On average, 1 in 5 adults in the UK smoke, and of these individuals, 37% of them chose to quit. But quitting smoking is no easy feat and of those who decided to quit, only 19% were able to do so successfully.
At nzo, we’re dedicated to helping people quit smoking cigarettes. That’s why we’ve made this guide to help clear the air around some of the most prevalent myths about quitting smoking.
If you’re looking to make the switch from cigarettes to vaping, why not try one of our
quit smoking starter kits today and take that one step closer to a smoke-free life.
1. Vaping is as Harmful as Smoking Cigarettes
A common misconception about vaping is that it’s as detrimental to your health as smoking cigarettes.
Of the 7,000 or more chemicals found in cigarettes, over 70 of them are carcinogenic. While vaping isn’t entirely risk-free, the common chemicals found in e-cigarettes are much lower than they are in cigarettes. Vaping also doesn’t involve the two most harmful elements found in cigarette smoke: tar and carbon monoxide.
There’s plenty of research into the harmful effects vaping could have on your health and comparatively, vaping is a substantially better option than smoking.
2. Nicotine Causes Cancer
Perhaps the biggest myth regarding quit smoking aids and smoking as a whole is that nicotine causes cancer.
While it’s common knowledge that smoking can lead to cancer, it’s the other extremely toxic chemicals in cigarettes such as carbon monoxide and tar, that cause damage to your health.
Nicotine is an extremely addictive substance but when compared to the toxins in cigarettes, alone is relatively harmless. This is why vaping is such a popular method of stopping smoking. Your body can get the nicotine it craves without all the nasty chemicals found in cigarettes.
If you’re looking to become nicotine-free as well as smoke-free, why not check out our blog on how to safely reduce your nicotine levels.
3. Vaping is Not as Effective as Quitting Aids
When choosing to quit smoking, people tend towards the more obvious or mainstream methods. This can include using quitting aids such as:
- Nicotine patches
- Nicotine gum
- Nicotine inhaler
- Nicotine nasal spray
While all of these are viable options to help you quit smoking, they’re no better or worse than vaping.
The aim of quitting aids is to help supplement the nicotine your body is craving without smoking cigarettes. This can be done just as effectively with a vape device as with gum or a patch.
In fact, some vape devices are designed to look and act like cigarettes to help ease the transition even more.
4. The Damage is Already Done
It’s a common thought that if you’ve smoked for years and have already increased your chances of getting cancer then quitting smoking won’t make any difference.
This is a myth. It’s never too late to quit smoking.
As soon as you quit, your body will begin to repair itself as best it can. You’ll notice improvements in your breathing and some of your senses just days after stopping. Within a year, the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory disease will have reduced as well.
While there may have been some damage done to your body, by quitting you can stop any more from being done. This will improve your health as well as the health of those around you who could have been subjected to your second-hand smoke.
5. Quitting Smoking Causes Weight Gain
While it has been noted as a side effect of quitting that you may gain weight, this isn’t from the lack of smoking. Smoking cigarettes has been shown to work as an appetite suppressant so by smoking more you may inevitably eat less. This can then have an impact on your weight.
Once smoking has been removed from the equation, you may find your appetite returning. This means you may feel yourself gaining weight as you begin to eat more than before. This can be relatively easy to stave off by eating healthier foods and exercising, both of which are great for your overall health.
So, while someone who quits smoking may gain on average between 5-10 pounds, it’s not as detrimental to your health as continuing to smoke.
6. Smoking Eases Stress
Along with peer pressure and wanting to mimic adults, one of the reasons some people tend to pick up smoking is the belief that it will ease their stress levels. As such, when it comes to quitting, some people choose not to because they don’t want to be without their coping mechanism.
However, it has been proven that smoking doesn’t actually ease stress levels. The calming feeling long term smokers attribute to smoking is more likely to be the relief from the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal which include:
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Restlessness
- And more
Some studies have also shown that smoking can actually increase stress levels due to:
- The guilt or shame of smoking
- Frequent withdrawal periods during the day
- Concerns over health
As for new smokers, it’s thought that the calming feeling they experience is more from the act of stepping away and taking a few deep breaths than it is from the smoking of a cigarette.
7. Quitting Smoking is Expensive
A lot of people are put off quitting smoking because they fear it’s going to break the bank.
We’re here to prove otherwise.
The average pack of 20 cigarettes costs £10. Our nzo starter kit which includes an nzo device and three 1.75ml nzo pods costs £9.95 from our store.
A single nzo pod can last, on average, twice as long as a pack of cigarettes. So, when you purchase a pack of three pods, it’s almost equivalent to buying six-packs of cigarettes all for under £10.
Depending on the method you choose to help your quit smoking, it can prove to be much more cost-effective than buying multiple packs of cigarettes a week.
Quitting smoking is one of the most difficult challenges people today face, but with the right attitude and understanding, you could be well on your way to a smoke-free life in no time.
If you’re ready to start your quit smoking journey, why not take nzo along for the ride? With starter kits and a wide variety of flavoured pods available, we’ve got everything you need to get started!
So, what are you waiting for?
