E-cigarettes – facts and fiction

Misconceptions about e-cigarettes prevent many smokers from using them to give up smoking.  To help smokers to make a more informed decision we’ve discovered the truth behind five common e-cigarette myths

# Myth 1:

E-cigarettes are more harmful than smoking tobacco cigarettes  

According to ASH Wales’ latest YouGov stats, over 50% of smokers in Wales do not know that e-cigarettes are less harmful than tobacco cigarettes. Meanwhile, surveys carried out by Public Health England found that nearly half of the population don’t realise that e-cigarettes are less harmful than smoking. Although there are no studies currently available of the long-term effects of e-cigarettes, the current evidence that is available indicates that e-cigarettes are significantly less harmful than smoking tobacco.  Indeed, an expert independent evidence review published by Public Health England found that e-cigarettes are in fact 95% less harmful than smoking.

# Myth 2:

E-cigarettes encourage young people to start smoking  

Fears that  e-cigarette use would encourage young people to start thinking smoking is ‘normal’ have been shown to be unfounded. A study of 248,324 teenagers by researchers at Cardiff University found that young people’s attitudes towards smoking tobacco have become more negative since the emergence of e-cigarettes.  Meanwhile the percentage of young people who reported having tried smoking continued to fall during the same period. According to the research, the percentage of young people who thought trying out smoking a cigarette was ‘ok’ fell from 70% in 1999 to 27% in 2015.  This rate went down faster from 2011 onwards, during which time there was a surge in the numbers of people trying e-cigarettes

# Myth 3:

Smoking e-cigarettes is harmful because they contain nicotine  

According to Public Health England, 4 out of 10 smokers think it’s the nicotine in cigarettes that causes smoking-related cancer. It’s true that nicotine is highly addictive, however it is only carries a minimal risk to health.  Actually it is the other chemicals contained in cigarettes that cause cancer not nicotine. And unlike cigarette smoke, e-cigarette vapour doesn’t contain tar or carbon monoxide, two of the most harmful elements in tobacco smoke.

# Myth 4:

E-cigarettes won’t help you to stop smoking  

A major UK clinical trial involving 900 participants and funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), found that when combined with expert face to face support, e-cigarettes are almost twice as effective at helping smokers to quit as other nicotine replacement therapy such as patches and gum.  Two groups of quitters were tested and those that combined e-cigarette use with behavioural support, also had far faster reductions in coughs and phlegm. It is recommended that e-cigarettes should only be used as a way of quitting smoking and ideally e-cigarette users should gradually reduce the amount of nicotine they are using until they are able to stop vaping altogether.

# Myth 5:

E-cigarettes are not properly regulated  

E-cigarettes are strictly regulated in the UK and must meet minimum standards of quality and safety as set out in the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016.  Regulations cover not only the ingredients used to make the products but also packaging and labeling requirements.  Manufacturers must notify the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency about any products they make, listing all the ingredients they contain.

Campaign to stop parents from smoking on the sidelines kicks off with live ITV Wales broadcast

A campaign to stop parents from smoking on the sidelines at children’s football games, kicked off with a live broadcast from ITV Wales.

ASH Wales joined forces with the Football Association of Wales (FAW) Trust for the pilot project which will see smoking banned at Rhondda & District Football League’s mini and junior football games and at the South Wales Women’ and Girl’s League games in the Rhondda.

The project was launched at a Ton and Gelli Boys and Girls Club training session in Pentre, and ITV Wales broadcast live from the event for the ITV Wales News at Six.

Speaking at the launch, Gavin Elliott who is the RDFL’s club secretary, said he was “over the moon” that the league had been chosen for the pilot project:

“I think it’s great because I’m an ex-smoker myself and I’ve seen first hand the effects that smoking can have on a family because my father was a smoker.

“If children see smoking around them from a young age then they grow up thinking it’s an acceptable thing to do.

“When I found out about the project, I was over the moon really. It’s a fantastic for the Rhondda League that we’re going to be providing a healthy environment for the kids to play in.”

The aim of the project is to encourage parents watching the games from the sidelines not to smoke in a bid to reduce children’s exposure to second hand smoke, but also to de-normalise smoking in the eyes of youngsters.

Smoking rates in the Rhondda where the launch took place are among 20% of the adult population and feedback gathered by ASH Wales shows that parents smoking on the side lines is a problem faced by many clubs.

Caroline Spanton, is Head of Football Development at the FAW Trust. She said:

“This is all about trying to create a positive environment for young people to enjoy and thrive in their sport.

“It’s critical for young people to have positive role models in their lives and parents have a huge influence on their children. If we can prevent children from seeing smoking as the norm, it could make a real difference.”

If the project is successful ASH Wales hopes to roll it out to other youth sport teams across Wales.

Parents urged to stop smoking on the side lines as charity teams up with the Football Association of Wales for Smokefree Sports campaign

ASH Wales has joined forces with the Football Association of Wales (FAW) Trust to stop parents from smoking on the side lines at children’s games.

To kick off the campaign, ASH Wales and FAW have launched a pilot project which will see smoking banned at Rhondda & District Football League’s mini and junior football games and at the South Wales Women’s and Girls’ League junior games in the Rhondda area. And if it is successful, ASH Wales hopes to roll it out to youth football teams across Wales, following the success of a similar campaign in Norfolk.

The aim of the project is to encourage parents watching the games from the side lines not to smoke, in a bid to reduce children’s exposure to second hand smoke, but also de-normalise smoking in the eyes of youngsters.
Research has shown that children exposed to smoking are significantly more likely to smoke themselves. Currently in Wales a classroom of children starts smoking every day and 66% of smokers in Wales start before the age of 18.

Smoking rates in the Rhondda district, where the games will take place, are among the highest in Wales at 20% of the adult population. Initial feedback gathered by ASH Wales shows that parents smoking on the side lines is a problem faced by many clubs, particularly in Wales’ most deprived communities where smoking prevalence stands at 28% compared to 13% in the most affluent areas.

As well as spectators being encouraged not to smoke during training sessions and matches, there will be smoking cessation information made available to parents. Suzanne Cass, CEO of ASH Wales, said:

“Our Smokefree Sports campaign aims to get the message across to parents and young people about the harms of second-hand smoke and the importance of de-normalising smoking.
“Working with FAW Trust we have a fantastic opportunity to spread our message to hundreds of parents and their children in an environment which already promotes healthy behaviour.
“Children copy what they see and are highly influenced by the behaviour of their parents and carers, so asking parents not to smoke on the side lines can determine whether young people become smokers themselves in later life.”

From fag to fork – how smoking affects your diet and nutrition

Smoking affects your appetite, sense of taste and smell and ability to absorb vital nutrients. To explain why we’ve answered your questions about the impact of smoking on diet and nutrition.

Why can’t I taste my food properly anymore? Smoking a cigarette fills your brain with nicotine which affects your ability to taste flavours in your food. Meanwhile the body’s oxygen supply is reduced which leads to a dulling of flavours in the mouth.

Will smoking affect my sense of smell too? If you’re a regular smoker it’s likely that your sense of smell will take a hit. This is because smoking irritates the nasal passages and causes them to become inflamed. This will affect your sense of smell and you may find you lose enjoyment in your favourite foods.

I don’t have much of an appetite, even for my favourite foods. Is this because I smoke? Smoking will suppress your appetite because of the effects of nicotine on the brain and the nervous system. This could lead you to have a more restricted diet which may affect your health.

If I eat a healthy diet, I’ll be ok though, right? No, not necessarily. Smoking affects the body’s ability to absorb and retain a range of essential vitamins and minerals including vitamins C and D and calcium. Vitamin C is one of the body’s main antioxidants, which means it helps to prevent a number of diseases. It also helps you to absorb iron. A low level of vitamin C can cause vitamin deficiency. Meanwhile low levels of calcium can lead to an increased risk of osteoporosis.
Even if you take a vitamin C supplement and increase your intake of calcium, fruit and vegetables you cannot protect your body from the cell damage caused by smoking, which leads to diseases such as cancer, coronary heart disease and respiratory disorders such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

If I stop smoking, will that help? Yes! Within just 48 hours of quitting smoking, the carbon monoxide and nicotine within your body will have been eliminated and your sense of taste and appetite will start to return. Your body’s ability to absorb and retain essential vitamins and minerals will improve and you will once again be able to smell the roses!

Quitting smoking can be challenging, however there is plenty of free support available to help you on your journey to a smoke-free life. Contact  Help Me Quit on 0800 085 2219.

ASH Wales welcomes study showing e-cigarettes have not made teens think smoking is ‘OK’

Fears that the rise in e-cigarette use would lead to young people thinking smoking is ‘normal’ are unfounded, according to a study of 248,324 teens carried out by researchers at Cardiff University.

Their research, published in the Tobacco Control Journal, was based on three national surveys of 13 to 15-year-olds from Wales, England and Scotland. ASH Wales, believes e-cigarettes have a crucial role to play in reducing smoking prevalence in Wales and has welcomed these latest developments.

The study funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), found young people’s attitudes towards smoking tobacco have become more negative since the emergence of e-cigarettes. Meanwhile the percentage of young people who reported having tried smoking continued to fall during the same period.

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According to the research the percentage of young people who thought trying out smoking a cigarette was ‘OK’ fell from 70% in 1999 to 27% in 2015. This rate declined faster from 2011 onwards, during which time there was a surge in the numbers of people trying e-cigarettes.

Suzanne Cass is CEO of ASH Wales. She said: “Since the emergence of e-cigarettes there have been concerns they would make smoking seem ‘normal’, particularly amongst young people and this study has proved those fears unfounded.

“Thanks to this study, we now know there is no link between e-cigarettes and the so-called ‘renormalisation’ of smoking among teenagers.

“These results also show just how effective tobacco control policies and public health campaigns have been in changing young people’s attitudes towards smoking. What was once seen as a normal part of daily life and a lifestyle choice, is now perceived by many teens for what it really is – a powerful addiction that destroys lives, leading to devastating health conditions.

“We welcome the results of the study and hope this will strengthen the case for e-cigarettes to be considered a highly effective smoking cessation tool and a far safer alternative to smoking tobacco, rather than the first step to becoming a smoker.”

ASH Wales continues to campaign for policies aimed at de-normalising smoking in the eyes of young people. Successes have included the launch of a Smokefree Sports campaign, the banning of smoking at school gates across Wales and campaigns for smokefree university campuses.

The landscape in which e-cigarettes are sold and used is continually changing and ASH Wales believes there needs to be continual assessment of how this affects young people

Meet the vape shop owners

As smokers across Wales give up smoking using e-cigarettes, vape shops have become a popular fixture on our high streets. We met the owners of two different shops to find out more about what inspired them to set up their businesses and how they help smokers to quit the habit.

Husband and wife team Lee and Amanda Woolls were heavy smokers before giving up using e-cigarettes. Their experience inspired them to open Wales’ first vaping shop and today they own 11 Barracuda Vape shops across the country.

When did you first discover e-cigarettes?
Lee: We were both smokers. I was on around 60 a day and Amanda smoked about 40. It was just an integral part of our lives. I had been working for several years in the Middle East and in North and South Africa where it’s far easier to be a smoker because cigarettes cost so little and there wasn’t any financial incentive to quit. It was when I hit 40 and came back to the UK that I decided to quit. I had several quit attempts but none of them worked. I tried using Champix medication but I didn’t get on with it, then I tried gum and lozenges but that didn’t help with the cravings. Then a friend suggested that I should try e-cigarettes. I was very dubious at first because it was 2009 and they had only just become available. But I started vaping and after that I never smoked again.

What was it about vaping that appealed to you?
Lee: For me vaping just ticked all the boxes. You got the nicotine, the hand to mouth gesture and the visual effect of the exhaled smoke. For me, having been a heavy smoker, it was really important to get that hit at the back of the throat. It just seemed effortless, and we became quite evangelical about it after cigarettes had been such a big part of our lives.

How did you go about setting up the business?
We were working in the insurance business at the time. I started talking to everybody about e-cigarettes and realised that nobody was really using them at the time and that there was a real gap in the market because people were very intrigued about them. We started researching e-cigarettes in detail and looking at all the different component parts of the e-cigarette and all the different liquids available. When we opened our first shop in Cowbridge Road East in Cardiff, it was 2010 and the middle of the recession yet the shop was a success straight away. We used to hold talks and presentations about e-cigarettes and the shop would be full. Demand for the products was crazy and there would be queues of people waiting to get into the shop. It’s 100% because of our own experience and how the product has worked for us that we’re so passionate about our products.

How important is it to you to get to know your customers?
Amanda: Customer care is the focus for us, it’s the absolute key stone of our business. There’s no one size fits all product. Everyone gets a tailored service and product. We always ask our customers about their habit. We find out what brand of tobacco they were using because there are lots of different flavours. Some people puff while others inhale that is relevant too when it comes to buying the products. We’ll go through all the products that are available and ask how committed they are. Once they have decided we go through the range of liquids with them. We offer our customers a lot of support and advice and we have a lot of success stories. One lady came in and said she can’t get rid of her craving for a cigarette in the morning, so I advised her to take the vape to bed with her and then have it there ready in the morning. She said that really worked for her. One man came in and said he was going to have to have his leg amputated because of an arterial vein collapse caused by smoking. A year later he said the operation was no longer going ahead because he’d give up smoking and was vaping instead.

What have you learnt from your experience of running the business, about giving up smoking?
Lee: The biggest motivator for giving up smoking is oneself. If you don’t really want to give up smoking yourself then you’re not going to, not matter how much others persuade you. It’s all about will power really. Vaping really helps people to cope with the craving for a cigarette when they are quitting and can really replicate smoking. In fact, for some smokers it helps not to think of vaping as giving up smoking, but instead to think of it just as changing their brand or the product they are using.

Adam Edgerley runs Juice33, a chain of vape shops in West Wales, with shops in Carmarthen, Haverfordwest, Tenby and Milford Haven. He currently has 1,500 customers with the oldest aged over 90.

When did you set up the business and what inspired you to open a vape shop?
I launched the business with my business partner and best friend Joe back in late 2014, we had both been working for another electronic cigarette firm for a while and saw the amazing potential for growth in the sector, as well as an opportunity to corner the underserved West Wales market. Both of us had been heavy smokers for many years before working in the vape industry, so we’d seen first hand how transformative and effective the devices could be. After many years of pretty thankless jobs, it was a real boost to make a living from something that we could really see was making a difference.

Can you tell us about the different ranges of products you stock?
We stock a fairly exhaustive range of vape products, everything from very basic pen style starter kits to the more ‘hobbyist’ high powered mods, rebuildable atomisers and Sub Ohm tanks. The most important side of vaping for most people is the choice of e-liquids. In my opinion the ability to choose from such a massive range of different flavours is a big part of why vaping works long term for people.

Who are your typical customers?
Honestly, the only thing our customers have in common is they are all smokers who want to quit. We have around 1500 active customers on our system, and they come from every imaginable demographic. Our oldest customer is over 90 years old.

What advice do you give to smokers who are hoping to give up through vaping?
We always start with a new customer’s individual needs. Everyone is different so there’s a certain level of personalisation in what set up we will suggest for someone (nicotine levels that are likely to work for them, what kind of battery life they are likely to require for their lifestyle, certain flavours that may be more suitable than others etc).

Why, in your opinion, is vaping the best way to give up smoking?
From my personal experience, other smoking cessation devices and techniques don’t quite do the job. While some of them technically satisfy the nicotine cravings, there is a ritualistic element of smoking that they can’t replace. Picking up a physical cigarette or vape after a meal, seeing the smoke (or vapour in this case) as you exhale, feeling the ‘throat hit’, and simply having something to do with your hands just can’t be replicated with patches or any other smoking cessation device I’ve tried. That’s a common theme I hear almost every day in our stores; almost all of our customers have tried to quit before and the feedback we hear about how much easier it is to switch over and stick to vaping is astounding. The statistics seem to back up my opinion too; vaping has a 50% success rate, other smoking cessation techniques are around 3%.

Do you think there is a lack of awareness generally about the benefits of vaping compared to smoking?
Absolutely, there’s been a lot of bad reporting in the national and international media surrounding vaping; stories like the exploding e-cig, popcorn lung or similar make great headlines, but most have been either disproved, or are missing important context. Vaping has been largely vilified and it’s almost impossible for our industry to fight back against the disinformation and misleading headlines because of the incredibly harsh advertising regulations imposed on us as part of the Tobacco Products Directive. I think there’s a huge amount of scope to set the record straight, get the right information out there and encourage people to switch over to an unarguably less harmful alternative. However, I think it’s vital that this is approached with a responsible, measured approach as to discourage non-smokers from taking up vaping.