*2024 Update - Now you can make the switch with the New SMOKO VAPE POD E-Cigarette! Our UK-made e-liquids in a pre-filled POD style vape that is sleek, discreet and easy to use!
In 2018, over three million people in Great Britain used an e-cig. For over half of them (1.5 million people), it was as a way to quit smoking traditional cigarettes.
For the avid smoker, one of the biggest hurdles to quitting is losing the nicotine kick and the social experience that cigarettes provide. Being able to reach for a cigarette during a stressful moment or when you're out with friends becomes a treasured part of our routine. It's hard to give up.
Switching to an electronic cigarette allows smokers to keep everything they love about cigarettes, but without all of the added chemicals that have disastrous health consequences.
Below, we're reviewing the top things you need to know about e-cigarettes, and how making the switch them could help you leave tobacco behind forever.
AN E-CIG WILL ALWAYS WORK WHEN YOU NEED IT
If you're considering using e-cigarettes as a way to stop smoking, you're probably curious as to how they work in the first place.
E-cigarettes are designed to give smokers the same nicotine hit as tobacco but in a more convenient, safer and healthier way. Unlike a cigarette, where you light a flame to burn the tobacco, e-cigarettes use liquid containing nicotine and flavourings (to give it the great taste). Heating the liquid turns it into a vapour which gives the user the same feeling as if they were smoking - this liquid is called 'e-liquid' or 'vape juice'.
E-cigarettes batteries are also rechargeable, which makes them convenient and reliable. Also each refill has roughly 40 cigarettes worth of nicotine in, so you can stock up for the week with just a couple of refills.
For users who are trying to quit smoking, knowing that you always have an e-cigarette on hand and ready to go can make it easy to incorporate into your daily routine.
THEY ARE BETTER FOR THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU
The health risks and dangers of second-hand smoke have been well documented. It's one of the biggest reasons for the smoking ban in bars, restaurants and other public places. And people aren’t over exaggerating either. Passive smoking alone is linked for over 165,000 diseases in children ever year!
If you're a smoker who has experienced nasty looks or snide comments when lighting up around other people, it may be one of the biggest motivations to quit. You don't want to endanger those around you with your habit but aren't ready to give up nicotine altogether.
Because e-cigs don't contain any tar or tobacco, using them eliminates the risk of dangerous chemicals for those around you. After all e-cigarettes don't contain any of the 50 known carcinogens or the thousands of chemicals found in tobacco.
It's important though to always respect the rules of the place where you're considering vaping and the wishes of the people you're around. Because e-cigs are a safer option, you probably won't face much resistance.
E-cigs are also better for smoking in public because they lack the smell that tobacco cigarettes have. The air around you remains odour free, and there is no lingering scent on the clothes and hair of you or the people around you.
You also don’t leave cigarette tips around, which are terrible for the environment.
YOU WON'T HAVE TO MISS SOCIAL MOMENTS FOR A CIGARETTE BREAK
As an e-cig doesn't use tobacco, it is legal to smoke them in any public space that allows it. And many bars do allow it because it encourages smokers to spend more time and more money at their establishments.
Being able to vape inside eliminates the need for countless trips outside for a tobacco cigarette. Rather than wasting fifteen minutes standing on the street alone, you can enjoy your e-cig among your friends.
You'll never have to miss a moment of the party or night out, and you won't have to choose between the conversation you're having and the nicotine you're craving.
SWITCHING TO E-CIGARETTES WILL SAVE YOU MONEY
The cost of cigarettes has increased significantly in the past decade and will continue to rise each year. Just this year the price for a pack of tailor made cigarettes went up to over £10 a packet! For something you will probably go through in a day, that is a lot of money.
Wanting to save money is one reason why people consider quitting cigarettes, but their need for nicotine stops them. And that’s why e-cigs can be a lifesaver (literally!) for smokers trying to save a bit of money.
E-cigarettes are significantly less expensive, which makes it a practical choice for those looking to quit tobacco. E-cig refills give you a huge amount more for the price, meaning you don't have to replace them nearly as often as you would have to buy a new pack.
For example, on average people pay £10 for a box of refills, the same they would spend on 20 cigarettes. However in a box of refills you get about 200 cigarettes worth of nicotine! That is 10 times more value for money.
And because e-cigs still give the nicotine fix that many smokers find hard to give up, you're not sacrificing anything. It's more money in your pocket, and the same nicotine hit you want.
THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT HEALTH BENEFITS TO QUITTING
One of the best reasons to make the switch from cigarettes to e-cigs is because of how much better they are for you. It's no secret that smoking a cigarette is bad for you. Thousands of chemicals and at least 50 known carcinogens in tobacco cigarettes make them a serious health risk.
In fact, smoking-related diseases are the top causes of preventable deaths all over the world. We've all heard of the connection between smoking and lung disease, but the list hardly stops there.
On the other hand, e cigarettes contain only four ingredients, all of which are in items that you probably already consume as part of your everyday diet. And e-cigarettes have been found to be around 95 percent less harmful than smoking by Public Health England.
Nicotine is the reason we smoke in the first place, but you don't have to rely on dangerous tobacco cigarettes which are full of chemicals in order to get it. An e-cig is a healthier and safer alternative.
READY TO QUIT AND MAKE THE SWITCH?
If you've been a long time smoker, quitting cigarettes might seem like a daunting task. You probably can't imagine getting through a stressful week without nicotine, or can't picture a night out with friends where you don't share a social smoke.
Our cigalike e-cigarettes are designed so that you can continue to experience all the things you've always enjoyed about cigarettes. What you'll be giving up is the harmful chemicals, health risks, social consequences and the drain on your bank account that have made you want to quit smoking in the first place. Check out our stop smoking timeline for a glimpse of the health benefits when you quit smoking!
If you're ready to quit smoking and make the switch, check out our starter kits find out which e-cig product is right for you!
*2024 Update - Now you can pick up one of our FREE starter kits when you buy a box of SMOKO E-Cigarette refills! (Cigalikes, one per customer)