Many of those thinking of making the switch to vaping are at a crossroads. It may not always be entirely clear what the benefits may be, and for some, even what an e cigarette actually is may still be a bit of a mystery.
n order to make things a bit clearer, we've put together a brief rundown of the 8 most important benefits of making the switch from smoking to vaping.
- Health
The biggie. Improving one's health is the biggest argument we can make for leaving cigarettes behind. Tobacco cigarettes are made up of 3-4000 chemicals, around 60 of which are known carcinogens. In the UK, over 100,000 people die each year as a result of smoking related illnesses, including cancers, COPD, emphysema and strokes. Countless others have to live with often some incredibly severe health issues as a result of smoking.Vaping, on the other hand, have not been linked with a single death in the UK since their introduction in 2005. It should be remembered that vaping does continue to expose the user to nicotine, which as a toxin means that electronic cigarettes can’t ever be deemed 100% safe. Weighed against the risks of continuing to smoke, however, vaping represents a far safer and healthier alternative.While governments and public health organisations push for further regulation of and question the risks involved, the effect is to deny a healthier alternative while allowing tobacco (with its well-known health risks) to continue to be sold freely. As Clive Bates, former Director of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), has said:
“For almost every policy idea there is for regulating harm reduction, there is a realistic risk that it will make things worse for health. And for almost every theoretical risk from vaping, there is a more plausible theoretical benefit.”
It is true that there is a lack of long term studies into the risks involved with vaping, due to the technology still being comparatively new, however, research carried out by Queen Mary University concluded:
“Long-term health effects of EC use are unknown but compared with cigarettes, EC are likely to be much less, if at all, harmful to users or bystanders.”
Hajek P, Etter J-F, Benowitz N, Eissenberg T, and McRobbie H (2014). Electronic cigarettes: Review of use, content, safety, effects on smokers, and potential for harm and benefit. Addiction, 109: doi: 10.1111/add.12659.
Clive Bates also cites the following in his own briefing document:“Current state of knowledge about chemistry of liquids and aerosols associated with electronic cigarettes indicates that there is no evidence that vaping produces inhalable exposures to contaminants of the aerosol that would warrant health concerns by the standards that are used to ensure safety of workplaces. … Exposures of bystanders are likely to be orders of magnitude less, and thus pose no apparent concern.”
(Burstyn I, 2013) Peering through the mist: systematic review of what the chemistry of contaminants in electronic cigarettes tells us about health risks. For more information on health and vaping, please visit www.ecita.org.uk. - Protecting others
Following neatly on from the direct health benefits of making the switch to vaping, is the significant impact of the health of those around you. Second hand smoke has been reported to cause around 600,000 deaths worldwide every year. As the vapour produced and exhaled doesn’t contain the same carcinogenic chemicals found in cigarettes, there is no second-hand safety risk to consider.As ASH cite in their June 2014 briefing document:
“One study exposed animals to propylene glycol for 12 to 18 months at doses 50 to 700 times the level the animal could absorb through inhalation. Compared to animals living in normal room atmosphere, no localised or generalised irritation was found and kidney, liver, spleen and bone marrow were all found to be normal.”
Robertson OH, Loosli CG, Puck TT et al. Tests for the chronic toxicity of propylene glycol and triethylene glycol on monkeys and rats by vapour inhalation and oral administration. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1947; 91: 52–76. - Safety
In comparison to smoking, vaping offers a far safer alternative. Smoking cigarettes inevitably involves fire and combustion, which has an inherent risk attached. Vaping, on the other hand, involves no combustion at all.
In the UK, an estimated 7.27% of house fires are related to cigarettes and smoking. As a vaper, the associated risk of accidental combustion is no longer applicable.It does bear repeating, however, that as with any battery technology certain steps should be taken to minimise the risk of fires caused by faulty cells or power surges. As long as the relevant safety advice is followed, any risks should be avoided.Always remember to use the correct charger for your device. If you are in any doubt, contact our customer service team at sales@jacvapour.com. - Cost
It is estimated that the average smoker in the UK spends approximately £2900 per year on cigarettes. This cost will surely have increased since those figures were published, and will only continue to skyrocket.In comparison, vaping represents a significant saving. Once you have a starter kit, ongoing costs are primarily for e-liquid and coils, and replacement carts or tanks (as well the occasional battery). With e-liquid available from £5.19 for a 10ml bottle (equivalent to roughly 140 cigarettes), even the heaviest of smokers should see a significant difference in their wallets. - Social
The smoking ban brought in across the UK over the past 10 years has been a double edged sword. The health benefits are unquestionable, and should be applauded, but at the same time there has been an impact on many businesses, as well as the forced eviction of smokers out into the cold and the rain.Vaping offers these ex-smokers the opportunity to come in from the cold and, where allowed to do so, use their e-cig in the same places targeted by the ban. No longer do conversations in the pub need to be cut off mid-flow for a cheeky smoke; vaping is literally saving friendships (*I may have made this bit up). - Smell
Something that almost every vaper notices after leaving cigarettes behind is the smell. Heavy, or regular smokers, very quickly get used to the fug of stale smoke that clings to everything – clothing, furniture, even pets (no, really).Tobacco smoke can hang around in an unventilated space for several hours before settling, ensuring that the whole room is exposed to the residue. Vapour, on the other hand, dissipates far more quickly and any odour, which is minimal in the first place, will disappear within seconds. Vapour has the added advantage of not staining your walls and ceiling that familiar yellow-brown.Just a few days after making the switch from smoking to vaping, you will begin to notice the smell on other smokers and be glad that you no longer smell the same way. - Choice
Away from the doom and gloom of health and finances, one thing that vaping offers over smoking is choice. From the option of smaller or larger batteries to automatic, manual or VV models, to the vast array of e-liquids available, there is such a wide range of choices available that you truly can customise your vaping experience.No longer restricted to simply tobacco or menthol flavours, you have the freedom to try everything from Kiwi to Banana Milkshake, and from Peppermint to Real Coffee. - Taste/Senses
For many people, something happens which they may never have expected. After a few days, food starts to taste better, and they rediscover their sense of smell. Smoking has a big impact on your sense of taste and smell. As this impact creeps in over time, you may not even notice, but you will certainly notice them returning to normal!