Smokeless campus: the e-cigarette

Going out for a smoke is, for some people, as automatic as getting up in the morning. Though usage has begun to die down, cigarettes are still very much a part of society today. With cigarette costs increas­ing all the time, some people are beginning to get worried about how buying one will im­pact their finances. Adding in the health risks involved with smoking, the practice seems to be surviving only because of the thriving tobacco industry. While many alternatives and cessation devices have been posed, only a few distinct cat­egories have gained enough popularity to stay afloat. Enter the e-cigarette, a relatively new contender in the "battle against addiction."

As its name suggests, the e-cig­arette is an electronic alterna­tive to smoking toted to be far healthier. It is an interesting de­vice with roots dating to 1963, though an actual design hadn't been devised until 2003. The average unit consists of a car­tridge of liquid nicotine, an at­omizer used to vaporize said liq­uid, and a power supply, such as a battery, although their appear­ances can range from something similar to a regular cigarette to a pipe or even a pen. Released internationally in 2005, and receiving an international pat­ent in 2007, e-cigarettes have been met with a large amount of criticism. While the health risks posed by e-cigarettes are currently unknown, they are entirely first-hand – as there is no smoke, others are affected far less by their use. Still, several countries, including Singapore, Brazil, Lebanon, and Finland, have banned them. Strangely, many laws consider them to be tobacco products, even though they were invented partly as an alternative thereto.

All safety concerns aside, the e-cigarette is becoming a far more affordable alternative to actual smoking. Though still more expensive than a patch or Nicorette gum, they provide something that other cessation methods cannot: they simu­late smoking a cigarette almost perfectly. This creates a basic placebo effect, particularly with non-nicotine models, which of­ten proves to be a more effec­tive method of quitting. Most e-cigarettes are rechargeable, but many disposable models have begun to spring up as well, which are still designed to last as long as an entire pack of "real" cigarettes. They are also sold in several specially flavored variet­ies, including mint, chocolate, and several fruits. While many still consider e-cigs a novelty, they are increasing in popular­ity every day.

What, however, does Roger Williams University have to say about them? According to Scott Yonan, Assistant to Vice Presi­dent of Student Affairs, there isn't actually a policy in place yet. However, they are currently under review, and the school neither encourages nor discour­ages their use at this time. Of course, students interested in using them would still have to abide by RWU's general smok­ing policies, such as using the smoking gazebos and being of legal age.