It’s no mystery that cigarettes are slowly, but surely killing every individual that consumes them. Any serious health problem that arises – be it lung cancer, heart disease or emphysema – will undoubtedly cause regret for having smoked so many for so long. Hindsight takes over and a person will lament how they “should’ve quit” years ago. With the advent of electronic cigarettes, or E-cigs, a person may take a proactive role against the perils of cigarette smoking. There is a solution after all.

For some time now, the government has been taking measures to make smoking appear less attractive in a social environment, or to raise awareness of the harmful effects: no smoking indoors, tax hikes, limited advertising placements and various warnings of the label of packs. But most of these are barely noticed by the average smoker, and oftentimes the smoker simply does not care. A short-term satisfaction from the pull of a butt trumps the danger of a long-term health risk. But it’s difficult to quit. In fact, it’s downright impossible for some. That is, until now.

A safer alternative to smoking has come about with the advent of the electronic cigarette. This isn’t just a new fad, or a recent trend that will rise and fall, and eventually fade as most trends are wont to do. Improvements in technological areas of the electronic cigarette has produced fierce competition in the industry, allowing a higher quality in product and better control on the e-liquid, the producer of the vapors. And to imagine the possibility that all of this time, effort and money is being poured into an alternative to smoking, albeit it safe one, is inspiring to the millions of smokers all across the globe. If you’re serious about quitting then E-cigs are a serious option to consider.

Personally, I have to side with California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, when he said:

“[...] If adults want to purchase and consume these products with an understanding of the associated health risks, they should be able to do so [...]”

This is in regards to his vetoing a bill that otherwise would’ve banned the sales of E-cigs in the state of California, the only state currently attempting to outlaw the use of the device. My question is this: why is something less harmful than cigarettes being fought when cigarettes themselves are still being sold behind the counter of every pharmacy, grocery store, bar, bowling alley and gas station in America? How can something that would ease the transition from being classified as a Smoker to a Non-Smoker be fought with such vigor and resentment? This device is capable of saving lives and giving a person back their health, and therein lies the answer: if you’re healthy and smoke free, how much money are you spending on cigarettes, higher insurance premiums and frequent medical bills? Less, less and even less. You can see why more money is being thrown at the cessation of the E-cig than is put into the actual manufacturing of cigarettes: the companies stand to lose entirely too much money, and that’s all this anti-e-cig movement is really about. It’s a political game that we participate in on a daily basis, under the guise that it’s for the betterment of our own lives. Arnold Schwarzenegger has the right idea, we should be able to make this choice for ourselves.