Vaping is not harmless, but there is overwhelming scientific agreement that it is far less harmful than smoking. The small health risks from vaping should be compared to the substantial risks from smoking. Up to two out of three long-term smokers will die prematurely from a smoking-related disease.
According to a recent independent study undertaken by Public Health England, e-cigarettes were found to be at least 20 times safer, or 95% less harmful than traditional cigarettes. This is not surprising as most of the harm from smoking is due to the tar, carbon monoxide and 7,000 other toxic chemicals produced by burning tobacco leaf. E-cigarettes do not contain tobacco and there is no combustion or smoke. Nearly all the harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke are not present in vapour at all, or are at very low levels. As a result, vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking.
A long-term study funded by Cancer Research UK found that ex-smokers who now vape had 97.5% lower levels of NNAL, a chemical linked to cancer, and significantly lower levels of carcinogens in their system than continuous smokers. Almost all the harm from smoking is caused by the thousands of chemicals released by burning tobacco.
Even though they may be less harmful than traditional cigarettes, they are still more harmful than using nothing at all. If you are not currently a smoker, then it is not advised that you use e-cigarettes, especially with nicotine. Nicotine has been found to have negative effects on foetal development and brain development in adolescence, so it is strongly advised that any woman who is pregnant, likely to become pregnant, or breast-feeding consult their doctor before using our products.