Three Myths Surrounding Vaping

Ever since their invention near the beginning of the millennium, e-cigarettes and vaping in general have been the subject of a great deal of controversy over their safety and efficacy. Typically touted as an effective way of quitting smoking, the jury has been out as to whether they live up to their purpose. Indeed, public health bodies have been under increasing pressure to conduct thorough research and lay out guidelines as to how we should be using e-cigarettes.

Meanwhile, with little clear-cut information out there, sceptics have been able to spread myths about vaping and e-cigarettes with little evidence to back them up. Recently, however, more and more data is being released that demonstrates both the safety of e-cigarettes and their usefulness in helping smokers quit. As such, now is a great time to debunk some of the old myths that have been going around about e-cigarettes.

Myth #1: E-Cigarettes are a gateway to smoking

The issue of teens and young people taking up smoking has always been an issue for worried parents and public health bodies. By extension, e-cigarettes have been demonized as a possible ‘gateway’ drug for impressionable young people, who may wish to take up cigarettes after discovering they enjoy vaping.

The furore, however, is based purely on conjecture. While teens may be enticed by trying vaping for its range of great flavours or simply to see how it feels, there is little to no evidence that it leads on to smoking, as recent studies can testify.

Myth #2: E-cigarettes are not effective tools for quitting smoking

Anecdotally, many vapers and e-cigarette users will be able to tell you that they have quit smoking thanks to help from their handy new tools, while other methods may not have worked for them. However, up until recently, the issue had been a topic of great contention due to a general lack of evidence.

Now, the evidence is coming out that strongly supports the notion of the efficacy of e-cigarettes. A recent article from the British Medical Journal, for example, may be a good place to start.

Myth #3: E-Cigarettes contain anti-freeze

This is perhaps one of the most entertainingly erroneous myths about e-cigarettes that has made the rounds. It is thought that the myth originally started because vaping liquids contain propylene glycol, a totally safe ingredient that also happens to be used in anti-freeze. Vapers should be assured that all ingredients used in liquids are rigorously tested for their safety.