8 VAPING MYTHS DEBUNKED

This is the most persistent myth—and one of the most misleading. According to UK health reviews, vaping carries only a “small fraction of the risks” of smoking.

Cigarettes release thousands of chemicals, including tar and carbon monoxide. These chemicals are major causes of cancer and heart disease. Vapes do not produce these chemicals.

Yet confusion is rising. According to Actionon Smoking and Health (ASH) around 56% of UK adults now believe vaping is as harmful or worse.

Nicotine is highly addictive, but it is not the main cause of smoking-related diseases.

UK health authorities confirm that nicotine itself does not cause cancer, lung disease, or heart disease.

The real dangers presented by cigarettes are the toxic chemicals produced when tobacco burns. There is no tobacco burnt when vaping.

The available evidence shows that vaping does help smokers to quit. Indeed, the NHS encourages smokers to try vaping.

Vaping is more effective than nicotine replacement therapies including patches and gums.

Nearly two-thirds of smokers using a vape with support successfully quit.

Despite this, about 27% of UK smokers have never tried vaping due to misconceptions regarding safety and efficacy.

Public health experts see vaping as a harm reduction tool and not to be as hazardous to health as smoking.

Vapers are able to reduce the nicotine strength of their e-liquids over time. The only way smokers can reduce the amount of nicotine they absorb is to limit the number of cigarettes they smoke. It is easier to address nicotine addiction through vaping. Many vapers eventually wean themselves off nicotine altogether.

Vaping devices and e-liquids are strictly regulated in the UK.

All e-liquids must be registered with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), with ingredients fully disclosed. E-liquids cannot exceed a nicotine concentration of 20mg/ml.

Tanks and pods must not exceed 2ml, and nicotine-containing refill bottles cannot exceed 10ml.

Products must be child-resistant and tamper-evident.

Strict limitations on advertising exist, particularly on social media and mainstream media.

“Popcorn lung” (bronchiolitis obliterans) is often wrongly linked to vaping. There have been cases in the US related to illegal products, particulalry those containing THC.

In reality, the chemical responsible (diacetyl) is banned in UK-regulated e-liquids.

There is no evidence that legal UK vaping products cause this condition.

Of course, counterfeit e-liquids could contain harmful ingredients and so black market products should be avoided.

Second-hand smoke is well known to be harmful but vapour is a different matter entirely.

There is no evidence that second-hand vape aerosol is harmful to bystanders, and any risks that do exist are likely to be very low.

That said, experts still advise avoiding vaping around children as a precaution. In addition, children may seek to copy what adults vapers are doing.

Even though vapour is not thought to be harmful, it could be annoying and so it is best not to vape near other people.

This concern is often voiced and particularly regarding young people.

UK data does show rising experimentation among youngsters, but there is no solid evidence that vaping leads to smoking. The ban on disposable vapes could see vaping rates amongst youngsters begin to fall.

In fact, overall smoking rates in Britain continue to fall, while vaping is increasingly used as an effective aid to quitting the habit.