Smokers to get a reprieve

Anyone who know me will quite happily tell you I’m a hardened anti smoker. Never smoked a day in my life. Won’t even let the wife smoke in the house. I’ve been trying to get her to quit for years, to no affect.

I only mention all this so you know which side of the fence I stand on whilst you read this blog. A friend recommended something called an electronic cigarette for her. They contain all the nicotine so are still just as addictive but none of the rubbish so are a massive 99% healthier for you.
For those of you who are new to electronic cigarettes let me explain exactly what they are: An e-cigarette, as they are called, consists of a battery, an atomizer and a cartridge chamber that holds a small amount of nicotine and water.

When you draw on an electronic cigarette a smokers cravings are satisfied due to the taste of tobacco, the 'smoke' like vapor emitted, the actual holding of a cigarette, the glow at the end, (a little LED light glows green, rather than red so you can tell from a distance its not a real cigarette), and an intake of nicotine so it can be used as an alternative to a cigarette. It contains all the nicotine suspended in a water vapor, but none of the tar, chemicals or poisons in a normal cigarette making it a lot, lot healthier for you.
The process of drawing on the electronic cigarette operates a micro switch which heats up an element within the atomizer to produce a very realistic looking 'smoke' which is in fact just a water vapor which vaporizes into the air within a few seconds, the odour also disappears with this vapor so you will have no smell on your clothes or in the surrounding atmosphere.

I’ve got to be honest I didn’t really believe any of the reports I read about this. They seemed far too good to be true. They have apparently been around for the last 3-4 years but if they’re so good why haven’t I heard of them before? Why aren’t the NHS handing them out to all smokers?
Well apparently they are but they have to go through an extensive 4-5 year testing process of which they are only half way through, but, unofficially my wife’s smoking nurse strongly recommended them to her.
Me being me I couldn’t leave it at that so popped up to town on my lunch break yesterday to buy one. The starter kit consisted of a fake packet of cigarettes to hold your electronic cigarette in for £25 with a pack of filters, normally £6 a pack which will last you the equivalent of 60 cigarettes.
Testing it at home my neighbor wasn’t too keen stating it tasted like smoking silk cut, but my wife was an instant convert, saving me a fortune each month.
But here’s the main point of this blog.
They’re legal!
Everywhere!
Shops, offices, taxis, public areas, and most importantly cruise ships.
Because they aren’t classed as a real cigarette they aren’t included in the smoking ban. You can smoke one where ever, when ever you want!
I rang a couple of cruise lines yesterday to get their reactions on this product and the only response I got was that they have no problems with them in principal but cruisers may face adverse reactions from maite’ds, waiters and other cruisers if they pull one out at the dining table simply because they look so much like cigarettes.
In the spirit of honest reporting I have my wife standing next to me right now smoking one, blowing the smoke directly into my face and I genuinely can’t smell a thing.
So what are all your opinions on this? I’m sure there will be a few, on both sides of the fence.
Who’s looking forward to being able to smoke at the dinner table again? In a lift? In bed?
Who’s absolutely horrified about the idea and is happy with the no smoking situations as it stands?
Who would be happy if at a table for eight, three of four of the diners pulled out electronic cigarettes before, during or after dinner?
I’m genuinely interested in what you have to say on this and what’s more I’m sure there will be a lot of cruise lines reading this to gauge your reactions.
So good or bad don’t be shy let me know what your opinion is here.

Happy cruising