Vaping is the shortened way to express the act of inhaling vapor from an electronic cigarette. Vapor is not smoke, it is the gas phase of a substance on its way to a liquid or sold state. In the case of vapor from an electronic cigarette, the droplets in their gas phase are so minute that when they achieve the liquid phase they evaporate.

So why do people engage in vaping? There are a multitude of reasons why people would choose to use an electronic cigarette. First of all it is much less harmful to the body than an analog cigarette. The absence of tobacco takes virtually all the dangers of nicotine out of the equation. After all, it is not the nicotine that causes all the various forms of cancer and emphysema in smokers. It is the tobacco and the hundreds of chemicals added to it. There is no arsenic or benzene in nicotine, nor is there carbon monoxide or lead. Nicotine is a natural alkaloid found in the nightshade plant family. Aside from the tobacco plant, nicotine is also present in such plant species as eggplant and tomato.

Keep in mind that although nicotine is safer on its own that tobacco, it is still not risk free. It is a natural stimulant in animals, and therefore carries risks such as blood clots, joint pain, headache and spasms in the lungs. There are cartridges for electronic cigarettes that do not contain nicotine. They produce a flavored vapor that bears no risk to the body. So what is the point if there is no nicotine? Well, the point can be two-fold: to assist in quitting smoking analog cigarettes and purely for the enjoyment of feeling like you are smoking. Many smokers like the taste and feel of the smoke on the back of the throat but don't want all the health risks. Vaping is the next best answer. If you are having difficulty quitting smoking, consider switching to electronic cigarettes. It may feel weird at first, but after you get used to it you may find the transition from tobacco to vapor quite easy. Plus you will be improving your health at the same time.

Another reason to choose vaping over analog cigarettes is the lack of adverse impact on both the immediate environment and the global environment. Vaping will not leave stains on walls or ceilings, nor will it cause porous surfaces to smell. There is no carbon monoxide being produced, so there is no impact on the atmosphere. People who are sensitive to smoke will likely not be bothered by vaping. Remember, smoking is the presence of an ignited material, vaping is not smoking. Even in areas where smoking is prohibited, vaping is more likely to be allowed. It is still early in the history of vaping in North America, so the rules of vaping in public are still being ironed out. Vaping has been big in Europe and Asia (particularly China) for two or three years now, so the authorities are more used to it.

For those skeptical smokers who have tried to quit using methods such as the fake cigarette, vaping is not the same thing. When you vape, you are not just sucking on a hollow tube. The electronic cigarette consists of a specialized battery, an atomizer and an e-liquid cartridge. The atomizer contains a tiny heating element that causes the liquid in the cartridge to turn into vapor – which you then inhale. You do experience the 'throat-hit' and feel as if you are smoking. However the buzz you feel when smoking a traditional cigarette will not occur with an electronic cigarette, even if you are using nicotine cartridges. That buzz is from the hundreds of chemicals soaked into the tobacco leaf before manufacturing the cigarette.

Vaping is a fairly new thing, and many people who have not taken the time to learn what it is really about have already demonized the electronic cigarette. Perhaps only because the phrase contains the evil word 'cigarette'. There needs to be a new and larger look at vaping, especially by those in positions to make laws. These lawmakers need to incorporate the vast array of technical and chemical knowledge available today and give vaping a fair chance. It may be the path to the abolition of the analog cigarette entirely.