Vaping vs. cigarettes – Exploring the differences

If you are considering vaping vs. cigarettes, it helps to start by looking at what they have in common. They both produce an aerosol you can inhale, but how they do that couldn’t be more different. 

As the saying goes, there’s no smoke without fire, and cigarettes burn at about 800°C to generate the smoke that adult smokers inhale. In contrast, vaping devices work with e-liquids heated to a much lower temperature to release an inhalable vapor. 

Today if you use the word cigarette, everyone will know what you mean. It’s forever linked to the familiar form of a white paper cylinder with a filter at one end, packed with tobacco. The combustion part of the process coined the term smoking – cigarettes produce clouds of smoke when lit, not to mention a strong smoke smell and a pile of ash. 

On the other hand, the term vaping can cause confusion. It’s the catch-all title for products ranging from e-cigarettes to mod-pods and a host of other devices in between! Described as an alternative to smoking, what surprises many people is that there’s no tobacco involved at all. If you’re looking for more information about vaping, you might like to read our blog, The Beginners Guide to Vaping. 

Vaping devices first came onto the market about 20 years ago, and now there are thousands of designs in all shapes and sizes. Alongside them, there’s also an ever-expanding choice of e-liquids. You’ll find artificial flavors that range from food and drink to fruit and dessert, alongside old favorites like menthol and tobacco.

Many e-liquids also contain pharmaceutical-grade nicotine, but that’s where the similarities end, as they don’t contain tobacco leaves like a cigarette.

Vaping was introduced as an alternative for adult smokers looking to move away from smoking cigarettes or quit altogether. No tobacco is involved, but vaping isn’t a straight swap - there are pros and cons to consider.

In some respects, vaping as a process is even more visible than smoking. After all, they were designed to mimic it. What that means is, that it may not be the discreet alternative you are looking for. 

Vape devices work with e-liquids in a very different way from a cigarette which, on average, takes about five minutes to smoke. The e-liquid capsules or pods are designed to work for multiple vaping moments, so there’s the possibility that you can find yourself spending more time vaping than you originally planned.

If you’re wondering about smoking cigarettes and vaping, then heated tobacco is something to think about too. A modern way to enjoy real tobacco taste, Ploom X Advanced has strong potential as a reduced-risk product¹ that delivers a heated tobacco experience

Because there’s less impact on your environment, it’s a considerate choice and more discreet. That’s thanks to the fact that when you pop a [BRAND] tobacco stick into your Ploom X Advanced,  it will be heated to release its rich tobacco flavor, not burnt like a cigarette. 

Depending on where you are and who you are with, Ploom X Advanced is the way to take your tobacco pleasure back indoors because there’s no smoke, ash, and less tobacco smell². How great to enjoy all the pre-dinner conversation without having to head outside and miss the latest gossip so you can indulge your tobacco pleasure.

Find out more about where you can use Ploom X Advanced with our blog Where Can I Use Heated Tobacco.