How Bad or Good Are E-cigarettes?

More and more people are realizing the benefits of vaping and are switching from tobacco to e-cigarettes. And yet we keep seeing reports in the news that contain demonstrably false information. How does that fit together? If vaping was as dangerous as it is often portrayed in the US media, why aren’t we all dead already?

This post is about how dangerous or safe e-cigarettes are, where the fear-mongering about vaping comes from, and whether you can successfully quit smoking. But let’s start with a term that we’ve been hearing more and more lately: EVALI.

Do We All Die Of Evali?

The term EVALI came from the USA and appeared there during the mysterious lung disease in vapers. EVALI is an acronym for E-cigarette Vaping product-use Associated Lung Injury.

We have often reported that the deaths are not related to the e-cigarette itself but THC liquids purchased on the black market. More precisely, the trigger was the vitamin E acetate contained in these liquids. And did the media (both in the USA and EU) communicate this accordingly and correct their previous terrible news? Of course not. So here’s the first all-clear: As long as you buy your e-cigarettes and liquids from trusted retailers, you don’t need to worry.

By the way, you cannot legally purchase THC liquids in most of the countries. So if someone offers you such a liquid, you should decline with thanks because it is guaranteed to be a self-made liquid and potentially unhealthy.

Where does the negative image of the e-cigarette come from?

The e-cigarette receives the most headwind from the USA. The reason for this can be summed up quite quickly.

Also, one of the reasons is the misconception that nicotine is the worst thing about tobacco cigarettes. And since there are also e-liquids with nicotine, they must be at least as bad. An easy conclusion, right? Nicotine itself is not that dangerous. Instead, up to 4,800 other chemicals can also be found in cigarettes (and 90 are known to be carcinogenic).

The clarification of this misconception and general information campaigns are slowly increasing in the USA, but unfortunately, they still get lost in the mass of scaremongering and false reporting.

Benefits of e-cigarettes:

Health effects: E-cigarettes are around 95% less harmful than traditional tobacco cigarettes, according to a UK government study.

Easy to use: Operating an e-cigarette is child’s play. With ready coil atomizers and pod systems, it’s a simple plug-and-go system. You only need to make a slight to no maintenance if you choose a pod kit system or OEM disposable vape.

No stench: Unlike cigarette smokers, e-cigarettes do not leave behind any stinky smoke that settles in your home, clothes, or car. The vapor from e-cigarettes – depending on the liquid – can smell very good and pleasant.

Diversity: When it comes to e-cigarettes, there is a large selection of different devices. This selection is not only limited to optical but also to technical differences. Thanks to the tremendous variety, whether there are differences in the drawing behavior or the liquid tank, you can look for the right e-cigarette for you individually. And, of course, there is also an almost endless selection of different flavors when it comes to liquids.

Disadvantages of the e-cigarette:

There are not as many studies on side effects as cigarettes. However, the existing serious studies do not show a single negative side effect for vapers.

When e-liquids are vaped with nicotine, addiction can develop.

Vaping can cause slight (temporary) respiratory tract irritation in some individuals. However, these arise, for example, from drinking too little. Also, switching from tobacco to e-cigarettes sometimes causes coughing fits. This is because after quitting smoking, the cilia in the airways grow back (which is good). A side effect of this is that you have to cough easily.

As you can see, not only is the list of cons of e-cigarettes significantly shorter than the list of pros, many of the negatives are only partial cons. And a list of the disadvantages of conventional tobacco cigarettes.

Can I quit smoking with e-cigarettes?

In short: yes. Several studies have confirmed that smokers (even heavy) are more successful with the help of e-cigarettes than with other nicotine replacement products or cold turkey. Even after several years, the recidivism rate of vapers is significantly lower.

Conclusion: E-cigarettes are not healthy, but they are not harmful either. The vapor tastes delicious, and you no longer smell of smoke. Tobacco or e-cigarettes? The question should therefore answer itself.