Posted on:
20th November 2025
Making the switch from smoking to vaping can seem like an uncertain situation to some. On the surface both habits work in a similar way; by heating a substance and then inhaling it. So why would one be better or less harmful than the other?
The answer lies in what is being heated or ‘atomised’. While smoking you release over 7000 different chemicals of which 70 are known to cause cancer, including tar and carbon monoxide. Compare this to vaping which works by atomising e-liquid into a vapour rather than smoke and contains far less nasty chemicals.
There are no known chemicals that link vaping to cancer and the substances found in e-liquids are significantly less toxic, which is why Public Health England states that vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking. So let’s delve into the timeline of what happens when you make the switch and compare vaping and smoking side by side, so that you can make an informed decision about quitting.
Carbon monoxide levels in your blood drop by half and oxygen levels slowly return to normal.
Carbon monoxide levels have now returned to those of a non-smoker and most toxic chemicals from smoking have been flushed out. Your lungs begin clearing out mucus and other debris from smoke. Many people report their sense of taste and smell improving within two days.
Your breathing will feel easier and less laboured as your lung capacity increases. You may find you have more energy and don't get winded as easily doing daily activities.
You've made it through the toughest part (good on you!) Your circulation improves, pumping more blood to your limbs. You find yourself feeling fresher and healthier, able to go about your day without feeling a shortness of breath. 42% of people notice they are breathing easier and 45% report feeling more energetic than before.
Your improved oxygen levels and circulation allow you to walk, run and exercise for much longer than while smoking. In one study, participants who switched to vaping showed a measurable boost in aerobic fitness (VO2 max) after only four weeks of quitting cigarettes.
Early lung function improvements become more noticeable. Coughing and wheezing continue to reduce. Scientific research confirms that within 1 month of switching from smoking to vaping, blood vessel function can improve noticeably, which is a sign of better cardiovascular health.
In a UK trial, chronic smokers who switched to e-cigarettes saw a 1.5 percentage point improvement in vascular function after one month, which corresponds to an estimated 13% reduction in heart attack risk.
Coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath are greatly reduced. From 3-9 months smoke-free your lung function increases by 10% and many quitters notice their 'smokers cough' going away. The UK government states that ex-smokers using e-cigarettes to quit see a significant reduction in cough and phlegm compared to those who don't.
Your lungs have significantly healed, the delicate cilia (tiny hair-like structures in airways) have recovered, helping keep your lungs clear. An ex-smoker's lung capacity and function at this point is noticeably better, which further reduces coughs and infections.
Your risk of a heart attack is now down by half compared to a person who is still smoking. The carbon monoxide and chemicals in tobacco that constricted your blood vessels and forced your heart to overwork are no longer present, so your cardiovascular system can finally take a breather.
Your risk of stroke, which was elevated by smoking, begins to decline substantially. Circulation and immune function keep improving year over year.
Your risk of dying from lung cancer is roughly cut in half compared to the risk if you had continued smoking. Ten years is a huge milestone where the likelihood of other cancers (mouth, throat, esophagus, etc.) is also much lower than a smoker's. In general, at the 10-year mark, the body has replaced many pre-cancerous cells with healthy cells.
At this point in your quitting journey, the risk of major health issues has reduced to that of someone who has never smoked. Essentially, the longer you stay off cigarettes, the closer your health gets to a non-smoker's baseline.
Please note: The timeline above assumes that you have completely quit smoking cigarettes. If you “dual use” meaning you vape and smoke at the same time then you will not experience the same health improvements. Continuing to smoke even a few cigarettes a day exposes you to all the nasty chemicals that are slowly eating away at your health.
Over 7,000 identified in cigarette smoke, including roughly 70 known carcinogens.
Far fewer chemicals, usually between a dozen to a hundred in e-liquids, and significantly lower toxicant levels.
Delivers nicotine quickly via burning tobacco. High addiction potential, cigarettes produce a sharp nicotine spike.
Also delivers nicotine which satisfies cravings; the addictive potential remains. However, you can control your intake with different nicotine strengths to slowly wean yourself off nicotine entirely.
Tobacco smoke contains tar, carbon monoxide and thousands of chemicals from combustion.
Aerosol (vapour) contains nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerine and flavourings. No tar or carbon monoxide.
Raises heart rate and blood pressure; carbon monoxide reduces oxygen-carrying capacity; causes shortness of breath and irritates the lungs. Smoke causes eye and throat irritation for many.
Also raises heart rate due to nicotine content (unless you are using nicotine-free e-liquids). Oxygen levels in the blood remain the same due to a lack of carbon monoxide.
Extremely high. Proven to cause lung cancer, mouth and throat cancers, COPD, heart disease, strokes, and peripheral vascular disease. About 50% of long-term smokers die from smoking-related causes.
Vaping has not been linked to any long-term conditions or chronic disease. It poses a small fraction of the potential health risk that smoking does.
Builds up tar deposits in your lungs, causing inflammation, mucus build-up, chronic bronchitis, emphysema and COPD. Frequent cough and shortness of breath after years of smoking.
No tar; some chemicals in vapour can irritate airways but much less than smoke. Many ex-smokers who vape report improved lung function and less coughing or wheezing.
Smoking damages blood vessels, raises the risk of atherosclerosis, blood clots, heart attacks and strokes. Smoking causes chronic high blood pressure and lowers exercise tolerance.
Vaping nicotine can raise heart rate temporarily, but lacks carbon monoxide and oxidants that cause arterial damage. Studies show improved blood pressure and vascular function within weeks of switching.
As you can see (and probably already know) the health risks of smoking can be severe, with 50% of long term smokers developing a chronic illness due to it. Vaping does not pose the same risks but still has some slight health implications, mainly in the short term.
So, we have covered the health implications of smoking vs vaping, but there are other angles to consider too. Namely the social and financial consequences of smoking, which can be just as important for some. Smoking is expensive, there’s no two ways about it - a pack of cigarettes in the UK costs on average £15 and lasts most smokers around a day.
Compare this to the price of a budget vape kit like the SMOK Zrex RF (£4.99) and a bottle of Nerd Salts E-liquid (£2.99) and for around half the price you can satisfy your cravings for longer, then only needing to buy further e-liquids and pods lowering the long term costs even more.
Smoking can also take a toll on your social life. Like it or not, the smell of smoke can be absolutely repulsive to some, and frequently having to go outside to smoke can inhibit social interaction. Vaping doesn’t produce any nasty odours and comes with looser restrictions on using indoors.
I hope that this articles served to assist you in making a decision to move towards a healthier lifestyle without tobacco. For me personally, vaping has helped me put down the cigs, consequently improving my overall health, this is something I would strongly recommend to smokers looking to quit.
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