If the giants of a particular industry adopts a new and up-and-coming item, does that bring legitimacy to the product? In the case of e-cigarettes, we’re about to find out. According to reports, companies that are immediately associated with Big Tobacco–Philip Morris USA (Marlboro) and Reynolds American (Camels)–are throwing their collective hat into the growing industry of electronic cigarettes, a move that is surprising simply because of how long it took these companies to offer these vapor-driven replacements for standard tobacco cigarettes.

When you consider the fact that e-cigarettes have officially crossed over to the mainstream, thanks in large part to the commercials created by Blu, one of the leading e-cigarette companies on the market. The one featuring actor Stephen Dorff is currently in rotation, depending on what channels you watch:

As these devices gain in popularity–look, even NBA players use them–it stands to reason the companies that profit the most from traditional cigarettes would enjoy a different, perhaps less controversial revenue stream. As indicated, the two giants of the tobacco industry are preparing to launch their own version of electronic cigarettes; the “MarkTen” for the makers of Marlboro and the “VUSE” from the makers of Camel. The VUSE e-cigarette will be introduced in Colorado on July, 2013, and the MarkTen will be introduced in the state of Indiana in August. If these limited introductions succeed, expect them to be released on a national, and perhaps international scale shortly thereafter.

With that in mind, if you are a smoker, does the introduction of “mainstream” e-cigarettes impact your decision to try and/or switch to that style of smokeless nicotine consumption?

Lead image courtesy.