Vaping has become increasingly popular in recent years, but its safety and potential risks have been the subject of debate. While some people believe that vaping can help smokers quit, others are concerned about the dangers of e-cigarettes, especially for young people. In this article, we examine the evidence surrounding vaping and explore whether it should be banned.
How Does Vaping Compare to Smoking?
It’s no secret that smoking is harmful and can lead to various health problems, including cancer, emphysema, and heart disease. Nicotine, the active ingredient in cigarettes and vaping products, is addictive, but it’s not the cause of these diseases.
While vaping is not completely risk-free, it is much safer than smoking. According to several detailed reviews of the evidence, vaping nicotine is at least 95% safer than smoking tobacco. The risk of cancer from vaping has been estimated to be less than 1%. This is because there are very few dangerous chemicals in nicotine vapes compared to cigarettes.
Is Everyone Vaping These Days?
While some people are concerned about the use of vaping products by teens, the statistics show that very few teenagers vape regularly. Between 9.6% and 32% of 14-17-year-olds have tried vaping at some point in their lives, but less than 2% of them say they have used vapes in the past year. This number is still much lower than the rates of teen smoking and teen alcohol use.
Should We Ban Vapes?
The question of whether to ban vapes is a complex one. On the one hand, vaping is much safer than smoking, and it could be a useful alternative for adults who want to quit smoking. On the other hand, we don’t want teens who don’t already smoke to start regular vaping. Banning or restricting vaping could do more harm than good, as it could create a black market and make vaping products more dangerous.
Are Our Current Laws Working?
In 2021, Australia made it illegal to possess and use nicotine vaping products without a prescription, but only 8.6% of people vaping nicotine have a prescription. Anecdotal reports suggest an increase in popularity of vaping among teens since these laws were introduced. If we want to reduce the black market, we need to make quality-controlled vapes and liquids more widely available but restricted to adults. We also need better education in schools and for parents and teachers about vaping.
What Have Other Countries Done?
Other countries allow vapes to be legally sold without a prescription, but impose strict quality controls and do not allow the sale of products to people under a minimum age. The United Kingdom has minimum standards on manufacturing, as well as restrictions on purchase age and where people can vape. Aotearoa New Zealand has increased access to vaping products under strict regulations on manufacture, purchase, and use.
Conclusion
Vaping is not risk-free, but it is much safer than smoking. Banning or restricting vaping could create more harm than good, but we don’t want teens who don’t already smoke to start regular vaping. We need to make quality-controlled vapes and liquids more widely available but restricted to adults. Better education in schools and for parents and teachers about vaping is also needed.
FAQs
- Is vaping worse than smoking?
No, vaping is much safer than smoking. - Should we ban vapes?
No, banning or restricting vaping could create more harm than good. - Can vaping help smokers quit?
Yes, vaping can be a useful alternative for adults who want to quit smoking. - Are our current laws working?
No, only a small percentage of people vaping nicotine have a prescription, and there are anecdotal reports of an increase in teen vaping since the laws were introduced. - What can be done to reduce teen vaping?
Better education in schools and for parents and teachers about vaping, along with strict regulations on the sale of products to people under a minimum age, can help reduce teen vaping.