E-cigarette alternative: what is the best smoking substitute?

E-cigarettes are becoming more and more popular as an alternative to traditional cigarettes and are gaining a lot of traction, especially among young people. Although these types of products are less harmful than cigarettes, they are still not completely free of health risks. 

Let's take a closer look at the different types of e-cigarettes and highlight their health risks. After that, we'll introduce you to a few other alternatives to e-cigarettes.

What are e-cigarettes?

E-cigarettes are simple in design: they contain a tank with the intended liquid and a heating coil in which the liquid is transformed into vapor. In addition, they have either a rechargeable battery or a battery to be put into operation. When consumed, the vapor is inhaled and unfolds its effect in the body.

What is the difference between e-cigarettes and tobacco heaters?

Although both products are considered alternatives to smoking, there are still a few differences between e-cigarettes and tobacco heaters. First of all, they have one thing in common: both products rely on vapor, not smoke like conventional cigarettes. In terms of appearance, they differ a bit, as tobacco heaters use a kind of tobacco stick and e-cigarettes like a pod system. 

The next difference is the use of nicotine and tobacco. E-cigarettes do not necessarily need to be filled with nicotine-containing liquids or tobacco, and the strength of nicotine can be determined by the consumer. Tobacco heaters, as the name nicely suggests, always contain tobacco and thus also nicotine.

Why are e-cigarettes alternatives to smoking?

E-cigarettes are more suitable for smoking cessation than tobacco heaters, because the amount of nicotine varies depending on the liquid and you can choose both liquids with or without nicotine. So for a gentle smoking cessation you can reduce the amount of nicotine step by step downwards until you can manage with products without nicotine.

Advantages and disadvantages of e-cigarettes

Among the advantages, we have already mentioned one point, namely the nicotine strength of e-cigarettes, which you can choose yourself. Since e-cigarettes do not burn the nicotine-containing liquid, but only heat it, they also produce fewer harmful substances than cigarettes. 

The disadvantages of e-cigarettes include the substances that are formed when vaporizing. As with regular cigarettes, free radicals are formed when vaporizing and these are known to increase the risk of cancer. 

Furthermore, e-cigarettes contain metallic components such as the heating coil and these emit chromium and nickel when heated, which are inhaled. The danger is that these substances can cause inflammation in the body and negatively affect the respiratory tract.

Other alternatives to smoking

E-cigarettes and tobacco heaters are not the only products that can be used as cigarette substitutes. We have put together a few other alternatives to e-cigarettes.

Snuff

Snuff has been on the market for centuries and is still popular among tobacco fans today. To make snuff, different varieties of tobacco are ground into small pieces and, depending on the variety, flavors and oils are added. When consumed, the powder is inhaled through the nose and the nicotine is absorbed through the mucous membranes.

Chewing tobacco

Another form of smokeless products is chewing tobacco. Chewing tobacco was a popular alternative to smoking, especially on ships, because burning cigarettes was too dangerous. The tobacco is fermented and in some varieties fruit essences are added. Although the name chewing tobacco suggests that the product is exclusively chewed, this is not the case. Most often it is placed in the cheek and chewed only when the effect wears off.

Snus

Snus uses ground tobacco, which is filled in loose form or in sachets. Snus can be purchased either with tobacco or as Nicotine Pouches/All White Snus without tobacco. They are a very good alternative to smoking, because you can determine the nicotine content yourself and at the same time no vapors are created. Snus is therefore considered the best alternative for smoking cessation. Strong products contain over 40 mg/g and mild snus variations have about 5 to 10 mg/g of nicotine, whereas with snus usually no more than 50% of the nicotine content is absorbed by the body at all.

Conclusion

E-cigarettes can be used as an alternative to smoking, as the nicotine content varies. However, heating the products can cause metals to enter the respiratory tract, which are considered to be a concern. So, snus is a better option as the product is neither heated nor burned and the effect only enters the body through saliva. If you are still looking for e-cigarettes, we can recommend the online store Apevape.