What is VApril?
VApril is the UK’s largest national campaign to promote the benefits of switching from smoking to vaping. The campaign’s month-long commitment is to help as many people as possible replace that cigarette with a vape device and e-liquid. Even if some choose not to make the switch, VApril aims to educate people on the dangers of smoking, while also communicating correct facts about e-cigarettes.
Why Should I Quit Smoking?
It has never been more important to quit smoking. The health risks associated with cigarettes are better known than ever, yet there were still 6.9 million people in the UK smoking as of 2019. That’s a worrying 14.1% of the population. There seems to be an almost endless list of reasons to quit smoking, but here are some of the biggest:
- Smoking causes 78,000 deaths in the UK every year.
- Smoking damages your heart and blood vessels, leading to a much greater risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attacks.
- It can lead to a wide variety of cancers, including lung, mouth, throat, stomach and pancreatic cancers. In fact, 7 out of 10 cases of lung cancer are caused by smoking.
- Cigarettes damage your lungs, leading to conditions such as emphysema, bronchitis and other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
- Can lead to the worsening of conditions such as asthma and the common cold.
- Smoking can even lead to fertility problems in both men and women.
What Happens When You Stop Smoking: A Timeline of the Health Benefits
After 1 hour of not smoking
The benefits of quitting smoking can be felt in as little as 20 minutes. Within this time, a person's heart rate will begin to drop and return to normal, and their blood pressure will begin to drop too. The body's circulation may also start to improve.
After 12 hours of not smoking
Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas found in cigarettes which prevents oxygen from entering into our lungs and blood. When a person excessively smokes in a short period of time, they can put themselves at risk of suffocation from a lack of oxygen.
After just 12 hours of quitting smoking, the body will begin to naturally remove any excess carbon monoxide back to a normal level, helping to increase oxygen.
After 1 day of not smoking
As smoking lowers good cholesterol, smoking largely increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease. To make matters worse, smoking also raises blood pressure and increases blood clots, which means the risk of stroke is made much higher.
1 day after quitting, the chances of developing high blood pressure or heart disease as well as the risk of having a heart attack will already be decreasing. Blood pressure will continue to drop while oxygen levels will proceed to rise, making physical exercise a much easier task than before.
After 2 days of not smoking
Smoking is able to damage the nerve endings which are responsible for our smell and taste senses. In just 2 days after quitting, these nerve endings will begin to start the healing process, and you may begin to notice an improvement in your sense of smell and taste.
After 3 days of not smoking
In as little as 3 days after putting down cigarettes, the levels of nicotine in the body will start to decline. As the body begins its recovery, many people will experience nicotine withdrawal symptoms, which can cause cravings, irritability, and severe headaches. These unpleasant symptoms can all be alleviated through nicotine replacement therapy techniques, such as chewing gum, skin patches, as well as vaping.
After 1 month of not smoking
1 month after quitting, lung function will start to be on the mend. With the lungs healing and lung capacity improving, many ex-smokers will begin to cough less and experience shortness of breath less frequently. Endurance during exercise will also increase, with the likes of running or jumping made less strenuous of an activity.
After 1-3 months of not smoking
Following the next several months after stomping out cigarettes, circulation will continue to improve, helping to kickstart your body's health.
After 9 months of not smoking
In just 9 months after quitting, the lungs will have healed significantly. The small hair-like structures inside the lungs known as cilia will have recovered from the damage of cigarette smoke, helping to remove mucus from the body and fight infections. These renewed structures will help to push mucus out of the lungs and fight infections at a noticeable level.
After 1 year of not smoking
A year on after quitting smoking, a person’s risk for coronary heart disease will have decreased by half, and will continue to do so.
After 5 years of not smoking
Cigarettes contain many harmful chemicals which cause the arteries and blood vessels to narrow.
After 5 years without cigarettes, the body's blood vessels will have healed and widened, meaning the blood is less likely to clot and cause strokes. Over the next decade, the chances of having a stroke will continue to reduce.
After 10 years of not smoking
After 10 years of having quit smoking, the chance of developing and dying from lung cancer is estimated to be halved compared to a smoker. The chances of developing cancers of the throat, mouth and pancreas will also be significantly lessened.
After 15 years of not smoking
After 15 years, a person's risk of developing coronary heart disease and pancreatic cancer will now be at the same level as someone who has never smoked in their life.
After 20 years of not smoking
Fast forward 20 years later, and the risk of dying from smoking-related causes, including lung disease and cancer, will be of the same likelihood for someone who has never touched a cigarette in their life.
Most Successful Methods to Help You Quit Smoking
Luckily, there are plenty of products and methods that have been devised to help people in their quest to quit smoking. We’ve known that smoking has a terrible effect on health for a while now, so there have been some fantastic developments in NRT, or ‘nicotine replacement therapy’.
Nicotine is the chemical that makes cigarettes addictive, but isn’t one of the reasons smoking is so bad for your health. By using nicotine containing products in lieu of cigarettes, we can reduce the cravings by taking nicotine, whilst avoiding cigarette’s harmful chemicals.
These are some examples of NRT:
- Nicotine patches
- Nicotine chewing gum
- E-cigarettes
- Inhalators, commonly plastic and cigarette shaped
- Nicotine tablets, lozenges and strips
- Nicotine spray: nasal and mouth
- Hypnotism
While all of these deliver nicotine, they do it in different ways. This means there should definitely be one for you. For example, tablets and sprays deliver doses quickly, perfect for spikes in craving, while patches deliver nicotine throughout the day in a bid to nullify them over an extended period of time.
However, it should be noted that for regular and heavy smokers, nothing is quite the same as vaping. In fact, according to PHE, people who use vaping to quit smoking are more than twice as likely to quit for good! For this reason, we recommend trying vaping if you are a regular smoker. If you are only a light smoker, then it may be worth checking out the other forms of NRT first.
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How to Start Vaping
Vaping may seem daunting at first, with all the new jargon and terminology, but really it’s quite simple. When you boil it down, there are only two things you need: a vape device and an e-liquid.
Vape devices, also known as e-cigarettes, e-cigs or even just vape are the devices that you use to vaporise e-liquid and vape from. Choosing the right one to switch from vaping is the trick, so we’ve explained the different types below and what we recommend for new vapers.
How to Choose a Vape Kit
Below you'll find all of the different types of vape kits on the market today, each with their own unique features!
Cig-a-like Vape Kit
These look just like plastic cigarettes, and are designed to be as familiar as possible for those looking to quit smoking. These are usually disposable, but some can be refilled and recharged.
Pen Style Vape Kits
One of the most popular forms of e-cigarette. These combine the portability of the slimmer pod kits whilst also offering the ability to be refilled with e-liquid. These kits can also change coils, making them less expensive to maintain and also offering a customizable vape experience.
Pod Style Vape Kits
Recently pod kits have begun to grow in use. These kits come in many shapes and sizes, but share common characteristics of being easy to carry and use. They are named for the ‘pod’ they use to store e-liquid in These pods can be disposable or refillable, but make maintenance a breeze. Most pod kits offer a vaping experience similar to smoking a cigarette. For new vapers, we strongly recommend starting with pod kits.
Box mods
These are the big boys of vaping. Box mods are built to offer users unequalled customization and vape production. These kits are aimed at enthusiasts who are experienced in vaping.
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What Nicotine Strength E-Liquid Do I Need?
The next thing you’ll need to start vaping is an e-liquid. These are simply the liquid you put in your vape device to turn into vapour. If you are quitting smoking, then the main thing to think about is what nicotine strength you’ll need. Measured in MG, e-liquids can come in strengths ranging from 0mg to 20mg.
Social Smokers Very Light
(1 or 2 cigarettes per week) - 3mg
Light
(less than 10 cigarettes a day) - 6-10mg
Average
(up to or around 20 cigarettes a day) - 12-16mg
Heavy
(over a pack of cigarettes daily) - 18-20mg
What Are the Types of E-liquid Containing Nicotine?
It has never been more important to quit smoking. The health risks associated with cigarettes are better known than ever, yet there were still 6.9 million people in the UK smoking as of 2019. That’s a worrying 14.1% of the population. There seems to be an almost endless list of reasons to quit smoking, but here are some of the biggest:
50/50s
Also known as TPD 10mls or ‘free base’ e-liquids, these liquids are sold in 10ml bottles and contain nicotine of various strengths. These liquids are ideal for use with pod kits and come in a massive variety of flavours. They only require shaking before being put in your vape device, making them super simple to vape with.
Hybrid salts
Somewhere in between. Hybrid e-liquids are a combination of both nic salts and freebase nicotine. These are ideal for people who are undecided on nic salts and still enjoy the stouter ‘throat hit’ of free base nicotine. These are quite a new form of e-liquid.
Nic Salts
Nic salts are much like 50/50s, except they contain a salt form of nicotine known as nicotine salicylate. This ‘nicotine salt’ results in a much smoother throat hit which is a popular preference for some vapers. Nic salts are also available in a ton of different flavours which also contain nicotine.
VApril Vape Kit Deals
Effects of Smoking
How much do you smoke daily? Check out the effects on your life with this fun Interactive tool!
Life expectancy lost per day:
7hrs 20mins
Happiness score
Stenchy Meter:
Dent on the pocket annually:
£8,760
Estimated cost so far:
£131,400
Vaping will save you annually:
£8,320
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VApril FAQs
If you have any other questions please get in touch.
Is Vaping Safe?
According to PHE, vaping is up to 95% healthier than smoking. If you are looking to quit smoking, then vaping is a much healthier alternative. Sadly, 45% of people still think that vaping is as dangerous as smoking cigarettes, which is what Vapril is aiming to fix!
Read Public Health England’s (PHE) seventh independent report on vaping in England
When did Vapril start?
April started in 2018 and has run every April since then. It runs for a whole month every year and 72% of those who were aware of the campaign said that it helped them to switch from smoking to vaping.
Is second-hand vaping or vapour safe?
There is still a great deal of research being done into second hand vaping, as it is a relatively new phenomenon. According to the NHS, because e-cigarettes do not burn tobacco smoke, secondhand vaping is considered far less dangerous. Compared to smoking, e-cig vapour releases far less nicotine and other chemicals into the atmosphere.
What is the law on vaping in public places?
Currently, vaping is not prohibited indoors or in public places, and the government has no plans to ban it anytime soon. Whether you can vape in these areas is down to the discretion of the venue. Many workplaces allow vaping, but it is always recommended you check before you begin vaping in a new place, especially if it is indoors.
Can I vape in pubs?
While vaping is not banned by law in pubs and restaurants, the owner holds the right to prohibit it if they wish. Many pubs do allow vaping, but always check for signs or with staff members if you want to vape in a new pub.
Which types of devices are best for someone switching from smoking to vaping?
For switching to vaping, we recommend new vapers use an MTL pod kit. Pod kits are usually small and discrete, as well as super easy to use and maintain. MTL, which means mouth-to-lung vaping, is a type of vaping where you take vapour into your mouth before inhaling, just like a cigarette. Ex-smokers will be very familiar with this process, and it can go some way to replicate the feeling of smoking a cigarette.
Which type of coil is best and lasts longest?
There is no ‘best’ vape coil, as they all have their own strengths and weaknesses. Many coils have high coil resistances, measured in ohms, which results in a lighter vapour which is perfect for vaping nicotine and replicating the feeling of smoking. Other coils, such as sub-ohm coils, are perfect for using high VG e-liquids like shortfills, allowing for direct-to-lung vaping which is popular among experienced vapers. We recommend always buying coils from reputable manufacturers for the best possible results. Regularly switching coils is also key as no coil lasts forever; how long your coil lasts depends upon how much you vape and what e-liquid you use.
What are mods, and would you recommend them for a first time vaper?
Vape mods are a type of powerful vape device that are favoured by more experienced vapers. They allow vapers to customize their vape experience more closely and also swap out certain components. We would not recommend vape mods for newer vapers. This is because they require a more detailed knowledge of things like wattage and airflow. Furthermore, vape mods are typically used in direct-to-lung vaping, which isn’t a great replacement for smoking cigarettes.
Does it matter where my e-liquids come from?
Absolutely! Different countries have different standards to which they produce e-liquids. Plus, some countries have less control over counterfeit e-liquids which will be sub-par and could contain dangerous ingredients. It's always best to buy your e-liquids from reputable retailers and brands. Here at E-liquids.com, we only stock the very best e-liquids, many of which are made right here in the UK where e-liquid production is strictly regulated for quality.
Where can I get advice/support from to ensure that I stick to my plan to transition to vaping?
There are plenty of resources out there to help you stick to your aim of quitting cigarettes. One is, of course, our website, which offers many vape related website on choosing your next vape kit to e-liquid flavours. There are also many government run services to help to quit smoking, such as your Local Stop Smoking service, which can offer personal support and advice.
