~ Correcting the record on UK vaping products ~
Vaping has surged in popularity, with sales increasing by over 46 per cent from January 2020 to December 2021[1]. This rise, especially among younger people, has fuelled misconceptions about its safety and effects. As myths spread quickly, it’s crucial to provide accurate information. Debunking these misconceptions is key to protecting public health and promoting informed decisions. Paul Hardman, Managing Consultant for product chemistry at contract research organisation Broughton, debunks some common vape myths.
Vaping is as dangerous as smoking
Smoking tobacco is far more dangerous. Over 500,000 admissions to hospital a year are caused by smoking tobacco, compared with 420 for ‘vaping-related disorder’ [2]. In other words, for every one hospital admission linked to vaping, there are over 1,000 due to smoking.3
Cigarettes produce thousands of harmful chemicals including known carcinogens, such as tar and carbon monoxide, which are absent in vape aerosols. Switching from smoking to vaping reduces the exposure to toxins associated with cancer, lung disease and strokes.
Vaping is commonly associated with a condition called bronchiolitis obliterans, also known as “popcorn lung”, linked to a chemical called diacetyl. Despite the repeated claim that vaping causes popcorn lung[3], cigarette smokers are exposed to over ten times more diacetyl than vapers, yet smoking has not been shown to cause this condition.[4]
There are over 70 years of evidence of the harms of smoking while vaping has only been around for 16 years since 2007, so we cannot yet be precise about the long-term risks of vaping.
However, the most recent independent review of the evidence commissioned to inform the government’s policies and regulations published in 2022, concluded that vaping poses only a small fraction of the risk of smoking [5].
However, it is important to note that vaping is not risk free and advised that people who have never smoked to not take up vaping.
Disposable vapes deliver more nicotine than cigarettes
The claim that disposable vapes contain, and deliver, as much nicotine as 50 cigarettes has been repeated by some well-known national newspapers and specialist magazines, sometimes citing sources, sometimes not. This claim is not true.
Cigarettes typically contain 10 to 15 mg of nicotine each, totalling 200 to 300 mg per pack of 20 cigarettes[6]. On average, each cigarette delivers 1.0 to 1.5 mg of nicotine into the smoker’s bloodstream, amounting to 20 to 30 mg per pack, with most nicotine being released into the air as second-hand smoke7. In comparison, a standard UK disposable vape with the highest legal nicotine level of 20 mg/ml contains 2 ml of liquid, equating to 40 mg of nicotine.
However, about 50 per cent of the nicotine in a vape is absorbed by the user, resulting in approximately 20 mg of nicotine, which is on the lower end of what an average smoker ingests from a pack of cigarettes [7].
The most frequently used strength was 1-3 mg/ml which is equivalent to between one and seven cigarettes [8]. The amount of nicotine absorbed by an individual depends on how they vape, or smoke, their puffing patterns and how deeply they inhale.
Those trying smoking or vaping for the first time, or who are inexperienced, are likely to absorb less nicotine. Professor Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer of England explained, “If you smoke, vaping is much safer; if you don’t smoke, don’t vape.” [9]
Vapes lack regulation
In the UK, nicotine vaping products adhere to a comprehensive set of regulatory guidelines.
All products for sale must be notified by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) with detailed information including listing of all ingredients [10].
Reputable suppliers such as specialist vape shops, pharmacies, supermarkets or a UK-based online retailer are covered by UK safety and quality regulations conducted by specialists like Broughton.
This level of oversight helps to protect consumers and maintain high standards within the vaping industry.
Teen vaping is driven by flavours
The main reason children give for vaping is “to give it a try,” reported by 26 per cent of ever-smokers and over half (54 per cent) of never-smokers [11].
Peer pressure is the next most common reason, cited by 21 per cent of ever-smokers and 18 per cent of never-smokers 9.
Liking the flavours ranks third, with 16 per cent of ever-smokers and 12 per cent of never-smokers indicating this as their motivation 9.
Banning or restricting flavours could lead to increased cigarette consumption, as seen in the US, where flavour bans coincided with a rise in cigarette sales, particularly among youth 8.
A University of Bristol decision tool found that such a ban would likely result in increased smoking overall, negatively impacting both the general UK population and low-socioeconomic groups with higher smoking rates.[12]
Choose Broughton for expert insights and accurate information on vaping and nicotine regulation, guiding you through compliance complexities to deliver safe, effective products to consumers.
[1] https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/emerging-tobacco-products/e-cigarettes-facts-stats-and-regulations
[2] https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/benefits-of-quitting-smoking/
[3] https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/health/vaping-smoking-health-nhs-issues-26403223
[4] https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.7b00710
[5] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nicotine-vaping-in-england-2022-evidence-update
[6] https://pharmrev.aspetjournals.org/content/57/1/79.short
[7] https://accp1.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jcph.1915
[8] https://ash.org.uk/uploads/Addressing-common-myths-about-vaping-ASH-brief.pdf
[9] https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9933/
[10] https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/ready-to-quit-smoking/vaping-to-quit-smoking/vaping-myths-and-the-facts/
[11] https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-022-14440-x
[12] https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.14.22282288v2
