An electronic cigarette, or E-cigarette, is a smoking substitute that provides small amounts of nicotine to the smoker without expelling actual smoke or odor.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is investigating the product and couple potentially declare electronic cigarettes a drug, requiring manufacturers to comply with federal, state and local laws regarding tobacco sales. Should the FDA fail to approve e-cigarettes for use, the product could be pulled off the market.MercuryNews.com: E-cigarette Sparks Attention as FDA Crackdown Looms

The thin rod, slightly longer than an actual cigarette and powered by micro-electronic technology, places a cartridge at its mouthpiece end that is to be filled with a partly nicotine based liquid. The body of the cigarette is divided into three parts: a nicotine cartridge, an atomization chamber, and a smart chip. The user inhales from the mouthpiece end, which vaporizes drops of nicotine from the cartridge. E-cigarettes use a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.

While the FDA has attempted to halt the importation of electronic cigarettes into the U.S. they are not seizing products which are already in the United States. The cigarettes remain an unapproved product based on FDA standards.CNN.com: FDA hazy on e-cigarettes' safety

"The electronic cigarette is not a proven nicotine replacement therapy...WHO has no scientific evidence to confirm the product's safety and efficacy. Its marketers should immediately remove from their web sites and other informational materials any suggestion that WHO considers it to be a safe and effective smoking cessation aid."World Health Organization: Marketers of Electronic Cigarettes Should Halt... (September 19, 2008)