Smoke vs Vapour
If you have been vaping for any amount of time or spent any time around vapers, then the chances are good that you’ve heard vapour referred to as “vape smoke” or even just “smoke.” Comments and questions around these terms generally come from a place of concern but are uninformed about the truth of vaping and what vapour itself actually is. So that you’ll be prepared to respond to people who are concerned about your “vape smoke” in the future, let’s take a closer look at vapour vs smoke and what makes them so completely different, even if they do look similar.
The differences between vapour and smoke
Simply put, lit cigarettes produce smoke; vapourizing an e-liquid produces vapour. As mentioned, smoke and vapour can share some visual similarities, but they have very little in common beyond that. The two are, in fact, very different in both composition and behaviour.
Here are a few of the key differences.
- Composition. Really, the only thing smoke and vapour have in common compositionally speaking is the presence of nicotine. Smoke contains thousands of chemicals – dozens of which are known to be carcinogenic and incredibly harmful to inhale. Vapour, on the other hand, contains only a few ingredients (none of which is water, contrary to popular belief). These ingredients include Propylene Glycol (PG), Vegetable Glycerin (VG), and food-grade flavourings – along with nicotine.
- Smell. As anyone who smokes or has spent time around smokers can attest, the smell of smoke can and does linger in the room for days – or longer. It sticks to surfaces and permeates homes, vehicles, clothing, and hair. Heavy smokers may become accustomed to this smell and not notice it, but non-smokers and even light smokers recognize it at once. Vapour, on the other hand, dissipates quickly and leaves behind no odour at all. Within seconds, evidence that a person has vaped in the area is virtually non-existent.
- Residue. The reason that smoke leaves behind a lingering odour is because of the residue it produces that clings to every surface in sight. This residue not only smells bad but also stains walls, furniture, fabric, and more. Smoke residue is generally attributed to the huge number of chemicals in cigarettes, as well as the chemicals that combustion produces. Unlike smoking, vaping leaves no residue other than a slightly burry coating on windows and other glass surfaces that can be easily cleaned with regular household cleaners – and does not stain or leave an odour.
Making the switch
These are a few of the ways in which vapour differs from smoke, and they illustrate how different these two activities truly are. Whereas cigarettes produce a noxious, chemical-filled smoke that clings to every surface and smells terrible, your favourite e-cigarette emits only a light, pleasant vapour that dissipates quickly and bears almost no functional resemblance to real smoke whatsoever. Are you ready to buy a vape online and get started enjoying a better alternative to smoking? Disposable cigalikes or a simple pod system is a great option for a newcomer to the world of vaping.
