Vaporization: an Alternative Approach to Quitting Cigarettes

It seems that new approaches to quitting cigarettes surface every day. From hypnosis to acupuncture, people are willing to try anything that will help rid them of the health issues associated with smoking. While most studies show that quitting cold turkey is the most effective technique, it is also the most difficult. Many potential quitters just need a little outside help.

The two smoking cessation aids that have received the most press and have reputations for being effective are nicotine patches and nicotine gum. At the heart of both these methods is the idea of changing how the nicotine is delivered. By not having to smoke tobacco to receive its ingredient (nicotine), the negative health effects of smoking are averted.

While these two approaches have worked for many quitters, for some there is a propensity to slip up and smoke in conjunction with the use of the patch or gum. One of the reasons most commonly cited for this tendency is that while the person is receiving the nicotine they want, they miss the process and social aspects of smoking.

For some smokers, taking a break to go have a cigarette is what gets them through the workday and popping a piece of gum is just not the same. Similarly, some failed quitters have noted that they miss the social component of smoking while out with friends, especially if they are around smokers. For these people, a relatively new approach - tobacco vaporization - may be the ticket to finally quitting cigarettes.

Tobacco vaporization is a new smoking alternative that is quickly gaining popularity. Vaporizing or vaporization is the process of passing hot air (generated by a vaporizer) through plant material and inhaling the resulting vapor. By precisely controlling the air temperature, vaporizers are able to generate vapor containing nicotine. However, this vapor does not contain the harmful carcinogens and tars that are found in smoke. This is due to the fact that vaporizing releases the active ingredients at a much lower temperature than the point of combustion so no carbon is burned.

To vaporize you simply need tobacco and a vaporizer. There is a wide range of vaporizers available today, but all of them have some sort of filling chamber or disk where the tobacco is placed. Users can either fill this chamber with their favorite pure tobacco or buy pre-filled disks from the manufacturer of the vaporizer. When the hot air generated from the vaporizer passes through the chamber or disk filled with the tobacco the nicotine is released for consumption.

There are about 25 vaporizer models on the market today ranging from 50 bucks to almost $700. Many models feature digital temperature control and rechargeable batteries, giving users complete control over when, where and how they vaporize their tobacco. Some units have balloon systems where vapor bags can be shared between friends, while other units are “direct inhale” and more suited for personal use. The best part for many quitters is that the process of vaporizing is more satisfying then using a patch or gum; there is both a ritualistic and social component that is clearly lacking in other smoking cessation aids.

Vaporization is similar to other non-carcinogenic tobacco delivery systems in that the user receives the desired components of the plant without the harmful byproducts of inhaling smoke. What may ultimately make vaporizing more effective is its ability to fill the non-chemical voids that quitting can leave as well.