E-cigarettes have been in the spotlights for a while now, claiming it could be the ultimate solution to quit smoking.
E-cigarettes have been in the spotlights for a while now, claiming it could be the ultimate solution to quit smoking. Different flavours, less harm and even sometimes the real shape of a cigarette… real revolution or simple fashion trend?
I recently put my hands on three different kinds of Socialites e-cigarettes; ‘you don’t know until you’ve tried’, right?
Features
Designed to simulate the act of smoking tobacco, Socialites electronic cigarettes release a smoke-like water vapour when the user draws from the filter. They give the nicotine hit of conventional cigarettes without staining nails or teeth and leaving clothes smelling like an ashtray.
Its main benefits are the non-existent smell and reduced harm – ‘good for the discerning smoker who wants to quit the dreaded habit.’ But does it really work? From my experience, here are the pros and cons of the Socialites and what I personally felt during my week of trying it.
Pros
The Socialites cigarettes visually make you look like you’re smoking a real cigarette. The orange light coming up every time you take a puff gives you a real consumption feeling. From a certain distance, you can’t differentiate it to a real one.
By being able to smoke only the amount you like, it is easier to stop after three puffs. You didn’t light it, and you won’t have to put it out: so no bad taste when lighting it up again.
In the throat, Socialites come quite close to the feeling of a puff from a real cigarette – although the taste can be quite strange and changing with time. Still, not smelling tobacco is extremely appreciated.
Even if you might wish to smoke a real cigarette from time to time, e-cigarettes still allow you to save some money. On sale for £3,99, it is equivalent to a whole pack in terms of the number of puffs you can get from it. The nicotine hit brings you the same satisfaction than a straight one and satisfies you with a small amount of puffs.
Cons
A little heavy, the e-cigarette can’t be handled like a conventional one. It tends to fall between your fingers during the ‘hand-to-mouth action’.
It might be me not noticing the amount I smoked, but the cigarettes quickly went out of vapour. After the second day, it was already hard to draw on it and the cigarette-like feeling disappeared with it.
One very inconvenient thing is the lack of a pack to keep it in. The cigarette can be lost anywhere in your bag and keeping it in your pocket is not very comfortable.
Personal opinion
From my point of view, Socialites e-cigarettes allow you to reduce your tobacco consumption but not to entirely stop it – which is already a positive thing.
The fact that the cigarette is not consuming itself can be very frustrating as there is no start and no end to it. But globally, I noticed a real drop in my smoking habits.
Flavours are quite nice, but apart from the menthol one, they are quite different from the taste a real cigarette has – which is actually quite good.
Anyway, the aim isn’t to copy a real cigarette effect but most importantly to reduce its harm. Some things to blame, but overall it can be a real help to heavy smokers desperate to reduce their tobacco consumption.
