The bar says smoking is back

Electronic cigarettes that are legal to smoke in public places can now be smoked at a Ware bar.

Electronic cigarettes do not include any carcinogenic substances or lead to passive smoking but give a similar satisfaction to standard cigarettes, which are now banned in public places.

The 58-year-old businessman said: “It’s not exactly the same as a cigarette but it’s as close as you can get. It cuts you back. If you go out and smoke a cigarette you smoke the whole cigarette. With this, I can take it out, have two puffs and put it back in my pocket. It only works when you puff at it.”

The three-part cigarette consists of an atomizer that converts the fluid into vapour, a chargeable battery and a cartridge, which can contain light, medium or no nicotine. Each one has around 350 puffs (about 30 standard cigarettes).

Steve Berg, the importer of this product, said: “Whereas cigarettes are made of 4,000 substances, 69 of which are carcinogenic, e-cigarettes have just nicotine, glycol, which is commonly used in food, and tobacco flavouring. The smoker absorbs the nicotine and releases a vapour, which smells slightly from the non-nicotine products. We’re not claiming it’s healthy. Nicotine is a poison. But it’s ‘healthier’ than a cigarette.”

The device has been launched in Israel, China and Australia. Mr Berg brought it to the UK in June for £34.99 a pack.

Smoker, Louise Glazer, 26, tested it and said: “It was quite heavy, but good. I think it can help your cravings.” A spokeswoman for Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) added: “They don’t produce smoke in the conventional way and therefore don’t pose the same degree of hazard to non-smokers. They are not 100 percent safe for smokers themselves as they are still inhaling nicotine, but they are almost certainly putting themselves at less risk. More research is needed to be clearer on their effect.”