Myths & Realities

The electronic cigarette has become a popular alternative to traditional smoking and has been recognized as one of the best methods for quitting smoking. However, it has sparked debates concerning its health effects. To better understand the implications of using e-cigarettes, it's essential to examine the latest scientific advancements and debunk certain existing myths.

• Vaping Benefits

Numerous articles are already available on our blog discussing the advantages of vaping. If you wish to learn more, you are invited to read the following articles: "The Advantages of Electronic Cigarettes"

• Effectiveness in Smoking Cessation

As early as 2016, a British study highlighted the significant effectiveness of vaping as a means of quitting smoking. This finding was supported in 2019 by Public Health England, which reported success rates ranging from 59.7% to 74% for e-cigarettes.

In 2017, a study conducted by Santé Publique France demonstrated that regular use of an electronic cigarette was associated with reduced tobacco consumption and frequent attempts to quit smoking, although it did not provide definitive evidence of its effectiveness in helping people quit smoking. However, it remained the primary tool used by the French for smoking cessation. Another study conducted by the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) in the UK found that 1.5 million out of 2.9 million English vapers had completely quit smoking thanks to vaping, accounting for 52%. The remaining 48% were dual users. In the same year, an Italian study showed that the majority of these dual users eventually quit vaping and transitioned to complete smoking cessation.

In 2018, Franks et al. conducted a study on the use of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool. They examined individuals wishing to quit smoking, those not willing to quit, and some of their patients. The results showed that in the short term, e-cigarettes were associated with tobacco cessation with good tolerance, but their effectiveness was moderate.

In 2019, a study by Hajek et al. demonstrated the superiority of vaping over other nicotine replacement therapies. The same year, thirteen doctors, psychologists, and pharmacists published a comparison of the effectiveness of vaping compared to other smoking cessation methods such as patches, chewing gums, etc., in the New England Journal of Medicine. The conclusion favored the electronic cigarette, which was found to be twice as effective as other substitutes. This analysis was corroborated in 2020 by a systematic review and meta-analysis, which estimated the effectiveness to be 1.69 times higher.

In 2022, an Australian study was conducted, which evaluated that e-cigarettes had an average success rate of 96% in smoking cessation. The success rate was 74% for specialized applications, 22% for medication alternatives, and 12% for professional support without prescription.

• Debunking Myths

Several misconceptions have been highlighted in surveys conducted by Sovape among the French population.

Sovape is an association created in 2016, dedicated to promoting smoking harm reduction through vaping. Since 2019, they have commissioned surveys from the BVA institute on how the French perceive traditional smoking and e-cigarettes. Over the years, the French have become less favorable towards vaping.

In fact, 8 out of 10 French people believe that vaping is more dangerous than smoking. 6 out of 10 French people think that e-cigarettes are as dangerous as regular cigarettes. 1 out of 4 French people have doubts about the danger of e-cigarettes. 79.8% of respondents consider nicotine harmful, 82.7% believe it is carcinogenic, and 70% hold the same opinion about flavors.

Let's debunk these myths together.

- The electronic cigarette is as, or even more dangerous than, traditional cigarettes.

NO. The electronic cigarette is 95% less harmful. Numerous studies have shown this fact. It's crucial to differentiate between scientific studies and anti-vaping articles.

To understand better, let's take a closer look at the composition of e-liquids and regular cigarettes.

Regarding the composition of e-liquids, we have written an article detailing the functions and production of the ingredients necessary for making e-liquids. Moreover, this production is highly regulated. The three main ingredients are flavors, propylene glycol or mono-propylene glycol, and vegetable glycerin. All of these must comply with pharmacopeia standards and undergo monitoring tests with ANSES. It's worth noting that many additives were strictly banned at the launch of these devices due to their carcinogenic, mutagenic, or reproductive toxicity.

For more information, here are two links:
- "The Composition of an E-liquid"
- "Safety and Quality of E-liquids"

We can also add that tobacco lobbies and major companies are closely interested in electronic cigarettes. Many of them have created their own devices, such as Philip Morris with Veev or Reynolds with Vuse.

- E-cigarette vapor is as, or even more dangerous than, tobacco smoke.

Once again, we discussed this point in a previous article: "The Impact of Vaping on Those Around Me"

Three types of smoke are released during cigarette combustion. The primary smoke, inhaled by the smoker, contains 4000 chemicals, including 50 carcinogens. The environmental smoke, which escapes from the cigarette and is exhaled by the smoker, contains 7000 chemicals, including 69 carcinogens. Finally, there is tertiary smoke, which consists of residues and particles that cling to hair, fabrics, etc., and is also harmful to health.

Regular cigarettes are equally toxic for active smokers and passive non-smokers. In 2020, 1100 people died from passive smoking in France.

As for e-cigarette vapor, there is no phenomenon of passive vaping. The exhaled vapor dissipates very quickly. Although trace amounts of carcinogenic substances or particles have been found in concentrations similar to those in certain medical alternatives, this does not affect passive vapers. The risks are therefore minimal. As for the vaper themselves, the risks are minimal, although there is not yet enough scientific data to draw definite conclusions.

In conclusion, I am attaching a very interesting video on the difference in impact between cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Click on the image 😊