Light-Smelling E-Cigarettes Gain Popularity
People reject tobacco for more than just the physical harm smoking can cause to smokers themselves. What many people dislike even more is the secondhand smoke produced during smoking, leaving those who are sensitive to smoke with little relief. Recently, a product known as the e-cigarette has been selling very well and is even advertised as helping people quit smoking, but a reporter's investigation found that this is not actually the case.
Light-Smelling and Less Irritating, It Has Become Quite Popular
On the morning of the 6th, the reporter first visited a vaping store on Zhenxing North Road in the city's central district. After entering the shop and making inquiries, the reporter learned that the e-cigarettes sold there originated in Italy and were manufactured domestically under contract. The reporter noticed that most of the vaping devices sold in the store were pen-style, though there were also some square-shaped products. Prices varied widely, ranging from just over 100 yuan to more than 1,000 yuan. The shop owner explained that an e-cigarette is a low-voltage micro-electronic atomization device that heats a tobacco-flavored liquid into vapor for users to inhale, and that the e-liquid comes in dozens of flavors. Compared with conventional cigarettes, e-cigarettes do not contain tar, suspended particles, and certain other harmful components found in cigarettes. In addition, vaping devices are cleaner and more hygienic, and they do not produce such a harsh smell when used. To support this claim, the shop owner demonstrated on the spot with a piece of tissue paper. First, the owner lit a conventional cigarette, took a full drag, and blew the smoke onto the tissue, which immediately showed yellow-brown residue. Then the owner took a puff from a vaping device and repeated the same action, but no visible trace appeared on the tissue, and the exhaled vapor did not have a pungent smell. "It is precisely because of this advantage that many people buy this product for friends and family members who smoke, so as to prevent harsh odors when they smoke at home or in other public places," the owner said.
During the interview, quite a few young people came into the shop to learn about the products. Among the consumers entering the store, in addition to caring about price and performance, most also paid attention to appearance. Because vaping devices come in many styles and have novel designs, some people also buy them as gifts for relatives and friends.
Smokers: They Always Want Something Between Their Fingers
So how do some smokers feel about e-cigarettes? The reporter interviewed several smoking friends nearby. Mr. Wang, a 29-year-old local resident, has been smoking for nearly 17 years. Speaking about e-cigarettes, he said: "The cigarettes we used to smoke had a stronger taste and gave a more satisfying hit, which made them very popular among young people back then. In recent years, cigarette flavors have become lighter, but when I smoke, I'm still used to that tar-related taste, and because the liquid in e-cigarettes does not contain tar, it always feels like it has no taste." During the interviews, the reporter found that nearly half of smokers shared views similar to Mr. Wang's, while nearly 30 percent said they would be willing to try vaping for a period of time if the flavor suited them. Only a small number of smokers said they had already tried e-cigarettes before and found the flavor acceptable, the devices convenient to carry, and easier to use because they did not need to be lit like traditional cigarettes. "For many smokers, the hand-to-mouth habit is actually even stronger. When they're idle, they always want to hold something between their fingers, so often only half a cigarette is actually smoked, while the process of using a vaping device feels much more casual," said one smoker who had already purchased an e-cigarette.
