There are considerable differences between Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) or e-cigarettes as they’re more commonly called, and smoking cigarettes.
The two main differences are;
Safety, this includes the short and long-term effects on the health of smokers and those around them.
Cost, as each uses consumable products there is an ongoing – albeit very different – cost for each habit.
Here’s how the differences between e-cigarettes and cigarettes compare side-by-side:
Safety
Cigarettes
It’s no secret that smoking carries some serious health risks. Smoking accounts for around 80,000 deaths each year in the UK, and the government has been aggressive in getting this message across in recent years.
Smoking cigarettes is not just dangerous to the person holding the cigarette but to those breathing in second-hand smoke around them too.
For most smokers, they see a marked improvement in their health from just reducing the number of cigarettes they are smoking per day.
Around 3 out of 5 smokers say that they want to quit. But the addictive chemicals, namely nicotine, make it difficult to quit.
Which is why e-cigarettes become an alternative. E-cigarettes replicate the feel and sensation of smoking and deliver nicotine, but without a lot of the other harmful chemicals in cigarettes known to cause health issues.
E-cigarettes
E-cigarettes do not produce a lot of the most harmful chemicals produced by cigarettes. For example, one of the most harmful chemicals produced by cigarettes is carbon monoxide – which is not present in e-cigarettes.
When someone smoking a cigarette inhales carbon monoxide, it’s absorbed through the lungs and enters into their bloodstream.
The carbon monoxide then takes the place of oxygen and is transported by red blood cells. The NHS list the following health risks associated with elevated carbon monoxide levels:
- Increased heart rate
- Headaches and visual distortions
- Dizziness
- Increased risk of heart attacks and strokes
In short, carbon monoxide is one of the main contributing factors as to why smokers find themselves out of breath easily.
This is just one of the hundreds of chemicals produced by cigarettes that contribute to the various health issues associated with smoking.
So, while they are not void of any chemicals, in comparison to cigarettes, e-cigarettes are a much safer option.
E-cigarettes are designed to supply the user with nicotine, which is the most addictive chemical in cigarettes.
Nicotine is not typically seen as harmful, and with some e-cigarettes, the user also has the option to control how much nicotine they are inhaling, or indeed use e-cigarettes which do not contain nicotine.
This combination of flexibility, control, and safety makes using e-cigarettes a much safer option compared to cigarettes.
Cost
Obviously, health should come first and be the most important consideration when comparing ENDS vs smoking.
With that said, the cost is going to come a close second for a lot of people. With smoking being such an expensive habit, this can often be used to help persuade someone to try a safer alternative that is also less expensive.
Smoking
The government has been heavily taxing cigarettes for many years now in a bid to make cigarettes less obtainable for youngsters and to reduce the number of people smoking.
The Chancellor announced in the 2020 budget that smokers were going to have to pay an extra 27p for a pack of 20 cigarettes. This means the average cost of a pack of 20 cigarettes is currently around £12.73.
It’s estimated that the average smoker in the UK smokes around 20 cigarettes a day. That means the average annual cost of smoking is £4,646.45.
E-cigarettes
There is an initial investment with e-cigarettes as users need to buy a vaping kit. This can range anywhere from £20 up to hundreds for the high-end models.
Once a user has a device, they only need to replace the e-liquid as it runs out, and coils or some other parts depending on the model of e-cigarette.
A good example is vape pods, which are one of the most popular options right now. These are typically made up of just two parts; a battery and a pod that clicks into the battery.
Pods usually have a built-in atomiser, so it can simply be discarded when it runs out and a new one clicked into the battery. Making this one of the most versatile and cost-effective options.
The average e-cigarette user consumes approx 10ml of e-liquid per week. This costs around £5, putting the annual cost of using an e-cigarette around the £300 mark.
Looking at both of these factors; safety and cost, it’s easy to see that e-cigarettes are considerably safer and less expensive than cigarettes and provide consumers with a better choice all round.
How we put safety first at Ventus Medical
While e-cigarettes and NRT products offer a much safer alternative to smoking and help to create that bridge that so many smokers need to be able to quit, we wanted to take it a step further.
Here at Ventus Medical our specialists have been diligently focused on the development of the next generation of safer NRT products.
Our analytical, toxicology, and regulatory teams are experts in product testing and evaluation, and we’ve been working on innovative NRT products that we know are going to change the NRT market.
If you want to know more about our mission to develop safer and more effective smoking cessation solutions, or how you can be amongst the first to experience our products, please contact us to find out more.