A growing number of public health organizations¹ (including the National Academy of Medicine in France) consider that vaping products have great potential for reducing the risks associated with tobacco consumption. These organizations reviewed the evidence related to vaping products and concluded that these products pose a potentially reduced risk compared to conventional cigarettes*². This risk analysis assumes a complete cessation of smoking by the adult smoker.
HOW DOES VAPING DIFFER TO SMOKING?
NO TOBACCO
Vaping products are fundamentally different from combustible cigarettes because they do not contain tobacco and there is no combustion, so they do not produce smoke. The scientific community³ widely agrees that it is the combustion of tobacco and the toxic substances emitted in cigarette smoke that is the main cause of tobacco-related illnesses.
Most e-liquids used for e-cigarettes contain nicotine, but nicotine-free varieties are also available. Vuse e-liquids only contain water, propylene glycol, glycerol, flavors and nicotine. They do not contain tobacco and no combustion occurs when a person vapes. Vaping devices work by heating an e-liquid, which creates a vapour.
Compared to conventional cigarette smoke, the number and levels of toxic compounds in the vapour are far less because vaping does not involve the burning of tobacco or production of emissions between puffs.*
NO STALE CIGARETTE ODOUR
That stale smoke smell that clings to your hair and clothes? That’s a problem exclusive to cigarettes. This smell is caused by the emission of smoke when burning a classic cigarette. Vaping does not produce this smell, because e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco, do not go through a combustion process and do not generate smoke*.
NO ASH
Since vaping devices don’t produce ash, you and those around you don’t have to worry about ash landing on your clothes. Vuse products have no tobacco, no ash, no tar and no smoke odour*
LESS TOXICANTS
An evidence update from Public Health England on e-cigarettes concludes that e-cigarettes are around 95% safer than smoked tobacco and they can help smokers to quit.
HOW IS VAPING PERCIEVED IN SOCIETY?
Growing misconceptions around e-cigarettes have impacted the public’s view on vaping yet it remains a popular alternative to smoking for many. No tobacco, no ash, no tar and no smoke odour* helps vaping to be seen as more socially acceptable than smoking.
Since it’s the tobacco in cigarettes that is harmful, not the nicotine, and since vaping doesn’t involve tobacco, second-hand vapour from an e-cigarette isn’t thought to be as dangerous as second-hand smoke . This generally means it’s perceived in a more positive light than smoking.
SECOND HAND VAPING
Second hand vape emissions contain compounds that could pose risks to bystanders in high concentrations. However, compared to conventional cigarette second hand smoke, the number and levels of such compounds are far less because vaping does not involve the burning of tobacco or production of emissions between puffs.
Notes :
* This product is not risk-free and contains nicotine, an addictive substance.
*'By 'no tar' we mean no tobacco derived tar. This product is not risk-free and contains nicotine, an addictive substance.
REFERENCES:
UK House of Commons Science & Technology Committee (2017) – link https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmsctech/505/505.pdf
“E-cigarettes present an opportunity to significantly accelerate already declining smoking rates, and thereby tackle one of the largest causes of death in the UK today. They are substantially less harmful—by around 95%—than conventional cigarettes.”
Public Health England (2018) https://www.gov.uk/government/news/phe-publishes-independent-expert-e-cigarettes-evidence-review
“Our new review reinforces the finding that vaping is a fraction of the risk of smoking, at least 95% less harmful, and of negligible risk to bystanders.
Canadian government https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/smoking-tobacco/vaping/quit-smoking.html
“The best available evidence indicates that adults who smoke, who then switch completely to vaping immediately reduce their exposure to the harmful chemicals found in cigarette smoke”
Académie Nationale de Médecine, France (2019) ) https://www.academie-medecine.fr/lacademie-nationale-de-medecine-rappelle-les-avantages-prouves-et-les-inconvenients-indument-allegues-de-la-cigarette-electronique-vaporette/
“ It is certain that an e-cigarette is less harmful than a traditional cigarette. As stated by the National Academy of Medicine in 2015, it is therefore preferable for a smoker to switch to vaping”.
Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment – answer to a question of the Department of Health and Social Care and Public Health England (2020) https://cot.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2020-09/COT%20E(N)NDS%20statement%202020-04.pdf
“The use of e-cigarettes, produced according to appropriate manufacturing standards and used as recommended, as a replacement for smoking, is likely to be associated with a reduction in overall risk of adverse health effects, although the magnitude of the decrease will depend on the effect in question”
