causes lasting consequences for the developing brain and lung function in newborns. Nicotine exposure also affects maternal and fetal health during pregnancy, and can result in low birth weights, preterm delivery and stillbirth. It can also cause sudden infant death syndrome.1
>
> Nicotine also has a negative impact on adolescent brain development. Human brain development continues far longer than was previously realized, and nicotine use during adolescence and young adulthood has been associated with lasting cognitive and behavioral impairments, including effects on working memory and attention
>
> We don’t presently know what is in e-cigarettes. However, in initial lab tests conducted in 2009 the FDA found detectable levels of toxic cancer-causing chemicals, including an ingredient used in anti-freeze, in two leading brands of e-cigarettes and 18 various cartridges. A review of studies found that levels of toxins in e-cigarette aerosol varied considerably within and between brands. A 2014 study found that aerosol from e-cigarettes with a higher voltage level contains more formaldehyde, another carcinogen with the potential to cause cancer. The findings are alarming, and underscores why the American Lung Association called so urgently for FDA oversight of these products.
>
> Flavors in e-cigarettes are also a cause for concern. Not only are flavors used to target kids, but they may be harmful on their own. E-cigarette and flavor manufacturers and marketers may suggest that the flavor ingredients used in e-cigarettes are safe because they have FEMA GRASTM status for use in food, but such statements are false and misleading. The reality is that FEMA GRASTM status only applies to food, meaning it’s safe to eat, and does not apply to inhaling through e-cigarettes. . . .
>
> Aside from concerns about e-cigarette use and emissions alone, data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that calls to the nation’s poison centers for e-cigarette exposure poisonings are rapidly increasing. One study found that while most calls involving e-cigarette liquid poisoning came from accidental ingestion of the e-cigarette or its liquid, about one-sixth of the calls related to someone inhaling these items. Exposure through the eye and the skin were also reported.
>
> Large doses of nicotine have a potential for poisoning, with symptoms beginning with nausea and vomiting in cases of acute toxicity and progressing to seizures and respiratory depression in cases of severe nicotine poisoning. The U.S. Surgeon General has concluded that ingestion of e-cigarette liquids containing nicotine can cause acute toxicity and possibly death.1 This is particularly true in children as calls to poison control centers have increased nationwide. Tragically, one child died from acute e-cigarette poisoning in 2014, attributed to the ingestion of liquid nicotine from an e-cigarette.
GRASTM = generally recognized as safe to manufacture
---
### Author:  [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2017, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/14 "2017-07-20T21:01:11Z")
**mikecurtis** See mod note above. Stop hijack about eCigs as a smoking cessesation device.
> [@mikecurtis](#):
>
> maybe. . . according to the US Surgeon General and [The American Lung Assoc](http://www.lung.org/stop-smoking/smoking-facts/e-cigarettes-and-lung-health.html)
>
> GRASTM = generally recognized as safe to manufacture
---
### Author:  [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2017, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/15 "2017-07-20T21:09:29Z")
sorry didnt see your post. . . but shouldnt recommendations come with caveats as to weather or not they work for the intended use?
[QUOTE=frontie]
I want to quit smoking using electronic cigarettes, but I don’t know what to use.
[/QUOTE]
mc
---
### Author:  [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2017, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/16 "2017-07-20T21:11:13Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#):
>
> sorry didnt see your post. . . but shouldnt recommendations come with caveats as to weather or not they work for the intended use?
>
> mc
In this case the OP is looking simply for eCig recommendations. The issue if they are useful for smoking cessation is a secondary one, and was derailing the thread.
---
### Author:  [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2017, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/17 "2017-07-21T01:23:52Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#):
>
> E-cigarettes are widely discussed as a smoking cessation method, but I been given to understand that the manufacturers did not want them to be, lest they run afoul of the FDA.
The manufacturers are not allowed to call them smoking cessation aids, but they certainly can’t stop people who use them from asserting that they are used for that purpose.
My first setup was an e-Go with some old clearomizers. I upped that to CE5 atomizers, and then I went to a box mod with a rebuildable tank atomizer. I am now using a Sigelei 213 and a Smok TFV8. I said a long time ago that I would never need to go over 100 watts. I lied. I’m at 150 watts with 3 mg/ml max VG juice.
I haven’t had a cigarette in years. And so what if it’s just nicotine replacement? The moralists make such a big deal about that. The reality is that without it I’d probably still be smoking and suffering all of the health effects that come with it. But hey, it’s a moral failure and we should all feel bad about ourselves. But I digress.
Anyway, start small. There is an adjustment to make. And now, with the regulatory environment, it’s more expensive than it used to be unless you mix your own, though it’s still cheaper than smoking.
Good luck. I hope it works for you.
---
### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2017, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/18 "2017-07-21T01:42:01Z")
> [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](#):
>
> I haven’t had a cigarette in years. And so what if it’s just nicotine replacement? The moralists make such a big deal about that. The reality is that without it I’d probably still be smoking and suffering all of the health effects that come with it. But hey, it’s a moral failure and we should all feel bad about ourselves. But I digress.
🙂
My state, Arkansas, has made it illegal to order fluid on the web. I must call and place an order.
---
### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2017, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/19 "2017-07-21T01:44:12Z")
What is advantageous about the CE5?
---
### Author:  [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)
#### Post date: [July 21, 2017, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-e-cigarettes/791725/20 "2017-07-21T02:02:39Z")
> [@frontie](#):
>
> Hi,
>
> I am having some questions about e cigs and I saw other thread about that but many of the companies and products mentioned no longer exist. I think it is probably a good idea to start a new thread.
>
> I want to quit smoking using electronic cigarettes, but I don’t know what to use. Can anyone recommend me some e cigs brand to start? I am having a look at Juul starter kit and V2 so far, what do you think about pros/cons there or any other brands worth trying?
>
> Thank you
[I bought some batteries, not fancy ones, just some 1600ma twist](https://www.myfreedomsmokes.com/batteries-mods-vape-mods/ego-style-batteries/ijoy-ego-c-twist-1300mah-variable-voltage-battery.html) (adjustable voltage) I have 2
[Metal cased vaporizer](https://www.myfreedomsmokes.com/tanks-rbas/ego-tanks/aspire-et-s-bvc-clearomizer.html) (Cause i break the plastic ones) 5 bucks
[every 2 months i spend 10 bucks on new heater coils](https://www.myfreedomsmokes.com/replacement-coils-heads/shop-by-brand/aspire/aspire-bdc-replacement-coil-heads-5pk.html)
[A large 125ml bottle of fluid lasts me like 3months for a little under 30 bucks](https://www.myfreedomsmokes.com/eliquid-ejuice-premium-vape-liquid/mfs-e-liquids/mint-menthol-flavored-eliquid/harbor-menthol-e-liquid.html)
Links provided not as endorsement, just as examples.
But they are similar to what i have used for the last 4 or 5 years.
No fancy or expensive stuff.
I did try the little cigarette looking ones that you throw away the cartridges.
they dont last long, nor do the batteries, and they wind up costing more to me.
I have not smoked cigarettes or cigars since, and it is way cheaper
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