Is Vaping Better Than Smoking?

The “tobacco epidemic” is among the major health concerns the world has ever faced, killing more than 8 million people each year. Using e-cigarettes better known as vaping gained significant attention over the last decade. The debate between smoking and vaping remains a heated issue with the discussions surrounding their potential health risks, benefits and addictive nature. Vaping involves the inhaling of vapours produced by an electronic e-cigarette device which heats the e-juice containing nicotine and other compounds. 

While smoking is a practice which burns tobacco and releases nicotine along with other toxic chemicals. Vaping is generally considered a less harmful alternative to smoking due to the absence of tobacco combustion. However, the long-term side effects of vaping remain relatively vague and might not become apparent for the years to come. In today's post, we aim to discuss the myths associated with vaping and whether it poses serious health risks or not.

Popularity Among Youth:

Vaping has gained immense popularity among youth in no time due to multiple reasons. The aesthetic and eye-catching designs of vape devices are a major factor which appeals to young people. Plus, the variety of exciting e-liquid flavours adds to the lure of vaping.  The flavours including fruity, minty, candy, dessert, and soda make the vaping sound enticing and take away the feel of risks linked with smoking.

Chemical Composition:

Traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes/vapes differ in their chemical composition. Let's take a quick look at their differences.

E-cigarettes contain:

• Nicotine 

• PG (Propylene Glycol)

• VG (Vegetable Glycerine)

• Flavourings

Upon heating, these ingredients collectively produce vapours that users inhale. There are some harmful substances including acrolein, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde but lower levels than traditional cigarettes.

Traditional Cigarettes contain a mixture of up to 7000 different chemicals including:

• Nicotine

• Benzene

• Tar

• Carbon Monoxide

• Nitrosamines

• Formaldehyde

These substances are a result of the combustion process which is absent in vaping.

Background of Vaping:

The origins of vaping trace back to the early 2000s in the UK. It rapidly gained significant attention not only from former smokers but also from people experimenting with e-cigarettes for the first time. According to statistics, more than 4.3 million people use vapes/ electronic cigarettes in the UK alone. Out of these, the majority are ex-smokers and even include people who never smoked before trying vaping. The reasons for vaping involve quitting smoking and having an affordable alternative to smoking that tastes much better.

Comparing Traditional Cigarettes & E-Cigarettes:

E-cigarettes were initially designed to help smokers quit smoking by making a switch to vaping. Electronic cigarettes efficiently give vapers the quick nicotine hit they need to beat random nicotine cravings without the exposure to toxic chemicals of tobacco smoke. Transitioning to vaping reduces the risk of serious diseases including cancer, stroke, and chronic pulmonary disease. Carbon monoxide and tar are absent in e-cigarettes, which are pretty injurious and harmful to health. In short, electronic cigarettes contain fewer chemicals than traditional cigarettes as there is no ignition process involved.

Does Vaping Have any Side Effects?

Many studies show that vaping is far less harmful than smoking considering the absence of tobacco and other toxic substances. E-cigarettes don't contain tobacco which is a leading cause of cancer. Moreover, several other poisonous substances like tar, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde are also absent in e-cigarettes. Nonetheless, there are few harmful chemicals found in e-cigarettes but the levels are comparatively far lower. 

Too much of anything is bad, hence vaping also comes with some potential drawbacks. Regular vapers may experience symptoms including throat irritation, headache, or cough. Side effects are not usually far-reaching and can be easily managed. You should use e-cigarettes to divert from smoking or causally for enjoyment purposes.

Is It Beneficial To Switch From Smoking To Vaping?

Quitting smoking altogether offers numerous health benefits as smoking is responsible for 16 types of cancer. Electronic cigarettes are a milder alternative to smoking and help to give it up in the long run. Because vaping does not cause any major health concerns, you can greatly benefit by making a switch from smoking. Along with reducing the risk of diseases, you can save plenty of money by transitioning to vaping. Smoking generally costs a lot more than vaping.

Final Thoughts:

Smoking nearly damages every organ in your body, hence quitting it is the best thing you can do for your health. Using e-cigarettes is pretty effective at helping smokers quit smoking. Though vaping exposes you to less harmful chemicals than traditional smoking, it is not entirely risk-free. Nicotine causes minimal threat to health but is addictive and can cause intense cravings and urges among users. We recommend keeping everything in moderation to avoid getting nicotine addiction for a balanced lifestyle.