Smoking without the smoke

Benicia residents Susan Bowles and Annette Saitz say a newly developed, healthier cigarette alternative will change lives, and make a lot of money in the process.

The Revelle electronic nicotine delivery system looks like a cigarette, but contains no tar, tobacco or carcinogens. It's a battery-operated device with a red-glowing tip, from which smokers draw in synthetic nicotine and exhale steam. There's no tobacco smell, no second-hand smoke.

"The filters, which contain the nicotine, come in levels from high to none," said Bowles, a 43-year-old mother of two. "So it can also be used to help people quit smoking."