Electronic cigarettes are often recommended to tobacco smokers as an alternative to conventional cigarettes. However, not every tobacco smoker is versed in e-cigarettes. How do these devices work and what is worth knowing about them?

E-cigarette construction – what are the components of an e-cigarette?

Although e-cigarettes are manufactured by different companies, they are similar in terms of design and usually have a modular structure. For an electronic cigarette to perform its function, it must be equipped with:

• Power supply. It takes the form of a battery. It can be built-in or not – the choice largely depends on the preferences of the person using the device. However, taking into account the convenience of use, integrated solutions have the advantage – they only need to be recharged and do not need to be replaced.
• Liquid container. This is the part of the electronic cigarette that is most often used, as it is regularly refilled with new liquid.
• Atomizer. It is the part of the e-cigarette where the liquid is heated. Depending on the electronic cigarette model, it may be more or less integrated with the liquid container, heater or battery. The way the atomizer is designed is also important – the heater is a heavily used element and therefore needs to be replaced frequently.

There are also disposable e-cigarettes on the market which are less complicated (because they do not require any user intervention). However, they are not as popular as reusable devices.

Composition of e-cigarette liquid

Using an e-cigarette is inseparably associated with the purchase of e-cig liquid. This is the e-liquids that is converted by the device into an aerosol that is inhaled by the user. Tobacco, mint, fruit, chocolate or iced tea flavored solutions are examples of liquids that an e-cigarette user can buy.

Since electronic cigarettes are an alternative to traditional cigarettes, it is natural that the liquids contain nicotine (although they do not have to – there are nicotine-free e-cigarettes available on the market). Although this is the main ingredient that e-cigarette users care about, the composition of liquids is more complex and the aforementioned nicotine does not have the largest percentage share in it. On the contrary, as a rule, nicotine constitutes only 2% of the liquid composition. So, what else is there besides nicotine in liquids?

The liquid for electronic cigarettes also contains glycerin (or propylene glycol), which is the so-called carrier. It can also contain water (or alcohol), flavors and other compounds.

How does an electronic cigarette work?

Using an e-cigarette is as simple as pressing a button and inhaling. When using an electronic cigarette for the first time, it is necessary to select the liquid, or more precisely, the concentration of nicotine contained in it. It is the choice of the right solution that often decides whether a user chooses an e-cigarette over a pack of traditional cigarettes.

A person reaching for an electronic cigarette must remember that some parts of the device need to be cleaned or replaced regularly. Using electronic cigarettes requires, among other things, removing impurities from the mouthpiece (preferably every few days) and replacing the heater periodically.