Components: Battery powered, metal e-cigarettes provide easily concealed nicotine source

E-cigarettes are sourced in a battery with a reservoir containing a solution, typically holding nicotine, a heating element, and can include any variety of flavorings ranging from mango to menthol and other chemicals.

When the user utilizes the e-cigarette, the device heats the liquid solution or “e-juice” into vapor form for the user to “puff.”

The user consumes the e-juice vapor through a specialized mouthpiece attached to the end of the device.

The nicotine and flavoring chemicals function as solutes in the e-juice, meaning they are dissolved into other chemicals as they take a vaporized form for the user to inhale. These chemicals are what provide the positive sensation associated with these devices.

Flavors have been developed over the last several years to make e-cigarettes marketable to teenagers and young adults.

Dr. King described how in her lectures, she polls the audience asking them if they think they are merely vaporized water, and usually, she explained, about half of the audience has been misled and says yes.

“They don’t even really know what’s in these things,” Dr. King said, “because the FDA doesn’t even know what’s in these.”