Vaping vs Smoking: Is Vaping Better than Smoking for Health?

Most people are well aware of the dangerous health effects of smoking cigarettes. Advertisements for cigarettes all say that smoking is dangerous to health. Cigarette boxes have warning labels on them, and even the dangers of secondhand cigarette smoke are well-known.

So many people look for alternatives to smoking, and one alternative that’s become quite popular in recent years is using e-cigarettes. But when it comes to vaping vs smoking, are electronic cigarettes really better for a person? And what are the long-term health effects of e-cigarette use?

Vaping Vs Smoking: What Are the Differences?

Vaping and smoking are both ways in which a person ingests nicotine, but there are plenty of differences between the two. One of the most prominent ones is the method of delivery. With smoking, people burn tobacco and inhale the smoke, hence the name. With vaping, there’s no tobacco smoke involved. People aerosolise a chemical and then inhale the vapour.

There are chemical differences between the two. Tobacco use releases thousands of chemicals, including tar and carbon monoxide. That’s not to say that using electronic nicotine delivery systems such as vapes doesn’t produce any chemicals. Depending on the brand and the flavour, vaping cartridges can have chemicals other than nicotine, such as flavouring agents.

The smell of cigarettes can also be unpleasant, and it can trigger reactions in people with sensitive lungs, such as those who have respiratory conditions like asthma or lung cancer. Secondhand exposure to vape aerosols is still harmful, but less harmful, with most people tolerating the smoke from vapes better than tobacco. 

However, both cigarettes and vapes contain nicotine. In some cases, vapes can contain more nicotine than cigarettes. Regardless of whether a person smokes or vapes, they’re still at risk for nicotine addiction.

Is Vaping Healthier Than Smoking?

Tobacco cigarettes are dangerous. Long-term smoking can lead to lung disease, such as lung cancer, and it can lead to a buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood, making it hard to breathe. Smoking can also lead to throat and mouth cancer. It can also cause deterioration of a person’s teeth. This is why people need to stop smoking, as many of its more dangerous health risks can be averted with smoking cessation.

Vaping is one way that people turn to so they can quit smoking. It can be considered a transition to be able to quit tobacco. But is vaping really healthier? Yes, evidence shows that vaping is less harmful than smoking. That’s not to say that’s healthy. It’s just that vapes are less harmful than cigarettes.

A potential effect of vaping is that it can impair brain development in young people, who are often the target market for vaping products, and vaping is on the rise among England’s youth.

Cigarettes produce over 7,000 chemicals when smoked, many of which are carcinogens. Vapes produce far fewer chemicals. However, it is worth noting that vape liquids can still contain traces of nickel, tin, and lead.

It should also be noted that vaping can still irritate the lungs, and its long-term effects are still unknown because vaping is relatively new. Some people can also lace their vape liquids with other substances, which can cause drug addiction that will require comprehensive addiction treatment to overcome.

Vaping to Quit Cigarettes

When it comes to vaping vs smoking, the former may help people give up the latter by giving them an alternative means of ingesting nicotine. It should also be mentioned that the physical act of vaping may be similar to smoking a cigarette in some regards. It mimics the hand-to-mouth motion of smoking a cigarette so that it can feel very familiar to smokers.

Switching to vapes can be more effective than nicotine patches or gum to help people quit smoking. People can also customise their nicotine levels so that they can lower the dose over time. Making the switch from smoking to vaping is a recognised harm reduction tool.

Switching to vapes can also be cheaper. Smokers will often have to buy multiple packs of cigarettes a week, whereas those who vape will have to buy a kit and refills. This can save a person thousands of pounds a year, depending on their habits.

How To Use Vapes to Quit Cigarettes

For those who want to consider switching to vapes to help them stop cigarette use, some tips can be helpful. These include:

Picking the Right Time

People often use cigarettes as a means of coping with an external stressor. As such, it’s best to stop at a relatively stress-free time to avoid being triggered into smoking cigarettes again.

Start Slow

Making a sudden shift from cigarettes to vapes can be distressing or too much all at once. Instead, some people may gradually reduce their cigarette use and introduce vaping into their day-to-day lives.

Select the Right Device

There is a wide market for vapes and vaping products, so there are various vapes available. Some are disposable, while others are refillable. People who want to supplant their smoking habit with vaping should take care to choose a product that suits their needs.

Finding Support

The right support can be all the difference in overcoming any addiction. Support groups can help a person find a sense of community, and family and friends can also support the recovery process. Finding a good therapist is also crucial.

The Prevalence of Smoking

Smoking tobacco products is a public health concern all over the world, and many governments work to inform people of the dangers to discourage the habit. Those efforts have borne fruit in the United Kingdom. In the UK, there were 6 million people over the age of 18 who identified as smokers. This represents 11.9% of the population, the lowest proportion since 2011. 

Quitting cigarettes can have various health benefits. The most prominent health benefit is that it can help a smoker’s lungs recover. Unless the damage is so extensive, smokers who quit will feel noticeable improvements over time. In some cases, it won’t take too much time. 

After 48 hours, carbon dioxide levels will drop to the level of a non-smoker. After 72 hours, the bronchial tubes will relax, and breathing will become much easier.

Quitting Both

In the topic of vaping versus smoking, vaping can be a less dangerous alternative to smoking. Ideally, a person uses vapes to transition from smoking to overcoming nicotine addiction. Vaping should not be used as an alternative habit. At best, it should be a stopgap. Quitting both vaping and smoking can have various health benefits.