This is one product that has gotten me truly excited. Not because I smoke and am trying to quit, but because I can't stand smokers and their environment-polluting smoke. Seems like Singapore's NewTek Group has provided me with the solution with an innovative new gadget, the e cigarette. This e cigarette reproduces the exact smoking experience (complete with water vapor 'smoke') but without all the bad stuff (secondhand smoke, tar, carbon monoxide and all the other harmful chemicals).
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How it works
The electronic cigarette is powered by a rechargeable battery (front part of the cigarette), an atomizer, connected to a cartridge that contains different levels of nicotine (depending on the smoker's needs, can opt for 0mg).
Weaning the nicotine addiction, yet preserving the physical habit
The e cigarette can be used by smokers to wean the nicotine addiction and seems like a rather attractive alternative compared to nicotine plasters, inhalers and chewing gums. A big part of the difficulty in quitting smoking lies in the physical habit of fingering a cigarette and 'having something to do with your hands'. With that in mind, I think the electronic cigarette helps fulfill the need for a social lubricant yet need not be as damaging as the original (a normal cigarette contains over 400 poisonous and 40 cancer-causing chemicals).
Encourage non-smokers instead?
On the other hand, will non-smokers try a puff of the e cigarette and thereafter, be tempted to try the 'real thing'?
Singapore's anti-smoking attempts
Singapore has seen nation-wide attempts to encourage people to quit smoking. There was a campaign targeted at Malay smokers (15% success rate), another at female smokers, anti-smoking campaigns with gory and graphic TV ads, and not to forget, the graphic ads plastered on cigarette boxes.
Yet, despite these efforts and with each pack of cigarette costing more, Singapore still lit up 16 million more cigarettes per month last year.
Smokers in Singapore
With over 12.6% of the local population being smokers, and with 40% of them trying to quit, that's a good size of people out there NewTek can target. But this target number actually expands because I have an inkling that a portion of the customers of NewTek will not be smokers themselves but rather, their loved ones.
International distribution and refund policy
NewTek currently distributes the device in Singapore, Europe and the US and they also have a return policy where if you return the product within 14 days and get a refund of the purchase price (minus the shipping costs).
Competitors?
I haven't been able to find other electronic cigarettes retailer or distributor in Singapore so it seems as if NewTek has much pickings to do.
Last words
I certainly wish that I could give NewTek's e cigarette out for free just so that I can breathe a little easier. Enditem
