There are a lot of mixed opinions out there about vaping. You might have come across an article talking about the health benefits of electronic cigarettes, and the very next day see a news report that makes vaping sound dangerous. If you’ve been thinking about making the transition lately, it can be a confusing choice to make. In this guide, we will cover the real vaping pros and cons so you have a clear frame of reference to decide whether it’s right for you.

Benefits of vaping

1. It’s safer than smoking: Just ask the Royal College of Physicians. They’re a prestigious organization representing over 35,000 doctors worldwide. They have stated that vaping is at least 95% safer than smoking based on their extensive research. Since there’s no combustion, tar or ash associated with vaping, switching to it from smoking enables the user to experience health benefits from being smoke-free. That means better oral hygiene, skin health, circulation, lung capacity and an improved sense of smell and taste.

2. No noxious odors: One of the biggest advantages of vaping is that you and your environment won’t smell of smoke. Vaping may have an aroma from the flavors used, but it’s not the smoke from dead tobacco leaves! To some people, the smell of vapor is barely noticeable. Sometimes you might even get a few complements on the aroma. Even if you vape tobacco flavors, it won’t smell like the rank fumes that come from burning tobacco leaves.

3. Control over nicotine intake: Vaping gives you full control over your nicotine dosage. E-juice is available in a variety of strengths, ranging from nicotine-free to high-strength nicotine. You can choose exactly how much nicotine is in your vape, if you decide to use any at all. Most vapers tend to start off with high nicotine levels, and gradually work their way down to lower levels, or eliminate it completely.

4. Flavors for every palate: When it comes to flavors, there are virtually endless options to choose in e-juice. There are also new flavors being created all the time, so you’ll never run out of new ones to try. Some of the more popular favorites include fruit, desserts, beverages, foods, menthol, and tobacco.

5. No experience needed: Yes, there are some more advanced products out there, but there are also many that cater to the rank beginner. There are countless options that require no prior experience. Devices like pod vapes and beginner vape starter kits are perfect examples. Some of them are draw-activated, so all you need to do is puff on them and they automatically engage.

Cons of vaping

1. Overwhelming options: There’s almost unlimited choices in equipment, e-liquid, and even vaping styles. It can be hard to process, especially compared to the relative ease of choosing a cigarette brand and lighting up. That’s why it’s so important for new vapers to start simple with a basic starter kit. You can also find help at a vape shop, a vaping forum, or from friends who vape. Luckily, experienced vapers are usually happy to help teach you how to vape!

2. Technology learning curve: Not only is the market saturated, a lot of the devices are for hobbyists. Although advanced hardware is not for beginners, much of the information on the internet focuses on it. This can lead you to think vaping requires complex knowledge to experience it. That’s not true! Vaping can be very simple despite how it may seem.

3. Youthful perception: Depending on your area, the legal age to buy vapes is either 18 or 21 years old since the enactment of Tobacco 21 laws. But that’s just the minimum age requirement. The popular perception about vaping is that it’s a young adult activity. Adults that vape can be found in any age bracket from 18 on up. The sad part though is that many older adults don’t feel a connection to the culture of vaping, which very well could help them with their deadly addiction to smoking.

4. Cumulative costs: Like other consumable based products, vaping requires repeat purchases. No matter how your device is designed, e-liquid will always need to be replenished. The price of e-liquid and quantity it’s sold in varies. Some brands are expensive, but there’s also plenty of cheap e-juice available. Still, one bottle will not last forever. And while the price of one bottle is rarely going to make or break someone, the costs will add up when buying too many flavors. This is why many begin choose to DIY e-juice. It’s relatively easy to do and it cuts costs significantly.

5. Scary headlines: There are lots of myths and rumors about vaping perpetuated in the news. Some of them have a kernel of truth, some are just made up. Some headlines may be true but are isolated cases made to look like an epidemic. Almost nothing in life is truly safe from possible harm, but the onus is consistently put on vaping to be such. What we know for sure is that it’s much safer for you than smoking.

The choice is yours

By now you should have a better understanding about the pros and cons of vaping. There are a number of points on both sides. But if you consider that vaping is an alternative to smoking, it should be obvious that it’s the best choice of the two. Although vaping is not the only way to combat cigarette addiction, all the other choices have pros and cons as well. Chantix has helped some people quit smoking too, but one of its side effects is “thoughts or actions suicide” — how is that for a scary!

Vaping is not a magic bullet for everyone though. You might decide that it’s not for you, but you might enjoy it so much that you never go back to smoking. Whichever choice you make, you now have a sober sense of the benefits and the downsides of vaping.