It’s no secret that quitting smoking can be a daunting task. Some choose to do it cold turkey, and others have better results from slowly cutting down on the number of cigarettes they smoke each day. In the past, those who wanted to wean themselves off nicotine could do so using the patch, the gum, or their own willpower, but thanks to the rise of vaping over the past couple of decades, there’s another option.
Vaping versus Smoking: What’s the Difference?
A big cloud of vapor might look like cigarette smoke, but there’s a key difference. Smoke is produced via combustion, and vapor is produced when a liquid is heated just enough to transform it into a gas.
Smoke contains both gaseous and solid particulate matter. The process of combustion creates numerous unhealthy by products to begin with, so when you consider that cigarettes also contain chemical additives, it’s easy to understand how smoking could destroy the lungs. It’s believed that cigarette smoke may contain over 7,000 chemicals. Many of those chemicals have been directly linked to cancer.
The process of vaporizing doesn’t add any new chemicals into the mix. However, extremely cheap or low-quality vape devices that overheat the liquid can sometimes cause combustion. If the vape creates too much heat and starts the process of combustion, the risks could increase. That’s why it’s important to get your vape device from a trustworthy company!
Making the Choice to Vape: Is it Better for Your Health?
If you’re excited to try vaping, you’ll be glad to know that the research is on your side. A study of more than 5000 participants found that, when compared to cigarette smokers, those who used e-cigarettes and other vaping devices had lower concentrations of biomarkers of nicotine, heavy metals, and other chemicals associated with tobacco use.
Smoking poses a major threat to the heart. It’s no secret that nicotine is bad for us, so you might be wondering whether vaping creates a similar cardiovascular risk. While no amount of nicotine is 100 percent healthy, studies have found that the risks of vaping are much lower than cigarette smoking. It is also the case that vaping makes it easier to control the amount of nicotine in your vape juice because it is available in various concentrations.
Thinking of Others: Is Second-hand Vapor as Dangerous as Smoke?
Second-hand smoke kills. We’ve all heard warnings about that for years. Even if you go outside to enjoy your cigarette, the smoke can still cling to your hair and clothing, bringing dangerous toxins indoors. These toxins can remain in the indoor air, affecting the health of the other members of your household. Does vaporizing have the same effect?
Studies show that vaping is significantly healthier for people in the surrounding area than smoking. One study found that the air inside the home of a vaper contained six times less nicotine than the air inside a smoker’s home. It was also found that nicotine from vapor isn’t absorbed passively like secondhand smoke. Partners who live in close proximity with vapers were found to have 1,000 times fewer nicotine metabolites in their system than those who live with smokers.
Using Vaping as a Smoking Cessation Tool: Can Making the Switch Help You Quit?
You might be considering using vaping as a smoking cessation technique. Whether you’re looking to replace smoking with vaping or use your vape pod to wean off nicotine, it’s certain that vaping is the healthier option. Some might choose to continue vaping throughout their lives, especially knowing that it won’t put the health of their loved ones at risk. Others might prefer to utilize the wide variety of vape juices and nicotine levels to slowly reduce their dependency.
Vape liquids come in a variety of strengths. That’s what makes them a great option for weaning. You can start out with a juice that matches the amount of nicotine in a cigarette, and from there, every time you purchase a new juice, you can go for a weaker concentration. Many cigarette smokers attempt to wean themselves off by smoking less cigarettes throughout the day, but since the act of smoking can be habit forming, this process often results in failure. Gradually stepping down your nicotine consumption by using weaker concentrations allows you to enjoy the act of vaping just as often while consuming less nicotine overall.
One study compared vaping with other cessation techniques and found that after a year, 18 percent of the vapers had remained cigarette free. Only 10 percent of those who used other cessation tools had maintained their smoke-free status.
Making the Switch: Getting Started with Vaping
If you’re ready to make the switch to vaping, there’s no better time than now. The sooner you get cigarettes out of your life, the sooner you’ll begin feeling better.
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