Well, we have been waiting all day and finally!  “The Doctors” top 10 health products of 2008 appeared and the electronic cigarette received good reviews!  The doctors themselves suggested that the electronic cigarette is not intended for non-smokers, however, for current smokers, this seems to be a very positive option.

Since all of the doctors are non smokers, they had a female smoker, Beverly, who has struggled with smoking for years try the electronic cigarette.  After two days, she had eliminated the use of regular cigarettes all together and said it is satisfying and she would suggest it to others.

A few things that we must correct.  First being cost.  Yes, a kit in the mall is $150.  Why?  Overhead.  Online businesses like ourselves, have very little to no overhead so we can offer you the kit at a very reasonable price.  About half the price of those in the malls.  Secondly, they are available in the US right now and we have hundreds of happy customers in North America.

As soon as the episode is available via the internet, we will add a link to the episode to this post.

So are you ready to make the change?

Our mini electronic cigarette starter kit includes the following:
1 x Electronic cigarette device
1 x Separate rechargeable battery
1 x Charger & Cable
1 x User’s manual
5 x Cartridges (Tobacco flavored with 2 High nicotine, 1 Medium, 1 Low, 1 Zero nicotine)

Currently, we are offering 10% off your starter kit price.

If you think you are going to be needing more cartridges right off the bat, and trust us, you will, try one of our packages that includes either 10, 20, 30, 50 cartridges in addition to your 5 starter kit pack or go for the e-liquid pack which is an outstanding value.  This kit is also on sale at 10% off.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.  We are looking forward to helping you make a change for 2009!  And if you are interested in other doctors who have given their thumbs up, check out our posts on Family Doctor Takes Notice of Electronic Cigarettes and the recent report on CBC featuring Dr. Carl Phillips of the University of Alberta.

For those of you not familiar with CBC, CBC is owned by the Canadian government and the central news source for Canada.  Being that we have strong ties to Canada, we watch a bit of CBC when we get the chance.

Over the New Year, CBC featured the electronic cigarette and the news report was very well done.  A group of health researchers in Edmonton, Alberta, sat around and tried various forms of the electronic cigarette and electronic cigar.  Their responses were highly comforting.  This is not the first report that has been made that has qualified health officials or researchers saying that yes, the electronic cigarette may be untested, but it is a smoking alternative that people can get on board with.

Dr. Carl Phillips of the University of Alberta, notes that “nicotine itself is not a bad thing… it is similar to coffee drinking… caffeine.  It’s the smoking that’s so bad and kills people and that’s why we are focused on what we call tobacco harm reduction.  Try to allow people who want to use nicotine to do so without dying from inhaling smoke.” Later, he goes on to say that there is “very good scientific research that smokeless tobacco is low risk.”  He does note that there is “little evidence or testing on vaporized nicotine on the lungs” however, with the electronic cigarette the user receives “vaporized nicotine and relatively innate gases as opposed to cigarette smoke which is a devils brew of molecules and poisonous gases.”

With more and more health professionals and researchers finding the electronic cigarette to be promising and better for your health, the electronic cigarette will become the new smoking alternative of the future and something we are proud to help you transition too.  It is better for the environment, better for those around you and hopefully, far better for you too.

Canadian Customers:  When you enter our online store, please note that by clicking on the Canadian Flag on the right hand side of the screen under “Languages”, all prices will convert to CDN.  We accept the CDN dollar through PayPal.  All customers may pay in either American or Canadian dollars.

So are you ready to throw out that last pack of analog cigarettes, sit inside and enjoy a smoke for a change?  Get the spouse to leave you alone about your horrid little habit?  Currently, we offer the mini electronic cigarette as well as the regular electronic cigarette.  Try either the nicotine cartridges or the e-liquid.

Happy Vaping!

“The Doctors” is a tv show syndicated throughout North America on early to late afternoon tv.  On January 7, 2009, they will review their top ten list of health trends of 2008 and the electronic cigarette made the list!

We are so excited that “The Doctors” have given a real look into the electronic cigarette and cannot wait to hear what they all have to say!  We will have an update of the program later tomorrow and if you can set your DVR, set it now so you won’t miss it!

For more information on “The Doctors”, please feel free to visit their website.  If you would like to add comments to our post tomorrow, please feel free to do so!  The electronic cigarette is really a great invention that will hopefully move smoking into a new realm!  We can hardly wait to see what real doctors are willing to say out loud and on the air about this ingenious smoking alternative!

If you didn’t get your electronic cigarette in your stocking, well we hope to see your order soon!  What a great way to start out the new year with a change in your smoking habit.

After our travels and lots of consumer requests, we have determined that the blue LED light on the electronic cigarette is becoming more popular for smoking the electronic cigarette in public.  As the mini looks just like a real cigarette, we are finding that many would prefer the blue light as it makes the appearance slightly different than a real cigarette.  Have you ever seen a real ciggy burn blue?  We haven’t.

Currently, we are offering the Regular Electronic Cigarette and the Mini Electronic Cigarette with blue LED’s only.  If you prefer orange, please let us know as this may influence what we carry in the future.  Email us with special requests.

And as always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.  We are here and ready to help you!

UPDATE: All electronic cigarettes we sell now come with the Blue LED light on the end.  If you would like an orange LED please make note in the comments when you purchase, but be aware that it may greatly increase processing times as it will need to be special ordered.  Thank you.

All orders placed after 3:00 pm today (December 19th, 2008) will be shipped after the New Year.  With the upcoming holidays, UPS and USPS are either closed or showing that they are behind in their deliveries.  We here at Instead Electronic Cigarettes have decided that to ensure there are no lost packages or delays beyond our control, we will not be shipping any orders between December 20th, 2008 and January 2nd, 2009.  We apologize for any inconvenience.  All orders will be shipped on January 2nd and depending on your location, should arrive to you between the 9th and 10th of January, hopefully earlier.

Before placing your order, please read our recent post on Paying for Your Electronic Cigarette.  By following these step-by-step directions, you will guarantee that there are no issues with placing your order and that we will be able to ship out to you on January 2nd, 2009, preventing any further delay in delivery.

One further note on holiday shipping:  If your electronic cigarette purchase is a gift, our deadline for shipping to arrive before Christmas was Wednesday, December 17th, 2008.  We apologize, but any orders placed after this date cannot be guaranteed delivery before December 24th, 2008.  As it is the holiday season and many packages are traveling through the UPS and USPS system, even an over night package cannot be guaranteed.  This is beyond our control.

And as always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.  We are here for you and happy to help!

Prompted by questions from our customers, here is a quick faq and tutorial on paying for your electronic cigarette from our website.

Fact #1: If you live in The United States or Canada, you DO NOT need a Paypal account to purchase an electronic cigarette from our website.  Outside of North America, you may need one, depending on the country.

Fact #2: We use Paypal to process all transactions.  This means, even if you don’t have a Paypal account and you want to use a credit card to pay, the transaction is still completed by Paypal.  We do not capture or store any of your financial information.  If you want to re-order by calling us, that’s fine, but have your credit card number handy because we won’t have it on file.

Fact #3: Paypal is owned by eBay and although it has its critics, it is a very safe method of completing an online transaction.  We have opted to use Paypal because of their security.

The Process Assuming You Don’t Have a Paypal Account:

Step #1: After adding items to your cart, entering your name, address, etc., and clicking the check out button, you will be brought to this screen:

If you have a Paypal account, you can login on the right hand side of the screen.  If you don’t have a Paypal account and want to pay via a credit card, click the “Continue” link indicated by the red lines and arrow.

Step #2:

After you click the “Continue link, you’ll come to a screen to confirm your address and be asked to enter your credit card information.

Step #3:

You’ll confirm the order and make payment.  You’ll then be taken to this confirmation screen:

IMPORTANT: You need to click on the orange box link to return to our website.  This box is indicated by the red circle and arrow above.  This ensures all the order information is sent back to our system from Paypal.  This includes the type of electronic cigarette you want as well as nicotine levels and flavors for any e-cigarette cartridges or e-Liquid (smoke juice) you may have ordered.  If this is not done, we must contact you to verify your order information and shipping address.

Step #4:

After you click the link to come back to our website, you may get this pop up:

If you do get this message, don’t worry.  The only information you are sending back to us is your order details such as how many refill cartridges you want or the nicotine strength of the eLiquid.  Click the “Continue” button.

Step #5:

That’s it.  your order is placed.  You will be back on our website.  Please do keep an eye on your email though, just in case we need to contact you to confirm something or to notify you of a low inventory issue.

If you do have questions, feel free to contact us via our online form or by phone.

Enjoy your Electronic Smoking!

With the holiday travel season coming up quickly, we have been answering some questions about our #10 place to use your electronic cigarette, on an Airplane.  With more and more people becoming aware of this wonderful gadget, more and more places are getting their first taste of having to deal with electronic smokers.

The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) has not listed the electronic cigarette on the list of items that cannot be used on a plane, however, they do warn that the individual airlines, captain and crew have the final say on what is acceptable in their cabins.

After a little bit of research, we have discovered that there are currently three airlines who have added the electronic cigarettes to their lists of unacceptable devices on planes.  They all basically state that because the electronic cigarette looks so much like a real cigarette, they are worried that others might think someone is actually smoking and either freak out or start smoking a real cigarette themselves.

According to a thread on CabinCrew.com, regarding the electric cigarette, it appears that crew members have mixed emotions.  Some believe it is a fun little gadget and totally harmless.  Others believe that it is just easier to keep all patrons happy by not allowing anyone, anything.

Currently, the airlines that have made definite decisions on the electronic cigarette and DO NOT allow their use while inflight are Virgin Atlantic, TUI and Thomson, and Thomas Crook (TCX).  TUI and TCX are British airlines who primarily fly within Europe.  None of these three have any mention of electric or electronic cigarettes anywhere on their websites.  However, their cabin crew members have said they have been given the no-go.

So what does this mean for you?  Can you smoke your electronic cigarette on an airplane?  We strongly suggest that if you fly any of the above three airlines, since they do have policy, you respect their policy.  However, since you are on a plane, one suggestion is to hold your electronic cigarette cusped in your hand, hold your vapor for a wee bit longer, and blow it towards your feet.  Acting like you are in a bar will draw attention to you and anger your cabin crew.

Act respectful.  Heck.  Even take an extra cartridge/mouthpiece with you so if a crew member does notice, they can play with it!  If e-smokers make the cabin crew our friends, they might be more open to helping with policy in the future.  And of course, if the cabin crew asks you to put your electronic cigarette away, it is their airplane, so do it.

Either way, the electronic cigarette will make your holiday traveling that much easier.  You won’t have to go through security to sneak that last minute smoke.  Our final say on using your electronic cigarette on an airplane is that on most airlines, there are no rules against it, so don’t ruin it for the rest of us by acting like a fool.

Order your mini electronic cigarette.  You can cup it in your hand!

Lately, we have had a lot of people contacting us saying they have a great idea for the sale of electronic cigarettes.  From gas stations, bars, and restaurants, to flea markets and concert venues, the electronic cigarette is available in wholesale quantities.

With smoking bans popping up worldwide, bar and restaurant owners are feeling the crunch.  Average patrons are feeling the economic pains right now and have opted to stay home.  It is an easier decision to stay home and enjoy your beverages if you are a smoker who is forced to not smoke while out.  Bar and restaurant owners are perfect candidates for wholesale electronic cigarettes.  If you sell T-Shirts and beer, why not sell an electronic cigarette?  Your customers will love you for it and who knows… you could be the first on the block who offers smoking, inside!

Smoke shop owners are also prime for wholesale electronic cigarettes.  While offering all other forms of cigarettes, pipes, tobacco, and what-not, why not sell an option to those who are looking to change their habits?  Stop losing your customers to nicotine gum or patches!

Golf Courses!  You are perfect for wholesale electronic cigarettes!  Why have your beautiful greens trashed from spikes putting out cigarette butts?  Why pay a person to drive around and empty ashtrays throughout the course?  Offer your golfers an alternative.  Offering them an environmentally friendly alternative to smoking.  If your course hasn’t gone non-smoking yet, the heated argument between smokers and non-smokers could find a happy compromise with the electronic cigarette.

Locally owned drug stores are another great candidate for wholesale cigarettes.  Are you tired of watching your friends come in and opt for a pack of smokes?  Offer them something different.   Help your community change it’s smoking habits, one smoker at a time.  Once you sell one, you WILL sell more.

There are so many businesses and people who can benefit from the electronic cigarette.  Small businesses or persons who are looking for wholesale electronic cigarettes, please feel free to contact us.  We will be happy to help you get started.  Your initial investment can be as small or as large as you are comfortable with and we will help you determine the best way to move forward in this new and exciting industry.

Please, serious inquiries only.