It has been said that smoking tobacco is the most preventable cause of death and disability in the UK, accounting for about 6 million deaths every year. Chances are, if you are looking to improve your health by quitting smoking and are considering vaping then you will want to know a good answer to the question “are e-cigarettes safer than smoking?”
Today there are an estimated 3 million adults using electronic cigarettes in the UK, and they are ever growing in popularity. We have new people in the shops everyday looking to pick up their first device. The vape devices are there as an aid to help people to stop smoking, however, some smokers remain skeptical to move off the ciggs and onto a vape, wondering exactly how safe e-cigs are compared with smoking.
There have been lots of studies to indicate that vaping is the safer alternative to smoking tobacco, however people still buy into the misconceptions about vaping. In fact, according to a study by ASH, it was found that ‘Public perceptions of harm from e-cigarettes remain inaccurate with only 13% accurately understanding in 2017 that e-cigarettes are a lot less harmful than smoking.’
To put it simply, cigarettes contain a mixture of more than five thousand chemicals, with 70 of those being thought to cause cancer. Vape liquid contains nicotine, but not tobacco, to enable you to satisfy the craving without the 70 cancer causing chemicals. This indicates that e-cigarettes are safer than smoking tobacco.
Numerous scientists have looked into the effects of vaping e-liquid. Studies have found that e-ciggs do not contain the level of chemicals as tobacco. The levels are much, much lower and have lead Royal College of Physicians to estimate that vaping is ‘around 95% safer than smoking’.
Studies have also found that vaping causes no harmful effects on the lungs. One of these studies even discovers that asthmatic smokers who switch to the vape have improved lung function.
If you are a smoker then the best thing to do is to stop, and if vaping helps you to do that then brilliant! There are still holes in research, however the fact that there is solid research to say that it is safer than smoking is enough to get me off the ciggs and on to the vape!
If you still feel unsure as to whether vaping is safer than smoking, then stop by one of our stores to chat to an expert. We’re always up to date with the latest research and can help answer your questions.
"