Electronic cigarettes, known in their colloquial form as "e-cigarettes" or "e-cigs," are battery-powered vaporizers which simulate the feeling of smoking without the tobacco and other harmful substances. For smokers trying to quit their harmful habits, e-cigs present a solution that doesn't require them to quit nicotine cold-turkey. The power of the e-cig is that it allows smokers to taper off of nicotine by replacing their regular cigarette consumption with the battery-powered version, thus quelling their urge to smoke gradually over time. In addition, it keeps smokers away from thousands of carcinogens and chemicals, and provides them with safer alternatives in the form of e-liquids and vapors. While e-cigs have been a blessing to thousands of smokers, there are still cases where smokers never quit smoking; e-cigs merely irritate their desire but did not sway them from the habit. In addition, there was a spike in teen smoking because of the prevalence of e-cigarettes. In fact, The Centers for Disease Control found that in 2013 over a quarter-million teenagers in the US who never smoked cigarettes began using e-cigarettes. This number had tripled from 2011. Thus, while e-cigarettes are a helpful treatment for tobacco smokers, they have not been a perfect fix. Last week I spoke with a popular e-cig company who shared insight on the way that the e-cigarette industry is evolving. I got the opportunity to speak with Ecigguide.com, a web-based platform that provides viewers with informative data and opinions on the different qualities and functionalities of various e-cig brands and products. I discussed with them the changes in the e-cig industry.

Q: How has the e-cig industry been changing and evolving?

Ecigguide.com: E-cigarettes have become more popular, which is good and bad. The bad news is that this increased popularity gave rise to a plethora of low-quality e-cig brands that fall short of the quality customers should expect. The good news is that with this increased popularity, there has also been the birth of several high-quality brands. E-cigarettes have become more advanced and specific for the needs of the user. There are now endless options for the user, including different flavors and different amounts of nicotine strength, depending on preference. The challenge to the user is in navigating the e-cig landscape to find the best option for them.

Q: How are the products changing?

Ecigguide.com: Initially, because the industry got more attention in the last few years, the market became polluted with lower-quality e-cigarettes. Now, people seem turning to healthier and better products that provide fresh vape with fewer chemicals.

Q: What are the main benefits of using e-cigarettes for tobacco smokers?

Ecigguide.com: For tobacco smokers, e-cigs can be life changing. They can help smokers turn their life around and transform a deadly habit into a much safer one. Plus, with all of the flavors and options--it can be an enjoyable hobby.

Q: Where do you see the industry going in the future?

Ecigguide.com: The best personal vaporizers will continue to become more advanced and offer more options in terms of flavor and functionality.

Q: What is a piece of advice you can give to prospective e-cigarettes users?

Ecigguide.com: I would tell prospective e-cig users to make sure to educate themselves about the different e-cigarettes, and the varying performances and quality they entail. Many e-cig companies try to fool consumers into buying their product. The safe way to go is to find a third-party site that can provide an informative, unbiased opinion.

Q: How do you feel about the fact that many companies form around industries that may be harmful?

ECigguide: The e-cig market exemplifies the notion that new companies often form around industries that have questionable products. When people form a bad habit, companies look at it as an opportunity to provide a solution for that habit. For tobacco users, e-cigs are a life saver--literally.

Through our conversations, I discovered that ECigguide.com has personally tested and reviewed all of the devices they feature on their site, and strive to help customers make educated choices for their devices. From basic disposable e-cigarettes, to eGo batters, to cig-a-like starter kits, and even to advanced AVP e-cigarettes, Ecigguide.com provides all of the information and data from testing these products.