Let's be real, vaping nicotine has historically received TONS of bad press.  From experiencing flavor bans, full-on prohibition, fear mongering, and unilateral decisions about your access as an adult smoker to choose, it's often difficult to see the potential benefits behind making the switch from analog cigarettes and other combustible tobacco products.

So, that's what we'll focus on for this article.  What are the benefits and drawbacks behind using e-cigarettes?  Like all major life decisions, it's best to know both sides and have each of those points rooted in science.  Only then, can you make a decision that would ultimately affect you and you alone.

Without further ado, let's jump right in!

the benefits of vaping

Whether you've made the switch from cigarettes to save on long-term medical risks, money, or to begin the process of quitting all tobacco products, there's much to look forward to when it comes to adopting e-cigarettes into your nicotine consumption routine.  Here are a few benefits to consider.  Keep in mind, however, this list is not exhaustive; meaning vaping is entirely a personalized journey, so your experiences with it might be wholly different to someone else!

1. VAPING DOESN'T HAVE NEARLY AS MANY CARCINOGENS AS SMOKING COMBUSTIBLE TOBACCO PRODUCTS

If you live in the United States, here's something that you'll never hear the FDA and the medical community mention: vaping isn't as bad for you as the media preaches it to be.  In fact, The British Royal College of Physicians, Public Health England, and the American National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine all agree that vaping is safer than smoking cigarettes.  Public Health England even went as far as stating on record that "vaping is at least 95% less harmful" than its combustible tobacco counterparts.

As you probably already know, vaping nicotine through an e-cigarette doesn't rely on combustion to generate vapor; whereas smoking a cigarette does.  Upon lighting up a cigarette and taking your first drag, you are automatically pulling in loads of tar and carbon monoxide.  Both of which, contribute tremendously to a myriad of health problems later down the line.

- BLVK HUNDRED SERIES -

2. AUTOMATICALLY SMELL BETTER

One of the biggest advantages of making the switch from cigarettes to vaping happens on Day 1 - you and your personal items won't reek of cigarettes anymore!  Vaping has a mild aroma and its based on what flavor you are using.

Gone are the days where your clothes, your car, and everything you touch smells like burnt out cigarette butts and stale smoke.  Trust us, those close to you will notice immediately.

3. MORE CONTROL OF NICOTINE consumption

Here's something that you've probably overlooked - nicotine consumption.  On average, 1 full pack of cigarettes equates to roughly 18MG of nicotine.  That's assuming you can kill an entire pack in 1 day - and you'd be surprised where most of us started.  With vaping, you have the option to choose where to start.  18MG of nicotine is a lot, but then again, our Nicotine Salt products and Disposables offer even more than that.  At the end of the day, it is YOUR choice how much you'd want to consume nicotine-wise.

4. more control over the entire experience

Seeing that you already have control over how much nicotine you can consume, vaping gives you control over the entire rest of the experience as well!  Everything from the device you use, to the tank you pair with it, airflow, coils, and flavors all give you the ultimate control of your soon-to-be regular vaping habit.

Are you a cloud chaser that loves spewing thick white clouds all over the house?  You can do that!  Or maybe you're more of a subtle and low-key user that simply wants a tasty e-liquid and nicotine pairing without drawing too much attention to yourself.  Again, the choice is yours.

5. OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF FLAVORS

Just looking at the BLVK product collection alone, the sheer amount of flavor options you have at your disposal is astounding.  Regardless of where your flavor preferences lie, chances are, there will be something for everyone!

In the mood for a fruity blend?  Check out our BLVK Series!  And what about dessert?  Our WYTE Series has you covered!  What about strawberry-specific flavor combinations?  Look no further than our BLVK Pink Series!

Beyond just choice of flavors, the massive variety of e-liquids also help you make the switch away from combustible tobacco products in a more efficient way.  Like most addictions, including that of cigarettes, you'd have an easier time making the switch away from those products if you can associate yourself to something else, like a rich and decadent helping of Glazed Buns from our all-new Hundred Series.

6. YOU CAN BEGIN VAPING OFF JUST $10

Looking to dip your feet in and understand the appeal of vaping but without breaking the bank?  Our Ello Disposables are truly and all-in-one vaping experience where you can try one of our ten flavors for about $10!

Beyond scoring yourself a vape for that little amount of money, should you choose to invest in an actual setup, there are price points for virtually any type of vaper.  Ranging from $20 to quite literally hundreds of dollars, there's a vape out there you can start using today!

the DRAWBACKS of vaping

While vaping definitely has its benefits, it's not the greatest thing for you.  And I know, as a brand, that is an uncommon thing to state.  Ultimately, you are an adult that is capable of making decisions for yourself.  So here are the drawbacks to vaping:

1. THERE'S AN OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF CHOICES

We get it, despite the sheer number of options you have at your disposal, if it's your first time stepping foot in a vape shop, the wall of e-liquids and display cases of hardware can be very overwhelming.  What device should I get?  There's what kind of tank?  I can adjust airflow on said tank?  Why are there literally 20 different types of strawberry flavors - IT IS KIND OF A WHOLE THING.

Despite how overwhelming you might feel, the staff that works at these vape shops are professionals.  Just state that it is your first time vaping and you'd like to walked through the experience.  By the end of it, you will walk out with a setup that you are comfortable using, guaranteed!

2. THE LEARNING CURVE MIGHT TURN PEOPLE OFF

Unlike cigarettes where you can simply pull one out of the pack, light it, and you're good, a vaping setup can require you to have a device that needs to be charged, a tank that needs to have a coil installed, and e-liquid in the tank for you to get a single drag off.  And without adequate instruction, you could be left trying to figure it out all on your own.

Should you find yourself with a setup you don't understand, take it into a vape shop.  The knowledgeable staff will be able to advise you on best practices to get you and your vaping habit squared away!

3. THERE ARE STILL HEALTH RISKS TO VAPING

While it is true that vaping doesn't possess the same carcinogens the way cigarettes do, it's not the healthiest for you to be inhaling anything beyond oxygen altogether.

The U.S. Surgeon General warns that depending on what materials coils are made of and ingredients present in e-liquid, you could be inhaling ultrafine particles into your lungs.  And depending on if you can properly exhale ALL the vapor from your body, you're bound to run into some type of health complication one way or another.

It is important to note that vaping e-cigarettes only started becoming mainstream in 2014-2015.  So the lack of long-term medical research poses a risk should you choose to vape for the rest of your life.

4. LIVING WITH THE STIGMA

If you've been smoking cigarettes for any amount of time, chances are, your friends, family, and the government made you feel less-than-human over your habit.  And while you are actively making the switch for the betterment of your own life, you're likely to experience the same, if not, a more-intense stigma against you vaping.

Since vaping looks exactly the same as smoking, albeit the vapor produced is thicker, you're likely to be pooled into the same category of smokers or even cannabis users.

- Ello Disposables Series -

5. THE VAPING INDUSTRY WILL ALWAYS FEEL LIKE IT'S ON THE VERGE OF BEING EXTINCT

And you can thank mainstream media sensationalizing the "youth vaping epidemic" for that!  Given the media's fixation on minors getting access to vaping products, you will likely experience a wide variety of ways that make you feel as if the industry is on the verge of being unilaterally banned.

6. NICOTINE IS PERCEIVED TO BE THE ROOT CAUSE OF ALL HEALTH RISKS

Despite nicotine being highly addictive, there's not much actual reasoning behind its villainization.  In fact, the substance is nothing more than a mild stimulant with similar effects to caffeine.  This generalization of nicotine comes from the substance consistently being paired with tobacco and cigarettes.  Now, if you were to google health risks of nicotine, you're likely to find that the substance increases your risk of lung disease, heart disease, and cancer.

Be sure to do your research about all this.

7. VAPING REGULATIONS SEEM TO NOT BE ROOTED IN ANY DEGREE OF LOGIC

When it comes to regulating e-cigarettes, most regulations mandated by either the FDA or your state/local governments seem to be based entirely off of fear - not so much science.  On top of that, this fear is often leveraged to pass some of the most restrictive laws in the country.  Yet, other vice products such as cigarettes, alcohol, and cannabis don't come even remotely close to flat-out vapor and flavor bans.

Just be ready for that, after all.

the POINT of IT ALL

Remember how we said that you're an adult?  Well, you are one and after reading this article, we hope you are not that much-more equipped to  make an informed decision knowing full well what both the benefits and drawbacks are when it comes to vaping.  If you had to choose between vaping and smoking cigarettes, we think that's an easy decision.  If you had to choose between vaping and smoking cigarettes knowing full well how the rest of the world sees either, well, you're an adult.  We trust that you'll make the right decision.

As an established brand in the vaping industry, BLVK firmly believes in what making the switch can mean for the thousands of adult smokers we support worldwide.  While the alternative is significantly better than traditional cigarettes, we also understand the risks should long-term use continue.  At the end of the day, we exist to make sure adult smokers like you have the ability to choose how you ought to enjoy nicotine products. No matter what you choose, we'll support you.  Happy vaping!