Why Smokers Should Switch to Vaping in 2018
New year, new habits. At the start of 2018, plenty of adults who smoked were thinking about making a change, and a year-end newspaper piece had the vaping world talking.
We are a vape shop, so we never claimed to be impartial. Instead of making the case ourselves, this post pointed readers to an outside voice. Here is what that debate looked like, and what adults who smoke should know today.
Short version: Nicotine is addictive, no vaping product is FDA-approved as a quit-smoking aid, and public-health bodies still disagree on the details. If you smoke and are thinking about switching, talk to your doctor first.
The 2018 debate
On December 29, 2017, The Guardian published a piece by Linda Bauld, at the time a professor of health policy and deputy director of the UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies. She argued that the evidence on e-cigarettes had kept building through 2017, and that misinformation and scaremongering could be putting smokers off switching.
Her piece reflected the mood in the UK at the time, where health groups were generally more open to vaping as a way for adults to move away from cigarettes. Our original post shared a few highlights and encouraged readers to read the full article and pass it on.
What we said then
Our message was simple. The new year is a natural time to think about your habits, and if you already vape, it is worth talking honestly with friends who smoke about your own experience.
We also said that a friend’s decision matters far more than where they shop. If someone you know is weighing a switch, share what worked for you, even if it is a brand we do not carry, and encourage them to get advice from their doctor.
Where things stand now
A lot has changed since 2018, and the picture is still evolving:
- Nicotine is addictive. That is true whether it comes from a cigarette, a vape or a nic salt pod.
- No vaping product is FDA-approved as a quit-smoking aid. Every vaping product sold in the US needs FDA premarket authorization through the PMTA process, and that authorization is not the same as approving a medicine to help people quit.
- Experts still disagree. UK health bodies have generally been more open to vaping for adults who smoke, while US agencies have taken a more cautious line. Research continues on both sides of the Atlantic.
- The minimum age is 21. Since December 2019, federal law has set 21 as the minimum age for all tobacco and vaping products in the US.
- Rules keep changing. Flavor restrictions vary by state and city and change often, so check the current rules where you live.
If you smoke and are thinking about switching
Talk to your doctor first. They know your health history and can walk you through every option, including quit-smoking medicines approved by the FDA.
For current, reliable guidance, check the CDC and the FDA. Both update their information as new research comes in.
If you are an adult who already vapes, our guides explain how to choose a nicotine strength and take a closer look at the question can vaping help you quit smoking.
WARNING: This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical. For adults 21+ only.