Although vaping has been an alternative to smoking cigarettes for a few years, it’s not been around long enough for scientists to know the “long-term effects.”

Many will have switched to e-cigarettes to avoid inhaling tobacco which can be the cause of cancer, heart disease and strokes.

But if you have recently stopped smoking and have decided to take up vaping instead, you might have noticed some changes to your health.

What happens when you quit smoking and start vaping?

“There is a succession of stages representing the detoxification of your lungs as you quit smoking and start vaping” explains Stop Smoking London.

This can include:

  • Once you’ve stopped smoking for good and switched to vaping, you’ll most likely also notice other positive side effects – like your sense of taste and smell improving.
  • Three to nine months after swapping smoking for vaping your lungs will begin to repair – that’s because e-cigarettes contain fewer toxins.
  • Without suffering such a daily bombardment of harmful chemicals, the lungs can start to clean out the debris and mucus that has accumulated for so long and affected your health.
  • Before long you may also notice that your breathing is less heavy. That’s your lungs cleaning out years of tar and starting to recover.
  • Having switched from smoking to vaping, you’ll slowly find a marked increase in energy and physical health.

This Is Local London: Cancer Research UK says there is no good evidence that vaping causes cancerCancer Research UK says there is no good evidence that vaping causes cancer (Image: Nicholas.T.Ansell/PA Wire)

Is vaping worse than smoking cigarettes?

According to Cancer Research UK, it is “too soon” to know about the health effects of vapes as they are a “relatively new product.”

The website says: “Many studies show that vaping is far less harmful than smoking. This is because e-cigarettes don’t contain cancer-causing tobacco, and most of the toxic chemicals found in cigarettes are not in e-cigarettes.

“Some potentially harmful chemicals have been found in e-cigarettes. But levels are usually low and generally far lower than in tobacco cigarettes.

“There is no good evidence that vaping causes cancer.”

Is smoking going to be banned in the UK?

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Cancer Research UK explains vapes can cause side effects such as throat and mouth irritation, headaches, coughs and feeling sick but they don’t know about “long-term effects.”

The experts add: "E-cigarettes should only be used to help you stop smoking, or to stop you going back to tobacco.

"Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is addictive. If you have never smoked, you shouldn’t use e-cigarettes."