Electronic cigarettes and shishs, or hookahs, are hot topics right now. Apparently, they allow people to smoke… without actually smoking? They are so popular, in fact, that some of the world’s major cigarette manufacturers have started to develop them as well! It is unlikely that you haven’t heard of electronic cigarettes yet, but the big question is exactly what you have heard. Some, for instance, say that that these devices are the best thing since sliced bread, enabling people to smoke without the nasty chemicals, while at the same time reducing and eventually removing their addiction to nicotine. Others, however, say that they are a way to trick people into thinking there is no danger in smoking, even encouraging young people to reach for them. So who is right? Is there any smoke without fire?
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What Is an Electronic Cigarette?
First of all, electronic cigarettes are nothing new. They were originally developed to enable smokers to use a healthier (healthier not healthy!) option and to help them reduce and eventually quit smoking altogether. Basically, they taste like tobacco (or any other flavor you like), contain different levels of nicotine (some even containing no nicotine at all), and they give you a realistic smoking experience.
The Benefits of Electronic Cigarettes
Electronic cigarettes have a number of clear benefits:
- They can, with willpower, help someone stop smoking.
- They are available with zero nicotine, so if ex-smokers feel themselves heading towards relapse, they could use those to avoid it, without becoming addicted again.
- They come in lots of different flavors, which means you don’t have to taste tobacco anymore.
- They do not contain any of the thousands of harmful chemicals found in cigarettes, which means they are much safer as well.
- They emit only water vapor and odor from the flavor, which means there is no danger of second hand smoking either.
So What Is the Issue?
Looking at the five benefits above, and there are actually many more, you would think that these cigarettes truly are the best thing since sliced bread, and the whole debate is over. However, if that were the case, then how come you cannot “vape” (as it is known) in restaurants, bars, public places, airport terminals, at work, and so on? There are two main reasons for this:
- E-cigarettes are still relatively new. This means that the long term effects on health, humans, and objects, is simply unknown. While there is little reason to believe that it could be harmful, scientists will not take the chance.
- E-cigarettes have exploded, as have their batteries, sometimes in people’s faces, and other times causing fire.
This last issue is a big one. Luckily, however, it is also one that can be avoided in full. All you need to do is make sure that you only purchase your e-cig, liquids, cartridges, and batteries from the best online headshop, and not from some backstreet street vendor or an unknown online source.
When you apply for home owner’s insurance, one of the questions that you’ll be asked is whether or not you (or any family member) is a smoker.
If you’re a non smoker, most home owner’s insurance policies will give a discount of 10%.
As with all insurance, policy premiums are determined through studies on the risk factors that certain groups of people exhibit. Those that are found to be part of a riskier group usually have to pay more money for the same amount of insurance. Studies show that homes owned by smokers are more likely to have home owner’s insurance claims against them than non smokers.
When you apply for home owner's insurance, one of the questions that you'll be asked is whether or not you (or any family member) is a smoker
1. Smokers burn down houses. There are over 20,000 residential fires a year caused by cigarettes. Since smokers are the ones that have cigarettes, the act of smoking increases the risk that a house will burn down.
2. Smokers tend to have riskier overall habits than non smokers. These riskier habits can lead to more home owner’s insurance claims than non smokers.
3. Because smokers need matches or lighters for their habit, this means that children in the house are likely to have more access to these than children living in houses with non smokers. This increases of an accidental fire started by the children.
Before you put your house on the market, it is advisable to make it more attractive to potential buyers.
Today is a buyers market and they can pick and select which is the best property and demand lower prices.
Change the way you think, see selling a home is rather like entering a competition where the best presented home wins.
The smell of tobacco and a home owner smoking during a viewing will without a shadow of doubt put people off buying a home. Even hardened smokers don’t like a house to smell of smoke. Do not underestimate the negative affect it may have on a potential buyer, houses with smokers are harder to sell and that’s the bottom line. Smoking yellows the paintwork and embeds into the carpets and walls. Discarded cigarettes in a garden makes a home feel used and tired. Families will not want to bring their children up ion house that has suffered from smoking.
The fact is when a home becomes harder to sell for any reason the home owners has to face the fact that they may have to reduce the asking price. It may well be that a smokers home is harder to sell and therefore this will have to be reflected in the price. Once more when a non smokers buys a house from a smoker they may feel that carpets and redecorating are necessary and may use these facts to negotiate the selling price.
Smoking does not sell houses
Selling a home does not require making major improvements such as adding a conservatory or refitting the kitchen, these features are unlikely to add as much value to your house as you might think. Even redecorating should only be done if absolutely necessary, as it will take time and money, and the new owners taste is unlikely to be the same as yours.
It is actually the small touches which make a difference and which will make your property stand out from the rest. Firstly the parking and garden area should be neat and tidy, as this is the first impression that the prospective buyer will get of the house.
Household Insurance for Smokers
When you apply for home owner’s insurance, one of the questions that you’ll be asked is whether or not you (or any family member) is a smoker. If you’re a non smoker, most home owner’s insurance policies will give a discount of 10%.
As with all insurance, policy premiums are determined through studies on the risk factors that certain groups of people exhibit. Those that are found to be part of a riskier group usually have to pay more money for the same amount of insurance. Studies show that homes owned by smokers are more likely to have home owner’s insurance claims against them than non smokers.
1. Smokers burn down houses. There are over 20,000 residential fires a year caused by cigarettes. Since smokers are the ones that have cigarettes, the act of smoking increases the risk that a house will burn down.
2. Smokers tend to have riskier overall habits than non smokers. These riskier habits can lead to more home owner’s insurance claims than non smokers.
3. Because smokers need matches or lighters for their habit, this means that children in the house are likely to have more access to these than children living in houses with non smokers. This increases of an accidental fire started by the children