The electronic cigarette is an alternative device that may help a smoker quit the unhealthy habit of smoking regular cigarettes or provide him or her with a healthier alternative. Unlike regular cigarettes, electronic cigarettes are devices that provide only nicotine, and no tar, substances that cause cancer or carbon monoxide. Since nicotine is the only substance in cigarette smoke that satisfies the addiction, electronic cigarettes basically provide water vapor and nicotine.
An electronic cigarette is a battery-powered device that has a container with nicotine-containing liquid and a vaporizer, which heats the liquid until it is transformed into vapor and is inhaled by the smoker. The electronic cigarette is shaped almost exactly like a regular cigarette. The studies that evaluate the benefits of electronic cigarettes over regular cigarettes are currently in progress, but it is believed that they can reduce the risk of cancer in smokers.