Facts about Vaping

2019 has seen vaping receive mixed reviews in the media, with issues in the USA causing panic amongst vapers here in the UK. Thankfully much of the negative press has since been revoked, with evidence emerging linking the issues experienced in the USA directly to ingredients that should never be vaped, and most certainly would never be included in any e-liquid manufactured in the UK under the strict regulation of the TPD and MHRA.

We want our EDGE customers to be well informed on their vaping journeys, knowledge is power after all! With that in mind, we have gathered below some of the key facts, to help you debunk the myths and make an informed decision about whether vaping is right for you.

We've put together some key facts around vaping, and hope it helps you come to a better understanding of the news stories and potential risks associated with vaping.

Is vaping better than smoking?

• In 2018, Public Health England officially concluded that “Vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking” following an extensive study comparing the harmful chemicals absorbed by smokers against those absorbed by vapers and even combination users who both smoked and vaped over a controlled period of time. The levels of toxins absorbed by vapers were significantly lower than in smokers – 95% lower at least!

• E-cigarette vapour does not contain tar or carbon monoxide, two of the most harmful elements in tobacco smoke. It does contain some chemicals also found in tobacco smoke, but at much lower levels.

• The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee recently conducted a detailed study on the use of e-cigarettes and reviewed a broad body of evidence. Their report concluded that e-cigarettes provide lower comparative harm than tobacco smoking.

• Four out of 10 smokers and ex-smokers wrongly think nicotine causes most of the tobacco smoking-related cancer, when evidence shows nicotine actually carries minimal risk of harm to health. Although nicotine is the reason people become addicted to smoking, it is the thousands of other chemicals contained in cigarette smoke that causes almost all of the harm.

I have seen the bad press about US vaping – Is vaping in the UK any safer?

• Vaping is a heavily regulated industry in the UK, and that should provide vapers with confidence that so long as they purchase their equipment from reputable outlets, what they’re purchasing will meet the highest safety standards.

• Regarding the recent spate of vaping-related illnesses and deaths in America - the CDC findings now clearly suggest that the incidents in the USA are linked to people using illegal liquids, most likely black-market marijuana products (THC oils), particularly where the illicit products have been “cut” – or expanded – by a vitamin E acetate additive. These are illegal in the UK, which is why there have been no similar cases reported here and why there is no link to the flavoured, nicotine-based vaping products smokers are using to quit. In the UK there is a rigorously regulated market overseen by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, which monitors banned ingredients and safeguards the public. As a leading manufacturer of e-liquid we work closely with these regulatory bodies to ensure our products meet the highest possible quality standards.

Can vaping really help me quit smoking?

• Public Health England, Cancer Research UK, British Lung Foundation and many others are all clear that – vaping isn’t completely risk-free, but it is far less harmful than smoking tobacco and has helped millions of smokers quit.

• Vaping doubles the change of you successfully quitting smoking – Public Health England 2018.

• Over 3 million smokers have already used vaping to quit or reduce smoking – Action on Smoking & Health, 2018.

• Vaping helps 20,000 people quit smoking every year – Public Health England. 

• Of the 3.2 million adult e-cigarette users in the UK, more than half have completely stopped smoking. A further 770,000 have given up both smoking and vaping. At the same time, quit success rates have been improving and we’re seeing an accelerated drop in smoking rates, currently at a record low of 14.9% in England.

Is vaping really cheaper than smoking?

• An average vaper spends half as much as a smoker every month – Cancer Research UK, 2018.

• A smoker turned vaper saves the UK £74,000 – Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology.