Is Vaping Better For The Environment Than Smoking?

Are e-cigarettes more environmentally friendly than smoking?

Cigarette butts left behind by smokers have become an astronomical number. We encounter this trash every day on roads, sidewalks, parking lots, and even parks, playgrounds, and private property. Frustratingly, you can often see cigarette butts on the ground a few feet from the trash can (or even right next to it). Even knowing that the environment is in poor condition, many smokers don't hesitate to throw their used cigarettes out of the car window when driving away - out of sight and out of mind.

Although the number of people smoking in the United States continues to decline, cigarette butts remain a serious litter problem. These butts can take a decade or more to decompose. During that time, they're not only unsightly, but their filters can leach nicotine, tar, and other toxins into the ground, potentially affecting any people, animals, plants, or waterways it comes into contact with. Cigarette butts that end up in storm drains can and do make their way to the ocean, where they release toxic chemicals into the water or become lunch for fish and birds.

The difference between e-cigarettes

E-cigarettes can help greatly reduce this toxic burden. These devices use a small amount of energy to vaporize e-liquids that contain nicotine (in most cases) and flavors. The resulting vapor is inhaled by the user, creating an experience almost exactly like smoking, but without the waste, odor, ash, tar, and other hazards associated with tobacco cigarettes.

Most e-cigarettes are reusable, requiring only a small change of e-juice to prepare the device for another round of vaping. This means that e-cigarettes are more environmentally friendly than packs of disposable cigarettes, which not only generate a lot of waste, but also require a lot of valuable resources to produce. In general, e-cigarettes are powered by rechargeable batteries, are versatile and produce significantly less waste.

Cleaner streets, cleaner air

Not only does vaping produce less waste than smoking – it also helps keep the air cleaner. Because e-cigarettes do not produce smoke, they are generally much less harmful to air quality. As this study reveals, this is true both externally and internally. In studies of indoor air pollutants such as VOCs, nicotine, carbonyls, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and ethylene glycol, researchers found that e-cigarettes caused only minimal exposure compared with traditional cigarettes. In fact, the study showed that "emissions from e-cigarettes pose no appreciable risk to human health." And, again, because vaping doesn't produce smoke, it's also much better for outdoor air quality and doesn't contribute to climate change like smoking does.

It's clear that quitting smoking is challenging - if it weren't for this, almost no one would smoke. However, e-cigarettes offer an experience very similar to smoking regular cigarettes, without the same environmental hazards. Even if you're a pipe or cigar smoker, you can find an e-pipe or cigar to replicate your favorite activity without feeling guilty knowing you're harming our planet. Want to try e-cigarettes? Buy your vape online today and take a step toward a healthier planet.