Vaping, Health and Fitness

Over 50% of adult smokers in the UK think vaping is as bad
as smoking for their health. But are they correct? Vaping has become very
popular in the UK over the last few years, making it one of the top five vaping
countries in the world. Many people have sworn by vaping as a way to quit
smoking, but others are wary of vaping also being bad for your health. Until
recently, studies on the health effects of vaping have been thin on the ground.
However, after a number of important studies, it has been revealed that vaping
is much safer than many people think – and safer than smoking.

Vaping is better Than Smoking Long-term

One recent study on the long-term use of vaping products
came from a number of institutions, including
University College London, the Roswell Park Cancer Institute and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in
both the US and UK. The study aimed to compare smoking cigarettes to using
e-cigarettes or nicotine replacement therapy (nicotine patches, nicotine gum,
etc.) over six months or more. The results showed that people using only
e-cigarettes or NRT had lower toxin levels than cigarette smokers and those who
both used these products and smoked cigarettes.

Use of E-cigarettes and Vaping

A survey carried out by Action on Smoking and Health (Ash)
and YouGov found that an estimated 2.9 million adults in the UK use electronic
cigarettes. The 2017 survey also showed for the first time that more ex-smokers
were using these products than smokers, with 1.5 million ex-smokers using the
products. A fourfold increase in vapers took place between 2012 and 2017, but
growth has slowed down and fewer smokers each year understand the benefits of
choosing vaping over smoking. Research showed that only 13% of people
understood that e-cigarettes are a lot less harmful than smoking. However, the
most common reason for switching from tobacco to e-cigarettes was to stop
smoking and save money.

Health Benefits of Quitting Smoking

If you’re a smoker, know a smoker or are maybe even someone
who has considered taking up smoking, it’s important to recognise that vaping
offers a safer and healthier alternative. Vaping liquids often contain
nicotine, but come without many of the toxins contained in cigarettes and other
tobacco products. Without the tobacco, vaping is better for the lungs and
airways. As soon as you stop smoking tobacco, you can notice the improvement
for your lungs, heart and circulatory system. It takes only a few weeks for a
notable improvement in health to take place, even if you have been smoking for years.

When you quit smoking, your lung function could improve by
up to 10% over the next nine months. That means you’ll breathe better, making
it easier to stay fit. As lung capacity diminishes as you get older, it’s even
more important for older people to consider quitting. Your blood circulation
improves when you quit too, which can result in more energy, as well as better
skin and hair. Oxygen and nutrients are delivered more efficiently around your
body when your circulation is better. Quitting smoking can even improve smell
and taste, allowing you to explore a range of e-liquid flavours and enjoy them
more.

Health and Vaping

Although people are aware of the health consequences of
smoking, many assume that vaping is just as bad for your health as smoking
cigarettes. However, studies have so far demonstrated that vaping is likely to
be much better for you. Although people who are quitting smoking choose to use
e-liquids with nicotine, which helps them manage their addiction, they can
immediately stop consuming tobacco. It’s tobacco and some other components of
cigarettes that cause some of the major problems associated with smoking,
including heart and lung disease and several different types of cancer.

Nicotine replacement therapy has long been used as an
effective quitting aid for smokers. Vaping provides an alternative that can
offer a couple of extra benefits. Using
very simple e-cigarettes or advanced vaporisers, quitters
can also keep their hands and mouth occupied, which can be a struggle once you
stop smoking. Nicotine helps to deal with the cravings, but many quitters feel
that they miss the action of smoking. Vaping gives them something to do that
mimics the action of smoking and can even become a hobby due to the different
equipment and flavoured liquids available. You could have more fun vaping than
you ever did smoking.

Smoking Habits

Many people have begun to think more about the impact that
smoking can have on your health. Smoking rates have been steadily dropping over
the years, particularly among younger people.
According to the Office for National Statistics, 17.2% of adults smoked in 2015, compared to 20.1% in 2010.
The largest decrease was observed for ages 18-24, although all age groups saw a
drop in smokers across the five-year period. In 2015, 56.7% of people who had
previously smoked had quit, which is the highest proportion since 1974.

Regulation of Vaping Products

One thing that may concern people is a lack of regulation
for e-cigarettes and vaping products. However, recent changes in EU regulation
are helping to keep products safe. At the same time, they aren’t too much of an
imposition on existing vapers. The new legislation came into effect in May
2017, restricting the maximum strength of nicotine to 20 mg/ml and the maximum
tank size to 2ml with the maximum e-liquid bottle size at 10ml. According to
Ash, previous to these new regulations, only 6% of vapers used above the
maximum strength and only 1% used more than 1ml of liquid a day.

Vaping is the Healthier Alternative

If you’re a smoker, don’t be put off vaping by the incorrect
notion that it’s just as bad for you or worse than smoking. It has become an
increasingly popular way to quit smoking and exposes your body to fewer of the
toxins that cause cancer and other health problems.

Vaping could help you stop smoking or cut back. Start
improving your health and fitness by choosing vaping over cigarettes.