How effective is vaping as a quitting tool?
Vaping has played an instrumental role in bringing the UK’s smoking rates down to a record low level, helping some 5.2 million adults cut down on or move away from smoking in Great Britain alone.
Leading public health charity Action on Smoking and Health UK reports half of all successful quit attempts over the past five years have involved a vape.
A comprehensive analysis of data from over 300 clinical studies involving more than 150,000 people found nicotine e-cigarettes are amongst the most effective stop smoking tools available. It found using vapes to quit is more effective than using one or two Nicotine Replacement Therapies (such as gums or patches).
Are vape flavours important?
Vape flavours have a critical role to play in helping adult smokers quit and stay off cigarettes.
The latest data from Action on Smoking and Health UK revealed that almost half of adult vaper in Great Britain prefer fruit flavours, while just 16% opt for tobacco options.
Freedom of Information data, gathered from government and NHS-led stop smoking services reinforced the instrumental role of flavoured vaping products in securing a smokefree future.
It found more than 95% of surveyed stop smoking services offer vapes as a quitting tool for adult smokers and almost 70% of these recorded fruit options as, or amongst, the most popular choice for smokers.
Does vaping cause EVALI?
In 2019, there were reports that vaping had caused an outbreak of lung illness in the US called E-cigarette or Vaping-use Associated Lung Injury.
Despite the name, an investigation ultimately found the cases were linked to contaminated illegal products and NOT regular or long-term vaping. However, there are media stories as recently as 2024 that link vaping with EVALI.
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities said there were ‘lessons to be learnt from the mislabelled US EVALI outbreak’ and stressed communications about the illness should separate vaping illicit substances from nicotine vaping.
Sources: OHID
How are e-cigarettes regulated?
Vaping products containing nicotine are currently regulated under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR), and need to be notified to the MHRA and comply to certain standards (for example, nicotine content is limited to 20 milligrams per millilitre (mg/mL)) before they can be legally sold in the UK.
Vaping products that do not contain nicotine come under the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, enforced by local authority Trading Standards departments.
Does vaping cause cancer?
Cancer Research UK, the world’s largest independent funder of cancer research, maintains there is ‘no good evidence that vaping causes cancer’.
It also says nicotine – the addictive chemical found in cigarettes, and some vape products – does not cause cancer and that ‘people have safely used nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to stop smoking for many years’.
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities says vaping poses a ‘small fraction of the risks of smoking’. It also says there is ‘significantly lower exposure to harmful substances from vaping compared with smoking, as shown by biomarkers association with the risk of cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular conditions’.
Source: Cancer Research UK | OHID
Is vaping more affordable than smoking?
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that the average price for a pack of 20 king size cigarettes in the UK was £16.45 (December 2024) which works out at more than £6,000 per year for a pack-a-day smoker.
By comparison, it is estimated that a vaper (who has totally switched from smoking) could expect to spend £343 per year if they are using a refillable tank kit, £359 if they are using a refillable pod system and £377 if they are using a refillable pod kits with removable coils.
In fact, according to a 2024 report from Action on Smoking and Health UK, saving money was the among the most common reasons given by vapers who are ex-smokers (8.9%) – the most cited reason was ‘to help me stop smoking entirely’ (28%).
Sources: ONS | Action on Smoking and Health UK | Vape Club
How long does a vape last?
UK vaping regulations limit the amount of e-liquid in vaping devices to 2ml which provides around 600 puffs. This is enough to last up to two days for a moderate vaper; about a day for an average vaper and less than a day for a heavy vaper.
Can vaping cause popcorn lung?
Popcorn lung (bronchiolitis obliterans) is a serious, but uncommon, lung disease caused by a build-up of scar tissue in the lungs which hinders the flow of air.
It got its name when workers in a popcorn factory developed the condition after breathing in the chemical diacetyl, which was used to give popcorn a buttery flavour.
According to Cancer Research UK:
- E-cigarettes don’t cause the condition known as popcorn lung
- There have been no confirmed cases of popcorn lung reported in people who use e-cigarettes
Diacetyl is banned as a vape flavouring in the UK but it is one of the thousands of chemicals found in cigarette smoke.
Source: Cancer Research UK
Can you vape indoors?
Vaping may or may not be allowed indoors depending on your location. Many workplaces, offices and other public buildings have policies which prohibit vaping in areas where smoking is also banned.
If you want to vape indoors, and you are unsure whether it is allowed, it is always best to check first with the owner or manager of the building in question.
However, in locations where you are allowed to vape indoors, it is a good to idea to ask first if those around you object. You should also avoid vaping directly at others or blowing large vapour clouds.
Check out our responsible vaping guide for more guidance on being respectful to those around you when you vape.
Is it better to vape or smoke while pregnant?
The Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group warns that smoke exposure in pregnancy is responsible for increased rates of still birth, miscarriage and birth defects.
The NHS says protecting your baby from tobacco smoke is ‘one of the best things you can do to give your child a healthy start in life’, saying it can be ‘difficult to stop smoking’ but it’s ‘never too late to quit’.
It also highlights that using e-cigarettes is ‘much safer for you and your baby’ if they help you stop smoking.
A recent study from Queen Mary University found that e-cigarettes helped pregnant smokers quit ‘without posing any detectable risks to pregnancy compared with stopping smoking without further nicotine use’.
Sources: Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group | NHS | Queen Mary University of London
What happens when you quit smoking and start vaping?
The NHS says that ‘stopping smoking is one of the best things you will ever do for your health’ with almost immediate health improvements upon quitting for good.
It says all carbon monoxide is removed from your body after 48 hours; breathing becomes easier after 72 hours; blood circulation improves over two to 12 weeks and your risk of a heart attack (compared to that of a smoker) will have halved after a year.
The Office of Health Improvement & Disparities (OHID) says there are lower health risks for a number of potentially serious health conditions from vaping than smoking.
It says: “Evidence suggests significantly lower relative exposure from vaping compared to smoking in biomarkers that are associated with the risk of:
- cancer
- respiratory conditions
- cardiovascular conditions and
- other health conditions”
Is vaping haram?
Vaping appears to be considered haram (forbidden by Islamic law) by most Islamic scholars.
Even though the UK’s Office for Health Improvements and Disparities (formerly Public Health England) says vaping is ‘at least 95% less harmful than smoking’, it is considered haram because vaping is not entirely risk-free.
Source: The Islamic Information website
How many cigarettes are in a vape/disposable?
Because the body absorbs nicotine from smoking and vaping in different ways, it is not possible to give an exact like-for-like comparison.
Studies suggest that smoking one cigarette results in the body absorbing 1-2mg of nicotine, so ten cigarettes a day is equivalent to 10-20mg of nicotine and 20-a-day is equivalent to 20-40mg of nicotine.
By comparison, 2ml of e-liquid with the maximum nicotine concentration allowed in the UK would contain 40mg of nicotine – the equivalent of a strong packet of cigarettes.
Is vaping worse than smoking?
Vaping is much less harmful than smoking – which is a leading cause of death and disease, leading to eight million deaths around the world every year and causing 7 in 10 lung cancer cases in the UK.
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities – formerly Public Health England – maintains that vaping poses a ‘small fraction of the risks of smoking’.
The latest data from Action on Smoking and Health UK reveals half of all smokers in Great Britain wrongly believe vaping is as or more harmful than smoking – the highest proportion on record. This mistrust in vaping is often associated with inaccurate or ‘alarmist’ media stories.
Sources: University College London | Cancer Research UK | OHID
How to quit vaping?
Smokers who successfully switch to vaping may find that they are content to continue using nicotine without the health risks associated with combustible tobacco. Others want to stop using nicotine altogether and are able to do this by switching to e-liquids with lower nicotine concentrations over time.
Some enjoy the experience of vaping and find that using vapes containing zero nicotine e-liquids can replace the craving for a cigarette. Others find that vaping helps them stop smoking and, once they are confident they have no desire to smoke another cigarette, find they can just naturally stop vaping too.
Can you take vapes on a plane?
You are not allowed to pack vaping devices in your checked baggage but most airlines will allow you to take vapes and e-liquid on flights with your hand luggage. Any e-liquid will have to comply with rules for taking liquids through security.
Always check with your airline if you are unsure about what is allowed onboard as hand luggage.
Source: GOV.UK
Is vaping safe?
Vaping is not entirely risk free but the Office for Health Improvements and Disparities (formerly Public Health England) says vaping is ‘at least 95% less harmful than smoking’. This figure has remained unchanged since data was first reported in 2015.
Source: OHID
Is vaping better than smoking?
Vaping poses a ‘small fraction of the risks of smoking’. In 2023, researchers at Brunel University London found the NHS could stand to save more than £500 million per year if half of adult smokers made the switch.
Smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable death in the world – killing 250 people every day in the UK alone.
Cigarette smoke contains more than 5,000 chemicals – 70 of which we know cause cancer – and smoking is responsible for 7 in 10 lung cancer cases in the UK, according to Cancer Research UK.
Source: Cancer Research UK | Brunel University London
How old do you have to be to vape?
No one under the age of 18, or who does not already smoke combustible cigarettes, should buy or start using an e-cigarette or vape device.
In the UK, it is illegal to sell vaping products to minors or to purchase them on behalf of an underage person.
E-cigarettes are intended to be a cessation tool for adult smokers who are looking to switch away from combustible tobacco. Despite this, there are concerns about youth access and this is something the industry, led by the UK Vaping Industry Association, is actively working to address.
How to spot an illegal vape?
It is important for vapers, whether new or existing, to be able to identify whether their vape is compliant or not. There are a few tell tale signs that typically indicate a product does not meet regulations – i.e., exceeding the maximum nicotine concentration or not displaying required health warnings.
Check out our Red Flag Checklist for more on how to tell if a vape may be non-compliant.
What should I do if I suspect a retailer of selling illegal vapes?
You should report any retailers who you suspect of stocking illegal vapes or selling to minors. This can be done through the UKVIA’s Be Vape Vigilant portal, where all submissions are passed onto the relevant authority to be used as part of intelligence-led enforcement.