Smoking Vs Vaping

By Jemma Wolfe
Published: 29-08-23

Smoking Vs Vaping: What’s The Difference?

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Smoking Vs Vaping: Health
  
• Smoking Vs Vaping: Odour
• Smoking Vs Vaping: Cost
• Smoking Vs Vaping: Convenience
• Smoking Vs Vaping: Variety
• Smoking Vs Vaping: An Overview
• Smoking Vs Vaping: Verdict
• Quitting Smoking with Vaping at myCigara
• Recommended Reads

For decades, smoking has been one of the most prevalent and well-known vices across the globe. However, with the advent of vaping and electronic cigarettes, the world of smoking has undergone a significant transformation.

While many individuals have turned to vaping as a safer alternative to smoking, others continue to argue that smoking is the better option and lack trust in this new technology. With so much media coverage and misinformation surrounding the use of e-cigarettes, finding accurate information can feel like a minefield.

In this guide, I aim to find answers to the one question on everybody’s lips; how does vaping compare to smoking? By delving into the key differences between smoking and vaping; covering their cost and convenience as well as their respective health effects, I hope to help you make an informed decision about which option is best for you.

Smoking Vs Vaping: Health

When comparing the health risks of vaping to smoking, it’s important to do so in the right context. The sole purpose of e-cigarettes is to provide adult users with a safer alternative to smoking and to ease the transition to ultimately help them quit smoking for good.

Is Vaping Safer Than Smoking?

Smoking involves the combustion of tobacco, which produces smoke that is inhaled by the smoker. Smoking has been linked to numerous health problems, including lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory problems. When a person smokes, they inhale over 5,000 different chemicals. Many of which are extremely harmful, such as tar, carbon monoxide, and nicotine. These chemicals can damage the lungs and other organs in the body, leading to long-term health problems.

Smoking also increases the risk of developing lung cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Vaping, on the other hand, is considered to be less harmful because it doesn't involve burning tobacco, which creates toxic chemicals that can harm the lungs and other organs.

In fact, Public Health England recently revealed that e-cigarettes are 95% less harmful than regular cigarettes. So, when considering whether vaping is safer than smoking, the short answer to this question is a resounding yes. While there is still much research to be done on the long-term health effects of vaping, many experts believe that it is a safer option than smoking traditional cigarettes.

Therefore, it’s not surprising that experts and health bodies such as the NHS are beginning to endorse the use of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid, and it’s even been proven to be twice as effective as other nicotine replacement products, such as nicotine patches and gum.

How Safe Is Vaping?

Although it’s too soon to study the long-term effects e-cigarettes pose to the body, as they simply haven’t been around long enough, many studies have proven that vaping is far less harmful than smoking. Vaping doesn’t produce the same carcinogens and chemicals as smoking, and doesn’t pose any real health risks that we know of.

As no combustion takes place, e-cigarettes don’t generate carbon monoxide or cause a buildup of tar in the lungs, which is what makes cigarettes so harmful. Instead, vaping involves the heating of a metal coil to turn e-liquid into an aerosol which is then inhaled. Nevertheless, it’s hard to say with complete certainty that vaping is totally risk-free.

Like all smoking alternatives, vaping isn’t suitable for everyone, and there are some circumstances where vaping isn’t recommended. For example, those who are pregnant or currently breastfeeding should avoid using e-cigarettes as nicotine has been shown to pose risks to a developing baby.

Furthermore, those who suffer from lung problems, asthma or other breathing difficulties may need to consider alternative nicotine methods, as vaping can increase inflammation and trigger their symptoms.

However, when used correctly and responsibly by healthy adults, vaping can be considered safe —and most importantly— a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes. Head over to my Is Vaping Safe? blog to find out more about how vaping can affect your health.

Smoking Vs Vaping: Odour

One key factor that shouldn’t be overlooked when comparing smoking with vaping is the odour. While the aroma produced by a real cigarette can be described as unpleasant to say the least, the scent of e-cigarette vapour is far less intense and leaves behind no lingering odour.

Why Do Cigarettes Smell So Bad?

Cigarettes contain numerous chemicals, including tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide, among others. When they are burned, these chemicals produce a strong, rancid odour that many people find unpleasant.

If you’ve ever been a smoker, you’ll already know that cigarette smoke is stubborn; lingering on clothes, hair, and in the surrounding environment, releasing a foul odour over time. The smell of smoke is often described as smoky, burnt, or acrid, and most people agree that its musty stench is far from pleasant. Plus, the byproducts of cigarettes can also be harmful to others.

When someone is exposed to secondhand smoke, they inhale these toxic chemicals, which can have serious health consequences. This means that even if you are not smoking yourself, you can still be exposed to the harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke.

Does Vaping Smell?

When compared with smoking, the smell of vaping is generally less intense and more subtle. While vaping is not completely odourless, the smell produced by e-cigarette vapour tends to dissipate quickly and is often described as sweet or fruity, depending on the flavour of the vape juice.

Some people find the smell of vaping to be more pleasant than smoking, while others find it to be equally unpleasant. Vaping devices and vape juice can produce a range of scents, and some people may be more sensitive to these odours than others. Additionally, certain types of e-liquid may produce a stronger odour than others, so it's important to be aware of the ingredients in your vape juice and how they may affect the smell.

Smoking Vs Vaping: Cost

One of the many reasons people decide to pack in their smoking habit is to save money. Vaping can be less expensive than smoking, especially in the long term.

While the initial cost of a vape device can be higher than a pack of cigarettes, the cost of e-juice or pods is generally lower than the cost of cigarettes. It’s no secret that smoking is an expensive habit. The cost of cigarettes varies depending on the brand, location, and taxes, but in general, smoking will take its toll on your wallet over time.

We’ve already covered this topic in a previous blog, so head over to our Smoking Vs Vaping Savings Calculator to find out how much money you could save if you were to make the switch today.

Smoking Vs Vaping: Convenience

Besides the potential health benefits and long-term savings, switching from smoking to vaping can also make your day to day life more convenient.

One of the most significant advantages of vaping over smoking is portability. Vape kits are generally smaller and more compact than a pack of traditional cigarettes, making them easier to carry around and use on the go.

Many e-cigarettes are designed to be discreet and can easily fit into your pocket or purse, making them a great option for people who are always on the move. While vape devices do require some preparation time, such as filling the e-liquid tank or replacing the coil, this is a one-time process that takes just a matter of seconds.

Once everything is set up, vaping can be more convenient than smoking because you don't have to constantly purchase lighters and find somewhere to dispose of cigarette butts. Additionally, some modern e-cigarettes don't even require a button to be pressed, which makes vaping even more convenient.

Smoking Vs Vaping: Variety

When it comes to variety, vaping has a clear advantage over smoking. Vape kits and e-liquids come in a wide range of flavours, strengths, and styles, giving users much more variety than traditional cigarettes.

One of the main advantages of vaping over smoking is the ability to choose from a vast array of flavours. E-liquids are available in a whole host of great blends ranging from traditional tobacco and menthol to fruity, sweet, and savoury options. E-liquids are also available in different nicotine strengths, allowing users to choose the amount of nicotine they want in their vapour. This can be particularly useful for people who are trying to quit smoking and want to gradually reduce their nicotine intake.

Our handy Nicotine Strength Calculator can help you figure out how much nicotine you should be vaping. In addition to the wide range of flavour options, vape kits also come in various styles and designs. Some devices are compact and discreet, while others are larger and more powerful. Users can choose from different types of devices, such as cigalikes, pod systems, and box mods, depending on their preferences and needs.

Many vape kits are also customizable, allowing users to change the colour, design, and even the temperature of the vapour. This level of personalization is not possible with traditional cigarettes, which are all the same size, shape, and flavour.

Smoking Vs Vaping: An Overview

Now that we’ve covered the many differences between smoking and vaping, it can be helpful to take a look at how they compare side by side. Here’s a quick rundown of the differences and similarities between Vaping Vs Smoking:

Smoking Vs Vaping: Verdict

To sum up, it is clear that vaping is a better option than smoking for a variety of reasons. Not only has vaping been proven to be less harmful to your health, but it is also more convenient, customisable, and socially acceptable.

Vape kits and e-liquids come in a wide range of flavours and strengths, allowing users to tailor their experience to their preferences. Vaping is also much less harmful to those around you, as the vapour produced by e-cigarettes dissipates quickly and does not produce the same strong odour as cigarette smoke.

While vaping is not entirely risk-free, it is widely regarded as a safer alternative to smoking, and it has helped many people quit smoking altogether. Vaping can be a useful tool for smokers who want to kick the habit and for ex-smokers who want to avoid the harmful effects of traditional cigarettes.

In the end, the choice between smoking and vaping is a personal one. However, when it comes to health, convenience, and variety, vaping is clearly the better choice. If you are a smoker who is looking to quit or if you are simply looking for a less harmful way to enjoy nicotine, then vaping is definitely worth considering.

Quit Smoking with myCigara

Here at myCigara, we exist to make the UK smoke-free. By offering a range of high quality vaping equipment that caters to both beginners and advanced users, we hope to help our customers make that all important first step on their quit smoking journey.

If you’ve never tried vaping before, be sure to check out our New To Vaping blog for a complete rundown of everything a beginner needs to know before they get started. Additionally, if you’re thinking about giving vaping a try but want to find out more before diving right in, head over to our blog; A Basic Guide to Vaping to learn more about the different components of e-cigarettes and which vaping style is right for you and your lifestyle.

We stock a wide range of vape starter kits, pod devices and e-liquids from popular and reputable brands to help make your transition as smooth as possible. If you have any questions or would like further advice, feel free to contact us, or head down to your local myCigara vape store where our friendly expert staff is on hand to help you out.

You may also like to read....