FAQ's
Question 1 : Is it REALLY like smoking?
Answer : YES! and more. You look as if you're smoking, you feel as if you're smoking . . . but it doesn't smell like you're smoking!
Question 2 : What does it smell like?
Answer : There is no nasty smell. I've actually blown it directly into the face of a doctor (at his request) and he didn't even bat an eye lid. I have noticed that the fragrance which mimics the flavour it represents; some are mild and light, others have more substance. Pineapple, mango and peach spring to mind - they taste great mixed and smell delicious too!
Question 3 : Does it taste like tobacco?
Answer : That's entirely up to you. There are tobacco flavours, but there are also fruit flavours, herb flavours, drink flavours, gourmet flavours . . . there's heaps of them; there's even a 'flavourless' flavour!
Question 4 : Is it safe to use?
Answer : I can only speak from my own experience. I am not aware of many studies completed on the subject currently (here's one carried out in New Zealand on a similar product and liquids. Doesn't look like the our e-cigs but has the same basic function using pre-filled cartridges). I have had no problems with it and experienced no side effects of any kind. Family, friends, new e-cig friends and other people I run into on the street, tell me that they have not experienced any side effects or problems since taking up an e-cigarette. The same doctor (mentioned above) told me that when the vapour is exhaled, the particles in the vapour are too large for another person to inhale.
UPDATE MAY 2014 : Here's a great resource which is a summary list of all of the most recent studies and articles written about e-cigarettes and e-liquid safety from respected Universities and Health Experts Worldwide : it's called The Ultimate List of E-Cig Studies : Are E-Cigs Actually Safe?
For a short summary of some of the information available, download our information brochure "Smoking vs Vaping : Fact vs Fiction".
Answer : YES! and more. You look as if you're smoking, you feel as if you're smoking . . . but it doesn't smell like you're smoking!
Question 2 : What does it smell like?
Answer : There is no nasty smell. I've actually blown it directly into the face of a doctor (at his request) and he didn't even bat an eye lid. I have noticed that the fragrance which mimics the flavour it represents; some are mild and light, others have more substance. Pineapple, mango and peach spring to mind - they taste great mixed and smell delicious too!
Question 3 : Does it taste like tobacco?
Answer : That's entirely up to you. There are tobacco flavours, but there are also fruit flavours, herb flavours, drink flavours, gourmet flavours . . . there's heaps of them; there's even a 'flavourless' flavour!
Question 4 : Is it safe to use?
Answer : I can only speak from my own experience. I am not aware of many studies completed on the subject currently (here's one carried out in New Zealand on a similar product and liquids. Doesn't look like the our e-cigs but has the same basic function using pre-filled cartridges). I have had no problems with it and experienced no side effects of any kind. Family, friends, new e-cig friends and other people I run into on the street, tell me that they have not experienced any side effects or problems since taking up an e-cigarette. The same doctor (mentioned above) told me that when the vapour is exhaled, the particles in the vapour are too large for another person to inhale.
UPDATE MAY 2014 : Here's a great resource which is a summary list of all of the most recent studies and articles written about e-cigarettes and e-liquid safety from respected Universities and Health Experts Worldwide : it's called The Ultimate List of E-Cig Studies : Are E-Cigs Actually Safe?
For a short summary of some of the information available, download our information brochure "Smoking vs Vaping : Fact vs Fiction".
Question 5 : Where can I use it?
Answer : Again, speaking from my own experience, I haven't yet come across a situation where I haven't used it. No one has ever complained about it. Recently, a friend of mine told me that she used hers during a hospital stay (2 weeks) and no one bothered about it at all. The doctors told her it was OK. Don't think you'd get away with it on a plane though, although a friend of mine says he has!
PLEASE NOTE : E-cigarettes are treated the same as cigarettes in Australia and therefore cannot be used indoors, in cars with children inside or within 5 metres of the entrance of anywhere. You will not be able to use your e-cigarette in hospital unless you are off the grounds of the office [I think our friend was 'stealth vaping'. Although your Doctor may agree that vaping is far better for you than cigarettes and may encourage you to vape, he / she will not be able to change the laws so you can vape wherever you please, so make sure you abide by all of the laws and legislation in place in your State.
UPDATE : For your own sake, check on the laws in your State/Territory/Country. Legislation is different in all States in Australia and wildly different all over the World. Please make sure that you abide by the law in your particular location . . . we're not advocating anarchy here!
Question 6 : How long does it take to charge and how long does the charge last?
Answer : Initially, it takes about 5 hours for the battery to charge fully. You can either charge it from the USB port in your computer, or with a USB wall plug adaptor or USB car charger. (If you've got an iPhone, you can use the same wall plug you use to charge your iPhone; I do). When fully charged the battery will last all day long with moderate to heavy use (around 800 puffs per charge). If you're a really heavy smoker, it's probably a good idea to carry a spare battery, just in case. Batteries have a suggested life-span of 350 recharges (I've had my original battery for over 18 months and it's still going strong with no dramas).
Question 7 : How long does a tank cartridge full of e-Liquid last?
Answer : 1 full tank of liquid will last a full day with moderate to heavy use. Once again, if you're a really heavy smoker, take a spare bottle of liquid with you or a spare filled clearomiser. Make sure the base is screwed on securely so it doesn't leak while being transported. 1.6ml is equal to 450 - 600 puffs or approximately 50 cigarettes.
Question 8 : Is it safe to use around kids?
Answer : See answer #4 and yes, it is. There's no smoke; it's water vapour and the particles are too large to be inhaled by another when you exhale [more detail discussed on the Your First Vape page]. There's no nasty smell (I refer you to question #2). You're toddler can't even set fire to the house with it! I have been told by a friend that the worst thing that happens if a small child gets hold of it is that they blow kiddie spit into the mouthpiece . . . .uuugh! He's learnt the value of "Keep out of reach of children" . . . And do you give the kids your cigarettes and lighter to play with now?
Question 9 : Is it really a healthier alternative?
Answer : WOW! Great question. The answer, in my experience, (and those experiences reported to me by friends and clients), is a resounding YES! Think about it logically. You're not burning anything, so you're not inhaling all of the harmful chemicals involved in the process of lighting and burning a cigarette. That HAS to be better for you. Then think about all of the combined chemicals contained in a cigarette. : you've eliminated virtually all of them.. As they say "You do the math".
Question 10 : Somebody told me that they think it's more environmentally friendly. Are you for real?
Answer : Well, actually, yes. It's kind of stretching it a little, but here's my reasoning.
1. You're not throwing cigarette butts out the window while driving or walking around, so there's less litter and less bushfires (how many bushfires have been started by a cigarette butt?). There's less land fill. (Do you know how long those butts take to break down?) Then there's also the benefit to the natural waterways where all cigarette butts eventually go to die. I'm surprised fish don't get cancer!
2. There's less pollution. There's no smoke to pollute the air and increase the hole in the ozone layer. Did you know that one cigarette produces 14mg of carbon and associated atmosphere destroying pollution per 1 x 0.9g cigarette? This is one of the highest weight to pollution ratios going! The smoke made by cigarettes has been proven to be 10 times more polluting than a diesel engine. 10 TIMES!
3. You save water in several ways. You don't have to run a separate cycle on the dishwasher for the ash trays or empty out the sink water 3 times to get the horrible, stinky things clean. There's no ash, so you don't have to dust, sweep, vacuum or mop daily . And you don't have to wash your hair every day because it doesn't smell like smoke all the time; same with your clothes, curtains, carpets, house, car . . .
4. You're reducing your carbon footprint by not driving to the shop everyday to buy cigarettes. And people will want to car pool with you now!
5. You're part of the war on obesity because you no longer make all those impulse buys when you drive to the shop everyday to buy cigarettes. Unfortunately, this may cause a slight downturn in the economy for the local shop owner and the Government (all those taxes!), however, you can rectify that by using the money you're saving to buy solar panels for your roof, a swag for a homeless person or donate to your favourite charity.
Answer : Again, speaking from my own experience, I haven't yet come across a situation where I haven't used it. No one has ever complained about it. Recently, a friend of mine told me that she used hers during a hospital stay (2 weeks) and no one bothered about it at all. The doctors told her it was OK. Don't think you'd get away with it on a plane though, although a friend of mine says he has!
PLEASE NOTE : E-cigarettes are treated the same as cigarettes in Australia and therefore cannot be used indoors, in cars with children inside or within 5 metres of the entrance of anywhere. You will not be able to use your e-cigarette in hospital unless you are off the grounds of the office [I think our friend was 'stealth vaping'. Although your Doctor may agree that vaping is far better for you than cigarettes and may encourage you to vape, he / she will not be able to change the laws so you can vape wherever you please, so make sure you abide by all of the laws and legislation in place in your State.
UPDATE : For your own sake, check on the laws in your State/Territory/Country. Legislation is different in all States in Australia and wildly different all over the World. Please make sure that you abide by the law in your particular location . . . we're not advocating anarchy here!
Question 6 : How long does it take to charge and how long does the charge last?
Answer : Initially, it takes about 5 hours for the battery to charge fully. You can either charge it from the USB port in your computer, or with a USB wall plug adaptor or USB car charger. (If you've got an iPhone, you can use the same wall plug you use to charge your iPhone; I do). When fully charged the battery will last all day long with moderate to heavy use (around 800 puffs per charge). If you're a really heavy smoker, it's probably a good idea to carry a spare battery, just in case. Batteries have a suggested life-span of 350 recharges (I've had my original battery for over 18 months and it's still going strong with no dramas).
Question 7 : How long does a tank cartridge full of e-Liquid last?
Answer : 1 full tank of liquid will last a full day with moderate to heavy use. Once again, if you're a really heavy smoker, take a spare bottle of liquid with you or a spare filled clearomiser. Make sure the base is screwed on securely so it doesn't leak while being transported. 1.6ml is equal to 450 - 600 puffs or approximately 50 cigarettes.
Question 8 : Is it safe to use around kids?
Answer : See answer #4 and yes, it is. There's no smoke; it's water vapour and the particles are too large to be inhaled by another when you exhale [more detail discussed on the Your First Vape page]. There's no nasty smell (I refer you to question #2). You're toddler can't even set fire to the house with it! I have been told by a friend that the worst thing that happens if a small child gets hold of it is that they blow kiddie spit into the mouthpiece . . . .uuugh! He's learnt the value of "Keep out of reach of children" . . . And do you give the kids your cigarettes and lighter to play with now?
Question 9 : Is it really a healthier alternative?
Answer : WOW! Great question. The answer, in my experience, (and those experiences reported to me by friends and clients), is a resounding YES! Think about it logically. You're not burning anything, so you're not inhaling all of the harmful chemicals involved in the process of lighting and burning a cigarette. That HAS to be better for you. Then think about all of the combined chemicals contained in a cigarette. : you've eliminated virtually all of them.. As they say "You do the math".
Question 10 : Somebody told me that they think it's more environmentally friendly. Are you for real?
Answer : Well, actually, yes. It's kind of stretching it a little, but here's my reasoning.
1. You're not throwing cigarette butts out the window while driving or walking around, so there's less litter and less bushfires (how many bushfires have been started by a cigarette butt?). There's less land fill. (Do you know how long those butts take to break down?) Then there's also the benefit to the natural waterways where all cigarette butts eventually go to die. I'm surprised fish don't get cancer!
2. There's less pollution. There's no smoke to pollute the air and increase the hole in the ozone layer. Did you know that one cigarette produces 14mg of carbon and associated atmosphere destroying pollution per 1 x 0.9g cigarette? This is one of the highest weight to pollution ratios going! The smoke made by cigarettes has been proven to be 10 times more polluting than a diesel engine. 10 TIMES!
3. You save water in several ways. You don't have to run a separate cycle on the dishwasher for the ash trays or empty out the sink water 3 times to get the horrible, stinky things clean. There's no ash, so you don't have to dust, sweep, vacuum or mop daily . And you don't have to wash your hair every day because it doesn't smell like smoke all the time; same with your clothes, curtains, carpets, house, car . . .
4. You're reducing your carbon footprint by not driving to the shop everyday to buy cigarettes. And people will want to car pool with you now!
5. You're part of the war on obesity because you no longer make all those impulse buys when you drive to the shop everyday to buy cigarettes. Unfortunately, this may cause a slight downturn in the economy for the local shop owner and the Government (all those taxes!), however, you can rectify that by using the money you're saving to buy solar panels for your roof, a swag for a homeless person or donate to your favourite charity.