People can say what they will about smoking or other unhealthy habits, but the truth is that cigarettes and tobacco in general provides a very nice and pleasant short-term gain, helping one alleviate depression and feel calm. But we know the long-term effects are not so pleasant, with cancer, COPD, and other maladies caused through exposure over time.
What captures my attention is that someone somewhere thought about the conundrum and decided we needed a product that brings those short-term gains without bringing about the long-term disasters. They realized the silly notion that everyone should quit isn't gaining a lot of traction (although teen smoking numbers are way down, which is a good thing) but they had the wherewithal to see the health troubles cannot be ignored.
People over time tried different means to alleviate the health costs through light cigarettes and clever filters, but eventually people had to recognize that the cig is a cig. However, clever and entrepreneurial minds thought it over and discovered a way to give the consumer just what they desired in a high-tech piece of equipment. The electronic cigarette contains a small but effective atomizer inside that draws the moisture/humidity from the surrounding air and condenses it into a smoky-looking vapor. This water vapor resembles the smoke quite well (although not so much when the humidity is down), so the appearance of smoking can't be denied. From there, different methods employed by different products infuse the vapor with a flavor and small dose of nicotine (if desired but not demanded, as nicotine-free smoking is an option!), with the flavors being from tobacco to chocolate and other flavors.
What fascinates me is the creative spirit and entrepreneurial pursuit to come up with a solution to the problem that lead to creating what is actually rather high-tech and clever. Captain Kirk didn't even have one of these. I have seen futuristic movies detailing how discarded smokes would be destroyed by lasers when discarded, but none of those movies I saw approached this in this way. What this shows is the imaginative and creative aspects of problem solving (and recognition) knows no boundaries. The only thing I can think of that comes close to this in fiction and other grasps at the issue is synthehol in the Star Trek series, where the artificial alcohol consumed at the lounge loses its intoxicating effects when the lounge is exited. That is a neat idea but still not as ingenious as this.
So, while some may think this is a step back from finding the body a temple, I find it a tremendous leap forward in the continual quest to better life and seek improvements through innovation and a concerted effort to solve the problems as they are. The electronic cigarette doesn't contain the silly denial of the reduced tar and nicotine of lights, and it isn't a pathetic compromise of a filter that can do but so much. The electronic cigarette approaches the subject with maturity and a healthy lack of prejudice, demonstrating there are those with very fresh thoughts and the ability to, as they say, think outside the box.
I was a smoker for a long time, enjoying cigarettes, pipes (I loved my pipes) and even the occasional cigars, and I also enjoyed smokeless tobacco for quite some time. But I was tired of the lingering thought of the potential for a gruesome death and I was certainly tired of the ridiculous costs. But presently I have three different eCigs and vaporizers, and I like them quite a bit. I have a rather large vaporizer that requires what's called eJuice but find it unsuitable for travel as it can be a bit messy. But I am fond of it at home. I have two other eCigs I keep with me as I travel and find them pleasant, but I have found I am on the prowl for an even better version. These things are certainly gaining in popularity, as it appears there are so many versions and options available today, with even some looking just like conventional pipes and hookahs. Gotta love it.
While I am aware some are displeased with the notion that this is where technology flows, I find the acceptance of humanity being what it is as opposed to some Utopian version thus far unattainable to be a breath of fresh air, even when infused with water vapor flavored with apple and a tad of nicotine. I am quite impressed with this invention, much the same way I am fascinated by the eBook. I have a Kindle and love the fact that I can keep numerous books with me and not have to worry about the space and weight. I know those eBooks aren't the best for the physical stores, but they utilize technology to solve the issues many suffered with traditional books, being space challenges and the issue of weight and so forth. Who doesn't have several boxes filled with old books? That eBook helps so much.
And I really like living in a world where I can enjoy my eBook while enjoying my eCig, with neither destroying my health or compromising on how many books I have with me.
In short, hurrah to those with ingenious minds and the ability to demonstrate we can still pursue a better humanity and world once we recognize what it is we really desire.
