‘Smoking rates in England fall to lowest on record’ isn’t much of a headline in itself. Smoking rates have been in long-term decline for decades, so any given year is likely to have the fewest smokers on record.

What Deborah Arnott, of ASH, cannot quite bring herself to say is that it is the e-cigarette, not big government interference, that has been the game-changer. As Public Health England has acknowledged, e-cigarettes are the most popular stop-smoking aid.

Tobacco industry ownership of e cigarette brands is most prevalent in the USA and the UK. Its entry into the vaping market was rapid between 2012 and 2014.

Lorillard, the 3rd largest cigarette manufacturer in the US, acquired e cigarette company BluCigs for $135 million in April 2012. It was the first tobacco industry e-cigarette acquisition in the USA. 

Another study released today claims that e-cigarette vapour has an adverse effect on lungs by producing ‘free radicals’ and therefore leaving the lungs with weakened immune systems.

Once again this seems to allow journalists the chance to exercise their linguistic skills in thinking up the most hostile ‘headline grabbing’ title for news articles targeting vaping.

The survey in question, led by Professor Shyam Biswai from Johns Hopkins University in the US, was conducted by putting mice in containers with e-cigarette vapour for a period of two weeks. He then injected these mice with pneumonia and flu viruses. As a result some of the mice died.

Are you kidding me?

Following new rules from the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) the first electronic cigarette advert will appear on UK television this evening. It has already and will, no doubt, produce much furore and fracas amongst the anti-smoking fraternity.

Whatever your beliefs or thoughts on e-cigarettes and vaping (a debate in itself), there is no doubt that they are changing millions of smoker’s lives and health for the better.However, critics would do well to remember that electronic cigarettes and vaping are enjoying incredible success in helping people to eradicate tobacco cigarettes from their lives.

This week (29^th August) the World Health Organisation issued an initial report into electronic cigarettes and vaping.

There were some positive steps in this report and some recommendations that fell well short of a sensible and realistic approach to the growing vaping revolution. 

Electronic Cigarettes have the potential to radically change the smoking habits of millions of people - to enjoy a much safer vehicle for nicotine stimulus and eradicate the serious carcinogenic elements present in tobacco cigarettes. It remains incomprehensible that the World Health Organisation would not embrace this technology and support the reduction of tobacco smokers in society. Where does the reluctance come from – is it cigarette company lobbying? Is it government lobbying for tax revenue losses? The conspiracy theories are rampant – but certainly questions have to be asked.

Did you know that 56 per cent of litter on the streets of Dublin is made up of cigarette butts

That’s right – we feel incensed when we see discarded bottles or bits of paper blowing along the streets, yet the worst offender is the simple cigarette butt.

The seemly harmless end to the cigarette, casually discarded as you blow out the last of your tobacco inhalation, accounts for 14,000 tonnes of the 25,000 collected annually on Dublin streets.

Here at purplebox vapours we get many of our new vaping aficionados wondering what level of nicotine content to start vaping at. So here’s the purplebox vapours guide to structuring you nicotine level intake.

If you want to discuss a programme and keep track of your path to a healthier lifestyle why not call in to us in Temple Bar if you can and we’ll take it from there – together.