Any misleading bad press about vaping creates confusion and fear. As it spreads like wildfire, the damage is difficult to repair. Is vaping really bad for you – and worse than smoking? Plenty of research backs up its use as a better cessation technique to quit cigarettes. Changing nicotine quantity, alongside natural ingredients like PG and VG is useful if you wish to quit cigarettes. However, if vaping misinformation continues, everything positive from vaping will take a backwards step.

Recent statistics tell us a lot of useful information about the positive effect vaping has on former smokers. As vapers in the UK increase, roughly half of the total nationwide smokers, the key reasons for this change include:

• Wanting to Cut Down on Cigarettes
• Saving Money
• Aid to Stop Smoking

While this is good to see, misleading and sometimes false claims about vaping from a lack of research is alarming.

Who Defends Against Vaping Misinformation?

Fighting in the vaping corner, several leading organisations stake its worth instead of smoking. For instance, one of the notable researchers supporting vaping is Public Health England (PHE). Informing the public with annual in-depth case studies and the latest news from PHE medical professionals prove that. One of PHE’s key findings, supported by the NHS, highlights how important switching from smoking to vaping can be. However, as PHE have discovered, numbers continue to fall due to misperception:

“The proportion who thought vaping was less harmful than cigarettes declined from 45% in 2014 to 34% in 2019. These misperceptions are particularly common among smokers who do not vape.”

Organisations like Cancer Research UK and the Action on Smoking Health (ASH) side with PHE. This adds to evidence that vaping is a better alternative. However, doubts remain. None more so than after the E-cigarette, or Vaping Associated Lung Injury (EVALI) outbreak. This led to a nationwide ban of certain e-cigarette products and ramp-up of laws in the USA.

Understanding the ‘False Fears’

Once the EVALI news took centre stage in the US, it was only going in one direction. It’s common knowledge that smoking causes multiple illnesses with long-term effects. And when cigarettes have thousands of toxic chemicals, perhaps the focus is in the wrong area. Even with all these studies, many still see vaping as more dangerous. Theories such as the ‘popcorn lung theory’ continue to mislead.

Organisations like PHE highlight these ‘false fears’. What misinformation does is reduce the chances of ex-smokers switching to vaping, because of confusing claims in the media. ASH claims it’s due to a ‘misguided belief that vaping is equally as harmful as smoking’.

What Needs to Change

First of all, the idea that vaping affects you more, or even equal to smoking requires a rethink. For example, more case studies like this one with the NHS would help. The benefits of switching remain for vapers, even in the middle of a Coronavirus pandemic. Research suggests it works better than traditional replacement methods such as nicotine patches.

In contrast, scientific facts recognise the damage caused by smoking. It takes the lives of eight million a year in comparison to the figures suggested from the EVALI outbreak. ‘EVALI’ only existed in the US because of a banned substance called Acetate. This is not present in European vaping products due to strict regulations and later found to be the reason for deaths in the US.

Meanwhile, recent numbers show more than 400,000 gave up vaping in the UK between 2019 and 2020. This will only increase depending on what information the public will see. Remember vaping only existed since its creation in 2003 by Chinese creator Hon Lik. That means less research or proof that it’s worse than cigarettes, only sceptics. Nevertheless, those considering vaping as an alternative remain cautious. And with the end of PHE, that’s only going to get worse in the UK. So the National Institute for Health Protection (NIHP) must carry on the good work of PHE. As research improves, vaping misinformation should reduce. If you don’t want to cause damage to those around you, vaping is a major improvement on second-hand smoke. It’s important to find a recognised brand of e-liquid approved by trade regulations. This will ensure that what you’re vaping is certified and contains only the ingredients stated.

In 2020, the UK is in the middle of a crisis. Because of the Coronavirus, the UK and beyond face great difficulties – not just socially but also economically. As we see businesses close, people losing jobs and organisations in pieces, one we did not expect to see scrapped is Public Health England, also known as PHE. The Public Health England switch is a blow to multiple sectors and organisations, including the vaping industry.

Also, the end of PHE is significant for the vaping industry, with the government-funded agency standing up for vaping as a method to help smokers quit. Even with its critics, vapers continue to grow as a community. That’s due to more learning about how vaping can help ex-smokers to reduce their nicotine intake, with multiple studies showing it can be an effective replacement for cigarettes.

The impact of Covid-19 is widespread; ending lives, disrupting businesses and our livelihood. Health is a huge concern and the government is attempting to tackle it by any means necessary.

With these considerations in mind, the Public Health England switch is a shock to many. After all, their research as an organisation helped to promote the switch from smoking. Therefore, it’s important to understand the organisation and what they do, why this is happening now and how it will affect the vaping industry moving forward.

What is Public Health England?

Since 2013, Public Health England has acted as an independent executive agency, on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care. In the past, the NHS lacked organisation, with structural changes needed for decades. What was the result? A new direction for public health under the guidance of David Cameron as new PM in 2010 – with a different strategy. As of 2020, using a budget of just under £300 million annually, PHE employs over 5,000 members of staff including medical researchers and scientists. Their aim includes ‘protecting and improving the nation’s health and wellbeing’, as well as ‘reducing health inequalities’.

Through in-depth research and analysis, they have tackled major issues through key goals, including:

1. Protecting the nation from public health hazards.
2. Researching, collecting and analysing data to improve our understanding of public health challenges.
3. Making the public healthier and reducing differences between the health of different groups by promoting healthier lifestyles, advising government and supporting action by local government, the NHS and the public.
4. Preparing for and responding to public health emergencies.
5. Improving the health of the whole population by sharing their information and expertise.

In eight centres across the UK, work is carried out not just in England, but Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as internationally. The initial idea was to assist more than 70 health organisations, bringing them together under one roof. In 2020, a particular emphasis on PHE focused on the Coronavirus pandemic, producing multiple reports and research that could assist the NHS.

Not just limited to Covid-19, they also report on health concerns such as cancer, immunisation from diseases, general health focused-projects and since 2015 a progressive study of the vaping industry. This included yearly reports on key topics for Vaping in the UK. Tasked by the government’s Tobacco Control Plan until 2022, a different plan is now in place.

Understanding the Public Health England Switch

Although the initial plan was to ‘devolve health and wellbeing out of central government’, PHE has been stopped in its tracks before expected. According to major figures in Westminster such as Health and Care Secretary Matt Hancock, the major reasons for its dissolution was to help the UK tackle the Coronavirus pandemic:

“To give ourselves the best chance of beating this virus once and for all – and of spotting and being ready to respond to other health threats, now and in the future, we are creating a brand new organisation to provide a new approach to public health protection and resilience.” – Matt Hancock 

The expertise of PHE is still likely. However, the newly created organisation called the National Institute for Health Protection (NIHP) works on a different model. Merging with the NHS Track and Trace system, it’s more in line with the USA’s ‘Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’. The main aim of the newly created NIHP, which will officially start in Spring 2021, is to stop illnesses and pandemics like Covid-19 in their tracks, with a greater plan in place earlier.

Speaking after the NIHP announcement, Baroness Dido Harding – head of NHS Track and Trace, stated:

“The changes announced today are designed to strengthen our response, and to radically ramp up our fight against this disease, whilst also protecting PHE’s essential work beyond COVID that is so important for the nation’s health.”

Only time will tell whether this is considered the right call. Clearly, it’s angered many key organisations and medical professionals. They believe it is the wrong decision at a critical point in the UK’s future, with over 70 organisations writing to the Prime Minister to highlight the consequences of the PHE dissolution. This could damage key research into more widespread health issues such as mental health, obesity and smoking, published in BMJ by the 70 organisations combined efforts.

What Have They Done to Promote Vaping Over Smoking

One industry that could feel the impact of the decision to shut down PHE is vaping. Still relatively new with its creation in 2003, the timeline of vaping and its differences from smoking is a long journey of discovery, and yet still receives scepticism to the present day. To thrive and help smokers quit – which is its key message – vaping requires organisations like PHE to fight in their corner to have a future.

In the past PHE needed to step in, particularly following the focus on lung issues in the USA, dubbed ‘e-cigarette or vaping product use associated lung injury’ (EVALI), allegedly leading to deaths because of vaping.

PHE quickly dispelled this issue, as well as tackling other key subjects in the debate against vaping vs smoking, with a comprehensive study. With organisations such as UKVIVA backing their claims, it’s no wonder so many leading organisations are against government plans to dissolve PHE, replacing it with NIHP.

As stated earlier, the yearly reports from PHE to update on the latest research was a perfect tonic to rebalance the debate against smoking and promote improving health. Alongside other key health organisations that continue to shine a light on the damage of smoking and the potential benefits of switching to vaping, PHE was making significant strides.

How Will PHE’s Collapse Affect the Vaping Industry

First of all, it’s a huge loss to the general public. With over 7 million smokers in the UK, that figure has significantly dipped over the past decade, thanks to the work and key messages of organisations like PHE. Moving forward, it could be much harder to raise awareness of the damage smoking does without scientific research and a greater focus on health.

Annual studies of how vaping is a better alternative regularly feature in PHE’s yearly reports, with the most recently published in March 2020 covering topics like pregnancy and mental health for Vapers. In the past, they have also looked at important up to date topics including:

• Overview of E-Cigarettes (First report in 2015)
• Key evidence review following on from the previous report (2018)
• Also evidence review of E-Cigarettes and heated tobacco products (2018)

If this kind of research, analysis and opinion stops surrounding vaping, many could turn back to smoking or find it harder to quit in the first place.

Can the Vaping Industry Progress Following PHE’s Good Work

To carry on the good work of PHE while also correcting their errors as seen by Westminster, the government faces a monumental task. Because many believe chief politicians like Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock are using the Public Health England switch as the Coronavirus ‘scapegoat’, the next stage of dealing with Covid-19 and moving towards NIHP is vital. Whether we see NIHP pick up where PHE left off with continued research into smoking, obesity and general health is still debated.

Because there is no concrete evidence yet regarding NIHP’s plans, the future of the vaping industry is delicately balanced. Clearly, we are seeing signs that vaping helps smokers to quit, but misinterpretation and false information is proving the challenge. It may well be up to other key health organisations to put a stop to that once and for all.

Plus, as we have seen from other studies, thanks to the work of ASH among others, highlighting the important facts behind vaping is the next step for removing stigma.

With vape stores lining high streets and online vape stores surging in popularity, it comes as no great surprise to learn of vaping first billionaires. With an unending choice of electronic cigarettes, vape pens, e-liquid and accessories for vapers to choose from, we look at how popular vaping has become as well as why it’s become a priority to buy your vape products from a trusted vendor.

China’s Vaping Billionaires 

There’s no escaping vaping. From petrol stations to dedicated online vape stores, vaping products are now a familiar sight. It’s almost hard to imagine a time when vaping didn’t exist, but alas vaping only became a readily available product no-less than 20 years ago. And like the vape products themselves, their growth in popularity has been slowly heating up ever since. 

The recent announcement on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange that saw shares in Smoore International Holdings more than double their value meant the company had a total valuation of almost $23 billion. Yielding not one but two billionaires in an instant, CEO Chen Zhiping now holds a stake in the company worth a whopping $8 billion. At the same time, executive director Xiong Shaoming saw his stake increase to $1.2 billion. 

Founded in 2009, the Chinese vaping company Smoore International have made their fortune by supplying vaping devices such as e-cigarettes and vape pens, as well as the devices’ components. With international customers that include British American Tobacco, American Tobacco, NJOY, RELIX, Reynolds and Japan Tobacco, Smoore’s revenue has been exponentially increasing year on year. 

Vaping in Numbers

Here in the UK, there are an estimated 3.2 million vapers, and around the world, vaping popularity continues to increase. The research group Euromonitor found that there has been a massive increase in the numbers of people vaping in the space of seven years. From around seven million vapers in 2011, in 2018 there were an estimated 41 million people around the world who were vaping as a way to stay smoke-free. The same study predicts that this upward trajectory will continue resulting in an estimated 55 million vapers by 2021. Economically, the popularity in vaping means that the industry had grown from £5.5 billion in 2014 to £15.5 billion in 2019. 

The Growing Popularity of The Online Vape Stores

Online vape stores have become a great way to shop for all your vape essentials in one place. With the ability to save money bulk buying e-liquid or refillable tanks, online vape stores have a range of benefits designed to make your life easier. 

Visiting a vape shop can be great if you’re looking to have a conversation with a real person. However, it’s always with bearing in mind that sales reps may be incentivised to sell certain products or brands to you. This could lead you to overspend on buying products that you didn’t want or need, which may provide you with the experience you need to stay smoke-free. 

Online vape stores provide a fuss-free way to view products in easily identifiable categories. From e-liquid’s to vaping hardware, vape stores will often display real-time reviews of products made by fellow vapers, which means you can get impartial advice from those who might be in a similar position to yourself. With a massive range of devices aimed at enabling vapers to customise their vaping experience, online vape stores will typically have online assistants that can help answer any burning questions you have. 

While the accessibility and fuss-free nature of an online vape store are undoubtedly beneficial, you will find that many online stores will also offer reward schemes. With coupon codes rewarded for your custom, loyalty schemes are well worth looking out for as they are a great way to save money on some of your favourite vape products. 

One of the best things about online vape stores is that you don’t need to leave your house in order to get your hands on some of the best vaping equipment. Online vape stores like V2 Cigs and Pure E-Liquids offer a next day delivery service as long as you order before 4 pm, Monday to Thursday. 

Is it Safe to Buy Vapes Online?

Buying your vape essentials from an online vape store is probably one of the safest ways to purchase vaping products. With the bonus of a hassle-free shopping experience, whether you’re looking for a new device or want to bulk buy your e-liquid and save money if you’re going to purchase vapes online, there are just a couple of things to be wary of. 

Due to the popularity of vaping, together with the fact that the industry has just produced its first billionaires, it’s safe to say that not every vaping vendor may be in it for the right reasons. Sure, everybody needs to make some money to have a profitable and functional business. However, there will be the inevitable vape cowboy’s looking to make a quick buck to two. 

Do some research and shop with online vape stores that are well-reviewed and well stocked with reputable brands that can be trusted. Ideally, online vape stores will proudly promote their allegiance to a vaping alliance such as UKVIA (UK Vaping Industry Association). Alternatively, they will make known that their products are TPD (Tobacco Product Directive) compliant and registered with the MHRA (Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency).  

What Is The Best Online Vape Store

Similarly to the early days of high street vape stores, online vape stores are becoming more and more popular with new ones appearing on a nearly day-by-day basis. But how can you tell who’s trustworthy from those that aren’t? 

While there are several reputable online vape stores, there are two stores that really tick the boxes when it comes to quality products and trusted brands. V2 Cigs and Pure E Liquids both sell products that are TPD compliant and appear on the MHRA register. With health at the heart of everything they do, they believe that vaping is a key tool for helping smokers quit smoking to lead smoke-free lives. While they might not sell the cheapest products, both V2 Cigs and Pure E Liquids have a distinct focus on e-liquids that only contain the best ingredients and vaporisers that are well built with the best components. Selling brands such as Vapour2, Innokin, SMOK, XEO, VSAVI and RipStick, whether you’re new to vaping or are a veteran vaper, if you’re looking for the best vape products and the best vape experience, these online stores will provide you with all you need. 

Quit Smoking and Vape to Stay Smoke-Free

Back in the 70’s the number of smokers in the UK was almost half the population. Ever since, the nation, and indeed the world, have become ever more aware of the dangers that cigarettes present to our health. 

Responsible for 80,000 deaths every year, smoking-related diseases account for 16% of all adult fatalities in the UK and is the single most significant preventable cause of death. With one in two smokers’ deaths likely to be as a result of smoking cigarettes, quitting smoking can immediately lessen the risk of contracting several debilitating diseases. 

While quitting smoking is known to be a notoriously tricky task, vaping has proved to be a useful tool for helping smokers stay smoke-free and quit smoking successfully. In 2015, Public Health England (PHE) published groundbreaking scientific evidence that found e-cigarettes to be up to 95% less harmful than smoking cigarettes and that vaping also had the potential for smokers to quit smoking. This evidence was more recently backed up by research conducted by Queen Mary University London that found vaping to be twice as effective as traditional nicotine replacement aids such as sprays, patchers and gums. 

If you smoke or know someone that smokes, quitting with the help of vaping might be one of the best things, you can do. With a simple starter vape kit such as Vapour2’s e-liquid starter kit, vaping couldn’t be easier. An excellent device for newbies looking for a gentle introduction to vaping, all you need to do is choose a flavour that you think you might like, choose a strength of nicotine that corresponds with your current nicotine habit and away you go. Ordering from online vape stores like V2 Cigs or Pure E-Liquids means that you’ll be buying from a reputable vape vendor who sells regulated and safe vape products.

Whether you’re looking for premium flavoured e-liquids or are searching for the latest and greatest vape pods or vape mods, online vape stores will enable you to discover some of the best products created to provide you with some of the very best vape experiences. 

If you smoke regular cigarettes, then you’ll typically know how long your pack will last. While you may feel comfortable with the habit of smoking and the familiarity of knowing how long a deck of 20 might last you, the chances are that neither your body nor your wallet will be in any rush to say thank you anytime soon. Deciding to stop smoking can seem like a tough call to make; however, if you choose e-cigarettes as your chosen smoking cessation aid, then your route to quit smoking will feel relatively easy in comparison. Let’s take a look at how many ml of e-liquid will equate to your regular cigarettes, and how in the long run, you could be saving yourself a stack of cash. 

Moving From Tobacco Products and Regular Cigarettes to Vaping 

Where you may have gone to your local tobacconist in the past and procured yourself a pack of regular cigarettes and lighter, the thought of vaping might at first seem like a daunting prospect. While at first glance, the vaping landscape might seem vast and far-ranging, when you explore a little further, you’ll soon realise that vaping as a way to curb nicotine cravings is just as easy.

There are an estimated 3.6 million vapers in the UK, who in the majority have chosen to vape as a way to stop smoking. Quickly becoming the go-to smoking cessation tool for smokers who want to be smoke-free, Public Health England says that e-cigarettes are up to 95% less harmful than regular cigarettes and that vaping has the potential to help smokers quit smoking. 

If you were one of the millions who smoked menthol cigarettes before the recent ban, then vaping may be the answer to your minty fresh menthol dreams. By using a standard e-cig battery such as the one included with the Vapour2 Vaping Kit, you’ll be able to enjoy a menthol flavoured e-liquid while also giving up smoking at the same time. 

In essence, all you need to get going will be a rechargeable e-cigarette, e-liquid tank and a bottle of e-liquid. Easy. But things might get tricky when you discover the choice that lies in wait. 

If the idea of refilling your own e-liquid tank seems like a step too far, investing in a standard e-cigarette battery and disposable cartridges will be an easy first step to take. Containing 2ml of e-liquid, simply screw your cartridge onto the end of the battery and vape away. 

Why Choosing The Right Concentration of Nicotine is Crucial

Vaping the correct dosage of nicotine suitable for your body is one of the most critical aspects of your experience. And getting it wrong may result in you vaping too much or in the worst case, not feeling too great about the whole thing. Your first experience of vaping will play a pivotal role in your ability to stop smoking and stay smoke-free, but should you not be satisfied with your experience, the likelihood of you returning to those pesky regular cigarettes will only increase.  

With a multitude of flavours to explore, what you want to pay particular attention to is the nicotine concentration found in your e-liquid. Available in concentrations of 1.8%, 1.2%, 0.6% and 0%, depending on which strength will be suitable for you, over time you’ll be able to reduce the amount of nicotine your body needs and eventually become both smoke-free and nicotine-free too! 

As you might expect the 1.8% nicotine e-liquids would typically be reserved for heavy smokers or strong tobacco smokers. 1.2% is the happy medium, while 0.6% is excellent for those used to light cigarettes. 

How Many Regular Cigarettes Are in a 10ml E-juice?

The big question on everyone’s mind is how many ml of e-liquid will equate to a pack of regular cigarettes? An average rule of thumb is to compare 1ml of e-liquid to a pack of 10 cigarettes. With the legal e-liquid tank limit set at 2ml, a full tank of e-liquid is going to be roughly 20 cigarettes, which means that buying a 10ml bottle of e-liquid will last the same as a staggering 100 cigarettes would cost. With a bottle of e-liquid typically costing around £5.99, you’ll be saving yourself a pretty penny. 

How Vaping E-Liquid Can Help You to Stop Smoking

When you smoke, the process of getting your nicotine is pretty straightforward, albeit extremely harmful. Tobacco smoke produced by the combustion of tobacco leaves and additives, account for 16% of all adult fatalities in the UK and is the single most significant preventable cause of death. Harming both the health of smokers and non-smokers inhaling second-hand smoke, tobacco products and regular cigarettes put lives in jeopardy and can be easily remedied. 

By switching from tobacco products and regular cigarettes to rechargeable e-cigarettes, you’ll not only reduce the harm you pose to yourself every time you light up but those around you too. With a little will power along with the willingness to try a new smoking cessation method like vaping, you’ll soon find yourself enjoying the benefits of a smoke-free future and thanking us later.  

Saving Money With Rechargeable E-Cigarettes

Did you know that the average smokers save over £800 a year when they switch to vaping? Cool huh? That means you could treat yourself to a swanky meal once a month, or put it towards the summer holiday of your dreams.