Before ordering an e-cigarette for the first time, almost everyone asks the question: does e-cigarette have advantages and does vaping offer advantages over smoking?
Why use e-cigarettes?
In addition to the enormous cost savings, the advantages of electronic cigarettes also lie in other areas:
- Little to no odor nuisance
- No smelly clothes or fingers
- No smelling rooms or cars
- No fire hazards from cigarette burns
- Nicotine content and taste can be selected individually
- Liquids without nicotine are also available with the same taste
- No carbon monoxide, no tar
- According to Public Health England 95% less harmful than tobacco cigarettes and 99.5% less risk of developing cancer
No odor nuisance
Electronic cigarettes use electrical energy from a battery to vaporize a liquid via an evaporator (heating coil) that is inhaled by the user. With an electronic cigarette, vaporizatio n0 takes place instead of combustion. Therefore one does ot speak here of smoking but vaping. This is therefore a smokeless cigarette,
10hich has the advantage that no smelly odors can arise from the evaporation. Only the smell of the aroma used in the vape liquid can be smelled for a short moment.
In addition, no solids are produced, such as in cigarette smoke, which can cling to clothing, the car or rooms for days and spread an unpleasant odour.
How harmful are e-cigarettes
According to a study by the British Ministry of Health (Public Health England) from 2015, the consumption of electronic cigarettes is significantly less harmful than conventional tobacco cigarettes. In the study, Public Health England came to the conclusion that e-cigarettes are 95% less harmful than normal tobacco cigarettes (source). The risk of developing cancer from consuming an e-cigarette is also less than 1% (source) compared to tobacco cigarettes.
Nevertheless, there are still no long-term studies that can shed light on the health risks in all directions. You can read about the most important studies and analyzes on e-cigarettes and their results here. A university in Graz, which deals scientifically with pharmacology and toxicology, also published an argumentation paper on myths and rumors about e-cigarettes in January 2019.
The fact is:
- An e-cigarette vaporizes an e-liquid. The ingredients of the liquids are very manageable (PG E1520, VG E422, water, nicotine, flavorings) and are legally regulated throughout Europe. In addition to the neurotoxin nicotine (if contained in the liquid), the greatest health risk is in the flavorings, which are monitored in the EU and banned in the liquids if there is a suspicion of a health-endangering effect (black list).
- In a tobacco cigarette, the burning of plant parts (the tobacco plant) in turn releases a large number of substances (over 4,000), many of which have been proven to be harmful to health and carcinogenic.
- Smokers who buy an e-cigarette are opting for the less harmful alternative, but this does not mean that the e-cigarette is harmless.
Harmfulness of e-cigarettes to health
However, if you do not observe the following things, the e-cigarette can also become very harmful. Toxic substances can be produced or the battery can be damaged and, in the worst case, explode:
- Only buy e-cigarettes & e-liquids from specialist retailers. Own imports from countries outside the EU, the flea market or even from the black market can have serious safety deficiencies, as they are not regulated and monitored by European laws.
- Do not mix any flavors into a liquid base. There are food flavors that are not suitable for e-cigarettes and can release harmful substances when vaporized or heated.
- Change the evaporator head every 2-4 weeks, as more and more liquid residue burns onto the heating coil, which is then heated up again and again with every vaping process.
- Never dry vape the e-cigarette. Make sure that there is always enough liquid in the tanks, otherwise the cotton in the vaporizer will start to burn (cook) and harmful substances could be released.
- Always pay attention to the maximum power range that the evaporator head used can tolerate. If you put more power on the atomizer than specified by the manufacturer, the liquid can burn and harmful substances can be produced.
- Make sure that the battery used can handle the resistance of the evaporator head and always provide sufficient discharge current. If you operate a battery at its load limit, it can get very hot and, in the worst case, explode.
- Only use chargers with a charging current that is permissible for the battery in question. A charging current of 1A is sufficient for most e-cigarettes. If you charge a battery with a charge voltage that is too high, it can also become very hot and become damaged.
Possible intolerance
In particular, we warn against enjoying our e-cigarette liquids if you suffer from a lung disease, e.g. B. asthma, COPD, bronchitis, pneumonia suffer. The aerosol (vapour) can trigger an asthma attack, shortness of breath and coughing fits or other reactions.
The ingredients in e-liquids can also trigger allergic reactions. If you feel any discomfort related to consumption, stop vaping immediately. If in doubt, allergy sufferers should always consult their family doctor beforehand.
Consumption is not suitable for non-smokers, pregnant women, nursing mothers and people with heart, circulatory and lung diseases!
The sale and use by children and young people is prohibited by law.
Significantly less harmful
Electronic cigarettes are up to 95% less harmful than tobacco smoke, according to an assessment by Public Health England (the executive branch of the English Department of Health) . The researchers also confirm that the risk of developing cancer from e-cigarettes is 99.5% lower compared to tobacco consumption (source).
The biggest advantage of the e-cigarette is of course that no dangerous substances such as carbon monoxide or tar can be produced during vaping.
Lower costs
Another advantage is the running costs for e-cigarettes, which are relatively manageable. The costs for 10ml of the e-cigarette liquid correspond to approx. 40-60 tobacco cigarettes, provided the correct amount of nicotine is contained and an MTL steamer is used. In addition, there are the costs for the wearing parts of an e-cigarette, such as the atomizer heads, which have to be replaced every 2-4 weeks.
Nicotine and flavor selectable
With an electronic cigarette, you can choose from a wide variety of flavors for the e-liquid used, from strawberry flavor to tobacco flavor - there are hardly any limits to the variety.
In addition, each e-cigarette liquid is available in different nicotine strengths or nicotine-free. You decide for yourself whether and how much nicotine you take with the e-cigarette.