The number of
celebrities choosing to try electronic cigarettes as a tobacco replacement
continues to grow. The latest example is Michelle Rodriguez, the actress best
known for her role in the 2009 blockbuster "Avatar". Rodriguez has
also appeared in "Fast and Furious", "Machete", and the
"Lost" television series.
Celebrity
spotters recently got a glimpse of Rodriguez partying with other celebs at
Robin Thicke's birthday party in West Hollywood. Upon leaving the party, the 34-year-old actress reached for a Vapestick rather than her traditional tobacco. Whether or not she's trying to quit tobacco, no one knows
for sure.
The important
thing is that Rodriguez is not the first star to smoke an e-cig (also known as
"vaping") while in the public eye. Many other celebrities have taken
the plunge before her; some want to generally quit smoking while others just
want to reduce tobacco consumption. It is both a health issue and one of
maintaining a good public image in a culture where smoking is looked on as
taboo.
Thank You Johnny Depp
One of the first
celebrities to be seen with an e-cigarette is none other than Pirates of the
Caribbean star Johnny Depp. As a matter of fact, Depp used an e-cigarette in
the 2010 thriller "The Tourist" with co-star Angelina Jolie. In what
could be the most important film scene for the e-cigarette industry, Depp's
character gives a vaping demonstration to his fellow passenger by touching the
tip to his hand to show it was not burning.
Other celebrities
known to use e-cigarettes include the Rolling Stones' Ronnie Wood, actors Leo
DiCaprio and Catherine Heigl, and British pop sensations The Sweet Harlots and
Girls Aloud. Both the Harlots and Catherine Heigl chose an e-cigarette by
VAPESTICK to replace their tobacco. The others use a variety of different
brands.
The Appeal of Electronic Cigarettes
The e-cigarette
has great star appeal for a number of reasons. First and foremost is the fact
that it allows celebs to smoke in public places where tobacco is not normally
allowed. The fact that the electronic device emits no smoke means it is not
included in most smoking bans. That lends itself well to the hard partying ways
of the rich and famous.
Second, vaping is
quickly becoming en vogue whereas cigarette smoking is now one of the greatest
evils of modern culture. Image-conscious celebrities still want to enjoy the
nicotine habit but do not need their images tarnished by photographs portraying
them holding tobacco cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes are a way to be stylish,
still enjoy nicotine, and do something that looks cool.
Third is the idea
of harm reduction. It has long been known that cancer, emphysema, and other
smoking-related diseases are caused mainly by the thousands of toxic chemicals
found in tobacco smoke. Even though nicotine is addictive, the chemical free
nature of e-cigarette vapour is believed to cause less harm through less
exposure to toxic chemicals.
How They Work
If you are not
familiar with electronic cigarettes, the technology is fairly simple. It is
based on the age-old principle of vaporisation, whereby a liquid is heated
right to the temperature of vaporisation, thereby transforming it into an
aerosol mist that can be inhaled. It's the same technology the healthcare
sector has been using for decades with medical vaporisers. It's also the same
technology used to power artificial smoke machines seen in live theatre
productions and rock concerts.
In the case of
electronic cigarettes, a small, battery-powered atomiser heats the nicotine
liquid to create the mist. The propylene glycol in the liquid is what gives the
vapour its smoke-like look and feel. The good news is that propylene glycol has
been approved by health organisations around the world as safe for human
consumption.
If you are
worried about inhaling propylene glycol, there is no need to be. It is also
used as an ingredient in asthma inhalers due to its properties as a humectant.
Propylene glycol is found in thousands of consumer products, ranging from
cosmetics to baby care items to food preservatives.
The other
ingredients in the typical e-cigarette liquid include nicotine, food
flavouring, and distilled water. Former smokers who managed to wean themselves
from nicotine can continue vaping with zero nicotine liquid. Many do so just
for the sheer enjoyment of the experience.
As the number of
electronic cigarette users continues to grow, we expect to see more celebrities
jumping on the vaping bandwagon. Whether it's actors like Michelle Rodriguez or
musicians like Ronnie Wood, electronic cigarettes provide a viable alternative
to inhaling tobacco smoke.