We have rounded up some of the major news surround the NHS and vaping and also added some useful information in this blog for you, so enjoy.

E-Cigarettes And The NHS

Big news has just broken that has the potential to change the vaping industry forever!

The rumours are true, e-cigarettes may soon be prescribed by the UK's biggest health service, our beloved NHS at a last-ditch attempt, supported by ministers to reduce smoking rates in the UK.

In this article we are going to debunk everything and answer your questions in regard to this mind-blowing new discovery:

Will Vapes be Prescribed?

Is Vaping a Nicotine Replacement Therapy?

Will Vaping Help Me Quit Smoking?

How Do People View E-Cigarettes?

What Products Can Help?

Prescription Vapes?

It is no secret that the NHS is under strain, which was only worsened by the Covid-19 Pandemic. Smoking is one of the biggest strains on the NHS, and has a massive impact on people across the nation, around 64,000 people die from smoking each year and in 2019 and 2020 statistics 1,991,183 people were hospitalised from smoking alone, which only increases year by year.

The MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products regulatory agency) have published new guidance that gives medicinally licensed e-cigs to be prescribed for smokers that want to quit smoking.

This bold step could make England become the first-ever country in the world to prescribe e-cigarettes for smokers and potentially set the tone for countries worldwide.

Vaping: Nicotine Replacement Therapy?

In recent months PHE published findings made by Kings College that states Vaping is the best product in helping people quit smoking above any other nicotine replacement therapy.

E-cigarette use and vaping, in general, gives you many of the familiar benefits that you would get out of smoking, without the harmful side effects.

E-cigarettes allow you to inhale nicotine at variable levels. Vapes are known to replicate the sensation of cigarette smoke through vapour without tar or carbon monoxide in addition to the other harmful chemicals within tobacco products.

Can Vaping Help You Quit Smoking?

Quitting smoking is difficult for everyone, but statistics show that going cold turkey is not the most successful way to quit for good, only 3-5 out of 100 people that go cold turkey are successful at quitting for longer than 6 months. Quitting smoking by using e-cigarettes to substitute traditional cigarettes are twice as effective as any other method eg. patches or Nicorette gum.

Medical leaders including Doctors and health campaigners fully support the consideration of prescription e-cigarettes. The former health minister Norman Lamb stated: “I am convinced this will be a gamechanger,”. Norman Lamb chaired the Commons science and technology committee’s inquiry into e-cigarettes in 2018. The committee concluded that there is a “significant benefit” to having e-cigarettes that could be prescribed.

How Are E-cigarettes Viewed?

Surprisingly people aren't as educated about vaping facts, and the knowledge and opinion surrounding e-cigarettes are polarising.

Finding from the Vaping in England: 2021 Evidence Update Summary found that:

Perceptions of the harm caused by vaping compared with smoking are increasingly out of line with the evidence. The STS survey found:

• 29% of current smokers believed vaping was less harmful than smoking
• 38% believed vaping was as harmful as smoking
• 18% did not know whether vaping or smoking was more harmful
• 15% of smokers believed vaping was more harmful than smoking

These statistics prove that people are not that willing to try e-cigarettes commercially, and stronger influences are needed to really make a change.

Prof Linda Baul who is the chair for the Bruce and John Usher public health at the University of Edinburgh said the consideration of prescribed e-cigarettes is “excellent news”.

She goes on to say: “While there is good evidence that e-cigarettes available as consumer products can help smokers to quit, we also know that up to one in three smokers in the UK has not tried these devices,”

“Smokers have concerns about safety and misperceptions about the relative risks of e-cigarettes compared with tobacco. For some, the cost is also perceived as a barrier. The option of having approved devices that could be prescribed would reassure smokers about relative risks and also assist in reaching those least able to afford e-cigarettes.”

Products That help

Some of the products that tend to help people smoke are disposable vape kits, they are closely aligned with cigarettes as they can be used straight out of the packet and offer a mess-free and easy vaping experience, alongside a high nicotine content and satisfying MTL throat hit. Have a look at the Geekbar or the Elux Bar. 

In addition, if you want a little more control over your e-liquid or a longer-lasting kit, we recommend using lower-powered pod or pen-style kits. 

Many of our kits are affordable and we often have a number of great deals available so you can make the best decision for you without breaking the bank.

Will you be supporting this potentially new venture into prescription vapes? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

5 Things To Know About E-Cigarettes

 

The creation of electronic cigarettes have changed the world forever, and for the better. You may have seen an increase of vapes in recent years, a study in 2020 showed that there are around 3.6million vapers in the U.K alone, and it's clear to see everywhere you go which we love!

With combustible cigarettes being much more harmful to you than e-cigarettes, it only makes sense that people are quitting traditional cigarette smoking for good and getting into vaping. But still with so many people getting sick from cigarette smoking, and with the Covid-19 pandemic only making it worse, we have highlighted 5 crucial things you should know about vaping if you're still on the fence:

E-Cigarettes Definition

Disease Control and Prevention

Second Hand Vaping

Vaping for Quitting Smoking

Vaping vs Smoking

What Are Electronic Cigarettes?

Electronic Cigarettes, or more recently, Vapes, have come a long way. They initially got their name as they were cigarette shaped electronic devices that contained nicotine based e-liquid.

These days though, electronic cigarettes come in a number of different forms, shapes, sizes, prices and brands. This is because vaping has evolved to fit the wide variety of modern vapers. E-cigarettes have evolved into a complete disassociation from traditional cigarettes and offer you the ability to vape the way you want to.

We have a of different types of e cigarettes on our site, for every different type of vape user including:

• Vape Pens
• Disposables
• Sub Ohm Kits
• Pod Kits

Most people start off with pen style kits or pod kits, as they're closer to smoking in sensation as they give you a strong throat hit as well as the full nicotine hit you're used to, they can also give a similar sensation in the hand.

Disease Control

Sadly, nearly one-third of deaths from heart and lung diseases are due to smoking and secondhand smoke. These very serious diseases are the reason why smoking kills around 120,000 people per year in the UK, and we really want to put a stop and control or prevent these diseases, with the power of vaping.

Cigarettes have over 7000 harmful toxins that are the cause of various heart and lung diseases. This includes both firsthand and secondhand smokers. WHO looked at 81 international studies and the scientists conclude that risks to users of e-cigarettes and passive bystanders are far less than those posed by cigarette smoke, they say that e-cigarettes have far fewer harmful toxins than cigarettes, meaning they are much less harmful, and less likely to give you detrimental effects.

Switching to vaping can limit the toxins you are getting and ultimately prevent and control diseases caused by smoking.

Secondhand Vaping

The statistics of second-hand smoking is absolutely shocking and scary. Unfortunately, the choice to smoke doesn't only affect the smoker, second hand smoke can be just as harmful to passive smokers. Every year 9,500 British children are admitted to hospital due to the effects of secondhand smoke accounting for 40 cot deaths per year. Secondhand smoke doesn't only affect young people though, secondhand smoke causes around 2,700 deaths in people aged 20-63 and 8,000 deaths amongst people over 65. 

Fortunately though, vape or e-cigarette vapour doesn't produce tobacco smoke, because of this, the risks of passive smoking with traditional cigarettes do not apply to e-cigarettes.

The amount of nicotine released into the atmosphere from vapes is negligible in comparison to cigarette smoke. This means that the amount of risk from passive vaping caused to others is tiny - if any, compared to tobacco products.

Vapes Are An Aid In Smoking Cessation

E-cigarette use is known to be one of the ways people can quit smoking. But in recent studies, vaping has been proven to be the best way to quit smoking in comparison to any other nicotine replacement therapy. E-cigarette liquid, or e-liquid was built to replicate the sensation of smoking without the harmful side effects. 

It's important to note that e cigarettes contain nicotine. Nicotine is the highly addictive substance in cigarettes, so going cold turkey, for long term smokers may give you unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. This is why using a nicotine replacement product such as vaping, can aid you in weaning you off of nicotine by staggering and reducing your mg strength over time  is an effective way to quit.

A major UK clinical trial found that people who used e cigarettes to quit smoking were twice as likely to succeed in quitting for good.

Vaping Is Less Harmful Than Smoking

Vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking traditional cigarettes. Cigarette smokers are more likely to get a harmful physical and mental disease, which has only been heightened due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.

E-cigarette devices allow you to inhale vapour instead of smoke. This means e-cigarettes do not burn tobacco, and they do not produce poisonous substances such as carbon monoxide or tar, these are the two most damaging elements in tobacco.

Fortunately, thousands of UK smokers have been able to quit smoking  for good with the assistance of e-cigarettes. Which is great news for the health of the nation as the elements found in e-liquid are much less harmful than substances found in cigarettes.

Here at UK ECIG STORE we’re always looking to educate and help out anyone who wants to improve their lives for the better. 

What’s the biggest thing you’ve learnt about vaping? Share your experiences with us below!

 

What Happens When You Quit Smoking

 

Quitting smoking is difficult for anyone and there are a number of ways you can do it and you can support your loved one quit, Stoptober is the best time to quit smoking, as there are a number of amazing tips, resources and you'll have a whole community of people doing it at the exact same time as you all battling smoking cessation.

One of the best ways to encourage you to quit smoking and to keep it that way is to know the facts, so we wanted to let you know exactly what happens to your body once you finally quit smoking for good, and how quitting smoking can have some really crucial health benefits, from decreasing your chances of lung cancer, increasing lung function, lowering your blood pressure, and decreasing your chances or coronary heart disease or having a heart attack.

Here's what happens to your body once you quit:

Everything You Need To Make The Switch To Vaping

Quitting smoking is hard for everyone, but the best way to ensure you stick to it, is to have a plan. Fewer than 5% of smokers that quit cold turkey actually make it through without relapse, so to increase your chances we recommend switching to something less harmful. Research has shown that vaping is more effective in smoking cessation than other nicotine replacement therapies, and is a helpful way to help you stop smoking this Stoptober!

Making the switch from smoking to vaping is not an easy ride, and for a lot of smokers, the biggest thing getting in their way is knowing what to need. There are so many different vape kits, accessories and e-liquid to choose from our site and it may be quite overwhelming to know where to start.

But don't worry we've got you covered, we are going to let you know everything you need to finally make that switch to vaping for good, and quit smoking:

• An Appropriate E-Cigarette
• The Correct E-Liquid
• Vaping Accessories
• A Supportive network
• A Safety Blanket
• Top Tips

 

A Kit That Suits You

If you really want to knock your smoking habit you need an appropriate vape kit that was designed for beginners. Something easy to use, easy to fill and something that gives you everything you gained out of traditional tobacco cigarettes: a satisfying MTL (mouth to lung) throat hit, a comfortable mouthpiece and the ability to handle e-liquid with high nicotine content.

If you’re looking to switch we recommend Vape Pens, Pod Kits, Starter Kits or Disposables Vape Kits.

The Right E-Liquid

Using the right e-liquid is detrimental as an aid in smoking cessation. It's important to know what e-liquid is best for you. For MTL pod devices you need to ensure you use an e-liquid that has a higher PG, so a 50:50 VG/PG e-liquid or nic salt e-liquid is ideal. They are designed to give you a satisfying throat hit and allow the nicotine to get into your system appropriately. Shortfill E-liquids or high VG will clog up the smaller coils that are used within MTL e-cigs and are harder to break down the nicotine, so you'll need a high powered sub-ohm kit for this liquid, which is not recommended for beginners.

It's super important that you get the right nicotine e-liquid level for you. A general rule of thumb is:

• Heavy Smokers (20+ per day): 18-20mg nicotine recommended
• Medium Smokers (10+ per day): 10-12mg nicotine recommended
• Light smokers/ Social Smokers (up to 10 per day): 3mg-10mg recommended

It is important you get the right nicotine content to put those pesky nicotine cravings at bay. Too high of a nicotine content can make you lightheaded, and a too low nicotine content will have you constantly puffing away.

The Correct Accessories

If you're looking to start vaping, coils, tanks, liquids, batteries, chargers and all the other accessories that are associated with vaping can be not only confusing but scary. So knowing the right products you need for your e-cig is important. So ensure to do your research, read the description or speak to someone in our team if you're not sure. We try to make it as clear as possible on our product pages to make it super easy for you, but don't be afraid to look into your kit and compare which accessories you want.

Get Support

Having the right products is one thing and albeit a very important part of making your switch. However, having physical and emotional support is super important, having a supportive network of loved ones to support and encourage you can be ultimately the changing factor in your life. There are also loads of former smokers online right now that have been in your exact same position, the vaping community is massive, and support is out there. Join and interact with the vaping community, and explore forums, blogs and social media discussions to get that much needed support.

Get A Backup Kit

Being prepared is a really important step in helping you go smoke free and keeping you that way, running out of e-liquid, vape pods or coils can be a real downer for anyone that wants to keep vaping and it can make you revert to your old habits when you get a craving, cigarette smoke can become really appealing.

So, it's best to have a backup e-cig in your cupboard, for these desperate times. Having a few disposable e-cigarettes is recommended as you don't need any other accessories, and they're quick and easy grab and go, no mess and no hassle devices.

Other nicotine replacement products and vaping alternatives like pouches can also be an effective backup for that much needed quick nicotine hit.

Remember

• Get a decent e-cigarette

We have a wide range of starter, open pod kits, and closed pod kits that are perfect for new vapers, make sure you get one that's right for you, not just the first or cheapest option.

• Explore a range of e-liquids

Learning what e-liquid flavours and nicotine strength you like can only be determined by you, get a few at a time and experiment.

• Stay simple

Getting the most complicated device with loads of settings can get confusing and frustrating, choose something simple at first, you can always upgrade later down the line.

• Looks aren't everything

We have some super impressive and stylish kits on our site, but remember to read the description and reviews instead of going for the most aesthetically pleasing one straight away.

• Be patient

Sometimes the first vape you choose isn't going to be your long term favourite, but just be patient with it and expect to try a few devices before you find the perfect one.

• Use the right nicotine strength

Figure out which nicotine strength you need, we have lots of guides to help you but if you can't decide, get a range of strengths to begin with and choose which one suits you best.

• Accept that you're not smoking

Although vaping can be very similar to smoking, it is not exactly the same, learn how to vape properly, and accept the experiences might not be identical.

• Become part of the vaping community

Support from your loved ones is one of the most important parts of your vaping journey, but being a part of the vaping community can keep you focused and get you excited about vaping and all it entails. Check out our social media and blog pages for all the latest vaping news and new products.

If you need any additional information, or help choosing your very first kit, contact our helpful customer service team who will be happy to guide you through!

Which vape kit helped you quit smoking? Let us know in the comments below.

 

Latest Health Update on Vaping in the UK

 

Here at UK ECIG STORE, we understand that it is important for you to have the most up-to-date information to keep you safe and healthy during these crazy and unpredictable times! 

Therefore we created this blog to inform you of the current guidelines and advice provided by both the Government and trusted health organisations in order to give you the means to take care of yourself while you vape.     

Covid 19 and Vaping 

The GOV.UK website has outlined instructions to keep vapers nice and safe in light of the pandemic situation. 

They recommend vapers regularly wash their hands and to make sure their vape kit is kept clean due to the repetitive hand-to-face movements involved in this activity. 

Please see our blog on How to Clean Your Vape Kit to find a step by step guide.  

For smokers, they mention that smoking can greatly increase the chances of contracting a respiratory infection such as Covid. This makes now a particularly beneficial time for quitting the habit for good. 

It also specified that switching to vaping is a viable substitute to smoking due to supported evidence presented by Government funded Health bodies such as the NHS. 

Due to the shared agreement that vaping is an effective and less harmful alternative to smoking, it is therefore assumed that you are putting yourself less at risk of getting the virus by making the transition to vape instead of smoke. 

 

Health Organisations that support Vaping

Collectively, the NHS, British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK and Public Health England all agree that while vaping is not completely harm-free, it is undoubtedly less harmful and is an effective method of quitting smoking.

For a visual demonstration showing the clear differences that smoking vs vaping has on your lungs, please click on this video made by Public Health England (PHE).

The NHS also provides stop smoking services involving one-to-one and group sessions online. This form of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) addresses behavioural links to smoking such as anxiety and depression. 

Vaping on the other hand, tackles the physiological needs required to quit. 

Therefore, vaping coupled with NRT is one the most efficient methods of kicking the habit once and for all.  

Do you have any more health related concerns about vaping? If so, then please leave a comment in the section below.