Is vaping safer than smoking? How do we know?
Are some vaporizers and eliquids less harmful than others? In this blog we answer these questions and give you 10 Tips to Vape in the least harmful way possible.
When we started Innokin in 2011 our mission was to help smokers and their families. Now in 2020 we have both clear scientific evidence and the support of governments that vaping electronic cigarettes is less harmful than smoking.
Why does the Royal College of Physicians in the U.K. state that Vaping is 95% safer than smoking?
Public Health England has stated that e-cigarettes are ‘95% safer’ than conventional cigarettes, given the reduction in carcinogen load.i PHE has continued to recommend to the British government and people that e-cigarettes are a less harmful method of nicotine delivery there is evidence that they are an effective smoking cessation tool.ii
Why are electronic cigarettes less harmful? They operate totally differently from a conventional tobacco cigarette. When a cigarette is lit the burning tobacco leaf releases smoke that contains tar and thousands of toxic chemicals. Electronic cigarettes, when operated properly, do not burn and tests have shown that they release a far fewer number of chemicals and in lower amounts.
In 2015 we wanted to find out for ourselves how much less harmful electronic cigarettes are than smoking. Innokin worked with the independent American lab Enthalpy Analytical to run analytical testing on our Endura T18 kit. We requested that the lab study T18s under normal operating condition and analyze the amount of specific toxins (aldehydes: formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acrolein) and a list of metals that are present in the vapor.
The results of the testing clearly showed that, when operated properly, the amount of aldehydes and metals were far less than the amount found in cigarette smoke and also well below the exposure limits for these chemicals outlined by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Kurt Kistler, a chemistry professor at Penn State and co-author of the study: “E-cigarettes include a huge variety of devices, power settings, wattage control, voltage control, and even temperature control” ran an independent study with Enthalpy Analytical and the analysis of vapor from five devices found far fewer toxins than in cigarette smokeiii.
The vapor from Innokin e-cigarettes is tested in Europe according to TPD testing standards before they are sold.
Why is this important?
“Tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year. More than 7 million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while around 1.2 million are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.”iv
Smoking kills. Many of us at Innokin are ex-smokers and we have family and friends who have suffered the ultimate price from smoking. We wholeheartedly believe that vaping technology can save the lives of millions around the world and prevent their loved ones from suffering emotionally and financially. Our teams at Innokin continue to design and manufacture high-quality vaporizer kits that improve every year.
Did vaping injure kill people in America in 2019?
Yes. More than 2500 Americans were injured and 51 killed by vaping THC with Vitamin E Acetate in 2019. The CDC stated that Illegal black market THC carts with the additive Vitamin Ev caused these injuries and deaths. The New England Journal of medicine study identified BAL fluid obtained from 48 of 51 case patients (94%)vi. From the CDC and NEJM statements it was THC carts with Vitamin E Additive that caused the EVALI sickness and deaths.
Are some electronic cigarettes are less harmful than others?
If the tank can be opened and eliquid added then it is an ‘open system’ vaporizer. There are many different types of ‘open system’ vaporizers, tanks, coils and eliquids. Choosing the correct vaporizer kit and liquid, and running the vaporizer properly is essential to minimizing harm.
What can you do to ensure your vaporizer is running properly?
10 Tips on what can you do to ensure you are vaping in the least harmful way possible.
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- Choose top quality eliquid from a trusted manufacturer.
- Buy eliquid and vaporizers from a trusted source.
- Nicotine is addictive. Start with low nicotine eliquid and only increase if necessary.
- Keep the eliquid bottle out of the sun and shake before using. Check the expiry date.
- Store eliquid properly and keep it away from children and pets.
- Lower temperature/wattage (MTL Vaping) produces less vapor and are less likely to burn a coil quickly.
- Keep your tank at least 1/3 full and do not vape if the tank is empty.
- As a coil is used the cotton and metal breaks down. Change your coils regularly.
- If a coil is burned it should be replaced immediately. Strong flavors may mask a burned coil.
- Use a certified wall charger when charging your device and never leave a device charging unattended.
If you are smoking please try to stop as soon as possible. Use any safe method that is recommended by your physician that works best for you.
If you are vaping then focus on stopping vaping by reducing the nicotine content of your eliquid. Be aware of the habitual triggers that push your brain into the desire for a puff. Vaping is not totally safe and there are still unknowns. The safest way is to stop smoking and vaping completely.
Your happiness and health are important! We absolutely love hearing all of the success stories from around the world from people who have quit smoking for good. Let us know when you have succeeded and stopped smoking (and vaping too!)
If you have any comments or questions about this article, or would like to read about another topic, please share your ideas below. Thank you for reading and have a great day!
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Royal College of Physicians. Nicotine Without Smoke: Tobacco Harm Reduction. London: Royal College of Physicians; 2016.
ii https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/sites/default/files/jrcpe_48_4_mathur.pdf
iii https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0273230015301549
iv https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tobacco
v https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2019/t1220_telebriefing_update_lung_injury.html
