Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/85450
A CLOSER LOOK Electronic cigarettes This 2013 Volvo 670 that sports DuPont's gleaming Glacier White color scheme. By Sean Randall they're still cheaper over time than tobacco cigarettes. Part of the electronic cigarettes' fast-growing market is truck stops, appealing to truckers who don't want to see their health – or too much money – go up in smoke. There are no conclusive studies about the health effects of H electronic cigarettes. The American Association for Cancer Research claims that a chemical used in electronic cigarettes can cause oral cancer, but many organizations find the prod- ucts far less of a health risk than traditional cigarettes. What's actually "smoked" is a liquid consisting of flavoring, nicotine and the base. Flavors include traditional tobacco and menthol, specific cigarette brands and flavors like vanilla, cola and Boston cream pie. Different levels of nicotine doses are vailable, including nicotine-free versions. The base easily retains water, allowing the liquid to vaporize when it hits the atomizer. The most commonly used elements are propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin and polyethylene glycol 400. Common uses for propylene glycol include de- icing airplane wings and creating smoke in smoke machines. Vegetable glycerin can be used in antifreeze and as a sweet- ener, and PEG 400 is used in many pharmaceuticals. erbert Gilbert invented electronic cigarettes as an aid to quit smoking. They require some replaceable parts, but There are 2.5 million electronic cigarette users, says a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel report. The market has been growing at a triple-digit rate since the product was introduced to the United States in 2007. POWER SUPPLY. Most often this is a battery. Nonportable ver- sions must be plugged in, often via USB connection. Some products have an LED tip that lights up when you draw air. Cutoff switches on some models stop the atom- izer and prevent overheating. Some manufacturers offer portable charging cases that resemble cigarette packs. 50 | Overdrive | October 2012 ATOMIZER. This usually has a filament that is heated to vaporize the liquid. A metal mesh helps draw the liquid toward the filament. The filament eventually burns out due to the gunk left over from the vaporizing process. Some electronic cigarettes have a combined cartridge/atomizer. U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration / Verispan research CARTRIDGE. This often functions as a mouthpiece and a reservoir for the liquid that is "smoked." The cartridge moves the liquid to the atomizer and the resulting gas to the user. A used cartridge is either replaced or refilled.