Vaping has been found to be less harmful than smoking according to research conducted by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London.
The research shows that vaping rather than smoking leads to a reduction in exposure to toxicants that promote cancer, lung disease and cardiovascular disease.
The findings show that, while vaping is not risk-free, especially for those who have never smoked before, it poses a small fraction of the health risks of smoking in the short to medium term.
The report indicated that vapers had lower levels of tobacco and other toxicants that are implicated in the main diseases caused by smoking.
England's deputy chief medical officer Jeanelle DeGruchy said that every minute someone is admitted to a hospital in England due to smoking, someone dies a smoking-related death every eight minutes.
“Vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking, so the message is clear, if the choice is between smoking, vaping and fresh air, choose fresh air. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health,” Jeanelle said.
Statistics found that public perceptions are lagging behind whereby in 2021, only 34 per cent of adults who smoked, accurately perceived that vaping was less harmful than smoking.
On the other side, 11 per cent of smokers knew that nicotine was not the primary cause of the health risks connected to smoking tobacco.
Vaping among adults is gaining popularity with this year’s vaping prevalence being at 8.3 per cent up from 7.1 per cent in 2021 and 6.3 per cent in 2020. Besides, cbd vape juice is emerging.
In England, 11-to 18-year-olds also fell on the list with current vaping prevalence being at 8.6 per cent compared with 4.0 per cent in 2021 and 4.8 per cent in 2020.
“This important study is the latest in a series which carefully pulls together the science on vaping to help reduce the damage from smoking,” Jeanelle added.