Just like the marijuana "vaporizers", there are now battery-operated "cigarettes".  Once the "smoker" inhales, it activates a heating unit and the nicotine is vaporized. So far, it is still legal in the United States, but there have been calls by some for the FDA to ban it.  It seems like regulators are always on the look-out for something new to regulate, if for no other reason than to justify their very existence.

Besides marketing them as a way for people to quit smoking, e-cigarettes can be viewed as a way for people to get around smoking bans. You can use them in restaurants, hospitals, malls, and who knows- maybe even in a courtroom. (However, this might not impress the jury or judge if you are the defendant.)

No one seems to be willing to say exactly how much nicotine the users are absorbing or what the average use per day is. I'd love to buy my 87-year -old Grandpa one, but I have the feeling he wouldn't go for it and anyway, the damage is probably already done.

It usually costs around about $100 to get started and the filters are considerably cheaper than a pack of cigarettes in most states, making it a possible long-term saver for smokers as well.

One article I read touted the e-cigarette as a better way to beat smoking than Accupuncture, but I am not so sure how continuing to get nicotine in your system really helps you to kick the habit. Of course, I’m a little dubious about how having a bunch of needles poked in your body can help you quit smoking either.