There are many reasons that tobacco cigarette smokers might turn to vaping. When you compare vaping and smoking side by sides vaping comes up on top every time. The end goal is always, however, to help smokers quit smoking for good. We look at why and how vaping helps people quit smoking and other benefits of switching over.

Vaping is 95% Less Harmful Than Smoking

 

This isn’t a number we’ve pulled out of our head and added because it looks good. Public Health England, the government group responsible for all things related to health and awareness, as well as legislation regarding health and the public are the ones making this important claim.

After a lengthy review of their own research as well as other verified studies Public Health England (PHE) publicly advocated for vaping earlier this year. They stated that they found it to be “at least 95% less harmful than tobacco cigarettes”. The presumption is that the remaining 5% can’t be signed off on until studies have run for a longer time period.

PHE aren’t the only ones pushing for vaping acceptance in order to help smokers quit. Their collective efforts seem to be working, with adult smoking numbers in England being as low as they have been since official records begin.

Unlike tobacco cigarettes, e liquid (the liquid used within e cigarettes and heated to produce a flavoured vapour) does not contain any toxic or potentially cancer-causing chemicals (according to WHO: the World Health Organisation). This makes the vaping alternative to smoking all the more attractive.

It is clear to see how this kind of official acceptance would be useful to smokers weighing up whether to continue smoking or switch to vaping. This is true whether they want to enjoy a healthier hobby or to eventually quit all such hobbies entirely in time.

Vaping is More Affordable

There are start-up costs associated with vaping. You can buy a basic starter kit for around £25, e liquids need to be bought fairly regularly and there are consumables such as new batteries etc over time. Vaping still works out significantly cheaper than tobacco cigarette smoking over a longer period of time.

If a pack of twenty branded cigarettes costs £10 and a smoker smokes only ten a day that would mean a cost of £35 a week. This equates to £1820 a year. This would cost more for those who smoke 15-20 cigarettes a day or more. Unless you are going through a premium bottle of e liquid every day (very hard to do), buying the very latest tech and constantly modifying your device or upgrading it, you are going to find it hard to make vaping cost anywhere near that.

Some report that their vaping costs are less than a quarter of what they were previously spending on smoking. This amount will depend of course on how much you vape etc but it’s clear to see which is the cheaper option.

The Social Aspect of Vaping

Smoking is very much considered anti-social. Passive smoking hasn’t done much to endear smoking to anti-smokers. The Go Smoke Free ban put in place in 2007 was pretty much the final nail in the coffin as far as some are concerned. Vaping does not have the very poor reputation that smoking has. Some are still sceptical however government health groups singing vaping’s praises has gone a long way to changing the tides of public opinion.

Not only is vaping not seen as antisocial, many find it to be very sociable, with vaping having a community of its own. Vapers vape together, forums and Facebook groups are great for swapping ideas about devices and recommendations about the best cheap e liquids and so on. This social aspect is something else that appeals to smokers looking for reasons to quit tobacco.

Vaping Offers Smokers an Out

Before vaping was a thing, giving up smoking meant chewing gum, nicotine gum, patches, other nicotine replacement therapy and going cold turkey. NHS stop smoking services have most definitely helped however budget cuts means less and less such clinics exist. Giving up smoking is hard!

Vaping offers smokers the same hand to mouth and inhale/exhale action. It does so without the health risks, the costs or the social isolation (smoking really isn’t cool nowadays). Vaping also enables smokers to control their nicotine intake as e juice comes in various nicotine strengths.

With vaping readily available, smokers can’t tell themselves that they can’t quit smoking as they’ll miss it too much. There’s nothing to miss when vaping is the alternative. There are even tobacco-flavoured e liquids if that floats the boat.

In Summary

Vaping is the best thing that has ever happen to smokers. It is healthier, cheaper, tastes better (many say) and of course, has its own community to boot. What the question should be is “what has smoking done for smokers”? We’re pretty sure the answers won’t be anywhere near as positive.