The largest study of it's kind to date suggests that vaping is much less harmful than smoking.
So, with new smoking laws planning to decrease the amount of smokers in the UK, using an e-cigarette might be a lot better for you than the tobacco alternative, according to this study at least.
The new study, which was performed by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London, discovered that the use of vaping products instead of smoking leads to a significant reduction in exposure to toxic substances that can cause cancer, lung disease, and cardiovascular illness.
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An independent report was commissioned by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities at the Department of Health and Social Care, and it’s the most comprehensive report that has been done into the safety of vaping and e-cigarettes so far.
Of course, this isn’t a green light to vape either, as it’s probably better to do neither, but in terms of the short to medium term, it is better for you than smoking.
The study also took in factors such as the person using the products, health factors, and public perceptions of harm before concluding that tobacco is much worse for you.
They hope that this research might contribute to stopping people smoking altogether, due to the significant drop in risk between smoking and vaping.
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Again, this isn’t to say that people who neither smoke nor vape should get involved, but if you do smoke already, vaping might serve you better in the long run.
Dr Debbie Robson, senior lecturer in tobacco harm reduction at King’s College, and one of the authors of the report, said: “The levels of exposure to cancer causing and other toxicants are drastically lower in people who vape compared with those who smoke.
“Helping people switch from smoking to vaping should be considered a priority if the Government is to achieve a smoke-free 2030 in England.”
Professor Ann McNeill, lead author of the study, added: “Smoking is uniquely deadly and will kill one in two regular sustained smokers, yet around two-thirds of adult smokers, who would really benefit from switching to vaping, don’t know that vaping is less harmful. However, the evidence we reviewed indicates that vaping is very unlikely to be risk-free.
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“So we strongly discourage anyone who has never smoked from taking up vaping or smoking.”
The Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, Dr Jeanelle DeGruchy, said: “Every minute someone is admitted to hospital in England due to smoking.
“Every eight minutes someone dies a smoking-related death."
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“This important study is the latest in a series which carefully pulls together the science on vaping to help reduce the damage from smoking.
“Vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking so the message is clear, if the choice is between smoking and vaping, choose vaping.
“If the choice is between vaping and fresh air, choose fresh air.
“Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health, please give it a go this Stoptober.”
Tom Wood