Common Sense About Electronic Cigarettes
What is an electronic cigarette?
An electronic cigarette is a battery-operated vaping device that simulates the act of tobacco smoking. The device uses heat to vaporize a liquid solution into an inhalable aerosol mist. This mist is comparable to traditional tobacco smoke — similar appearance, sensation, flavor and nicotine content — but contains no tar and produces no smoke, ash or odor.
The electronic cigarette consists of a battery, a heating element (atomizer) and a cartridge containing the e-liquid. When you inhale, the atomizer vaporizes the liquid stored in the cartridge; you exhale vapor.
What is the liquid, and is it safe?
The base liquid in most e-cigarettes is propylene glycol and/or vegetable glycerin, with nicotine and flavoring added. Propylene glycol is a colorless liquid commonly found in food, cosmetics and medicines, and is generally recognized as safe by the FDA as a food additive. Vaping liquids are intended for adult smokers of legal age only.
What is nicotine?
Nicotine is an organic compound found in certain plants, predominantly tobacco, and in lower quantities in tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, cauliflower, green peppers and some teas. When absorbed in small amounts it can heighten alertness or instill a feeling of calm; its effects can last from minutes to hours, and it is habit-forming. Nicotine is an alkaloid — the same chemical family as caffeine — extracted from the tobacco plant as the base for e-liquids that contain it.
Does nicotine cause cancer?
No — nicotine is not considered a carcinogen. It is, however, addictive, and nicotine research is ongoing. The harms associated with smoking come overwhelmingly from combustion products in cigarette smoke, not from nicotine itself. Evaluate nicotine consumption on its own merits and consult a physician where appropriate.
How close to the real thing is it?
Very similar, enough to satisfy most smokers: the vapor tastes, feels and looks like tobacco smoke and delivers the nicotine satisfaction smokers seek.
Can e-cigarettes help me quit smoking?
Electronic cigarettes cannot be marketed as smoking-cessation devices — they may only be marketed as an alternative to smoking. Many users report switching entirely from cigarettes to vaping, citing the cleaner taste and the absence of smoke, tar and carbon monoxide (cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemicals, dozens of them known carcinogens). But until regulators treat them as cessation products, no manufacturer or seller may make that claim.
Are e-cigarettes regulated by the FDA?
Yes. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (June 22, 2009) gave the FDA authority over the manufacture, distribution and marketing of tobacco products, and in 2016 the FDA extended that authority to e-cigarettes. Every new vape product marketed in the US requires authorization through the PMTA process — see our PMTA explainer for what that means for buyers.
Safety basics every seller should know
Electronic cigarettes should only be used by committed smokers of legal smoking age — not by non-smokers, children, pregnant or breast-feeding women, or persons with or at risk of heart disease, high blood pressure or diabetes, or taking medicine for depression or asthma. Consult a physician if you experience nicotine-misuse symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, weakness or rapid heartbeat.
Keep products out of the reach of children and pets: small parts present a choking hazard, and concentrated e-liquid can be poisonous if ingested. Age-gating at point of sale and child-resistant packaging are standard practice — and in most markets, the law.