Electronic Products Word of the Week: Electronic cigarette

 We are by no means promoting cigarette smoking, but the electronic cigarette is in the news and it deserves an explanation. First, the news: In New York, the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), which oversees buses, subways, and commuter railroads in and around New York City, included electronic cigarettes in its ban on smoking on outdoor platforms in its transit system.

Now the explanation of the product, courtesy of KCSA Strategic Communications: Since their invention in in 2003, electronic cigarettes have doubled in sales every year since 2008. Industry analysts project that sales of electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) will reach $1 billion in 2013. Analysts also predict that the consumption of e-cigs may overtake traditional cigarettes in the next decade. E-cigs are currently 20% cheaper than regular cigarettes and as their sales increase , they could end up being half the price.

“ Vapor Corp., the only publically traded player in this space, is leading the market in the diversity of its evolving product offering.

Below is a diagram and explanation of its leading flagship brand, Krave:

Components: a rechargeable lithium- ion battery, a heating element (the atomizer), and a nicotine/flavor cartridge.

E-cig Terminology Explained (the dictionary-like definitions are courtesy of KCSA):

• va·por ’vā-pәr noun 1 : diffused matter (as smoke or fog) suspended floating in the air and impairing its transparency.
• vape ’vāpә verb 1 : the act of using an electronic cigarette
• elec·tron·ic cig·a·rette i-,lek-’trä-nik ,si-gә-’ret, noun 1 : an electronic device that delivers nicotine without the burning of tobacco leaves; emits no odor or smoke
  • A: disruptive to the $190 billion global tobacco market
  • B: a legally defined tobacco product currently not subject to state tobacco taxes.

Regular cigarettes are heavily taxed, and the lower price of e-cigs are largely due to that. This end-product uses a variety of electronic components that Electronic Products readers know are used for many other purposes.