Smokers everywhere are being forced to smoke outside -- and with good reason. The second hand smoke issued from a traditional cigarette has been linked to numerous health problems, causing many cities around the world to ban traditional cigarettes in restaurants, bars and workplaces. Luckily for smokers, there is a revolutionary alternative - the electronic cigarette. But what exactly is an electronic cigarette and how can it help smokers retain their rights without inflicting others with second hand smoke?

An electronic, or e-cigarette is a revolutionary alternative to traditional cigarettes - a simple device that works without a flame. A battery is connected to a device called an atomizer, which is then connected to a refill cartridge filled with varying levels of nicotine.

Because the cigarette looks, tastes and feels like a traditional cigarette, smokers are able to get the physical feelings and pleasures of smoking, without exposing others to second hand smoke.

Smokers first need to purchase an electronic cigarette kit to get started. This starter kit typically contains everything a smoker needs to start using the e-cigarette, including the reusable cigarette, an extra rechargeable battery and a wall or USB charger. Most kits also come with a few refill cartridges as backup.

The refill cartridges are filled with water, propylene glycol (an ingredient commonly found in food coloring), nicotine and a scent that emulates the flavor of a traditional cigarette. The refill cartridges are available in high, medium, low and even zero nicotine levels so you can change the amount of nicotine that enters your system, something that isn't an option with traditional cigarettes.

Because of this, smokers have the ability to get all the taste and pleasure of a real cigarette without any nicotine -- or with lower levels of nicotine. The refill cartridges are also available in a variety of flavors such as tobacco, menthol, cherry, chocolate and vanilla so users don't have to buy an entire new kit just to change the flavor. Refill cartridges are inexpensive, ranging from $1-$2 a piece, so it is cheap and easy to test out different flavors.

When everything is put together, the electric cigarette resembles a traditional cigarette. Smokers put it to their mouth and inhale. The inhalation kicks on the battery and atomizer which produces a small vapor mist. The mist is odorless and evaporates on its own within a few seconds, yet gives the illusion of a real puff of smoke.

The atomizer and battery only kick on when the smoker inhales, ensuring the battery isn't wasted during downtime. One refill cartridge can last as long as an entire pack of ordinary cigarettes and smokers can find other accessories for their kit such as a car charger or extra batteries to make sure the electronic cigarette is ready to go when the urge strikes.

There are many reasons smokers choose an electronic cigarette instead of a traditional one. Smelly clothes, hands, hair and breath are all eliminated, second hand smoke is no longer a concern and the yellowish tinge many smokers report on their hands and teeth is eliminated.

Because the electric cigarette uses special technology that simulates the smoking process without a flame, smokers no longer have to worry about the way their hands, hair, clothing and breath smells. Smokers can even now smoke in their own cars without thinking about the way the car smells. It's not uncommon to find new cars without ashtrays and smokers who use the electric cigarette don't have to worry about flicking ashes or cigarette butts out car windows since the cigarette can be reused over and over.

Additionally, people who smoke an e-cigarette instead of a traditional cigarette in their homes don’t have to concern themselves about the scent of their homes when visitors come over or when they try to sell their home. Many homebuyers are instantly turned off by the scent of a smoker's home. Smoking e-cigarettes eliminates the cigarette smell and instantly opens your home up to a larger pool of prospective buyers. With the current buyer's real estate market throughout the country, this may just be the push your home needs to be competitive for new home buyers.

Many smokers who smoke traditional cigarettes report that they have a yellow tinge to their hands and teeth from the smoke emitted. Smokers who use the electronic cigarette, on the other hand, don't have the yellow hands or teeth associated with traditional cigarettes and actually report that the yellow tinge to their hands and teeth from cigarette smoke goes away after using the e-cigarette for a time.

The e-cigarette is also ideal for anyone who wants to be able to smoke in their own homes or in restaurants or bars, but still protect others from the dangers of second hand smoke. The National Cancer Institute has identified over 4000 chemicals in second hand smoke and 250 that are known to be harmful to people. Fifty of these chemicals are known to cause cancer. Some of the chemicals in second hand smoke from traditional cigarettes include ammonia, formaldehyde, lead, tar and carbon monoxide.

Using an electronic cigarette over traditional cigarettes is an easy way to eliminate the risk of second hand smoke for you, your loved ones and family members and strangers while still taking advantage of the pleasures of smoking.

Smokers can actually save quite a bit of money each year by choosing to smoke an e-cigarette. The cost of traditional cigarettes has risen dramatically in the past few years, as lawmakers continue to raise the tax rate on packs of cigarettes. In some states, a pack of cigarettes can cost as much as $9 or $10 a pack, though the average price is around $4-$6 a pack. Consider that an electric cigarette refill cartridge costs around $1-$1.80 per pack and the savings can be huge.

Savings based on a smoker smoking one pack a day:
Traditional cigarettes - $6 a day x 365 days = $2190
Electronic cigarettes - $1 a day x 365 days = $365
Total savings - $1825 a year

Savings based on a smoker smoking two packs a day:
Traditional cigarettes - $12 a day x 365 days = $4380
Electronic cigarettes - $2 a day x 365 days = $730
Total savings - $3650 a year

Think about what you'd like to do with an extra $1825 - $3650 a year! You'll be able to take a great vacation, eliminate debt or save up for a big purchase you wouldn't be able to get otherwise. You may be amazed at all the wiggle room that magically appears in your monthly budget. In today's current economy, why wouldn't you want to save money?

Because the electronic cigarette doesn't use a flame, the cigarette is safe to use in bed and throughout the home. Smoking everywhere is allowed with an electronic cigarette so there's no need to worry about smoking bans, no matter where you are.

Every year, many home fires are started by cigarettes, causing millions of dollars of damage and a loss of lives across America. Many of these fires begin because someone leaves a lit cigarette unattended while they fall asleep or leave a room, changing their lives forever. That's not the case with an e-cigarette. There isn't a flame to worry about and even the electronic cigarette's battery isn't a fire hazard. This is because the battery stops working as soon as the smoker stops inhaling on the cigarette.
               
Smoking everywhere is allowed with an e-cigarette, since anti-smoking legislation is aimed at eliminating second hand smoke. Currently 24 U.S. states have statewide anti-smoking bans affecting all public enclosed spaces. Another 13 have less restrictive bans, but smoking is still banned in many public places such as workplaces and restaurants.

Because there's no smoke emitted with an electronic cigarette, there's no impact on others. Electronic cigarette smokers can smoke hassle free in airports, in restaurants and bars, in sports arenas and anywhere else. Some smokers of electronic cigarettes have even reported smoking on an airplane, but it's a good idea to check with either the airline or the flight crew before you 'light up' on an airplane.

Electronic cigarettes actually reduce litter as well. Because there's no butt to throw away, city streets are kept clean. Parents wouldn’t have to worry about children picking up cigarette butts in parks or from sidewalks if everyone would use an electronic cigarette.

An electronic cigarette is a revolutionary alternative to traditional cigarettes that allows smoking everywhere and eliminates the risk of second hand smoke for smokers and non-smokers alike.