Is Vaping Less Harmful than Smoking?

When we talk about vaping, it means the inhaling of vapor created by electronic cigarettes. And smoking means inhaling smoke from traditional cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes and traditional cigarettes, which are less harmful? Since electronic cigarettes are currently the most popular substitute for cigarettes, they are often used to compare to cigarettes, especially when it comes to harm perspective. Because harm is the most important point for everyone, and the answers on the Internet are also different, there are even many alarmist claiming that e-cigarettes are hugely harmful, so today we have compiled a detailed information for everyone, and I wish you all recognize the difference between them.

How much harmful are traditional cigarettes?

The shredded tobacco and tobacco slices in traditional tobacco are all tobacco products. At present, the main types of cigarettes sold in most countries are flue-cured tobacco. According to the “Statistics of Tobacco Germplasm Resources Modified Tobacco Leaf 1998-2004” published by China Tobacco Group, the average content of chemical components in flue-cured tobacco are: total sugar 23.08%, reducing sugar 19.63%, total nitrogen 2.00%, nicotine 1.99% , Protein 10.32%, Schmuck value 2.45, total sugar/nicotine 14.21, total nitrogen/nicotine 1.15. Tobacco also contains trace amounts of radioactive substance polonium-210.

The composition of cigarette paper is: bleached hemp pulp, also mixed with partially bleached wood pulp or straw pulp, high-viscosity beating, filling (calcium carbonate) and a small amount of combustion aid (to coordinate the burning speed of cigarette paper and tobacco shreds) . The main harmful substances to the human body are the substances produced by combustion. For example, tar (carcinogen and carcinogen), benzopyrene (highly active indirect carcinogen), heavy metals (cd, cr, as, pb, etc.), gas pollutants (carbon monoxide, acrolein, hydrocyanic acid, monoxide) Nitrogen, nitrogen dioxide, acetone, sulfide, ammonia, phenol, acetaldehyde, etc.).

It can be seen that cigarettes are very harmful and contain a lot of harmful substances.

How much harmful are electronic cigarettes?

Although many e-cigarette manufacturers have been advocating that e-cigarettes have no health side effects, in fact, many e-cigarette liquids contain nicotine. The nicotine from eliquid is addictive and pleasant like traditional cigarettes. If you stop vaping, you will feel depressed and emotionally bad. In addition to being addictive, nicotine can cause the following damage to your body.

It can damage your arteries and blood vessels, long-term use can cause heart health problems. It can harm the brain and affect memory and concentration, especially in teenagers and children. It will harm the unborn baby, so pregnant women should not use any products containing nicotine. In addition to nicotine, some brands of e-cigarettes also contain the chemical substance formaldehyde, which is a substance often used in construction materials, and it has been proven that formaldehyde is also a carcinogen.

In addition, in order to make e-cigarettes taste better, some brands use diacetyl chemicals. Frequent inhalation of diacetyl chemicals is also very dangerous. It might be easy for people to suffer from a disease called popcorn lung.

The safety of e-cigarettes is embodied in that they do not burn tobacco leaves, and the release of harmful substances is relatively small. Some experts estimate that e-cigarettes are more than 90% less harmful than real cigarettes, but we have also reduced some of the harmful substances in e-cigarettes before. You also need to be vigilant and reduce the number of uses as much as possible.

Comparing the composition of electronic cigarettes & traditional cigarettes

Traditional cigarettes mainly contain shredded tobacco, tobacco slices, flavors and fragrances, moisturizers, filters, and cigarette paper.

Electronic cigarettes mainly contain atomizers, functional equipment, and e-liquid (e-cigarettes are divided into flavors and fragrances, nicotine, and PG/VG).

Comparing electronic cigarettes & cigarettes from the perspective of working principle

The electronic cigarettes produce vapor by vaporizing the eliquid, where the atomization temperature is about 170-200 degrees. Traditional cigarettes produce smoke by burning the tobacco leaves, and the combustion temperature can reach 800-1000 degrees. At such a high temperature, traditional cigarettes produce many kinds of decomposable substances, up to more than 4,000 kinds, of which nearly half are unknown to us. However, the material composition of the e-cigarette liquid can be clearly known. It is composed of glycerin, water, plant extracts and other ingredients, without harmful substances.

Experiments showing difference between electronic cigarettes and traditional cigarettes

The liquid on the left is obviously yellow, and there is a lot of dirt in the snorkel, while the e-cigarette cup on the right is clean, but the water is a little bit less (experienced vapers know that e-cigarettes contain glycerin, and you will be thirsty if you vape), but inside the pipe It is also clean, pure and clean.

Therefore, the result of this enthusiastic experiment and the conclusion of the experts are in an agreement that the smoke produced by burning is poisonous! !

If we detect the smoke and vapor, we will find the difference between the two components.

Cigarette: tar, carbon monoxide, nicotine, nitrosamines, radioactive substances (Polonium 210, alpha rays), metal cadmium, benzidine, vinyl chloride and other hundreds of known harmful substances.

E-cigarette: nicotine (the content can be selected, the minimum can not contain)

It seems that e-cigarettes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes.

Electronic cigarettes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes, but it doesn’t mean e-cigarettes are harmless

In 2015, the Public Health Agency of England (PHE) released a 113-page report that analyzed the various risks of e-cigarettes in detail. The report concluded: e-cigarettes are 95% safer than smoking. Policies should encourage smokers to use e-cigarettes. Tobacco is a key tobacco control strategy to reduce the harm caused by smoking. Note that “smokers” are encouraged. Despite many doubts, the Public Health Agency of England still insisted in 2018 that e-cigarettes are 95% safer than smoking.

In February 2018, the American Cancer Society (ACS) also issued a position statement: Although the long-term effects of e-cigarette use are not clear enough, it can be estimated that it is less harmful than ordinary cigarettes. The attitude of the association clearly encourages people to try to use e-cigarettes instead of traditional cigarettes. The association also recommends that clinicians recommend e-cigarettes to smokers to replace traditional cigarettes. Of course, e-cigarettes are only a transitional state, and quitting smoking should always be the first choice.

In November 2018, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also revealed its attitude to the public. It recommends that people who are already addicted to cigarettes switch to e-cigarettes and try to quit smoking. But it also reminds that e-cigarettes are not harmless. Teenagers and pregnant women, as well as people who do not smoke, should not try because it is less harmful than cigarettes.

After weighing the pros and cons of public institutions in the United Kingdom and the United States, they all tend to believe that e-cigarettes are better than cigarettes for smokers. Note that this is not that e-cigarettes are not harmful, but compared to cigarettes, e-cigarettes are much less harmful, and some media tend to selectively forget the harm of ordinary cigarettes when propagating, and exaggerate them. Many people who don’t know the truth are getting deeper and deeper in their wrong perceptions.

In conclusion, electronic cigarettes are less harmful than traditional cigarettes, which means vaping is less harmful than smoking.