In recent years, vaping has gone through a remarkable rise with many people now using electronic cigarettes. This is largely due to the fact that studies have shown this is a healthier option to smoking tobacco so many smokers have made the switch to the vape, either as a stepping-stone to quitting entirely or simply as a healthier substitute.
Impact on Smoking
While it is true that there are those that vape who are not ex-smokers, it is evident that the vast majority are, which means that the cigarette industry is in decline. The smoking ban in the UK came into effect just over 10 years ago and there are now 1.9 million fewer smokers in Britain which shows the lowest smoking rates ever recorded. There are now nearly 3 million Britons using e-cigarettes from places like VIP and sales are expected to exceed £2 billion by 2020.
Tobacco Industry Still Afloat
With the vaping market rapidly growing in popularity at home and overseas and fewer and fewer people smoking, it would seem that the tobacco industry is in decline. This is not strictly true, however, as there are still a lot of smokers in the UK and overseas — particularly in countries like China and India. Not only this, but many tobacco industry leaders are now buying out e-cigarette companies and benefiting from this shift in public attitude towards smoking.
Sales History
There has been a predictable nature to the cigarette industry in recent times with sales consistently falling by around 4 per cent each year, which saw cigarette companies raise the price in order to compensate for this. While previously this may have worked for them, this is no longer the case due to the sheer number of people that are now making the switch. In order to succeed, these tobacco companies need to recognise that there has been a shift in attitude and they will need to look into different delivery systems for nicotine.
Is Vaping Safe?
While it is good news that so many people have moved away from cigarettes to vaping, there is still some uncertainty over just how safe vaping is. There have been concerns over the technology itself, as well as if it encourages non-smokers to take up vaping, which could then lead to conventional smoking. There are definitely concerns over the long-term effect of vaping, but the vast majority of health professionals believe that any possible damage is unlikely to exceed 5 per cent of the harm ordinarily caused by smoking tobacco.
The rise of vaping has certainly put a huge tent in the gigantic tobacco industry, but many of the giants in this industry are learning to adapt and evolve with the times. It is a positive that so many people have been able to quit smoking and it will be interesting to see what unfolds over the next few years.
