There is a lot of information floating around the internet about vaping, some positive and some negative. Some people claim that vaping is safer than smoking, while others claim that is actually worse than smoking! Some claim that e cigarettes are a great alternative when you are trying to quit smoking, while others say that vaping is completely ineffective with it comes to cutting down on tobacco cigarettes.
With so much misinformation among the facts, how do you know what to believe? Below we will list out the facts in our no-nonsense rundown of the pros and cons of vaping.
What to Know about Vaping
E Cigarettes were First Invented in the 1960s
Although the first incarnation of e cigs was invented in the US in the 1960s, the source of the modern technology is Hon Lik, a pharmacist who invented the modern tool in 2003. After a few years of introducing the products to his home country, in 2007 he received an international patent.
Nowadays, it is estimated that vaping is a $3 billion global industry and is only becoming more and more popular with recreational users and those looking for an effective way of quitting smoking.
How does Vaping Work?
E cigs do not produce smoke and do not contain harmful tobacco. Instead, e cigarettes contain a vapor liquid that is heated to create steam. This vape liquid contains a mixture of flavor chemicals, propylene glycol, an amount of nicotine, and glycerin.
The vaping liquid is contained within a small cartridge which will be attached to your reusable atomizer and battery.
The battery powers up the vaping atomizer to heat the liquid and create a flavored vapor the user will inhale.
More Research Needs to be Done on this New Technology
Vaping and e cigarettes haven’t been around all that long, so it is natural to have a few questions about the pros and cons before you get started. Because e cigarettes are relatively new, there is still a lot ot learn about the effects of vaping long term. But there is already a lot of research out there that tells us that vaping is safer than smoking and that e cigarettes are an effective way for addicted smokers to wean themselves off traditional cigarettes.
The Pros and Cons of Vaping
Below we will list the pros and cons of vaping so that you can make an informed decision about purchasing e cigarettes and vaping products.
The Pros of Smoking E Cigarettes instead of Tobacco Cigarettes
As you’ll see from our list of the benefits of vaping below, there are a wide range of benefits to recommend choosing an e cigarette as an alternative to smoking.
The benefits of vaping are both lifestyle and health-related and inarguably better for both your body and public health.
You can use vaping to help protect your health
One of the main reasons people want to quit smoking is the harmful effects of the habit on the health of your lungs and cardiovascular system. E cigarettes generally contain a dose of nicotine but don’t include the harmful tar and carbon of cigarettes.
Compared to a traditional cigarette, an e cigarette will expose you to fewer carcinogens. There are over 4,000 harmful chemicals in normal cigarettes, a lot of which are present in the smoke produced and tobacco. Vaping will expose you to far fewer harmful carcinogens as it is a liquid-vapor produced and not carbon-filled smoke.
Health benefits associated with switching to e cigarettes to quit smoking include a drop in blood pressure and improvements in the respiratory system.
This makes vaping a good choice for those who are looking to quit smoking. As vaping is a new product on the market, more research needs to be done about the long-term effects of e cigarettes, but initial indications do show that in switching to vaping you can expect to experience health benefits.
You Can Use Vaping to Help you to Quit Smoking
Vaping is a great way to reduce the number of tobacco cigarettes that you smoke. One of the main attractions of vaping is that it is an effective way to lessen the amount of harmful nicotine and tar your body is consuming. The amount of nicotine in e cigarettes can be reduced as you wean yourself off of your habit. And there is also a wide range of non-nicotine vaping products which you can use at the end of your journey to quit smoking completely.
There is a huge amount of evidence to show that vaping is a productive way to reduce the amount of nicotine and harmful tar that you consume. But that choosing vaping as an alternative to smoking can help you to eventually quit your habit entirely.
Vaping is, therefore, a great way to improve both your own health and public health in general.
Vaping is Easier on Your Budget!
If you are currently a smoker, you know that smoking can be a great strain on the wallet! Although you will initially need to pay a little more to get your vaping equipment, when you start purchasing e liquid refills you will notice that they are considerably kinder on the monthly budget.
One benefit of e cigarettes is no smelly odor!
There is a host of benefits to vaping, but this one can be very beneficial for your social life and the impression you make on others. If you introduce yourself to a new colleague, neighbor, or prospective employer smelling like tobacco smoke, you can appreciate that it might not make the best first impression.
If you have been smoking for several years, you may not even notice the smell and become “nose blind” to the smell of smoke that sticks to your clothes and surroundings.
There are a wide range of different vaping flavors to choose from which produce different pleasant smells. And there is no lingering smell that traditional cigarettes leave behind.
There are a Host of Vaping Options on the Market
One of the benefits of vaping is that there are literally hundreds of different options and flavors on the market. This means that it is easy to switch from nicotine options to non-nicotine products as you quit smoking.
You will be able to control the levels of nicotine you consume while vaping and allows you to be more selective about which chemicals you are putting in your body.
While vaping you also have a huge choice of different e juice flavors to try if you want to explore different options.
The Cons of Vaping and Vaping Products
Along with the good, there is inevitably some bad. Although in the case of vaping, there is no doubt that the current known benefits outweigh the bad. Here are some factors to consider with e cigarettes if you are wondering whether to start vaping.
Some E Juice Also Contains Nicotine and Chemicals
If you are switching to vaping habits because of health reasons, you should still be aware that some of the vape liquid also contains nicotine and harmful chemicals which come with health risks. Although this will usually be at lower levels than those found in cigarettes. However, as detailed above, you can control the amount of nicotine contained in the vape liquid and even choose non-nicotine options.
Although e cigarettes were originally created to help the act of quitting smoking, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful about what you are consuming. And although vaping is likely to help the majority of people to wean themselves from the habit of smoking, you should make sure you are aware of the potentially harmful effects of the ingredients.
It is possible that e cigs may trigger allergies
There are some allergies that you need to be aware of which may be triggered by vaping. Propylene Glycol is the main ingredient in most options on the market and the ingredient may cause symptoms such as coughing, headaches, and irritation in the throat.
This isn’t likely to be a dangerous reaction and even if you are allergic, you can choose from the alternative options available.
You need to be committed to quitting smoking to be successful
Although lots of people find vaping to be one of the most effective ways to switch from smoking, the most important ingredient is your resolve.
Vapes are one of the most effective replacements for smoking but are not smoking cessation devices. You need to be committed to the process of quitting for the switch to prove effective. Just buying and using vaping products will not be enough.
Summary – The Benefits and Negatives of Vaping
As you will see in the rundown above, there are both positives and negatives when it comes to taking up the habit of e cigarettes and you should be aware of both before you begin. The health benefits of using vapes as opposed to cigarettes are well illustrated and the products have been successful in helping many to lower health risks and curb their nicotine addiction.
Deciding to begin vaping is a deeply personal choice and in the process of making your choice, you should make sure to consider our list of the positives and negatives above.
