Smoking reached the zenith of its popularity in the 1950s. This was the golden era when youth cultures had first begun to emerge and people of all ages were captivated by glamorous Hollywood icons. Marketed as safe and sexy, smoking was quite simply uber-cool. But behind the glitz, there was a dark secret.
The medical profession began to realize that smoking was killing people. Big tobacco companies were quick to deny that there was a problem but it wasn’t long before the cat was well and truly out of the bag. Smokers needed to quit to save themselves from a raft of unpleasant diseases but that was easier said than done. The nicotine in cigarettes is one of the most addictive substances known to man. People continued to smoke, not to be cool, but because they couldn’t stop.
A succession of quitting aids came to market accompanied by promises of salvation for smokers. These were generally nicotine replacement therapies and appeared to be a good idea. The only trouble was, they didn’t work! At least not for the majority of the addicted masses. Then a Chinese scientist invented a strange vapor producing metal tube and everything changed. More and more smokers turned to vaping and never looked back. So, why has vaping proved to be so very popular?
The Rising Popularity of Vaping
Once a rarity and initially slow to take off, e-cigarettes are now an increasingly common sight. People are puffing on devices instead of traditional cigarettes to get their nicotine hits. Vaping has proved to be an effective substitute for smoking because it delivers the nicotine that addicts crave but also mimics the action of their old habit.
An addiction to cigarettes has always been about more than the nicotine. It is a ritual and a habitual act. Nicotine replacement therapies, including patches and gums, addressed only half of the issue. They were largely unpleasant, decidedly uncool and gave smokers neither their treasured throat hit nor anything to hold. Little wonder that most smokers soon grew tired of the unpleasant taste or itchy rashes when all they got in return for their trouble was a mild dose of nicotine!
Vaping basically amounts to smoking without the smoke! In the absence of the nasty chemicals delivered by tobacco, a vapor can puff away to their heart’s content. Research into the safety of e-cigarettes is ongoing and whilst there are question marks over certain aspects of the habit, most scientists agree that vaping is far safer than smoking. Strike one for vaping!
No More Nasty Niffs with Vaping
Better still, vaping does not result in bad breath and stinky clothes! Those who have grown tired of smelling like an ashtray have certainly found vaping to be an appealing pastime. Their friends and family would doubtless agree with them! You can detect a smoker from a considerable distance but vapers invariably smell fresh as a Daisy and can even stealth vape if they wish. Strike two for vaping!
Saving the Pennies
Bad health is not the only price to paid for smoking. It is a costly habit and likely to become more so as governments continue to levy ever greater taxes on tobacco products. Whilst there is a significant initial investment required in the various available devices, vaping is a much cheaper option in the long run. Smokers on a budget have every reason to switch. A home run for vaping! But there’s more!
Cool Vaping Equipment
Once cool, smoking is now treated with a whole new level of disdain and addicts are often left feeling like lepers. The increasing evidence that passive smoking kills hasn’t helped. On the other hand, vapors have minimal impact on those around them and can choose from a huge range of funky looking equipment.
With vaporizers and cig-a-likes on offer in a variety of appealing designs and colors, vaping can be eminently chic. The devices feature a raft of technical wizardry which is guaranteed to satisfy even the most demanding gadget freak.
So, the gadgets are great but how do they work?
Beauty in Simplicity
The beauty of vaping is its very simplicity. True, a great deal of science has gone into perfecting the devices, but the principle is a simple one. Vaping equipment features either a tank to hold flavored e-liquids or a cartridge filled with this e-liquid. When a vapor puffs on a device it causes a coil to heat up and to vaporize what is commonly known as the juice. The resulting vapor, which contains nicotine and flavor, is then inhaled.
Certain combinations of e-liquids and vaping devices produce impressive volumes of vapor known in the vaping community as clouds. Cloud chasing is fun and funky, lending yet more kudos to the habit.
E-Liquids – The Taste of Success
Whilst cigarettes offer little in the way of variety, vapers can choose from an infinite array of flavors. From fruity cocktails to candy classics and from sweet desserts to tobacco flavors there is something to suit all tastes. Whether you lust after chocolate or donuts, breakfast cereal or chicken tikka, there is an e-liquid to tickle your taste buds.
In satisfying nicotine and food cravings simultaneously, it should come as no surprise that vaping has proved to be such a successful way to quit smoking and to avoid the previously inevitable weight gain.
What Does the Future Hold?
Vaping flew under the radar for a few years but it is now commonplace. New devices and e-liquid flavors become available almost on a daily basis and serve to enhance the habit’s appeal. With smokers now treated like pariahs and smoking being banned almost everywhere, vaping will surely continue to rise in popularity.
Smokers were once caught between a rock and hard place but now have the benefit of genuine choice. They can blacken their lungs, kill themselves slowly and feel ostracized. Alternatively, they can puff away in relative safety on a futuristic and quite possibly black device (pink ones are available) which is loaded with a yummy flavor. It’s all a bit of a no-brainer.