One of the biggest new advances in smoking alternatives has to be the e-cigarette. The invention is a few years old, but has only recently begun to pick up in popularity both in the United States and overseas, particularly in China because they were first patented there.

The product looks like a cigarette, tastes like a cigarette, and feels like a cigarette, but is comprised of a battery, an atomizer, and a cartridge that has a liquid containing nicotine within it. The liquid is atomized into a vapor that resembles smoke, but quickly dissipates. Fortunately for non-smokers, any odor is barely noticeable in most cases depending on the brand of e-cigarette purchased.

Tobacco cigarettes emit around 4,000 known chemicals when they are burned, including cyanide, lead, mercury, radioactive Polonium-210, benzene, and other chemicals that are just as dangerous. Of the 4,000 chemicals, 69 are known to cause cancer. E-cigarettes contain no carcinogens and are comprised of mostly water, nicotine, and propylene glycol.

Propylene glycol has been cited as a “cause of concern” for the FDA and other government health organizations, even though the chemical is used in everything from cosmetics to foods to baby wipes.

Nicotine is not listed by any health organization as a carcinogen and while e-cigarettes are largely not being marketed as smoking cessation devices, cartridges are available containing different levels of nicotine and a smoker is able to gradually reduce the amount of nicotine in his or her smoking 'diet' to zero.

Not only is the e-cigarette healthier, but there is also no mess to clean up. No empty packs of cigarettes lying around and no ash trays. You never have to worry about picking up children or pets with it in your hand, because it will not burn them and the fear of falling asleep in bed or in a chair while holding it is a thing of the past.

There are many different brands and models available, from the normal cigarette to electronic pipes to cigars. Some appear more glamorous than others, but all serve the same purpose: to give a smoker a healthier, cleaner, and safer alternative to traditional smoking.