How’s your VApril going so far? Whether you’ve been stoically supporting the vaping awareness month campaign or have begun to switch to vaping – we’re here to provide that added momentum, fresh impetus, and drive, that you may just require, in order to keep you vaping this VApril.
Buying Your E-Liquid Online
It might seem obvious, but one of the key contributing factors to staying smoke-free is enjoying the experience of your vape. This will predominantly come down to what you vape – your e-liquid. The flavour of your vape will be a matter of personal preference, however, the taste that you expect, should be clean and leave you satisfied.
If you’ve just started vaping you may have discovered that not all e-liquids taste the same – far from it in fact. Additionally, and rather inconveniently, most high street retailers won’t necessarily stock the same brands of e-liquid, which means that unless you stock up on your favourite e-liquid well in advance, you might not always be able to experience the same consistently great taste that you want and have come to expect from your vaping.
The answer? Buy your e-liquid online! Affordable, delivered quickly to your door and provide you with that same consistent high-quality e-liquid that you know will keep you away from the cigarettes – you can find your favourite flavours with a sample pack and then bulk buy as you see fit to save on costs.
Need a More Powerful Vaporizer?
In all instances, we recommend purchasing an affordable and easy to use starter e-cigarette such as Vapour2’s Classic Range. But what if that’s not giving you what you want in order to stay smoke-free. Depending on your previous habits and consumption of cigarettes, it’s feasible that a simple starter e-cigarette may not be satisfying your needs.
It may seem like a drag, but the answer you’re looking for may be to do with the power of your e-cigarette, which means you’ll probably want to think about upgrading your device. If you’re keen to continue using prefilled e-liquid cartridges Vapour2’s EX Series will give you double the power and double the vapour production.
You may think that by owning a decent vaporizer and having a quantity of your new found favourite e-liquid to hand, that you’ve got all you need to keep vaping and stay smoke-free. In most cases this would be true, however, the real secret to staying smoke-free is to have a backup plan. By this, we mean essential accessories.
E-cigarettes and vaporizers are expensive bits of kit, which is why you should avoid carrying devices around in your pockets or left loose in handbags or rucksacks. Having a suitable carry case to transport your battery and e-liquid should be a priority to keep your essentials safe.
A replacement rechargeable battery may seem like an expense you’d rather not entertain at this point, but the worst thing when your craving nicotine is realising that your vaporizer has run out of power. Invest in a replacement battery that can be stored in your new carry case, and avoid the temptation to give into cigarettes just because you haven’t got enough battery in your vaporizer.
Vsavi have established themselves as the leading UK brand supplying the purist 100% VG e liquids and a full range of pharmaceutical grade CBD supplements including a range of the best CBD vape liquid and CBD vape pens. There are not many companies that offer full transparency of all ingredients in their vape products using only the highest grade, Vsavi is one them.
Vsavi Product Range
Vsavi CBD Range
Full Spectrum CBD Drops include THCV, CBL and CBCVA
Natural CBD Drops from Isolate Crystals
CBD Vape Oil with Terpenes
Pure CBD Vape Oil – Unflavoured
CBD Drops
Full Flavour CBD
Vsavi is a full member of the CTA. The Vsavi CBD e liquid and CBD Oil range contains no artificial flavouring, they contain pure clean organic CBD extracted from only the highest grade hemp. Their products are manufactured and tested in state of the art laboratories. Vsavi products come in a full range of strengths to ensure you get the right product for your needs. Our CBD review takes a look at the best CBD Oils and CBD vape juice. Check out the best CBD pen reviews too. Make sure you get the right product.
We have reviewed Vsavi products extensively and have found them to be among the best products money can buy. Treat your self with our Vsavi coupon code and save!
Hi-ho and here we go, as another jam packed VApril challenge gets set go underway this spring. Calling upon vapers far and wide to celebrate, embrace and share the benefits that vaping can have on smokers lives – let’s take a look at what’s in store this April.
Speak up for Vaping
Know smokers who still think that vaping is some spurious and curious fandangled fashion accessory that poses the same risks as smoking? Studies suggest that 44% of the 7 million smokers in the UK are still unaware that e-cigarettes are considerably less harmful than their tobacco counterparts – which is quite frankly a worryingly high number.
It was way back in 2015 that Public Health England (PHE) published their independent report stating that e cigs are staggeringly 95% less harmful than smoking and that vaping has the potential to help smokers become smoke-free. In fact, according to PHE, vaping may be helping up to 20,000 smokers relinquish the fatal habit of smoking and make the positive switch to vaping which account for estimates of 2.6 million vapers leading altogether healthier lives than they had been doing so previously.
If you’re one of the millions vapers who have felt the positive benefits
that vaping has had on your life, why not speak
up for vaping and let people know your story. Join the Vapril Campaign
and take the challenge to speak up for vaping.
We know that smoking is a ridiculously addictive habit, which is why
funnily enough, e cigs were conceived in the first place. Designed to simulate
the act of smoking and providing a delivery of nicotine to your bloodstream –
heating e-liquid into a vaporised state at low temperature is in stark contrast
to the thousands upon thousands of carcinogenic materials and carbon monoxide
you inhale every time you light up.
Why not ditch the cigarettes this April and try taking the Vapril challenge? Switch on to a Vaping plan by simply heading to the Vapril website and get some great advice on how to get your vaping adventure started with 4 simple steps to follow to help you become smoke-free.
Easier than you might think, all you’ll need is a simple Starter Sampler Pack which will include a rechargeable battery, USB charger and a choice of flavoured e-liquid cartridges. Hey presto, you’re good to go!
Seeking expert advice
Deciding to vape for the first time doesn’t need to be a big deal, but it’s feasible that you will have the odd question or two. “What kind of vaporiser should I use?” “Does it matter where I get my e-liquid from?” “I’ve got all the gear and genuinely know idea”.
All valid enquiries that can be addressed at the ever so informative
Expert Advice section of the Vapril website.
The experience you have when you vape will generally be down to two things. One – how decent your e cigarette device is. And two the quality of the e-liquid that you are actually vaping. Let’s take a look at the latter and the importance of buying the best e-liquid you can.
How Do You Know What Quality E-Liquid Is?
We’ve all been there. The sight of a new, colourful e liquid on display at your local shop vying for vaping attention. ‘On Sale’ you notice. ‘Introductory Offer!’ it says emblazoned on the neon sign. ’10 for the price of 1’.
The appealing affordability of the cheap e-liquid at hand might seem like a tempting one. Though it’s important to tread with a little caution if you don’t want to be caught left with a nasty tasting e-liquid.
The rise in popularity of vaping and the lucrative market that it yields has led to some nuisance purveyors trying to get a slice of the action. This leads to choosing to use cheaper, synthetic ingredients to create e juice that isn’t that ‘juicy’.
Leaving a somewhat sinister aftertaste, cheap e-liquids might not be what you’re looking to quit stop smoking and seeking a pleasurable vaping experience.
Ultimately you should source your e-liquid from a well-established, reputable seller who has garnered a host of glowing reviews by real customers.
Look for flavourings derived from natural ingredients that have been suitably tested. Those with nothing to hide will be happy to share with you the ingredients that you can then research yourself.
Should they be a reputable and honest seller, they will follow the Tobacco Products Directive regulations. This will cover all things ingredients and testing before those products becoming available to you the consumer.
Consistent Flavours
When you smoked cigarettes, the consistency of the flavour of your tobacco was never really in question. You would light up, and it would taste the same every time.
Buying cheap imitation e-liquids, more than likely manufactured with cheap ingredients – is never a good start.
The likelihood that you might not always get the same flavour when you vape is also high when you go down that route. Besides, how do you know what’s in it?
Enjoying the experience and flavour of your vape is key to you remaining smoke-free. Even if it might cost a little more than the e juice found at the petrol station at the end of your road.
A poor quality e-liquid made with cheap ingredients will only result in a nasty aftertaste that may just put you off the idea of vaping altogether.
You Are What You Vape
The annoying sound of your parents declaring “you are what you eat” as you tuck into your fourth bowl of ice cream. These may be the words you used to loathe, but to an extent they were right. From late brunch to a liquid lunch, what we consume naturally plays a significant role in our functions.
Eat too much sugar and you’re prone to diabetes, too much dairy can create dairy intolerances, and too much of anything will have its own set of ensuing consequences.
Vaping e-liquid is 95% less harmful than smoking. However, the technology and use of e cigs simply haven’t been around long. Certainly not long enough for scientists to observe any potential long-term damage.
Avoid e liquids with lengthy lists of synthetic ingredients and ensure the e-liquid you use is fit for your consumption.
As part of Public Health England’s (PHE) Health Harms Campaign, a nauseating new video has been released detailing the grizzly effects that smoking tobacco has compared to that of the vapour from e cigarettes.
If you vape, you will undoubtedly be aware of the advantages that e cigarettes hold over their traditional tobacco-based counterparts – more money, an improved sense of health, less time spent out in the cold just to get your nicotine hit…the list goes on. Despite the tangible benefits on offer, of some 6 million smokers in England almost half (44%) wrongly believe that vaping is as harmful as smoking or that they are unaware of the significantly lower risk that vaping has on their health (22%).
The Damage Tobacco Has On Your Body
Representing a month’s worth of smoking and vaping, scientists Dr Lion Shahab and Dr Rosemary Leonard compare the smoke of a cigarette versus the vapour produced from an e cigarette while using cotton wool buds to represent what might happen inside our bodies. We all know that smoking is bad and as we are sure you will, of course, concur, the evidence from the experiment is frightful, to say the least.
Expectedly,
the chamber of cotton buds subjected to the tobacco smoke is doused and covered
in sticky black tar – far from a good thing to be taking place within our
bodies.
In
comparison, the chamber of cotton wool buds that were met with the vapour from
the e-cigs appeared free from any such stain with an area in the middle of
cotton wool buds being damp at best as the only kind resulting consequence.
Vaping is 95% Less Harmful than Smoking
While not completely risk-free, the video recently published by PHE is both a sobering and a startling visual representation that backs up their declaration in 2015 that e cigarettes are up to 95% less harmful than smoking tobacco and that vaping has the potential to help smokers become smoke-free.
Conducting the experiment, smoking cessation academic Dr Lion Shahab commented:
“Research we and others have conducted shows that vaping is much less harmful than smoking and that using e cigarettes on a long-term basis is relatively safe, similar to using licensed nicotine products, like nicotine patches or gum. Using e cigarettes or nicotine replacement such as patches or gum will boost your chances of quitting successfully.”
More Education On E cigarettes Needed
Despite an estimated 2.5 million vapers in England having successfully quit smoking with the help of e cigarettes, it is clear that more education and information is needed to help the 44% of smokers understand that vaping is a much less harmful alternative to the toxic and life-threatening habit of smoking cigarettes.
Director of Health Improvement at PHE, Professor John Newton said:
“It would be tragic if thousands of smokers who could quit with the help of an e cigarette are being put off due to false fears about safety. We need to reassure smokers that switching to an e cigarette would be much less harmful than smoking.”
From contracting ‘popcorn lung’ to vaporizers pulverising homes, myths and the false rumours that surround e cigs are a prevalent thing which can at times be something of a struggle to arrest, quell and quash. Various advertising limitations imposed on the e cigarette industry mean that it can be difficult to convey the positive impact that e cigarettes have on so many ex-smokers lives’, which in turn can make it difficult to convince the naysayers otherwise that vaping is a far less harmful habit.
Know someone that smokes? Forward them this blog, show them the video, and give them the low down on all things e cigs, e juice and more – they’ll thank you later when they’re a vaper.
‘Tis the season to inadvertently relinquish your
life savings to Father Christmas! From Christmas cards to Christmas crackers
and festive food to fabulous presents, there’s no escaping how expensive the
seasonal splurge can be. Smoker? The chances are, what with countless Christmas
gatherings and office parties to attend to, the opportunity to smoke more than
your fair share of tobacco is one you casually and causally meet with open arms. A Christmas list as long as your arm
and umpteen packets of cigarettes later and the balance of one’s bank account
may be a little on the bleak side. Ready to start saving money? Ditch the
cigarettes and switch to vaping and you could well be on your way to saving
yourself a pretty penny in the foreseeable future.
How much do E-cigarettes Cost?
Where a typical pack of 20 cigarettes might cost somewhere in the region of £10 – £12, Vapour2 starter kits cost £19.99 and come with 4 different flavoured e-liquid cartridges. Each individual cartridge provides you with the equivalent of a pack of 20 cigarettes, which means that at the very least you may be saving £20 straight away.
Once you’ve found your vaping feet so to speak and have identified the best flavour and nicotine strength to suit your needs, you may want to invest in some refillable cartridges and multipacks of your favourite flavoured e-liquids.
Refillable cartridges (£4.99 – £8.31 per cartridge) are suitable for between 45 – 60 refills and a single bottle of 10ml premium quality e-liquid (£5.99) will contain enough to refill your cartridge 10 times or more. This is a great way to further keep costs down and to keep that piggy bank plump.
Buying your kit and e liquid isn’t necessarily the same as buying your standard pack of cigarettes and there exists a world of vaping paraphernalia that if you’re not careful could lead you down a fairly costly route. We would always recommend to purchase a starter kit to introduce yourselves to vaping. This way you can find a flavour that works for you and evolve and upgrade your vaping equipment along the way as you see fit.
How Much Money will I Save by Switching to E-cigarettes?
Depending on your habits your choice of devices and accessories, the amount of money you will save by switching to vaping will of course differ. If you smoke 20 a day, you could be spending anything from £310 to £375 a month on cigarettes. However, vaping the equivalent number may cost you just under £40 for the month (£19.99 Vapour2 Vape Pen including one refillable tank+ £19.99 for 3 x 10ml e-liquid). That’s a whopping saving of over £250 in just one month!
Healthier Bank Balance, Healthier You
As well as saving yourself a small fortune by switching to vaping, you may potentially be saving your own life too! In 2017,smoking-related deaths accounted for 16% of all adult fatalities in the UK. In 2015 Public Health England published an independent report stating that e-cigarettes are up to 95% less harmful than smoking tobacco and that they have the potential to help smokers become smoke-free.
A hot topic of discussion this week has seen the United States Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A) seek to impose an imminent ban on the sale of flavoured e-cigarettes and e-liquids. Why? Let’s find out.
Combatting Youth E-cigarette Usage
In an unprecedented move that has the potential to significantly impact the e-cigarette industry in the US, predictions suggest that flavoured e-cigarettes and e-liquids are to come under some tight restrictions due to what some are calling an e-cigarette epidemic among the kids of America. Sales of flavoured e-liquids, that some say contribute to the desire among the young to try e-cigarettes, are set to be banned from thousands of store across the country as well as online verification requests for online sales.
In 2018, it was estimated that there were some 3.5 million underage vapers in the US. When you take into consideration that there are just 3.2 million vapers in the UK, the US figure of young vapers seems worthy to warrant the attributed attention, but is a ban on flavoured e-liquid and e-cigarettes a step too far?
Naturally, a consideration to be made first and foremost is how are kids getting hold of e-cigarettes in the first place? Could stricter bans on underage selling be enforced to those licensed to sell e-cigarettes? Could shopkeepers impose a more rigorous line of questioning when it comes to knowing their customer’s age? Can common sense prevail?
The Problem with Banning Flavoured E-liquid
In a classic case of one step forward, two steps back, there lies a fairly fundamental error of judgement should the FDA move forward with their plans to ban flavoured e-liquids. Youth culture aside, adult smokers who are genuinely looking to quit cigarettes and use e-cigarettes, flavoured e-liquids and all, to abate their addictions will ultimately be missing out on products aimed at helping them.
The Sugar Content in Cigarettes
The addiction to cigarettes is at a bare minimum two-fold; in addition to nicotine, what you might not know is that cigarettes contain roughly half a teaspoon of sugar (20%) which means that when you quit smoking, you endure the unfortunate experience of withdrawing from both substances – fun times.
Indeed, the high sugar content of cigarettes bears the initial premise and thinking behind flavoured e-cigarettes. Fruity concoctions act to aid your withdrawal and to curb your cravings for sugar which in the past, would so often be remedied with a trip to the naughty aisle of their local supermarket, which would then subsequently lead to unwelcome weight gain. Flavoured e-liquids go some way to allay those cravings and should be seen as a contributing factor to encourage more people to ditch the cigarettes and make the move to vaping.
In the UK, Public Health England declares that e-cigarettes are up to 95% less harmful than tobacco and have the potential to help smokers quit. In addition, the UK is second only to Sweden in number of cigarettes smokers, with e-cigarettes playing its part in the continuing drive to reduce the rates of smokers.
CBD vape oil is gaining popularity because of a lot of recent publicity in the UK. The recent article that appeared in the “Independent” reported that the UK Government’s MHRA’s assessment on Cannabidiol (CBD) could “provide ground-breaking results” in leading to reform over cannabis’ medicinal use in the UK. The CBD assessment from the MHRA states that this product has a “restoring, correcting or modifying” effect on “physiological” functions. Furthermore, clinical trials have shown the safety and efficacy of the product which has helped people with several different illnesses, even cancer.
CBD Oil Studies
Several reports published by the NCBI have given us further evidence of the positive effects of CBD, the National Centre for Biotechnology Information stated; “CBD acts in some experimental models as an anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, anti-oxidant, anti-emetic, anxiolytic and antipsychotic agent, and is therefore a potential medicine for the treatment of neuro-inflammation, epilepsy, oxidative injury, vomiting and nausea, anxiety and schizophrenia, respectively.”
We have researched various CBD Oil products in the UK and have selected one of the best one’s so far, in the near future we’ll report on others in other blog posts. The way this has been decided is by ensuring that the CBD vape oil is organic, pure and free from artificial flavourings and prepared in proper UK and EU Laboratories. There are a number of variants including full spectrum CBD oil which preserves all the significant chemical content from the original plant including terpenes and the fatty acids.
#1 CBD vape oil
VSAVI CBD vape oil is our number 1 choice of CBD vape e liquid. The vast majority of other CBD oils and e-liquids contain flavourings and we suggest steering clear of these. So, if you’ve decided to buy CBD vape oil, stick with a plain one. The VSAVI Pure Cannabidiol range does not contain any artificial ingredients or flavourings. Vsavi is a registered member of the CTA. (Cannabis Trades Association)
100% Vegetarian
Only Pharmaceutical Grade Ethanol
Gluten Free
Pure CBD product – no added flavour
Only the highest quality and safest European ingredients are used
ORGANIC
Completely GMO free
Have not been tested on animals
Prepared in a “clean room” laboratory
Eco friendly production
Integrated supervision by chemical engineers to ensure consistency and safety
Entire production is done within Europe
Vsavi also offer a wide range of the best CBD vape pens. The range includes an essential CBD kit and extends to advanced vaporizer section so it will not be difficult to find a vape pen that suits you. All their CBD devices are TPD compliant, check out the Vsavi Discount code section and save money.
Why are people using CBD Oil?
There are many reasons why CBD is becoming popular but here are some that you may not have heard about.
Recently a CBD Oil study in the UK found that it was effective in reducing the desire to smoke cigarettes
Cannabidiol was found to be effective as a sebostatic and anti-inflammatory agent in the treatment of acne. It inhibits lipid synthesis.
It may curtails the development of diabetes.
Shows promising results in the treatment for fibromyalgia
It has shown promise in halting prions which is the protein that causes neurodegenerative diseases like Creutzfeltd-Jakob and mad cow.
CBD is known to produce anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory effects when ingested. It slows everything down and calms the user. It is therefore helpful in the treatment and management of PTSD and both chronic and acute anxiety.
There is some early documented evidence that it is an effective treatment for Crohn’s disease.
There is evidence to suggest that CBD has the potential to reduce various aspects of Multiple Sclerosis.
One of the very few side effects of CBD is tiredness, so it has proved effective in dealing with insomnia.
CBD has known antiemetic properties and has therefore proved to be effective in alleviating vomiting and nausea caused by chemotherapy and some other therapies.
There is therapeutic potential for the treatment of seizures as it has anticonvulsant properties.
Will CBD get you addicted or high?
CBD is one of many compounds found in the resin of the Cannabis plant. When the Oil is extracted in the lab, the Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of the cannabis plant is removed. This means that consuming or vaping CBD Oil cannot get the user ‘high’ like Marijuana would. Despite all these benefits, there have been some concerns around the safety of Cannabidiol because of misunderstandings about THC.
Does CBD Oil contain THC?
THC is a different compound contained in the cannabis plant which has psychotropic properties, and which is known to cause elation, sedation, relaxation and even hallucinations. It is due to this link between the two substances that causes doubt over whether CBD oil can cause a high. When people use marijuana for recreational purposes they choose strains of the plant that are high in THC, however CBD oil is produced from a different strain of the hemp plant (sativa) which is higher in CBD, so users can be assured that the process involved in extracting the CBD oil results in a product that only has minuscule levels of THC that can have no real or harmful effect on the body.
CBD oil is not addictive and will not get you high. Although cannabis is known to be an illegal substance in the UK, CBD oil has none of the psychoactive components that characterise marijuana. While Cannabidiol has a therapeutic effect, it does not cause any unwanted psychoactive effects and actually has an anti-psychotic effect meaning that it can be used in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia. The variety grown for medical and recreational purposes, marijuana, has a lower level of CBD and a higher level of THC, while other strains have a higher CBD content and under 0.2% THC. Certain dispensaries in the United States, Canada, Spain and in other countries where it is legalised, now grow strains for specific conditions and symptoms.
Is CBD oil illegal in the UK
An article at Sky News indicates that products containing CBD are to be classed as medicines from 2017. It’s also been reported that there has not been a single study which shows that CBD Oil gives the user any adverse effects. So now you know you wouldn’t get ‘high’ or be breaking the law by using this product. If you already have a vape and you’re looking for the oil itself, VSAVI CBD Oil is one of the best on the market. VSAVI offers CBD strengths from 50 mg to a maximum strength 1000 mg CBD. You can choose to start with the lowest concentration CBD e liquid which costs £6.00 for 50 mg CBD and ascend to higher concentrations if you need to, it seems like great value for money. Vsavi also offer CBD oil tongue drops in 300 mg – 1500 mg strength, an oral version of their product for those who do not wish to vape CBD.
How Is CBD Oil Made?
When making the oil, it is important to use the right strain of cannabis plant as there is a difference between those that are rich in THC and those that have a higher Cannabidiol content. CBD is derived from cannabis plant flowers or hemp where it is concentrated in its resin glands. When extracted from the flower, CBD oil is produced by combining the plant with other compounds such as olive oil, ethanol or butane and extracted using carbon dioxide methods of extraction.
Vaping CBD Oil
Vaping is one of the safest and most effective ways to ingest the oil, as it facilitates the absorption into the body. You can simply fill up a new vape cartridge with CBD vape oil and begin vaping as usual. The only difference would be that there will be less vapour than the usual e-liquid flavours. VSAVI offer a full range of simple and effective TPD compliant CBD Vape kits to suit every need.
VSAVI does not sell flavoured CBD Oil like many other companies, preferring to offer a clean pure organic brand of CBD. Most users will be health conscious and should be weary of CBD oil that contains artificial flavours or additives, there is little regulation in this area. If you want a specific flavour you can add a couple of drops of Vsavi 100% VG e-liquid which is regulated and therefore considered safe to use. The CBD vapour taste in its natural form, has a slight hint of “oak” taste. You should avoid adding too much flavoured e-liquid as this can cause crystallisation to occur – simply warming the solution up slightly will dissolve any crystal formation.
The product itself is completely organic, GMO-free and 100% vegetarian, which is great for ethical issues. It’s been reported to alleviate disorders such as anxiety, nausea, depression and even seizures. It helps with symptoms by regulating our body’s homeostasis, which can impact our mood, sleep patterns, appetite and even relief pain. You can buy CBD oil in the UK online and in vape shops.
Does Vaping Cannabidiol Work?
There is substantial evidence, both anecdotal and scientific that vaping CBD oil or using CBD tongue drops certainly helps people who are suffering from a wide range of conditions. One of the main benefits of vaping CBD oil is the ease of use, it means that you can completely control the amount of Cannabidiol that you’re ingesting and increase or decrease the amount of CBD based on how you feel.
Please note this information should not be construed in any way to mean that anyone is making a claim that CDB cures any of these conditions. Neither does this CBD Oil review article intend to infer or suggest that the ingestion of or inhalation of CBD is guaranteed to alleviate or eradicate any of the conditions or symptoms associated with any of the named conditions. This information is included here merely to inform the would-be user of the scope of medical trials and research being conducted on the marijuana plant.
Cometh the month of October and with it Stoptober, Public Health England’s annual campaign to implore cigarette and tobacco smokers across the country to stop smoking for 28 days. Game faces at the ready as the people unite in a fight against addiction.
The cases of individuals doing remarkable things all on their own, unassisted and unaided in any way are few and far between. Yes, all those years ago Noah supposedly built an Ark to save life from extinction, but he was of course accompanied by some 4 wives and a cohort of companions. Yes, Michael Jordan was one of the greatest basketball players of all-time, but he had a roster of fast-class athletes by his side in the form of the Chicago Bulls.
There will be innumerable moments in time when it has seemed that one person has stood upon a pedestal of glory, but drill down to the details and you’ll quickly find that a togetherness of a group of people has often been the foundation for that very same pedestal.
But what’s this got to do with Stoptober? Withdrawing from cigarettes will come with its fair share of niggling cravings, anxious feelings, and irrationality. It may seem to you that your smoke-free friends have no understanding of what you’re going through which can be a lonely feeling sometimes. Irritable and at the end of your tether, it seems the easiest thing to do when you’re trying to quit smoking and had enough with it all, is to reach for a pack of cigarettes.
The nature of a national campaign such as Stoptober, ultimately means that you will not be going it alone in your quest to become tobacco free. Whilst you may not know Nancy from Newcastle or Mike from Milton Keynes, one should take comfort in the fact that there will be thousands upon thousands of other smokers going through the same journey as you this month.
If you’re looking for more moral support, why not take the time to ask your fellow smoking friends if they fancy taking the challenge with you? If you smoke at work, you may well have fellow smokers you meet at regular intervals during the day who will also be up for the challenge. People power is a remarkable force to behold and with a little help from your friends, you may just find that by the end of 28 days you’ve achieved your objective of becoming smoke-free. Converse, communicate and cry on each other’s shoulders if you need to.
Since launching in 2012, almost 1 million smokers have signed up to take the Stoptober challenge and you could be next to join the journey to quit smoking. The Stoptober website has a host of tips, tricks to support you as well as a great list of products to aid you on your journey to becoming smoke-free. Listen to real-life accounts from people who have been in exactly the same position as you and track your progress throughout the month with the Stoptober app.
Looking to speak to someone about how you can use e-cigarette devices to help curb your cravings for tobacco this Stoptober? The customer care team at Vapour2 are on hand, online and just a phone call away should you need any expert advice or help regarding any information surrounding e-cigarettes.
We’ve never really thought of vaping as being sinful, have you? It simply isn’t on our list of anything that would approach being considered a bad thing. It’s true that sometimes a premium e-liquid will taste so good, that it feels sinful to indulge in it. But that’s the same as chocolate being sinful – we aren’t really being serious. So, the question remains. Does anyone seriously think vaping could or should be considered a sin?
Apparently, some in the British government think that it is. There are some in Whitehall who are indicating that vaping will be falling into the sin category. The reason? So they can tax vapers. So-called “sin taxes,” which include X Y AND Z, are an easy way for the government to raise funds for the budget. By going after consumption of products that are thought of as a negative behaviour or practice, it makes it simple to get the public behind the effort.
Up until now, vaping wasn’t considered a sinful indulgence that we were okay with taxing. That could all change with the government’s desire to raise an addition £40 million for the NHS, part of an overall commitment of £20 billion extra pledged. Sources have told The Sun that vapour products are directly in sight of. One of those sources was quoted saying, “Vapers are likely to be hit as they are not taxed at all”.
If these sources are accurate, that is about to change. While we may bristle at vaping being thrown in with alcohol and tobacco cigarettes, the very fact that there may be a tax should be seen in a broader context. After all, vapers have it good in the UK.
Vaping in the UK
In that same article in The Sun, praise was heaped on the UK’s vaping environment. “The UK’s liberal approach to vaping has become a model for the rest of the world,” explained Chris Snowden of the think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs. While he worried that a vaping tax would harm the health of the UK as a whole, he pointed out that we are currently a leader in the arena of vaping. The government has shown great vigour in promoting vaping, even featuring it in the UK’s Tobacco Control Plan.
As a result, vapers in the UK have prospered. There are almost 3 million people in the UK who vape, and they reap massive benefits because of it. While typically spending under £300 per year on e-liquid, it is a pittance when compared to the average spent by smokers. The average pack-a-day smoker will spend upwards of £3,700 each year on tobacco cigarettes. That’s just an incredible gap in cost and one that has helped drive the rise of smokers making the switch to vaping.
Proponents of the alleged inclusion of vaping in the sin tax category will explain that it is a minimal expense. Adding a 5% tax would mean vapers would spend perhaps £15 or £20 more per year on their e-liquid – a minor change compared to the £40 million it would raise for the NHS. While nobody likes being taxed more than they are, it does seem like a small amount for the average vaper to incur.
Still, the problem is the very ethos of adding any tax to vaping, especially labelling it a sin tax. Vaping, as we know, helps millions of Britons make that lifestyle changing decision. There’s something strange in taxing a product that Whitehall so fully supports in policy and practice. Vaping deserves to have the competitive advantage over tobacco cigarettes, which are rightfully in the “sin tax” category. In the meantime, the European Commission is set to hold public talks in September on adding vaping in with the taxation of tobacco cigarettes. We’ll pay close attention to how this all turns out.
Without informed advertising from the government and our intended choice of health care, a lack of information for smokers only perpetuates myths such as the safety on vaping or whether the cost may exceed our current habitual spend on tobacco. The word from the health professionals is that e-cigarettes and vaping are by far an altogether better alternative to smoking cigarettes.
As for cost? Depending on your kit, you could be saving yourself a small fortune. Begin with a simple starter kit to get a flavour for what you might like and go from there. Much like finding your favourite brand of cigarette, finding your favourite device and choice of e-liquid will be down to you.
