World Cancer Day – Say No to Smoking

Smoking is one of the leading preventable causes of cancer in the UK

4 February 2022 | Hannah Rubery

World Cancer Day is an international day of awareness led by the Union of International Cancer Control (UICC). It is held every 4th February globally to help raise awareness, improve education and culminate government action. First established in 2000, World Cancer Day has grown into a positive movement for everyone, everywhere to unite against one of the greatest challenges in history.

In the UK, smoking is one of the largest causes of cancer at a staggering 15%. It is one of the leading, preventable causes of cancer in the world, and with over 35,000 cases of lung cancer a year it’s not hard to see why it’s one of the worst. And lung cancer is only one of the types of cancer that smoking can result in. Smoking can cause at least 15 different types of cancer.

What is in a cigarette?

These are much more than just chopped up tobacco leaves wrapped in paper. Cigarettes containing tobacco release thousands of dangerous chemicals when they burn. Whether they are store-bought or roll-up, neither are safer than the other.

You are probably familiar with one of the main substances in tobacco smoke: tar. It’s a sticky brown substance that collects in the lungs when you breathe in cigarette smoke. This substance also leads to staining of your teeth and fingers. Tar contains cancer-causing chemicals and not just that, but can cause many other lung diseases such as emphysema, bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Carbon Monoxide is another by-product we are sure you know of. This poisonous gas isn’t visible nor does it smell or taste of anything, but it certainly leaves a mark. It stops your blood from carrying as much oxygen as it would normally, meaning your heart needs to work harder and your organs don’t get as much oxygen as they need. This can lead to an increase risk of heart disease and stroke.

Cigarettes also contain nicotine, an addictive drug that often is the reason people struggle to quit smoking. Nicotine itself is relatively harmless compared to the other substances in tobacco smoke, and studies have shown that nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) doesn’t cause cancer.

So what's dangerous with cigarettes?

When a cigarette burns it releases over 5,000 chemicals in a dangerous mix which you thereby inhale. Many of these can cause cancer among other ailments. These include the likes of:
• Benzene – an industrial solvent refined from crude oil
• Chromium – used to manufacture dye, paints and alloys
• Polonium-210 & beryllium – radioactive elements
• Cadmium – used in batteries
• Arsenic – a poison
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons – a group of dangerous DNA damaging chemicals
• 1.3-Butadiene – used in rubber manufacturing
• Formaldehyde – used as a preservative in science labs and mortuaries
There are ‘light’ and ‘low tar’ versions of cigarettes but even these hold just as much harm as traditional tobacco cigarettes. They are certainly not a healthier option due to you still burning tobacco.

How is vaping safer than smoking?

One of the reasons why vaping is noted as a less harmful alternative to smoking is due to the lack of burning tobacco. Vaping works by heating up E-Liquid, a substance made from vegetable glycerine and propylene glycol, which contains added flavourings and nicotine. As we know, nicotine itself is relatively harmless and in the UK, we have strict regulations in place to ensure the safety of E-Liquids by banning any potentially harmful ingredients and flavourings.

Vaping has been around in the UK since 2007 and there have been substantial research on the short-term impact of their use. There have also been extensive reviews by Public Health England over the years, that continue to find that vaping is significantly less harmful. There is likely still some harm from vaping which is why it is suggested that vaping only be used by those looking to quit smoking.

The NHS also continues to reflect on the topic of vaping for smoking cessation and continues to back it as a useful NRT after having found it as one of the most popular and effective stop smoking aids.

How can Pod Salt help you?

If you’re looking to quit or are still in the midst of quitting smoking, Pod Salt are here to help. We dedicate our efforts to creating ways for smokers to be able to quit and begin leading healthier lives. We aim to achieve this with our award-winning nicotine salts, the revolutionary method of delivering nicotine. What makes vaping such a great NRT is the delivery of nicotine that helps fight of cravings that could lead you back towards cigarettes.

Nicotine salts take this a step further by giving you a stronger nicotine hit similar to cigarettes. At 20mg/ml in strength, these E-Liquids offer a gentler feel to the throat than traditional freebase nicotine, meaning you can get the higher strength of nicotine you require without too much of a kick to the throat. This makes them ideal for smokers looking to quit and for those looking for a similar experience to traditional smoking, without the harm of burning tobacco.

There are even lower strengths that you are able to use that can help you eventually lower your nicotine intake to completely quit for good.

Help us help you in the fight against cancer. Say no to cigarettes and tobacco and take a breath of fresh air.