Is there a downside to vaping?

[Kermit power]

Morning all,

I gave up smoking around 12 years ago. That's a good thing, but I also bundled on about 5 stone over the following 18 months by eating when I would've otherwise been smoking, and have struggled to get rid of the weight ever since.

I just noticed on another thread someone talking about having given up smoking by vaping, and now being on 0% nicotine fruit concotions.

This got me wondering whether there is a downside to this, other than looking a bit stupid? If there's no nicotine with which to run the risk of getting hooked again, and presumably no calories, could I use vaping as a distraction from eating in the same way that other people use it as a distraction from smoking once they're down to zero nicotine?

I realise, of course, that I've still got to eat healthily and in the right quantities, but if there isn't a downside, then the distraction would certainly help cutting out the habitual but pointless eating which I originally started on to distract me from smoking.

[Super Slo Mo]

Don't the vapours contain oils? I've heard some thoughts that it still might be harmful but it's early days yet so there's not much to go on.

[HarryW]

You raise a good point;
I've gone from smoking to vapping and from what I've read vapping produces over 100 less times the harm smoking does (mice were harmed in the collection of that data).
Going from nothing to vapping to help weight control, not sure it's something I would do....

[Kermit power]

HarryW said:

Going from nothing to vapping to help weight control, not sure it's something I would do....

Nor am I, hence the thread!

[nitrodave]

It sounds like your metabolism has altered from quitting smoking, it happens to most quitters but you've been significantly affected.

I quit smoking 4 months ago and now vape. I have always been slender but already i'm getting fuller round the face and waste. Vaping won't make a blind bit of difference to you.

Sounds like you need to start a strict diet and exercise regime.

[Kermit power]

nitrodave said:

It sounds like your metabolism has altered from quitting smoking, it happens to most quitters but you've been significantly affected.

I quit smoking 4 months ago and now vape. I have always been slender but already i'm getting fuller round the face and waste. Vaping won't make a blind bit of difference to you.

Sounds like you need to start a strict diet and exercise regime.

I am doing that too... It helps to have a wife who is a personal trainer! I was wondering if vaping might make it easier to keep to, rather than being an alternative to putting the effort in in the first place.

[Tonsko]

There seem to be about as many studies which say that it's harmful to you as there are that say it isn't. From personal experience, in the last 4 years or so, I've had maybe 3 colds, compared to when I used to smoke I used to get a small sniffle which then hung around for 3 weeks and sometimes turned into a chest infection. Purely anecdotal. The best way to look at it is that it's less harmful than smoking. Surely it's better to not do either of them, but of the two vaping is 'better' for you.