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Matchless E-cigarette blog
Should E-Cigarettes be available on the NHS?
If you’re an e-cigarette user, you’ve probably been wise to the idea that e-cigarettes are much better for you than smoking tobacco, it’s even quite likely you were an ex tobacco smoker and made the switch to e-cigarettes for this very reason. Having made that switch, you no doubt feel healthier and happier with yourself knowing that you may have avoided serious health problems in the future related to smoking tobacco.
Well, it appears now Government health officials also agree with you and would like to see more tobacco users using e-cigarettes instead. This comes after a review they published stating that vaping is 95% less harmful than tobacco. In light of this review officials want GPs to be able to prescribe e-cigarettes on the NHS to reduce the number of people dying of tobacco related diseases every year in the UK by reducing the number of smokers.
E-Cigarettes have become popular in recent years, it’s even spawned a culture of fanatic vapers and vape culture across UK, Europe and the US. However for most vapers, it is the similarity between e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes that has aided their efforts to quit smoking and take up what is considered to be a healthier alternative. The familiar glow of an e-cigarette and the ability to draw on vapour laced with nicotine which resembles smoke has proved to be a very popular tool in helping people quit smoking. E-Cigarettes are now also being trumpeted as a potential game changer in public health here in the UK.
As it stands, GPs and smoking cessation services are not currently able to prescribe or recommend any e-cigarettes brands as none of the e-cigarettes available on the market are licensed. Public health officials are hoping this will change soon.
A recent concern which has been voiced in the media and anti-vaping community is that vaping normalises smoking which would encourage younger children who do not smoke at all, to be lured into the habit of smoking through the route of vaping. Despite the concerns, officials say that there is no evidence so far that e-cigarettes act as a route into smoking for non smokers and children. Infact, research shows almost all of the vaping population are either current or ex-smokers with only a minority of virgin smokers now vaping.
In general UK is witnessing a decline in the number of people smoking tobacco and professionals believe that e-cigarettes are one of the main contributing factors towards this declining trend. However, the rise in popularity of e-cigarettes has been met with equal distrust, misinformation and myths all contributing to negative press. But as the paranoia and rushed opinions on vaping come to settle, new reports are shedding a much clearer light on the actual health implications of vaping vs tobacco. Evidence from a new British report says vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking tobacco. One of the largest concerns with vaping is that the vapour produced by e-cigarettes by heating flavoured liquids contains ingredients, by-products and contaminants which could potentially be harmful to health. Studies however have rebutted the claim by showing these are found at very low levels in the actual air people breathe.
Smoking is currently the biggest killer in England and health officials and professionals widely agree that while quitting smoking altogether would be the best thing any smoker could do, many also agree that vaping and e-cigarettes provide a much healthier alternative to smoking tobacco.
Knowing that smoking is the number one killer and vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking tobacco many now also feel that spending tax payers money on funding the availability of e-cigarettes on the NHS is a justifiable cause as it would save thousands of lives.
What do you think? Should E-cigarettes be prescribed on the NHS?
read moreE-Cigarettes better for public health, says Experts
There’s been no shortness in a controversy and debate lately over the ill speculated health risks and benefits of smoking e-cigarettes over tobacco products. But in the corner of the more reasoned arguments, the Royal Society for Public Health is encouraging health bosses to promote the use of e-cigarettes and also suggests licensing tobacco sellers.
E-cigarettes better for public health than tobacco
As E-cigarettes have become increasingly popular with the vaping public there has been a somewhat knee jerk negative reaction from various sectors including government, health campaigners and the media. Criticisms of e-cigarettes have ranged from the lofty claims such as “e-cigarettes normalise smoking” to speculative and unproven health concerns. Despite the unwarranted negativity and misinformation surrounding e-cigarettes, the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has urged Health chiefs across the UK to adopt a less negative attitude towards the use of e-cigarettes and instead direct their focus towards the far more harmful habit of tobacco smoking. The RSPH has also suggested an educational campaign is required to help people better understand the difference between the addiction to nicotine and the inhaling of harmful chemicals and substances such as tar, arsenic and other cancer causing chemicals found in traditional cigarettes. Such an education would help dispel the myth that nicotine is as bad for you as tobacco and help people better understand that e-cigarettes better for public health.
The RSPH also says new “exclusion zones” should be setup which would ban smoking outside schools, pubs, bars, public squares and parks but e-cigarettes should be exempt from the ban. This comes after Wales recently barred smoking of e-cigarettes in pubs and other enclosed spaces.
The benefits of using of e-cigarettes as a behavioural and nicotine substitute is an attitude which has been embraced and adopted by the North East and in particular, Leicester, where behavioural support is being offered to people who are looking to quit smoking tobacco and use e-cigarettes to help them do so. Although other nicotine replacement therapies such as nicotine gum are offered to people wanting to quit tobacco, e-cigarettes cannot yet be offered by smoking cessation services due to no e-cigarettes yet having a medical license.
The RSPH is also advocating for the licensing of all tobacco retailers. The RSPH would like all local authorities to be able to ban sales of tobacco products by any shop failing to comply with tobacco related legislation such as age restrictions and display restrictions. It would also like to see the compulsory selling of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRTs) such as nicotine gum and patches and to rename e-cigarettes to nicotine sticks or nicotine control products.
With over 6,000 public health professionals who are part of the RSPH charity, if the proposed policies were to become a reality, they would signal one of the largest shifts in the public perception and attitude towards e-cigarettes and nicotine ever seen in the UK.
The policies put forward by RSPH has also been positively received by the Charity Ash and the Electronic Cigarette Industry Trade Association have welcome the differentiation between nicotine and the more harmful chemicals found in tobacco and the proposals to help educate the general public and help clear up the confusion and misinformation which has surrounded the e-cigarette market as it has become increasingly become more drawn into the public eye and political discussions.
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The truth about Vaping and Health
Vaping – Is it Healthy ? Is Vaping healthier than smoking tobacco?
Simply put it’s a question of how you frame the debate. However lobbyists and organisations are campaigning harder than ever before to win public opinion in their favour that vaping is harmful and should be avoided. So we’re asking two simple questions: Is Vaping healthy, and is vaping healthier than smoking tobacco?
A simple conclusion to the two questions are No and Yes.
In reality you have to face it – smoking e cigs or Vaping is not going to make you healthy – but then again it would be illogical if it did, how would smoking anything make you healthier ?
The real key in answering the question is to ask how unhealthy is Vaping and who benefits from emphasising the misinformed fact that e cigarettes are not healthy?
Enter the Anti E-Cigarette lobbyists, anti e-cig lobbyists come in three main guises –
The vaping health question becomes ever more contradictory to actual research as lobbyists and organisations battle for public opinion
Health Lobbyists
Would it be too extreme to say – they just want everything banned?
Pharmaceutical Lobbyists
Would it be too paranoid to note that big Pharma is feeling the pinch as its (very profitable) smoking cessation products are taking a hit as people use e cigarettes? So could it be the case that they end up paying people to rubbish and demonise e cigarettes and vaping – so the health industry will continue to prescribe big Pharma’s very profitable products?
Tobacco Lobbyists
And while we are being paranoid – lets note that big Tobacco is feeling it in its pockets as well – so would it be beyond the imagination to see one or two of them to dip into their considerable and deep pockets to try and infer that e cigarettes is just as bad as smoking tobacco – so you may as well just stick with tobacco?
The key is the how to assess risk?
The reality is that virtually all studies show that e cigarettes and Vaping is considerably healthier than smoking – and that’s the real key. Study after study shows this.
Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos, a world renowned cardiologist and leading e-cigarette and vaping researcher has been conducting scientific studies on e-cigarettes since they first became popular back in 2007.
In his latest study published today, he found that “Vapers are not exposed to dangerous levels of aldehydes.” My reading of the evidence is that e-cigarettes are at least 95% safer than smoking. Smokers should be encouraged to switch to vaping.
The anti e cig lobbyists will flip this report and note that by inference e cigarettes are not healthy for you.
But let’s be e grown up’s and acknowledge this – but also let us emphasise that vaping is a lot healthier than tobacco.
What do you think about the climate of opinions on Vaping and health? Let us know below.
read moreE-Cigarette Vapour as harmless as air
When taking up vaping, many people, including myself, ask if e-cigarettes are harmful – a sensible question to ask. After spending some time reading through articles, reports, opinions and advice from medical circles it became apparent that the most toxic element I would need to be concerned about in e-cigarettes was Nicotine and this was only toxic in large volumes, massively larger than the amount inhaled through e-cigarette vapour. Coming to the world of vaping as a smoker, it was clear that there were fewer health risks associated with vaping and that vaping instead of smoking would be extremely positive change in my lifestyle.
Despite the occasional ‘scare tactic’ article in the media about vaping, the prevailing wisdom in heath circles and in the general public is that vaping is by far a healthier alternative to smoking. To further add to the body of evidence which supports this claim, a recent study shows that e-cigarette vapour is almost as harmless as air, which even to the already convinced vapour, will come as a pleasant surprise.
The tobacco giant – British American Tobacco recently funded research which seems to suggest that e-cigarette vapour could be as safe as air. The study uses human lung cells and robotic smokers to investigate the health risks and effects of smoking cigarettes and e-cigarette vapour.
The research was a joined venture between British American Tobacco and MatTek Corporation, which produces models of human cells used in laboratory experiments. The experiment involved using a smoking robot designed to emulate the smoking / inhaling process of humans. The smoking robot was used to expose the model lung cells to cigarette smoke, e-cig vapour from two different brands and plain air.
When the cells were exposed to traditional cigarette smoke for six hours, the cells died – not a surprise. However, much more surprisingly, when the cells were exposed to an aggressive and continuous dose of e-cigarette vapour, the damage to the airway tissue was “similar to that of air”.
British American Tobacco plans to conduct further research and test a wider range and brand of e-cigarettes and e-liquids to further prove their findings.
The new findings have been welcomed by health professionals and those campaigning for healthier lifestyles. Health officials are being encouraged by such professionals to promote vaping to smokers in a bid to achieve a public health victory.
So, no doubt the debate on whether or not e-cigarette vapour is safe will continue, and despite the arguments, the science and research based argument continues to add to the ever growing body of evidence that e-cigarettes are not as harmful as some misleading opinions and thoughts on the subject suggest.
read moreJune Competition Winners
Congratulations to the winners of the June competition. The winners have received their Matchless Rechargeable E-Cigarette which we hope you’ll enjoy vaping with!
The winners of the competition were:
B Wing
J Matthews
Sam E
Ger F
Bill R
Steve S
Mike P
Jessie S
Martin K
Darren E
Frederick B
Richard G
Nicholas C
Anthony E
Heather B
Gail M
Elizabeth N
Liesy S
Kieran S
Keep an eye on more competitions on our Facebook, Google+ and twitter pages. If you’re not already following us on these, you should, as you’ll have access to all the latest site and service news, new products and offers, informative blog articles as well as exciting competitions.
read moreInfographic – Vaping overtaking Nicotine Patches and Gums?
This infographic illustrates how the latest research shows a trend in which the use of vaping devices such as e-cigarettes are overtaking nicotine replacement therapies such as nicotine patches and nicotine gums. The UK has witnessed a decline in the number of people using nicotine replacements as more British smokers choose vaping devices such as e-cigarettes as their choice for kicking the habit Although the infographic presents the stats primarily for the UK, the trend is also being echoed globally, specifically across the US and Europe.
What are Variable Voltage E-Cigs?
What do variable voltage e-cigs bring to the vaper?
Simply put – they give you more control on the amount of vapor (allowing you to increase or decrease) created by your tank. This in turn affects the throat hit you experience which is done by changing the amount of power (wattage) generated by your Tank.
Some people prefer to change the amount of vapor for different flavours.
Chocolate, tobacco, and coffee flavours are noted by some to taste better when exposed to more power, while fruit flavours such as apple, strawberry or peach often taste best with less power.
Some people simply prefer more vapor and the stronger throat hit at different times and like to change according to their mood or circumstances.
The downside of Variable Voltage E-Cigs is that the tank kits invariably cost a lot more than standard Starter Kits and can run into hundreds of pounds with some kits costing more than £200. However top end kits can cost a lot less – at Matchless there are two very high quality kits coming in at £70 for the VV1 kit and £60 for the VV2 kit.
Don’t however assume that Variable voltage kits will necessarily give you a better experience.
If you aren’t a heavy smoker, or if you smoke low tar cigarettes, you may find the amount of vapour production / throat hit of a variable voltage device too much at higher power levels and not to your liking.
If you have to turn a variable voltage e-cig down to 3.7 volts or lower ( the voltage of most standard kits ) to give you the vapour levels you prefer you would probably be best to stick with your standard kit.
In addition using variable voltage / wattage E-cigs is not necessarily straight forward (particularly if you are new to vaping). There is more to vaping than just simply pressing a button, and a lot of people underestimate how tricky using some devices can be.
For example, when using an E-cig at 5 volts + , an atomiser can give you a harsh / dry vapour with an unpleasant flavour if the heating coil in the tank is not kept wet.
The best results with the Variable Voltage units are generally achieved by the more experienced E-cig users.
Some of the geek speek relating to Variable Voltage E-Cigarettes you#ll come across are:
- Volt – unit of electrical potential or motive force, potential is required to send one ampere of current through one ohm of resistance.
- Ohm – unit of resistance, one ohm is the resistance offered to the passage of one ampere when impelled by one volt.
- Ampere – units of current, one ampere is the current which one volt can send through a resistance of one ohm
- Watt – unit of electrical energy or power, one watt is the product of one ampere and one volt – one ampere of current flowing under the force of one volt gives one watt of energy
Power (P) or (W), = Watts,
Voltage (V) or (E), = Volts,
Current or Amperage (I), = Amps (Amperes),
Resistance (R) = Ohms.
Power is usually abbreviated by (W) and measured in Watts. The formula generally given for Power is:
W = V x I or W = I2 x R or W = V2 / R.
Simply put – if you increase your voltage you increase your power. and the main feature of variable voltage e-cigs are the ability to adjust the power and therefore the strength
read moreVaping and Vanity
While the Welsh Assembly debate on vaping in public places and reducing us to the same corners as tobacco – it does make you think: Send the vapers outside where the smokers are and then wonder if those trying to quit are converted back to smoking. It is an odd world!
You would think that vapers, and many do convert to vaping to quit smoking – would want to avoid any possible incentive back to their old habits.
Let’s stay positive this week and look at the benefits for your vanity of e-cigarettes . We explore the areas and reasons we think E-Cigarettes for women are a better alternative than traditional smoking.
That Stale Smoky Smell…
What is worse than the lingering smell of smoke? On your clothes, hair, breath and so on – the smell stays for days and actually thinking about it- I find the stale smell days later one of the most repulsive memories of my past smoking days! Vaping e-liquid will not cause your clothes, hair or breath to smell like an ashtray. You can actually choose an aroma such as Vanilla or Cherry which is far from off putting. The flavours will no doubt increase as your experience will allow.
Smoking stains your hands and hair…
Smoking tobacco will stain your fingers and your nails and worse still your teeth. But did you know smoking can also change the colour of your hair? especially in cases where you have coloured it beforehand. Ecigs contain nicotine so you’re addicted to the same drug as smoking but you don’t get the stains you would from cigarettes. That’s one less unpleasant side effect to worry about.
Better for your skin…
Smoking damages the skin – it makes it age. Collagen and elastin are damaged by smoking and this simply makes the skin looser and more wrinkly. It is the toxins in tobacco that does this and not the nicotine. Further, the toxins will cause your skin to fight back and this is visible by redness and inflammation. If you easily get red skin or have blood vessels near the skin, smoking will only inflame this more. As an alternative vaping does not contain the same damaging toxins as smoking- you still get the nicotine and have less to worry about your vanity.
Did you switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes? Tell us how it was for you by leaving a comment below.
read moreWill England follow Wales and ban Vaping in Public Places ?
Thankfully the latest news indicates that England will not be following suit and making E-cigarettes illegal.
The latest reporting by licensed industry experts by Publicans Morning Advertiser indicates this will not be the case.
They note that The Department of Health has confirmed to them that England would not follow on from the Welsh Government and pursue a potential ban on Vaping in Public places.
Is this a rare case of a Government taking a balanced and sensible approach to legislation in respect of Vaping? we at Matchless can only hope so and perhaps hope the same common sense approach is eventually adopted by the Welsh Government.
All within the Vaping community are a little flabbergasted by the approach and logic of the Welsh Government and neutral observers on the whole replicate that feeling, best emphasised by The Daily Telegraph comment “The Welsh ban on Vaping indoors makes no sense”
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), a charity that working to reduce and stop the damage caused by tobacco has also said it did not support the sort of ban proposed by the Welsh government.
The Welsh government’s argument is totally specious and runs along the lines – Vaping looks like smoking – we know smoking is bad – so Vaping must be bad – so let’s ban Vaping with no reference to fact or study.
You thus have law proposed and potentially implemented on ignorance and inaccurate supposition.
This leaves one in the rather bizarre position of mentally congratulating the “English” Government” for not being as totally illogical as the Welsh one.
I am sure the Welsh (and the Scottish) will point to many advantages of Devolution – I just wonder how many Welsh Vapers will rue this particular piece of legislation – if indeed it goes ahead.
If you happen to be a Welsh Vaper – perhaps you would like to make representation to your local Welsh Assembly Member and mention your disquiet at this potential piece of legislation.
read moreE Cigarette Cartridges or Liquids
As you enter the world of Vaping or using Electronic Cigarettes you will notice there are essentially two routes you can go, E Cigarette Cartridges or Liquids.
You can select starter kits that work with cartridges and a rechargeable battery or the alternative is a tank style system that requires you to use e-liquid.
Both these systems save considerable amounts in comparison to tobacco usage.
So which one is the best choice?
We can take a closer look at each of these options and note the benefits they can each offer you in your vaping lifestyle.
Cartridges
The cartridge and battery system more readily replicates the look and feel of of a normal tobacco cigarette.
Electronic cigarettes rely on cartridges, sometimes called cartomizers or aquamisers to deliver the nicotine liquid that you vape.
These cartridges are already filled with e-liquid and are disposable when the cartridge is used up and replaced with a new cartridge. The battery that powers the system is rechargeable and many people have two batteries to ensure a charged battery is always available.
You can buy cartridges in packs of 5, and they are relatively inexpensive. They come in many get them in practically any flavor or nicotine strength depending on the brand you choose. In general, a single cartridge will last around as long as a pack of cigarettes.
The big advantage of cartridges are they a lot easier to use as you don’t have to worry about dripping in e liquids into chambers and you won’t have to replace any atomizers as most e-cigs offer atomizers within each disposable cartridge.
This is a big advantage to new vapers because it’s a lot simpler to use.
The downside to cartridges is that you cannot generally mix and match brands.
E-Liquids
If you choose e-liquids, you have a lot more options.
You can use e-liquid from any brand to fill your tank system or your refillable cartomizers. That means you can choose from a greater range of flavors and strengths, regardless of what battery you are using.
In addition many vapors feel the bigger batteries used by tank systems more readily replicates the sensation of smoking tobacco and prefer the sensation of vaping with a tank system.
In addition you get you get a huge cost benefit when you choose e-liquids. If you are a pack-a-day smoker, you would use an average of 3 or 4 bottles (30ml) of e-liquid per month. In contrast, you would use about 31 cartridges. The cost savings can be substantial.
You will also not need to throw out old cartridges.
The downside to e-liquids is that it can take some degree of practice to refill your e-cig correctly.
You don’t want to overfill or you will end up with a mouthful of e-liquid (not pleasant!).
In addition you have to be careful because the nicotine in the liquid could be dangerous to children or pets if they would ever manage to get it open and ingest it.
You have to use extreme caution is you go the e-liquid route and just use some common sense too.
E Cigarette Cartridges or Liquids, Which Is Right for You?
If you are new to e-cigs, it’s probably best to start out with rechargeable batteries and disposable cartridges until you get the hang of vaping.
You will stick with this system if convenience and a requirement to look like a tobacco cigarette are your key drivers.
However, if you want more customization options or you want to save a little more money, you might want to take e-liquids for a test drive.
At the end of the day, every individual has different preferences and you will have to experiment a little to see which option is right for you.
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