Smoking is one of the biggest causes of death and illness in the UK increasing the risk of developing over 50 serious health conditions for both the smoker and those around them.
An increasingly popular option for those trying to quit smoking is vaping or the e-cigarette, however this is now becoming a trend for those who have never previously smoked. The issue with this is that even though vaping is less harmful than smoking, it does come with its own issues.
Nicotine is a psychoactive, stimulant drug, that is highly addictive and naturally occurring in the tobacco plant
Smoking, chewing, or snorting tobacco all release nicotine into the brain, creating a variety of effects
There are more than one billion tobacco smokers worldwide
6.9 Million in the UK (Continual decline since 1974)
Smoking tobacco products can have a variety of negative side-effects when used long term
These include but are not limited to:
Vaping does not contain the cancer-causing tobacco found in cigarettes, for this reason it is considered less dangerous than smoking and a good way to aid smoking cessation.
However, this does not mean vaping is risk-free. Short-term effects of vaping can include throat and mouth irritation, headache, cough and feeling sick – these effects reduce with continued use.
Vaping does contain nicotine- which is the addictive element in cigarettes, which means vaping can be equally addictive.
Due to vaping and e-cigarettes still being a relatively new industry, there is not enough research to determine what the long term effects of vaping are.
E-cigarettes are electronic devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol, or mix of small particles in the air, these can be made to either resemble the feeling of smoking a cigarette or use different flavoured vapours for different tastes. These devices can also be known as “vapes”,or “vape pens” and the act of using one is most commonly known as vaping.
E-cigarettes can come in many shapes and sizes, most have a battery, a heating element, and a place to hold a liquid, the size can depend on whether the device is a rechargable device, a battery operated device or a disposable device.
Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some look like USB flash drives, pens, and disposable devices can be small and colourful. Larger devices such as tank systems, or “mods,” do not look like other tobacco products.
E-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that usually contains nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals that help to make the aerosol.
The liquid used in e-cigarettes often contains nicotine and flavorings. This liquid is sometimes called “e-juice,” “e-liquid,” “vape juice,” or “vape liquid.”
Users inhale e-cigarette aerosol into their lungs. Bystanders can also breathe in this aerosol when the user exhales it into the air.
E-cigarette devices can be used to deliver marijuana and other drugs.
