Is vaping worse than smoking cigarettes and are there benefits?

It comes as Science and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan did not deny the reports on Sky News.

She told the channel: “We have been looking into this and have been doing a review because this is a very worrying trend that we’re seeing of young children taking up vaping that had never smoked before, and it is extremely dangerous to their health and their wellbeing.

“It’s something that we do need to act on and, as a government, what we’re trying to do is recognise what are the key challenges and grip them.”

????Official Government estimates for the rate of smoking and vaping were published this morning. They show:
????Rates of smoking for adults in England (in 2022) was 12.7%.
????Vaping rates for those aged 16+ in GB was 8.7%. pic.twitter.com/CfpKny1jbX

— ASH (@AshOrgUK) September 5, 2023

But as vaping has become a popular alternative to smoking cigarettes throughout the years, many may be wondering which is worse for your health and if there are any benefits.

Is vaping worse than smoking cigarettes?

According to Cancer Research UK, it is “too soon” to know about the health effects of vapes as they are a “relatively new product.”

The website says: “Many studies show that vaping is far less harmful than smoking. This is because e-cigarettes don’t contain cancer-causing tobacco, and most of the toxic chemicals found in cigarettes are not in e-cigarettes.

“Some potentially harmful chemicals have been found in e-cigarettes. But levels are usually low and generally far lower than in tobacco cigarettes.

“There is no good evidence that vaping causes cancer.”

In the last 50 years, we’ve helped double cancer survival in the UK – but we’re not stopping there. We’re finding new ways to outsmart cancer, so more moments like these can happen. Your donations help fund trials and treatments to change the lives of people affected by cancer.

— Cancer Research UK (@CR_UK) September 1, 2023

Cancer Research UK explains vapes can cause side effects such as throat and mouth irritation, headaches, coughs and feeling sick but they don’t know about “long-term effects.”

Are there any benefits to vaping instead of smoking?

The cancer specialists have advised stopping smoking completely is the “best thing you can do for your health.”

The website adds: “E-cigarettes can help people stop smoking and are an effective stop smoking tool. There’s no safe level of smoking, so it is important to stop tobacco use completely.

“Because vaping is far less harmful than smoking, your health could benefit from switching from smoking to vaping. And you will reduce your risk of getting cancer.

“Switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes could also save you a lot of money. Some people spend more than others, but in general, smoking costs over three times as much as vaping.”

You can find more information about how to quit smoking including the help and support available on the Cancer Research UK website.