Vaping has become increasingly popular as a method to consume nicotine, especially among individuals who want to quit smoking. What is vaping, exactly, and how does it compare to smoking cigarettes? In this complete guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about vaping vs. smoking cigarettes, including the risks and benefits of each method. By the end, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about which is right for you.
Vaping vs. Smoking: The Basics
Vaping involves inhaling and exhaling heated oil, known as e-liquid, produced by an electronic cigarette or similar device. The electronic device heats up the e-liquid, turning it into vapor. The vapor typically contains nicotine, propylene glycol, and artificial flavorings.
On the other hand, smoking cigarettes is the act of inhaling and exhaling the smoke produced by burning tobacco leaves. Cigarettes consist of rolled-up tobacco leaves that are lit and passed through a filter and brought into the lungs when a smoker inhales. The smoke contains nicotine, tar, and carbon monoxide.
How Vaping Compares to Smoking Cigarettes
Vaping is one of the most popular ways to use nicotine and was originally created as an alternative to smoking conventional cigarettes. For this reason, many people decided to switch from cigarettes to vapes as a way to quit smoking altogether. While vaping has generally been considered “safer” since it doesn’t result in the same toxic chemical byproducts that smoking cigarettes do, there is still some debate about whether or not vaping is completely safe.
The Risks of Smoking Vapes
There are several risks to smoking vapes, despite their perceived safety. Vaping can be addictive and may contain harmful chemicals and small particles, including metals like lead. Inhaling these metals can cause them to make micro-lacerations in your lungs, resulting in serious health problems, including lung damage.
The best disposable vapes come in dozens of flavors, which is a benefit for those who want to have a wide variety of options for what to vape. However, some of these flavorings may be harmful when inhaled. Diacetyl, for example, is a chemical used to flavor some e-cigarettes and has been linked to serious lung disease. Additionally, these flavors have been used to attract the attention of young children and teens, who are most at-risk for developing a nicotine addiction.
The Benefits of Smoking Vapes
When compared to cigarettes, vapes do have some benefits. If you actually follow through with using vapes to quit smoking, then you will eventually be able to cut the nicotine out of your life altogether. This is because you can gradually reduce the amount of nicotine in the e-liquid over time.
Additionally, vaping is much more discreet than smoking cigarettes. You can vape without smelling like cigarettes for hours afterward, and you don’t have to worry about ash or cigarette butts. Vaping e-liquid does not cause the same kind of staining that smoking cigarettes do, so your teeth and fingers won’t turn yellow over time. Since the liquid doesn’t burn the same way, it also won’t turn your lungs brown (though it is worth noting that there will be oil buildup in your lungs from the e-liquid).
Endnote
In the end, the safest route to take is to quit smoking or refrain from starting. However, we understand that this isn’t always possible or realistic. If you do smoke, we hope that this guide has helped you to better understand the risks and benefits of smoking cigarettes vs. vaping.
