Electronically avoid new smoking laws

One option is the use of electronic cigarettes, which do not fall under this Act, as they emit no harmful gasses or smoke and therefore present no second-hand smoke risk.

“Electronic cigarettes are not harmful to those around you, and significantly reduce the damage caused to the smoker by cutting out all carcinogenic substances," says Ridwaan Ismail of Health-e-Cigarettes, a local company that has launched its electronic cigarette this year. "Instead of producing smoke from combustion, the electronic cigarette produces vapour, created from liquid containing nicotine within the electronic cigarette.”

Both odourless and colourless, the vapour is neither toxic nor harmful as a secondary smoke, making it safe to smoke in all public places.

"Tobacco-based cigarettes contain nearly 4000 chemical substances, including arsenic, cyanide and other carcinogenic agents, which are not present in the e-cigarette, thus making it possible for us to bill it as the ‘Healthy Alternative'," says Ismail.

e-Friendly

The cartridges used in the device, unlike tobacco butts, are also completely recyclable as they are made almost entirely of plastic; this combined with the non-toxic smoke make the e-cigarette a much more environmentally friendly product.

Health-e-Cigarettes enters this niche market in South Africa, which has already been established by Twisp electronic cigarettes.

Having launched in SA in June 2008, Twisp is manufactured by Dutch market leader Janty and ranks amongst the leading brands on the international market of electronic cigarettes.

Electronic cigarettes contain only nicotine, flavourings, water and propylene glycol. "The latter acts as a humectant to enhance the vapour and suspend the flavour,” explains Philip Bartholomew, co-founder of Twisp electronic cigarettes. Propylene glycol is a common additive in medicines and cosmetics, for example to keep toothpaste or mouthwash moist. It is deemed as GRAS (generally regarded as safe) by the US FDA.

A research study conducted at Health New Zealand Ltd in October 2008 supports this evaluation and reports propylene glycol as virtually non-toxic. The report even takes a step further and supplies evidence, that e-smoking is a safer alternative to regular smoking. The institute analysed the effect of all compounds contained in liquid and mist alike on e-smokers as well as on second-hand e-smokers, on behalf of a Hong Kong based electronic cigarette brand.

Notable savings

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The Twisp Dura Auto starter pack costs R899.95, which includes an atomiser, charger, two lithium polymer batteries and five nicotine cartridges. Each cartridge is roughly equivalent to one pack of ordinary cigarettes (20 cigarettes). Replacement cartridges are priced at R50 to R90 for a pack of five. After the initial outlay, this works out to be a saving of between 10 - 50% when compared to the cost of a regular carton of cigarettes. Therefore the device would essentially have paid for itself within 6 - 8 weeks. E-smokers can also choose between tobacco, mint, cherry and strawberry flavours. The atomised cartridges are available in variable nicotine contents: high, medium, low and zero.