Vaping vs. Smoking: The Facts
It’s not a hard case to convince someone that smoking is bad. From reports of lung or prostate cancer to serious birth defects, it is universally accepted that smoking leads to negative health effects. For these very reasons, public acceptance of smoking has been on the decline.
This trend has led people to look for alternatives to traditional smoking, which has introduced recreational activities like hookah. However, the recent rise of e-cigarettes has been getting the most attention lately. The act of using e-cigarettes is called “vaping” and it is one of the most popular alternatives, resulting in a booming industry that has seen a significant increase in users each year. In light of these conversations, many people are starting to ask: what is the difference between vaping and smoking?
Research is still limited because the technology is relatively new, but the information below highlights the reported benefits consumers have seen when they make the switch to vaping.
What is an e-cigarette?
E-cigarettes either have no, or very little levels of tobacco in comparison to cigarettes, yet they still look and feel like the real thing. The NJOY e-cigarettes include a light up tip and a super realistic faux filter that could trick anyone into thinking they were smoking a traditional cigarette—but without all the bad stuff. Users even puff out smoke. Or, well, it’s not really smoke; it’s vapor, kind of like that fog machine you bought years ago to make your party seem cooler. The act of using an e-cigarette is called vaping.
The Chemical Difference
While a burning cigarette has 4000 chemical compounds, some of the nastiest include carbon monoxide, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide and nitrogen oxides. An e-cigarette usually only has around four compounds, two of which are water and flavoring. The other two are nicotine and propylene glycol. 4000 or 4… Which would you choose? This chemical difference alone is what leads many people to see why cigarettes are much more harmful that e-cigarettes. When someone vapes they know every chemical they are inhaling. With traditional cigarettes, many times people can’t even pronounce all the chemicals.
The Benefits:
So now that you know the difference based on the composition of the two, check out the benefits that cause many to prefer vaping over smoking any day.
- Health. Health organizations have not been so quick to strike down vaping. In fact, they can state a few reasons it may be beneficial. Not only do e-cigarettes contain less harmful constituents than traditional cigarettes, but there is no smoke, which is the most harmful component of a cigarette. Additionally, vaping does not have the serious health risks associated with second hand smoke and cigarettes. Vaping also doesn’t lead to burns like a cigarette does.
- Personal. The smell of smoke is nearly impossible to escape. A smoke odor eliminator is a necessity of life if traditional cigarettes are your go-to. But vaping is totally different. There is no enduring a smell that just doesn’t seem to go away. Not only will you be thrilled by not carrying your smoking habit with you wherever you go, but your date will thank you too! But the smell isn’t the only inconvenient thing about smoking cigarettes. If you are trying to prevent the smell from lingering, you may restrict your smoke time to the outdoors. But the odor neutral smell of vaping allows you to do it anywhere—odor free. Yes that’s right, even from your bed.
- Financial. On top of the health and personal hygiene benefits, there are also financial savings from switching to e-cigarettes. For example, buying an e-cigarette will likely save you anywhere from $75 to $200 each month in comparison to buying a pack of cigarettes regularly. Imagine the long-term savings!
If you’re serious about quitting smoking, e-cigarettes can be a good way to wean you off of regular cigarettes. Consider joining support groups and having some advice books to help you in the process.
Right now, e-cigarettes are not FDA approved and the purchaser is required to be 18 or older. It will be an interesting trend to follow in the coming years as the technology continues to grow in popularity and more research is done on the health effects and benefits. As with everything in life, moderation is key! E-cigarettes still contain nicotine, which is incredibly addictive. So managing the behavior is key to living a healthy lifestyle.
