What Is The Future Of Vaping?

Will the vaping industry survive or go out in a puff of smoke?

Can you imagine if someone told the advertising executives and movie stars of the 1950s that their cigarettes would turn into smokeless electric devices? They'd have rolled their eyes and laughed, continuing to puff away on their favourite tobacco products.

From the moment vaping products came into our lives as a healthier alternative to tobacco cigarettes, they faced an uphill battle from wary consumers and fad avoiders.

Despite the long-term prevalence of cigarette smoking, vaping devices have managed to hold their own and proved the haters (we're talking to you tobacco companies) wrong.

But can vaping technology continue to thrive? What new products could we see in the future? Most importantly, will vaping finally eliminate tobacco from our lives?

Let's find out.

Smoking: The ghost of the past?

There was a time when smoking tobacco was seen as glamorous for women and cool for wannabe bad boys. Hollywood starlets would light up regularly, and the first cigarette was a coming-of-age practice for young adults.

The younger generations were particularly vulnerable to developing the nasty habit, as peer pressure and celebrity culture made them believe that smoking was cool.

Let's not forget that the advertising industry had a considerable role in promoting cigarettes. Companies would take drastic steps to convince their target audiences that their tobacco brand was safe.

So despite a fortune spent on advertising, we've seen a significant shift in the number of people smoking and how the public perceives tobacco.

Let's find out why.

Filter cigarettes

After a rise in lung cancer cases, tobacco companies decided to introduce filtered cigarettes, which claimed to stop consumers from inhaling dangerous particles.

The tobacco industry spent a fortune advertising these new cigarettes, and consumers listened to their bold claims.

As research during the 1960s solidified claims that tobacco smoking can cause lung cancer, companies would also introduce lighter versions of their cigarettes to alleviate concerns.

Unfortunately, despite all of the information available to consumers, some people still believe the filter safety myth (as you can see from this comprehensive report by the National Library of Medicine).

Altering public perceptions

As we mentioned already, people often regarded smoking as 'cool' - but that's no longer the case. After years of Hollywood, rock stars and a general attitude that tobacco is glamorous, public perception is finally changing.

A Dutch survey by I&O asked 1,000 young people how they felt about smoking, and 80% said it wasn't cool. Better still, tobacco companies no longer have the power they once held with consumers.

In a UK survey, only one-fifth of participants stated they find tobacco companies honest, and 55% said tobacco companies should take responsibility for the health issues caused by tobacco (Pub Med).

There's no hiding from the facts

Before the internet, people would have to visit the library to learn the truth about cigarettes - but today, all you have to do is go online. So many studies highlight tobacco's risks, and it's near impossible for tobacco companies to avoid the cold, hard facts.

Cancer Research is one of the leading organisations that actively campaigns against smoking. They publish studies on their website, and people now know that 79% of lung cancer cases are easily prevented, and 72% have a direct link to smoking.

People aren't smoking cigarettes as much

According to The Guardian, 80% of adults smoked during the 1950s, but that rate has declined dramatically since then. In 2021, NHS Digital reported that 13.3% of the UK population smoked during 2021.

While we can attribute many factors to the sharp decrease in smoking prevalence, there's no doubt that the vape industry also impacts consumers.

Next, we'll look at vaping as it currently stands.

The vaping industry continues to expand

While e-cigarettes are still relatively new, they have an impressive growth rate. Every year since 2012, the UK has seen higher numbers of vapers. The percentage of the population that vaped was as follows:

• 2012: 1.7%

• 2013: 2.7%

• 2014: 4.2%

• 2015: 5.4%

• 2016: 5.7%

• 2017: 5.8%

• 2018: 6.2%

• 2019: 7.1%

• 2020: 6.3%

• 2021: 7.1%

• 2022: 8.3%

As you can see, the growth rates are pretty steady, except from 202o when they decreased slightly. There's no apparent reason for this, but the UK was devastated by Covid-19 in 2020, and many current vapers are ex-smokers.

If people were under a great deal of stress, then they might have felt it was the wrong time to quit smoking.

Most vapers are ex-smokers

When it comes to substituting nicotine, vaping is highly popular for ex-smokers, as it replaces the experience of holding a cigarette better than other devices.

According to a detailed report from Ash, 67% of vapers were previous smokers in 2021, and over half of previous smokers have used a vape device for over three years.

The NHS agrees that vaping is much healthier than smoking

With a strong endorsement from the NHS, vape shops can work with people who smoke cigarettes, ensuring they have a viable way to quit full-time.

Health professionals say that vaping is 95% safer than smoking and is more effective than other nicotine delivery systems.

For example, patches, lozenges, gum and inhalers can provide short-term relief from nicotine cravings, but they don't replicate the smoking experience.

What does the future hold for vaping technology?

There are so many reasons to have confidence in the future of the vaping industry, and e-cigarettes can easily replace tobacco products and become an integral component of the World Health Organization's new tobacco control plan.

To get an idea of what the future of vaping might be, we need to look at different attitudes to vaping around the world.

The UK

The UK is one of the most vaping-positive countries - especially as Public Health England aims to be smoke-free by 2030 (Gov.UK). While there's no guarantee that vape products carry zero risks for people who have never smoked - they're instrumental tools.

By introducing prescription e-liquids, the UK could prioritise harm reduction from cigarettes and ensure people get the help they need to say goodbye to tobacco.

Currently, e-cigarette products aren't available on the NHS, but there's every reason they will be in the future.

USA

Unfortunately, the USA isn't having such a great relationship with vaping - but things could change. Trump's administration tried to ban numerous flavoured e-liquids, which caused outrage from anti-smoking groups (Politico).

There were also proposals to raise the legal vaping age to 21 while keeping smoking at 18 years old. These acts wouldn't benefit young people, as the main priority should have been reducing the number of people who start smoking.

While many people in the USA vape, there's hope that the government will support electronic cigarettes. However, some groups, such as Tobacco Free Kids, still ignore the health benefits of vaping over smoking.

Numerous countries have turned against e-cigarettes

The number of countries that have banned e-cigarettes is shocking - especially when the main reason for the ban is young people. Some countries have strict rules on the type of e-liquids people can sell, while others have banned flavoured vape juices.

Young people are naturally attracted to something new, but taking a product off the market will inevitably turn people towards traditional cigarettes.

Perhaps if these countries introduced stricter vaping regulations for young people, adults could still benefit from nicotine products.

Top vaping predictions

So, what else can we expect from vaping in the future? Well, we don't have a crystal ball, but in the countries that accept e-cigarettes, their popularity will continue to grow.

There's also a possibility that countries like the UK will pave the way for wary countries to place better regulations.

Vaping devices will change

We live in the age of innovation, and today's vape devices will probably be considered the Nokia of the mobile phone world within a few years. China is one of the most innovative countries, and manufacturers constantly update vape devices.

High-end vape kits connect to smartphones and have various wattage settings to facilitate regular e-liquids and nicotine salts.

As technology evolves, we'll see more sustainable vape devices with better coil options, and manufacturers will prioritise personalisation.

Companies will take a more proactive approach

If we've learned anything from the tobacco industry, it's this; even death can be profitable. Big tobacco companies have always been genius at downplaying the harmful effects of tobacco use - and the mistrust of consumers might be impacting e-cigarettes.

Health professionals cannot deny that vaping is much safer than cigarettes, but if society wants to become smoke-free, the vape industry needs support.

With all of the studies that fail to conclusively prove their claims about how dangerous vaping is, governments and public health agencies will need to actively support vape shops.

Countries will continue to worry about teen vapers

Some teenagers start vaping because they like the different flavours of e-liquids, and the UK - as well as other countries, naturally worry about this.

Companies like Juul Labs are popular with teenagers, as they offer disposable vapes in a range of fruity and sweet flavours. Statistics from Ash state that 10.4% of 11-15-year-olds have tried vaping at some point, but that doesn't count as constant use.

Statistics from Drink Aware show that 43% of 11-15-year-olds had an alcoholic drink once a month and English pupils who drank alcohol in one week consumed around five units.

Then we have to look at a report from Ash that claims 24% of boys and 25% of girls aged 15 smoked in 1982. In 2018 that percentage fell to just 5% of boys and girls.

These numbers alone show that many of these anti-vaping campaigns are unfounded. After all, alcohol and tobacco create plenty of health risks, and they're not banned.

The future's bright for vaping products

There's no doubt that the vaping industry will continue to grow, and consumers will have plenty of vape devices to look forward to in the future. But if you're looking for great deals today, 88Vape is one of the UK's most reputable e-cigarette and vape juice providers.

We create our cost-effective range of products in-house, so you can be sure that there are no harmful chemicals. Find your new vaping device today and look forward to a healthier future.