The website Health Effects of Smoking reports that an estimated 17 million Americans try to stop smoking each year. Non-tobacco cigarettes, also known as electronic cigarettes, work by delivering a nicotine vapor. Unlike actual cigarettes, with non-tobacco products you eliminate most of the dangers that come with smoking, according to a 2009 study by lead researcher Karyn Heavner, PhD, of the University of Alberta, School of Public Health in Canada. Non-tobacco cigarettes provide smokers with an alternative to smoking without all of the dangers that come with inhaling nicotine.
Step 1
Pick a quit date. Choosing a date to quit smoking will give you time to buy a non-tobacco product. You will also want to tell your family and friends that you are going to quit smoking. Withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting nicotine can cause mood swings. Ask for support from your friends and family during this time.
Step 2
Buy an electronic cigarette kit. You can purchase a kit directly from an eCigarette manufacturer. Some travel stores also carry non-tobacco cigarettes. Many starter kits will come with nicotine cartridges, batteries and battery chargers, atomizers, a wall charger or USB charger. As of 2010, starter kits ranged from about $59.95 to $79.95. Once you purchase a starter kit, you only need to replace cartridges after you've used up your supply, or to change potency or flavor.
Step 3
Inhale on the electronic device. You do not need an on/off switch. Once you inhale, a light will activate on the tip of the cigarette and it will release a small dose of vaporized nicotine.
Step 4
Consider getting a prescription from your doctor for a smoking cessation medication if you have difficulty coping with withdrawal symptoms. Bupropion and Chantix are prescribed to minimize symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic. Chantix also works by blocking nicotine receptors in the brain. If you relapse, your brain won't have the same reaction to cigarettes as it did in the past.
Tips and Warnings
- You do not need a doctor's prescription for electronic cigarettes.
- In 2010 an electronic cigarette distributor was ordered to halt sales in Oregon because it did not provide sufficient evidence that the device is a safe alternative to conventional tobacco. Right now, according to the Mayo Clinic, the amounts and types of chemicals in non-tobacco cigarettes is unknown. The American Medical Association believes that electronic cigarettes should be labeled a drug-delivery device.
