About e-Cigs

All about electronic cigarettes

What is an e-cig?

What are the benefits of using e-cigarettes?

• Healthier! (Compared to smoking tobacco)
• Saves you money!
• Freedom to smoke wherever you want!
• Eco-aware!
• Less mess!
• More extensive variety of taste options!

How much money can I save by switching to e-smoking?

In the Chancellor´s last budget, tobacco products took a significant hit and the equivalent of 37p was added to a packet of cigarettes. Being tobacco-free, e-cigarettes did not incur a price increase and can offer the new e-smoker a potential saving of £185 per month. On average, consumers that have switched from tobacco to e-cigarettes are saving between 70-80%!

Why are e-cigarettes healthier?

Firstly, e-cigarettes do not contain tar. Tar is a cancerous brown substance made from burnt tobacco which tends to build up in the lungs and is contained in traditional cigarettes. In the UK, tobacco smoking causes 100,000 deaths each year and 87% of the fatalities are a result of lung cancer.

Secondly, e-cigarettes do not contain the 4,000 or more dangerous chemicals present in their tobacco equivalent. This dangerous chemical-cocktail includes ammonia (toilet cleaner), methanol (rocket fuel), hydrogen cyanide (the poison used in Death Row), butane (lighter fluid), methane (sewer gas) and acetone (nail vanish remover)!

Experts believe that electronic cigarettes are approximately 99% less harmful to health than tobacco cigarettes.*

Do e-cigarettes feel and taste like you are smoking a real cigarette?

Yes and No - the first thing you notice when you inhale your first Liberro® Realis™ is the rich fulfilling flavoursome throat hit´ that a smoker yearns; secondly, you will be surprised to see how the smoke-free water vapour that you exhale exactly mimics a traditional cigarette. You can even blow smoke-rings or the vapour out of your nostrils if you desire!

The nicotine-effect´ feeling you get from e-cigs is exactly the same as that from the tobacco variant. It takes about seven seconds from the time that nicotine enters the lungs for it to start affecting the brain, stimulating the release of dopamine which is an important neuro-transmitter that influences mood. Depending on your temperament, nicotine can either make you feel relaxed or stimulated.

On the other hand, e-cigarettes do not smell of tobacco and the e-cig is slightly heavier to hold than a traditional cigarette (although you will soon get used to the difference).

So, is e-smoking safe?

The first electronic cigarette appeared on the market in China in 2006, so e-cig technology is relatively new. Currently, because of the lack of clinical testing and knowledge about the long-term effects of inhaling Propylene Glycol in e-liquid, it is not legal to suggest that the use of e-cigarettes is safe. It is worth noting that both propylene glycol and vegetable glycerine are also used in tobacco cigarettes and neither has ever been known to be carcinogenic.

E-cigarettes contain nicotine, which whilst not dangerous in normal quantities, is addictive, so Liberro do not sell products to under 18´s.

According to Brad Rodu, Professor of Medicine at the University of Louisville and researcher of tobacco harm reduction, "Long-term consumption of nicotine is about as safe as that of caffeine."

A quote in the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency review states: nicotine, while additive, is actually a very safe drug.´

But until trials have been completed and evidence provided to satisfy the necessary government bodies, the use of PG and VG in e-cigarettes, along with that of nicotine, remains subject to debate.

Can I e-smoke anywhere?

There are no laws to forbid the use of electronic cigarettes in public places. The Health Act 2006 talks about the UK smoking ban and this relates to smoking tobacco or anything containing tobacco; tobacco-free e-cigs can be enjoyed wherever YOU desire.

However, although you can legally smoke your electronic cigarette in pubs, restaurants, cinemas and on planes, etc., it is advisable to ask permission first. You'll find the reaction of most people is curiosity, but there are some who refuse to allow the use of an e-cig on their premises.Is the smoke from a Liberro e-cigarette harmful?It is not actually smoke, it is simply condensed air which is mixed with the nicotine in the cartridge to emulate the sensation of smoking and to give you the instant nicotine intake that you desire, so there are absolutely no passive´ smoking side effects.

Wave goodbye to being ostracised by friends or in public places because you are engulfing everyone in a vile-smelling, potentially harmful cloud of carbon monoxide smoke - the water vapour that an e-cig produces will mimic that of its traditional predecessor but is odour and chemical free! Why are e-cigarettes better for the environment?The paper and tobacco in a cigarette is biodegradable, but the filters are not. Toxin-filled cigarette butts continue to pollute our streets and oceans and take between 18 months and ten years to decompose.

Why are e-cigarettes cleaner?

As well as contaminating your clothes, home and friends with an unpleasant odour, tobacco cigarettes can be messy devils. Ash-free e-cigarettes are fully house trained and will not leave a dusty trail around the home!

Are e-cigarettes and personal vaporisers the same thing?Yes. There are many name and spelling variations for the electronic cigarette such as ecig, e-cigarette, e-cigarette and more. E-cigars and e-pipes are part of the same family too.

Are all e-cigarettes the same?

No, but there are three basic models upon which the majority of e-cigarettes are based - the Penstyle, Super Mini and Mini.

What does an e-cigarette look like?

When produced in white with a brown mouthpiece, an electronic cigarette looks very much like a tobacco cigarette. However, most e-cig models are also available in alternative colours such as black, white, silver and red.

What are the constituent parts of an e-cigarette?

Most consist of three parts - a refillable cartridge, an atomiser and a rechargeable battery with a coloured LED light on one end. These three parts fit together to form a complete electronic cigarette, or in the case of cartomiser/tips this is a two-part electronic cigarette such as the Liberro® Realis™

What is in the cartridge?

E-cigarette cartridges are usually purchased pre-filled with e liquid - the liquid-nicotine solution that provides the 'flavour' for electronic cigarettes. Empty cartridges are available to fill with your favourite variant and your preferred strength e-liquid.

What is in the liquid of an e-cigarette?

The base liquid in an e-cigarette cartridge is a mixture of liquid nicotine, food flavouring, vegetable glycerine and propylene glycol.

What is propylene glycol?

Propylene glycol (PG) is a colourless, odourless chemical that is used as a food additive, in cosmetics and in pharmaceuticals as an inert solvent or carrier.

The ATSDR (Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease) states that propylene glycol is a 'Generally Recognized as Safe' (GRAS) additive for foods and medications. PG has been used since the 1950s as the aqueous-based chemical additive in asthma inhalers and nebulizers.

Should I choose pre-filled cartridges or bottled e-liquid?

Many people prefer to purchase bottled e-liquid for refilling cartridges/tips because it is a less wasteful and a more cost-effective alternative. There is also a wide variety of e-liquids to choose from and you can select your desired nicotine strength.

For convenience, there are disposable e-cigs and a selection of pre-filled tips for each type of starter pack. These are available in tobacco and menthol flavours only, at present.

What flavours do e-liquids come in?

Liberro boast a range of over 65 delicious e-liquids from traditional tobacco to exhilarating menthol and a range of fun flavours. From Oriental Tobacco to Sweet Cherry Blush, these premium e-liquids can add a host of new taste dimensions to your e-smoking experience.

What nicotine strengths do e-liquids come in?

You can choose from a variety of strengths from 0mg (that´s right, nothing - so you can still use an e-cig, exhale vapour but you have no nicotine together with no tar and no chemicals) or you can choose 3.6mg the highest, 2.4mg, 1.8mg, 1.4mg and 1.1mg. The very popular flavours come in all strengths but others can be just a standard 1.8mg and Johnson Creek range only goes up to 2.4mg. You will see the strengths shown on each order page next to the product.

Does an e-cig get hot?

No, the electronic cigarette does not get hot, does not burn tobacco, does not have a flame and does not produce smoke. The atomiser or cartomiser/tip, however, does get warm.

Who uses e-cigarettes?

The majority of e-cigarette users are converted tobacco smokers. Because the e-cig delivers nicotine to the body and produces vapour which can be inhaled, thus mimicking the tactile and physical sensations associated with smoking, it is generally used as an alternative to tobacco smoking by those want to continue to enjoy a smoke but also want to avoid the negative side effects of tobacco.

Who should not use an electronic cigarette?

Anyone who is under 18 years old. Also, until you've consulted a GP about the safety of using products that contain nicotine, avoid using e-cigarettes if you are pregnant, breast-feeding or suffer from any of the following conditions: heart disease, high blood pressure, a weak or impaired immune system, an allergy to nicotine or products which contain nicotine.

* Professor Michael Siegel (Professor in Dept of Community Health Sciences at Boston University) and many other public health advocates have independently demonstrated that e-cigs are approximately 99% less harmful to health than tobacco cigarettes.