Electric Dream for Cigarette Business

The boss of a lucrative website selling electronic cigarettes takes a stroll outside his office while enjoying a smoke.

But unlike most smokers, Michael Kitt did not need to go outside - he can legally smoke in his office, and has even recently ‘lit up’ in pubs.

For Michael is a user of  cheap electronic cigarettes, as well as being the manager of a Horsham-based business that is witnessing astonishing leaps in sales of the cigarette alternatives.

But while Michael believes the product is medically sound, and is a powerful tool in the battle against smoking, he finds himself involved in a major international debate.

Recently, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that a laboratory analysis of electronic cigarette samples has found that they contain carcinogens and toxic chemicals such as diethylene glycol, an ingredient used in antifreeze.

Michael’s online business www.cheapelectroniccigarettes.co.uk is the only website in Britain designed specifically for the sale of electronic cigarettes, which come from a number of suppliers.

Electronic cigarettes, also called “e-cigarettes,” are battery-operated devices that generally contain cartridges filled with nicotine, flavour and other chemicals. The electronic cigarette turns nicotine, which is highly addictive, and other chemicals into a vapour that is inhaled by the user.

But in a statement, the FDA said: “These products are marketed and sold to young people and are readily available online and in shopping malls. In addition, these products do not contain any health warnings comparable to FDA-approved nicotine replacement products or conventional cigarettes. 

“They are also available in different flavours, such as chocolate and mint, which may appeal to young people.

“These products have not been submitted to the FDA for evaluation or approval. The agency has no way of knowing, except for the limited testing it has performed, the levels of nicotine or the amounts or kinds of other chemicals that the various brands of these products deliver to the user.”

Michael admits that there are issues, but insisted he had no moral problems with being a major seller of electronic cigarettes. Although he said that payment online was by credit card only, he pointed out that there “isn’t much else we can do” in terms of knowing the age of the buyer, but that orders arousing suspicion were cancelled. 

However, he claims that some of the FDA’s fears (particularly the medical implications) are unfounded, and said that UK-based Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) was more willing to look at the benefits of electronic cigarettes.

“A simple web search reveals a suspicious amount of bias in the (FDA) report and a lot of people believe that the FDA is likely to re-write it to provide better and more correct information about electronic cigarettes.

“The cigarettes only delivers nicotine, which is what the body craves. You get all the psychological benefits in that it looks like a cigarette, you inhale and the nicotine hits your throat, but avoid having to also inhale the 4,000 toxic chemicals which are present in normal cigarettes. 

“A recent study showed that 45% of people switching to electronic cigarettes were able to give up tobacco products completely!”

He added: “The recession has also helped cheapelectroniccigarettes.co.uk as electronic cigarettes offer users the ability to cut their smoking costs by up to 90% whilst also becoming healthier.”

The Horsham-based website is now selling about 1,000 ’packets’ per month at a cost of up to £45 as more people find out about the products.

Statistics show that a heavy smoker with a 40 a day habit can save upwards of £3,000 a year, the company’s website claims. 

Anna McLachlan, owner  of cheapelectroniccigarettes.co.uk, said: “It is a shame that the American government is trying to stifle the use of these products but luckily the UK is not bound by their laws and our government must be commended that they have taken this opportunity to allow the sale of a product which continually proves itself to be safer and healthier than normal cigarettes.”

So could it be that next year, we see hundreds of people in the town’s pubs and bars sat around enjoying electronic cigarettes?

“Maybe even sooner than that”, replies Michael. “We’re planning some local promotions in the coming months!”

Bars filled with smoke and the green lights of cigarette ends - now that will make people sit up and take notice...