Vaping 101: A Beginner's Guide to Vaping

Vaping 101

You probably already know that vaping is in fact different from smoking. Good. But do you know what vaping is?

The birth of genius

It was Hon Lik’s brilliant mind that re-invented vaping and the e-cigarette in the early 2000s, after he lost his father to lung cancer. While that in itself was drive enough, his hatred for his own smoking addiction was the birth of genius. The China-based medical researcher invented the smoking alternative and released it in 2006.

Though Lik is the father of modern vaping, the first smokeless cigarette was the brainchild of the American Henry Gilbert as early as 1963. Though he patented the design, the actual device never really took off. With the prevalence of tobacco cigarettes at the time, one can term it as ‘bad timing’. Whatever it was, vapers everywhere are grateful.

The e-cigarette, or ‘e-cig’ for short, comprised a cartridge for holding the solution (or e-juice), a battery and an ultrasonic atomizer(heater). Over time, the e-cig has been improved and modified to create many different configurations.

So what is vaping?

By definition, vaping is inhaling and exhaling the water vapour from heated e-liquid, containing trace amount of nicotine, via a personal vaporizer. It involves heating a liquid, turning it into vapour. The vaper (traditionally a smoker) then inhales the generated vapour.

This makes an e-cig the new and improved, smokeless alternative to the traditional cigarette. Picture smoking without the adverse side effects. No odour, no bad breath and no ashtrays.

The e-juice is a water based liquid with nicotine elements. Oh, it can be plain or flavoured. Cool right?

What do I need?

The very idea of an e-cig and the vaping process banks on technology. Vaping beginners really express interest as to how all this works. Basic vaping gear is equipment one needs to familiarise with. So let’s get right to it.

• A battery or power source

The most essential part of the e-cig, and therefore vaping. Its’ sensor activates when someone inhales (automatic batteries), or a button is pressed (as with manual batteries). The battery charges the atomizer housed in the cartridge. The power source best works on a full charge, but you already knew that.

• The atomizer

Responsible for nicotine vaporisation, the atomizer reacts to the charge from the battery. Thus the nicotine containing vapour is created.

• The cartomizer or tank

It is the component that stores the e-juice; the liquid that gets turned into vapour. Modern e-cigs combine the cartridge and the atomizer to get, you guessed it, the cartomizer. Otherwise, the cartridge by itself is replaceable.

• The mouthpiece

This is for the purposes of funnelling the vapour from the tank to the vaper’s eager mouth.

• The tube

The tube houses all the interacting parts that give you the vaping experience.

These components make up the anatomy of a vaporizer.

Let’s get vaping

Now that you’re all caught upon vaping, what’s stopping you?  Vaping is widely legal as it is not a drug, and there is increasing legislation across the globe. All you need is courtesy to mind where you do the vaping.

Do remember to start low, as with most things new. From there, work your way up to your desired level. Happy Vaping!