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Smoking has fluctuated in popularity over the years, but cigarettes still remain very popular despite how much we know about their harmful effects on our health. At the end of the day, smoking is an addiction, and many of us started when we were too young to really think about our futures. Nowadays, e-cigarettes are largely available in most countries, but while this is an exciting prospect for those looking for an alternative to cigarettes, are they much better for your health?
Back in the 1940s and 50s, tobacco companies could advertise their products freely in order to get the masses hooked. There were adverts that featured a doctor claiming a certain brand was the best on the market as well as adverts that showed a businessman smoking a cigarette as a reward for his success. Of course, that’s all changed now with the tobacco industry being much more limited in how they can market their products, but smoking still remains a very common habit.
Right now, and especially during the years following 2005, e-cig companies have a relatively large amount of freedom with regards to how they can advertise their products. Of course, they’re largely telling us how their products are much less harmful than cigarettes. In reality, e-cigs and e liquid haven’t been around long enough for us to know if they’re any better than traditional cigarettes, but a lot of experts and health bodies seem to be pretty convinced that they are.
The main people who contest the safety of e-cigs, or vapers, are those that are concerned with the little amount of evidence we currently have regarding their health benefits. Their concerns are understandable, but many esteemed organisations, including the UK’s NHS and Public Health England, seem to think switching to vapers is a positive step to take. Indeed, the NHS is considering making e-cigs available on prescription to those looking to quit smoking, and Public Health England estimates that vapers may be up to 95 percent less harmful than traditional tobacco products.
Is the Future of Smoking Shifting?
Many countries have seen the number of smokers reduce since e-cigarettes started to gain popularity. A lot of people have used e-cigs to completely quit smoking while others have switched to vapers due to their perceived health benefits.
- No real smoke is exhaled as a result of using e-cigs
- No tar is inhaled
- The exhaled vapour isn’t thought to be harmful to second-hand smokers
Of course, as a disclaimer, we can’t say for definite at this time that e-cigs aren’t as harmful to your health as cigarettes, but it’s increasingly looking like that may well be the truth. If you switch to e-cigarettes, you will still be sustaining your nicotine addiction unless you gradually lower your usage, so it’s not like e-cigs are a completely healthy way to smoke – they just might be better than tobacco-based cigarettes. However, if you want to save some money and take a positive step forward towards quitting smoking, switching to vapers might be a good idea.
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