Sometimes the best way to light up sales has nothing to do with service, price or even the product.

That’s been the case for electronic cigarette distributors who have benefited from a federal judge’s ruling in January that barred the Food and Drug Administration from stopping shipment of the devices into the U.S. The agency seized shipments of the devices last year.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Richard L eon was the spark electronic cigarette distributor Liam Ben-David needed to add a Smoking Everywhere kiosk to the Mall of Victor Valley, manager Eddie Zemach said.

Leon’s ruling gave Ben-David the confidence to set up shop in the High Desert. He set up the kiosk at the mall two weeks ago. Along with his site in the Ontario Mills Mall, Zemach said the company has tapped into one of the best markets in California.

Statistics back their hunch.

San Bernardino County’s rate of adults who smoked daily was 15.6 percent in 2005 — more than 5 percent higher than the state average and almost double the rate in Los Angeles County.

“That’s why we came here,” Zemach said. “The smoking rates are higher here than they are in L.A.”

As I’ve blogged, I got my Blu Cig Starter Pack a few weeks ago and since then I’ve been finding all kinds of things I love about them. I’m sure the benefits of e-cigs will continue to occur to me as I go on this journey of giving up traditional cigarettes to blu cigs, but here are the top 10 things about I love about my Blu Cigs.

1. The first benefit of e-cigarettes that I truly realized was smoking at my desk in my office. The day my Blu Cigs arrived, I loaded up a blu cig cartridge, and began puffing away, without losing my train of thought. This has seriously increased my focus and productivity. Before blu cigs, I’d get up about once an hour, go outside, and light up. Generally, it wasn’t a straight trip to and from my smoking area. As long as I was up, I might as well get a snack, another cup of coffee, chat with people…I was losing about 15-20 minutes an hour by taking a “quick smoke break.” Now I puff on my e-cig, and continue working away.

2. At night, I tend to pop in a DVD and watch a movie with my family, or watch some TV dramas we’ve Tivo’d. Again, once an hour, everyone would have to stop for me to head outside and feed my nicotine addiction. Being the only smoker, this practice generally results in groans and moans from my family. Can’t you just wait until the movie is over to go smoke? Now I pull out my blu cig and never have to hit that pause button. We’re all happier for it.

3. Smoking in bed. Yes, I’m a nicotine addict. I hate to admit it, but there are times after I’ve gone to bed, even in the middle of the night, when the craving for a cigarette hits me. I’m so addicted that I’m willing to get up from my cozy bed, tramp outside and light up a cigarette. If I don’t, I know that I’ll lay awake obsessing about it. Better to just get it out of the way. Then I come back smelling like an ashtray. Aside from the fact that I don’t smoke traditional cigarettes in the house, smoking in bed is a dangerous habit. There were times back in college when I’ve actually fallen asleep with a cigarette and burned holes in the bed. I’m luck that’s all that happened. Now I can safely fire up my blu cig, and return to my slumber without ever leaving the comfort of my bed.

4. No ashtrays. I HATE ashtrays. They are gross. I keep them outside, but every time I walk into my beautiful, peaceful backyard to smoke, I admire the landscape and then my gaze inevitably falls to the disgusting pile of cigarettes and ash in my ashtray. E-cigs produce no ash, and therefore there’s no need for an ashtray.

5. The smell. C’mon, even if you’re a smoker, you have to smell it. The smell of cigarettes didn’t bother me for years, but as I’ve gotten older, I seem to notice it more on myself…my hands, my clothes, my hair. I’d actually taken to keeping anti-bacterial gel by my ashtrays to immediately quash the smell. E-cigs don’t smell, so I don’t smell, I will save money on having my leather jackets dry cleaned, etc. Big benefit of e-cigs right there.

6. E-cigs are much cheaper! At about $6 a pack for traditional cigarettes these days, most people are desperate to quit or find another solution. Blu Cigs are about 75% cheaper than traditional cigarettes. At the rate I’m saving, I’ll have a monthly payment for a boat in no time, and still get to smoke!

7. Reduction in cigarettes. I won’t say that I’ve completely given up traditional cigarettes, but in just a few weeks I’ve reduced the amount of cigarettes I smoke by half, without any discomfort.

8. No pressure to smoke a full cigarette. As much as cigarettes cost these days, when I light up a traditional cigarette, I feel pressured to smoke the full cigarette, even if I just want a couple of puffs. With an e-cig, I can take my puffs and not waste anything else.

9. Long car drives. I have about a 75-minute commute to work, and I don’t smoke in my car (because of the smell.) I do, however, enjoy smoking in the car. I get restless, and smoking calms me down. Now I can have both, firing up my Blu Cig as I travel down the freeway. No muss, no fuss, no smell.

10. I just feel better. Logically, I know that smoking blu cigs reduces the amount of tar and carcinogens that I’m putting into my body. But I also feel better. I’m not as winded, I have more energy, and I just feel better. That’s the best benefit of blu cigs I’ve found so far.

Try Blu Cigs for yourself!

Get your Blu Cigs Here!

As I’ve been using my Blu Cigs, I’ve picked up a couple of tricks that might be useful for you.

First, at one point I noticed that after loading up a new blu cig cartridge, I wasn’t getting the proper vapor and nicotine hit from the drag. I knew my battery was charged and obviously the cartridge was new. After tinkering a bit, I took the cartridge off and realized the problem. When you load an e-cig cartridge, the atomizer pierces the nicotine receptical. (See the construction of an e-cig here.)  It is covered with a layer of aluminum foil. When I’d pierced the aluminum, the foil stuck to my atomizer, blocking much of the vapor and nicotine from getting through the end of my e-cig. I simply removed the foil, replaced the blu cig cartridge, and all was good in e-cig land.

Another tip I picked up from a friend, is how to get more vapor from the blu cig. Personally, I’ve always smoked light cigarettes, so I don’t have any problem with the amount of nicotine and vapor I get from a light e-cig cartridge. My friend, however, was a heavy full-strenght cigarette smoker and wasn’t completely satisfied with the hit he was getting from his Blu Cig. He told me that by putting a small piece of Scotch tape where the batter and atomizer connect, he was able to draw more vapor from his Blu Cig and get satisfaction.

Have any tips? Leave a comment!

WASHINGTON

A federal judge says the Food and Drug Administration overstepped its authority in recent efforts to regulate electronic cigarettes.

A ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon handed down Thursday sides with two electronic cigarette suppliers, Smoking Everywhere and NJOY, in their lawsuit against the FDA.

The companies sued the government after regulators began halting shipments of electronic cigarettes last year. The FDA said it found cancer-causing ingredients in the products, despite manufacturers’ claims that the products are safer than tobacco cigarettes.

Electronic cigarettes use a battery-operated vaporizer to produce a nicotine mist that simulates inhalable smoke. Manufacturers have touted the products as a healthier alternative to smoking because there is no burning involved.

The FDA argued that electronic cigarettes are in fact a combination drug-device, and therefore subject to stricter safety standards than cigarettes.

But Judge Leon rejected that reasoning, agreeing with manufactures that electronic cigarettes are “the functional equivalent of traditional cigarettes.”

“This case appears to be yet another example of FDA’s aggressive efforts to regulate recreational tobacco products as drugs or devices,” states Leon’s ruling. “Unfortunately, its tenacious drive to maximize its regulatory power has resulted in its advocacy of an interpretation of the relevant law that I find, at first blush, to be unreasonable.”

Leon was appointed to the U.S. District Court by President Bush in 2002.

The FDA recently gained the power to regulate tobacco-based cigarettes, but since electronic cigarettes don’t contain tobacco they don’t fall under that regulation.

The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids said Leon’s ruling, if upheld, “opens a gaping hole in the protection FDA has provided against the sale and distribution of non-tobacco products.”

Q: How much nicotine is in them?
A: Most cartridges, like the kind Williams sells, come in packs of 16 mg, 11 mg, 6 mg, and 0 mg. Companies claim on average e-cigs contain less nicotine than actual cigarettes. Some people, however, Willams said, have been making their own filters, regulating the nicotine amounts by dropper.
Q: What do they cost?
A: Prices range from about $40 for a low-end model to $130 or $200 for the more high-end versions. The cartridges themselves cost $10 for a pack of five. (Each cartridge contains about 100-200 puffs or the equivalent of 20 cigarettes.) You can also buy disposable models for about $30. These only last a day or two.
Q: Where can you “smoke” these?
A:  Ostensibly just about anywhere. In bars, restaurants, the office. Williams said he’s been able to use them on airplane trips. Some businesses and restaurants do not allow people to smoke them on principle. It’s probably a good idea if you’re in a bar or public place to ask before “lighting up.”
Q: How popular are they?
A: Williams said he has sold about 300 since January. He divides users into four groups: People on a fixed income who don’t want to constantly shell out for smokes; those who want to smoke anywhere without being hassled; people who are trying to quit smoking; and people who want to smoke but can’t stand the smell.

I found the above article at PennLive.com

Now he vapes.

“Vaping” means he inhales the vapor from an electronic cigarette, a battery-powered device that typically looks like a cigarette, but delivers nicotine without the tobacco and smoke.

Electronic cigarettes, Riddle say, lets him enjoy the pleasures of smoking without its downsides.

But the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations says not so fast. The FDA warns that e-cigs are not safe, has seized some shipments, and is fighting in court to keep the e-cigarettes away from the public.

Following a nationwide crackdown on smoking in public, the dispute over e-cigarettes raises new questions about personal freedom, public health, addictive drugs and government regulation. It also begs the question: could this be the future of smoking?

The fix?

An electronic cigarette, or e-cigarette, is a small cylindrical device that looks like a cigarette or a pen. When users inhale from it, a heating element vaporizes the liquid in the mouthpiece cartridge, which contains nicotine and propylene glycol - a common chemical approved for use in foods, cosmetics, and smoke machines.

Users exhale a vapor that looks like smoke but without the cancer-causing tar and carbon monoxide.

E-cigarettes can have varying levels of nicotine, to match regular, light and ultralight cigarettes.

Riddle, a public safety dispatcher who lives in Schaumburg, was a pack-a-day smoker for 12 years before he tried an e-cigarette this June.

Riddle had tried a nicotine patch, and nicotine gum, which he called “disgusting,” but nothing simulated the habit of smoking like an e-cigarette.

The day he started using e-cigarettes was the last day he smoked an “analog” cigarette, as old-fashioned smokes are called.

“It replaces my need for a cigarette,” he said.

Now he can use it around friends, in their homes, and in bars or restaurants, because there’s not that smoky smell.

People in public, including bar and restaurant workers, ask him what it is, and when he explains it, he says they have no problem with it and often want to try it or see if it could help someone they know quit smoking.

Riddle says he feels much healthier.

“My lung capacity has increased tremendously,” he said. “I’m able to taste foods better now, and can smell better now.”

Some restaurant owners support the idea as well.

Hossein Jamali, owner of Meson Sabika tapas restaurant in Naperville, said he hasn’t seen the e-cigarettes, but would allow them as a way to help people quit smoking.

Since they don’t burn tobacco, don’t have the resulting smell and don’t need an ashtray, he said he didn’t anticipate a problem differentiating them from regular cigarettes.

Since last year, Illinois has banned smoking in public places, but it’s not obvious whether the language in the law applies to e-cigarettes:

“Smoking” is defined as “the carrying, smoking, burning, inhaling, or exhaling of any kind of lighted pipe, cigar, cigarette, hookah, weed, herbs, or any other lighted smoking equipment.”

The Illinois Department of Public Health regulates the ban, but spokeswoman Kelly Jakubek said the agency has not taken a position on whether it applies to e-cigarettes because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved them, so they are not a legal product to begin with.

FDA seizures

Nevertheless, numerous companies sell e-cigarettes on the Internet and at mall kiosks and truck stops.

A starter package runs about $50 for a charger with two electronic cigarettes and five cartridges. Each replaceable cartridge is comparable to three to five cigarettes.

Ray, whose day job is as an information technology analyst, has had two shipments from his manufacturer in China seized by the FDA. He says he’ll keep selling while awaiting a ruling in a court case challenging the FDA’s seizures.

A May 2009 evaluation of e-cigarettes by the FDA found that the two brands of e-cigarettes tested, Njoy and Smoking Everywhere , both released tobacco-generated cancer-causing chemicals and other impurities, including in one case very low levels of diethylene glycol, a toxic component of antifreeze.

E-cigs claiming to contain no nicotine were also found to contain very small amounts of nicotine.

E-cigarettes do not fall under the FDA’s new jurisdiction over smoking, because they don’t contain tobacco. But FDA spokeswoman Siobhan DeLAncey said the agency believes it should regulate e-cigarettes as a drug in a new product, just as it regulates other nicotine products like patches and nicotine inhalers, available only by prescription.

But approval of those other products required clinical studies showing they helped smokers quit, which e-cigarette makers say they are working on.

The agency also raised concerns that because the e-cigarettes are available in flavors like chocolate and mint - which it recently banned in regular cigarettes - they may increase nicotine addiction and tobacco use in young people.

Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States. The National Cancer Institute says tobacco smoke contains more than 60 carcinogens, and quitting smoking has major health benefits. It also notes that nicotine causes addiction comparable to that of heroin or cocaine.

Because of the threat smoking poses, some medical professionals believe that eliminating tobacco would be a giant step forward.

Dr. Kevin Sherrin, president of the American Association of Public Health Physicians - who is not compensated by e-cigarette makers - says conventional cigarettes are “much more hazardous” than e-cigarettes.

To get more smokers to use them instead of cigarettes, he proposes that e-cigarettes be immediately regulated as tobacco products.

The use of e-cigarettes, he argues, could help save 400,000 Americans who die each year from tobacco-related illness, as well as 48,000 people who die from secondhand smoke, and 700 people who die in fires caused by smoking.

The FDA’s DeLAncey says while levels of carcinogens may be far lower than from regular cigarettes, the long-term effect of using e-cigarettes is not known.

“Until they’re safe and effective for their intended purpose,” she said, “we can’t say they’re better for you than a cigarette.”

If you frequent your local shopping malls, you’ve probably seen a small kiosk in the center aisles peddling some new gadget that looks like a plastic cigarette. E-cigs are generally the same shape and size of a traditional cigarette. These e-cig kiosks are popping up more and more every day as the popularity of electric cigarettes catchs on across the nation.

Electric cigarettes were originally created in China in 2004. While they are still mostly under the radar in the United States, the popularity is increasing and more and more retailers are setting up shop in shopping malls and on the Internet.

E-Cig Basics

An e-cigarette is powered by an e-cig cartridge connected to an atomozier, connected to a batter. The battery is generally charged with a USB cord plugged into your computer, a battery pack, or a wall charger.  The e-cig cartridges contain a liquid solution of nicotine and propylene glycol (the substance often used in fog machines.) E-cig cartridges also come without nicotine and often include some kind of flavoring as well. Depending on the brand of e-cigs you’re smoking, you can either refill your used cartridge with e-liquid in the flavor of your choice, or replace the disposable cartridge with another one.

Probably the best-selling factor that separates e-cigs from  traditional tobacco cigarettes is health concerns. While the FDA has yet to test the safety of e-cigs, Tthe ingredients have been ruled as safe for general use. They include propylene glycol, sometimes alcohol, natural and artificial flavorings, vinegar, and a couple of other items that make up no more than 1% of the total solution.

Because e cigs don’t contain tar, carcinogens, cancer-causing agents, and smoke, they are being heralded as the safer alternative to smoking traditional tobacco cigarettes. When a user inhales the liquid solution, which is being called “vaping”, the vapor that is released by the inhaler is not smoke, contains no odor, and does not cause second-hand smoke. In fact, recent laboratory findings show that the nicotine cannot be found in the vapor that is exhaled.

As more and more retailers of e-cigs emerge, and more and more former traditional smokers are seen vaping in places that normally have a smoking ban, e-cigs will continue to catch on. Don’t be surprised to see electric cigarettes popping up in your workplace, your neighborhood bar and even on airplanes in the near future.

Gamucci Electric Cigarettes

Gamucci e-cigs look, feel and taste like  traditional cigarettes. Gamucci delivers all the pleasures of smoking, without all the problems. Electronic cigarettes are driven by modern microelectronic technology. The actual cigarette body is an integrated structure made up of a cartridge, an atomization chamber, a smart chip controller and built in lithium battery. In the front of the device is an operating mode indicator that lights up when you use it, a bit like a real cigarette. The most interesting part of the Gamucci electronic cigarette is the atomization chamber. This is where the magic happens and this part of the device is responsible for creating the vapor like smoke, very much like a real cigarette. This vapor is a result of the nicotine dilution, that is found in the e-cig cartridge, heating up or atomizing. This is what produces the vapor that when inhaled gives the user the nicotine hit that smokers crave, but without the negative side effects of smoking tobacco.

Is the Gamucci Safe?
Gamucci contains only water, propylene glycol, nicotine, a scent that emulates a tobacco flavour and a membrane to suspend the ingredients. Gamucci has been extensively tested and the cartridges have been toxicologically tested. None of the ingredients are considered cancer-causing agents. The product also holds CE and RoHS certifications. Compared to traditional cigarettes and cigars, Gamucci is infinitely safer.

How Long will an E-cig Cartridge Last?
One Gamucci cartridge is equivalent to 20 traditional cigarettes.

How Long will the Battery Last Before Needing Recharging?
The battery will last for approximately one day with normal use.

Is there a Guarantee with the Purchase?
The battery and charger come with a 12 month guarantee.

What does the Gamucci Really Taste Like?
The taste of the Gamucci resembles that of tobacco, but feels much smoother and cleaner as there are none of the impurities associated with real tobacco.

Can I use Gamucci Anywhere?
Gamucci does not release smoke but a harmless vapour so it can be used in public areas, restaurants, bars, nightclubs and offices where smoking is prohibited; however do not be surprised when people ask about you smoking Gamucci. To the casual observer, using Gamucci creates the appearance of traditional smoking. Users report that simply explaining to others how Gamucci works, usually creates acceptance for using the product anywhere.

Is Gamucci Cheaper than Traditional Smoking Products?
After the initial investment of purchasing the device, smoking the Gamucci is considerably cheaper than smoking traditional smoking products. Smokers can save up to 80% on average smoking costs as well as use the device to cut down, cut the habit and ultimately quit smoking altogether.

Here’s a Demo video on Gamucci E-Cigs

You buy Gamucci E-cigs here

I just heard from the makers of Blu Cigs, the brand of e-cigs that I smoke. Due to overwhelming interest in Blu Cigs, they company is not taking any new orders for two weeks (until July 21) so they can step up production on their electronic cigarettes and meet the growing demand. If you have placed an order and are worried about your Blu Cigs shipping, I’m assured that all orders will be shipping soon.

I will update everyone as soon as they open up the order process again. In the mean time, I’ll be reviewing some other brands of e-cigs in the next couple of days. For now, you can check out E Cigarettes Choice starter kits.

The include the brands:

• Gamucci
• Smoking Everywhere
• SS Choice
• NJoy

You can get starter kits, disposable e-cigs, refill cartridges, e-liquid, batteries and chargers, atomizers, e-cig cases and more. E Cigarettes Choice is having a killer sale right now plus free shipping so its a great time to check them out.