A recent survey was conducted to determine the profile, utilization, satisfaction and perceived efficacy of a number of electronic cigarette users. This study was presented at the European Conference on Tobacco And Health, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, on March 28-30, of 2011.

The basis of the survey was as follows:

Aims:
To assess the profile, utilization patterns, satisfaction and perceived effects among users of electronic cigarettes (“e-cigarettes or e-cigs”).

Design and Setting:
An Internet survey, in both English and French, conducted late in 2010.

Participants:
Visitors of websites and online discussion forums dedicated to e-cigarettes and to methods of smoking cessation.

Findings:
There were 3587 participants

Respondents:
70% of respondents were former tobacco smokers. 61% were men, and the average age was 41 years.

Facts:
* The median duration of electronic cigarette use was 3 months.
* On average, users drew 120 puffs/day and used 5 cartridges/day. (This survey was based on the old 3 part models. Latest technology is the 2 part e-cigarette which uses a cartomizer. Generally a cartomizer contains about 0.8 ml and lasts for around 200 -250 puffs. 15 puffs is considered equivalent to a cigarette. A cartomizer is equivalent to about 8 cartridges).
* Almost all (97%) used e-cigarettes containing nicotine.
* Daily users spent, on average, $33 (about R225) per month on these products.
* Most (96%) users said the e-cigarette had helped them to quit smoking, or at least to reduce their smoking (92%).
* Reasons for using the e-cigarette included the perception that it was less toxic than tobacco (84%), to deal with cravings for tobacco (79%) and withdrawal symptoms (67%), to quit smoking or avoid relapsing (77%), because it was cheaper than smoking (57%) and to deal with situations where smoking was prohibited (39%).
* Most ex-smokers (79%) feared they might relapse to smoking if they stopped using the e-cigarette.
* Users of e-cigarettes containing nicotine reported better relief of withdrawal symptoms and a greater effect on smoking cessation, than those using e-cigarettes containing no nicotine.

Conclusions:
E-cigarettes were used much as people would use other nicotine replacement medications, by former smokers to avoid relapse, or as an aid to cut down or completely quit smoking. Further research should be conducted to fully evaluate the safety and efficacy of e-cigarettes for the administration of nicotine and other substances and for quitting and relapse prevention.

So, it seems that electronic cigarettes are being used for the right reasons and are definitely a leading aid in helping people to quit smoking. It also appears to be considered a healthier alternative to smoking.

Several scientific and/or medical tests have been conducted on electronic cigarettes, most notably the one done for the New Zealand Health Department, but due to lack of proper funding and by not being totally independent, these have been brushed aside as biased.

It is high time some government funded independent, unbiased studies to prove once and for all that this is the way forward and adjusted legislation to encourage their use.

This article was written by Derek Robson, who is a retired manufacturing engineer and a full time Internet marketer. He is an expert syndicated author and has had hundreds of his articles featured on websites around the globe. He is an ex-smoker and a staunch supporter of converting smokers to electronic cigarettes.

Together with his wife and son, Derek runs a business supplying the ECS brand of electronic cigarettes to customers across Southern Africa. Electronic Cigarette Suppliers have an informative website, a library of relevant articles, an online store and they offer overnight delivery. Find out more by visiting www.electronic-cigarette-suppliers.co.za