Do you think vaping is worse than smoking? Take our poll and have your say

28 February 2024 , 16:21

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While vaping is often considered to be less harmful than smoking traditional cigarettes, it's important to note that it's not entirely risk-free. (Image: Getty)

Most of us are well aware of just how bad smoking is for us, but vaping's effect on our health is still rather unclear.

While vaping is often considered to be less harmful than regular cigarettes, it's important to note that it's not exactly safe either. In fact, research carried out in recent years has shown that vaping poses a range of serious health risks, with the lungs and heart most affected. One such study, published in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, actually found that vaping causes greater inflammation to the lungs compared to smoking.

Perception is everything, and new research has shown the proportion of smokers who think vapes are more harmful than cigarettes is 'worse than ever'. Academics say that misconceptions about the harm vapes can do compared to cigarettes could be enough to put smokers off quitting.

Last summer some 57 per cent of smokers believed that e-cigarettes were equally or more harmful than cigarettes, according to the survey conducted by Ipsos Mori on behalf of academics University College London (UCL).

Lead author Dr Sarah Jackson, from the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, said that there is high quality evidence that e-cigarettes can help smoker's quit and that vaping "poses only a very small fraction of the risks of smoking". But she added: "A surprisingly large number of people aren't aware of this and believe vaping is equally or more harmful to health than smoking, and this can discourage smokers from switching to a less harmful product.

They look and taste like sweets - no wonder underage vaping is sweeping Britain

Smoking e-cigarettes is still a relatively new phenomenon, and the long-term health effects are not yet fully understood, with studies ongoing to assess the potential risks associated with prolonged use.

Vaping involves inhaling vaporised liquid, which typically contains fewer harmful chemicals compared to the thousands of chemicals found in cigarette smoke. However, vaping liquids still contain substances like nicotine, flavourings, and other additives, some of which may have health risks. Nicotine addiction can lead to various health issues, including cardiovascular problems and adverse effects on brain development in adolescents.

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While many believe vaping is less harmful to the lungs compared to smoking, there have been cases of lung injuries and illnesses associated with it, particularly with the use of illicit or black-market vaping products containing harmful substances such as vitamin E acetate.

Vaping can expose bystanders to potentially harmful chemicals present in the vapour. While the extent of second-hand exposure is generally considered to be lower than traditional cigarette smoke, it's still a concern, especially in enclosed spaces.

'More dangerous than smoking tobacco'

One expert claims puffing on e-cigarettes is actually more dangerous than smoking tobacco.

In a shocking TikTok video, which has so far attracted more than ten million views, Californian eye surgeon, Dr Brian Boxer Wachler, warned that vaping essentially 'barbecues the lungs' He said: “Vape temperatures can be significantly hotter than cigarette smoke, so vape literally could be barbecuing your lungs.

“[This could] explain why more younger people who vape need lung transplants versus younger people who smoke cigarettes,” he explained. Despite the claim, it is still a widely held belief in the medical community that vaping is safer than smoking - which is still the single biggest risk factor for lung cancer.

Last year, the American Heart Association (AHA) revealed that the combination of nicotine, thickeners, solvents, and flavours in vape e-cigarettes poses greater risks to heart health than smoking cigarettes. Last year, research by the AHA showed young people who vaped had a 15 per cent greater risk of stroke than smokers.

What do YOU think? Do you feel that vaping is worse than smoking? Take our poll above and let us know your thoughts in the comments below: