To put it bluntly, smoking is a terrible habit. I know, I used to have it. Habit? Of course not, smoking is an addiction. Right?
Why do smokers smoke? Because they are addicted to smoking? Wrong, they are addicted to nicotine. That is why people think that nicotine is bad, causes cancer and should be banned outright. Again, it is a huge mistake to label nicotine as such, because nicotine itself is not that toxic.
There are around 10 million smokers in the UK. To be honest, I don’t understand why anyone still smokes, or as I like to call them, stink sticks. If you are a smoker, please understand that I am not criticising you, but trying to help you, so please hear me out.
There is only one reason why smokers can’t quit. Nicotine. So you light up to get that feeling. But in addition to nicotine, you are also taking in tar, carbon monoxide, and a host of other carcinogens. You don’t want them, you don’t need them, and your body certainly doesn’t want them. Think about it, it’s crazy.
“But I still have to smoke to get my nicotine fix,” you say. Okay, but what if I told you, I know a miracle product that, if you had it, could satisfy your smoking habit. You press a button and inhale the liquid that gives you nicotine. You get a little throat burn and exhale something that feels like but isn’t smoke. But you know what I like best? It has no carcinogens, no tar.
“Oh, I wish that miracle product existed,” a smoker might say, it does, it’s called vaping. I’ve been vaping for years and I’ve never looked back. I can’t describe how good it feels, I get my nicotine fix without putting any harmful substances into my body.
Vapes may be the greatest lifesavers of modern times. So you would think that everyone concerned would be happy to help smokers switch to vaping. Nope. On the contrary, there are a lot of myths out there, sensationalist headlines that promote false stereotypes about vaping. Compared to the dangers of smoking, these threats are laughable.
Even legally, people are making it difficult for people to switch to e-cigarettes. Recently, EU tobacco regulations equated vaping with smoking.
You won’t find a more respected and credible anti-smoking organization than Cancer Research UK. I was pleased to see them post their research on their website. After extensive research, they have officially announced what everyone has known for years: nicotine does not cause cancer. They also point out that there is no evidence that vaping causes harm to bystanders, and that e-cigarettes are 95% safer than smoking.
But some people still say nicotine is dangerous. Pure nicotine can poison you. But the diluted form of nicotine used in e-liquids can’t. If nicotine were so dangerous, no one would buy less effective replacement therapies like patches, gum, and sprays.
I’ve vaped all over the world, and in some countries I seem to be the only one. In many places I hate to visit, it seems like people are still obsessed with cigarettes. Big Tobacco’s influence in the West has waned, but in the developing world, nothing has changed. The best place I’ve ever vaped was Ramalla in the West Bank. There were old men in traditional hats smoking hookahs, and I was alone with my vape. They looked at me curiously at first, then nodded in agreement as I exhaled a stream of caramel-flavored smoke.
If you are a smoker and have not tried vaping because of the ridiculous stories about how it is as bad or worse than cigarettes, please consider giving vaping a chance. Do it the right way and don’t buy a disposable cig a like because it won’t do you any good. Invest in a modern vape kit. Don’t buy unknown e-liquids but buy from reputable brands that are trusted.
If you are a vaper and are planning a holiday, be careful where you go as some countries have started to ban vaping and you could get into trouble if you bring your device there. Always check the laws in the country first and be careful in Brazil, Hong Kong, Argentina, UAE, Singapore and Japan. If you are going to Hungary, make sure you bring your own e-liquid as the sale of e-liquids is banned there.
