 07-03-2009, 5:54 AM
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Anonymous
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Fire Safety Factor of E-Cigarettes
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My husband became Disabled with a traumatic brain injury 2 yrs ago. He has smoked many years. Not only was smoking one of the few pleasures left to him after his injury, but he was noticeably calmer after a cigarette. Removing nicotine from him was not something I wished to do, and his calmer state made it possible for me to care for him at home. Quiting smoking is not easy - even when we're in the best of health. For a brain injured person with little tolerance for frustration, it would have been cruel and dangerous for all involved. However, the fire hazzard of him smoking in bed was very real and scary for me. On multiple occasions he burned holes in our blankets and bedding. When he woke during the night to light a combustable cigarette, I had to force myself to wake up too. It's impossible to sleep when a person with poor small motor skills and double vision is handling an open flame just inches away.
Two months ago, we discovered electronic cigarettes. We switched and have never looked back. I can't praise them enough. They address the hand mouth issue missing in other nicotine options. They also address the visually calming effects of soft smoke-like vapor pillowing about one's face, and the glow of the lit ash of a combustable cigarette. Ours have batteries with colored LED's which light up in improbable colors like electric blue, purple, and green. When the battery is low, the color changes. Combustable cigarettes have many many pleasant re-inforcers which smokers like and make smoking pleasant and relaxing. Anyone who thinks a patch on the arm or a wad of nauseating gum are substitutes are obviously not smokers. E-cigarettes have been a God Send. The only thing that's missing from the sensory re-inforcements is the audial sound of the strike of a match or the click of a lighter. The electronic cigarette is simply enjoyable as a stand alone product. Our lungs feel clear, our skin is a healthy color, our clothes and home don't reek, our sense of smell and taste have returned, etc. But best of all, I don't have the continual worry of dying in a house fire caused by a dropped cigarette.
Every fire department and nursing home should be educated to their benfits. Now when theE-cigs little blue LED light, lights up our bedroom at night, I just roll over and calmly go back to sleep. More needs to said about the increased fire safety of a non-combustable cigarette, - not only for bedridden people, but everyone.
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