Vaping improves health

E-cigarettes have proven to be a real alternative when quitting smoking. One aspect to consider when World No Tobacco Day (31 May) is coming under the slogan: 'Commit to quit smoking'.

In this line, it should be noted that there is a great number of scientific evidence in the form of studies, reports, analyses or surveys that come from various countries that support the fact that next-generation products present a lower health risk than traditional cigarettes. However, a part of society still mistakenly considers vaping to be equal to or more harmful than tobacco.

Therefore, and with the intention of dismantling this myth, the British organization Yorkshire Cancer Research has made a research report with the title of "Vaping demistified"–Demystified Vaping," available on its website, which addresses the main concepts of vaping with professionals, academics and health workers in that country. This rich panel of experts summarizes, throughout this report, how replacing tobacco with e-cigarettes can improve the health of smokers.

Martin Dockrell, responsible for Tobacco Control at Public Health England, explains that "public opinion that has been opposed to vaping may have been somewhat disappointed by the latest PHE studies, which yield positive results around this issue".

"Changing one habit for another can substantially improve the health of smokers"

This public health agency has also repeatedly reiterated that e-cigarettes are an effective tool for smokers trying to stop their habit. "We have closely followed the scientific literature that has been published on next-generation products and it is becoming increasingly clear that vaping is less harmful than smoking. Changing one habit to another can substantially improve the health of smokers," Dockrell says.

In this regard, Dr. Kathryn Scott, executive director of Yorkshire Cancer Research, says: "If we don't encourage people to quit smoking through e-cigarettes, we are missing a great opportunity. The time is now."

"One of the main myths about vaping is that we don't know anything about it, what it contains or what it can have, but the reality is that, to this day, e-cigarette is presented as one of the products that have been studied in greater depth," says Dr Sharon Cox, a researcher at The University Collage in London.

"Vaping is less harmful than smoking"

In total, there are about 3.2 million vapers in the UK, most smokers (1.2 million) and former smokers today (almost 2 million). In the case of England, e-cigarettes have positioned themselves as the most popular smoking cessation aid among their inhabitants.

"We have found that the use of alternative formulas for nicotine use can have a positive impact on reducing smoking damage and also on controlling this tobacco epidemic," says Hazel Cheeseman, Managing Director at Action on Smoking and Health (ASH). He adds: "Other countries are currently studying this same approach."

However, Dr Matthew Callister, a pneumologist at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, clarifies that e-cigarettes are not completely risk-free. "People who don't smoke shouldn't start vaping either, especially younger people," he warns.

Source: OKDiario