A week or so ago I ordered the nJoy electronic cigarette.  I’ve tried to quit smoking before, and although I had no problems stopping (apart from the 1-2 day nicotine withdrawal), I’ve always felt like starting up again because the thing I was really addicted to doing was the action of smoking.  Well, over lunch one day I heard someone talking about electronic cigarettes, so I decided to look it up.  The fact that these seem to be relatively harmless (no tobacco, tar, carcinogens, etc.) was very appealing, and I could fulfill my desire to actually inhale something. In the past, I’ve tried nicotine patches (I actually got poisoned from one), but as I pointed out before, the thing I miss most when I stop smoking is the actual action of smoking, not the nicotine itself, so, needless to say, the patch didn’t work.

After doing some reading online, I decided on ordering the nJoy cigarette and a pack of medium refills. The first thing that really struck me was how big this thing was.  I’ve taken a picture of the device with some things to compare it to, since I didn’t really find that anywhere online before I placed my order.

Apart from the size, the other thing I didn’t really like was my color choice.  If I were to order again, I would probably choose the black model.  When I ordered, I thought I would get white since it would match the white Marlboro Ultra Lights 100s that I smoked.  Well, since this thing doesn’t even closely resemble a cigarette, I would suggest going with the black instead.  But, of course, everyone has their own preferences. 

Besides the looks of this thing, I do have to say I’m pretty pleased with it.  It actually gives you the sensation of smoking, and the fact that I can do it indoors without bothering anyone is a very nice plus.  I still like to go outside and “smoke” sometimes since it provides a nice break from the desk, but at least when it is raining (and in the winter, when it is cold), it is good to know that I can remain indoors. 

The taste of the smoke is not too different from the Ultra Lights I smoked, but that’s really not saying much, since these certainly lack the taste of stronger cigarettes.  I haven’t tried the “High” refill yet ( my nJoy package came with a high, medium, low, and “no” nicotine refill), so I can’t really comment on the taste of that, but I can say that if you smoke Marlboro Ultra Lights (or anything similar), you probably won’t be terribly disappointed with the taste.  It isn’t exactly the same, but it certainly is a better replacement than nothing.

I’ve gone back to my cigarettes a few times, mostly out of habit, but I can see myself quitting smoking actual cigarettes by using this as a replacement.  It, in my opinion, is a suitable alternative to smoking if your addiction was to doing something with your hands and inhaling smoke.

My biggest complaint with the nJoy cigarette is the price of the refills.  Although they try to make it slightly less than buying regular cigarettes, it still seems like a rip-off.  Basically, the refill consists of the mouthpiece, along with some cotton (or plastic fibers, I’m not sure what it is) soaked in their nicotine-containing substance.  There’s really no reason why we shouldn’t be able to purchase a bottle of this substance and do our own refills this way.  There would be several advantages to doing this, such as being able to adjust the taste ourselves, and of course the price.  Since there isn’t too much liquid in each refill, a bottle should last for a very long time, and it could come out to be significantly cheaper than paying $25 for a week’s’ worth of refills.