A bunch of people have asked me about them, or just asked about them in general- so here's the basics:
Do they work?
YES. I quit on May 6th, 2013 and haven't had a cig since then. Don't even want one. And I was a *dedicated* smoker LOL. They provide not only the nicotine your body craves but also the hand-to-mouth "habit" smokers are used to. Win-win, IMO.
Is there nicotine in them?
Yes. You can buy liquid with varying levels of nicotine, and step down gradually if that's your goal. I started at 24mg and I'm now vaping 12mg 9 months later.
What else is in them?
E-liquid has three main ingredients- 1. propylene glycol, which is a carrier liquid. It is FDA approved and "generally recognized as safe for human consumption". It's in many products people use, and foods they eat every day. 2. vegetable glycerin, which is another carrier liquid. It is a carbohydrate made from plant oils. Also FDA approved and "generally recognized as safe for human consumption". 3. Pharmaceutical grade nicotine is the actual nicotine. Varying amounts of these three things are mixed with various flavorings. The flavorings are also FDA approved for human consumption.
The liquid is put into an atomizer, of which there are many kinds. Cartomizers that look like cigarette filters, clearomizers, tanks, dripping atomizers, etc. Each type has a specific purpose and use.
The atomizer is screwed onto a battery to power it and vaporize the liquid. Batteries are even more varied than atomizers. There are compact ones that look like cigs, all the way up to huge ones that look like a small light saber LOL.
But that's basically it. Batteries power a wire coil that heats the liquid into a vapor.
Any questions? Ask away and I will do my best to help.