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Is It Cheaper to Smoke or Vape?

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The high price of cigarettes mean they are now a luxury for many people — and some are wondering if it is cheaper to smoke or vape.

Young woman have a choice between tobacco cigarette and electronic cigarette Anyone who smokes knows there's nothing cheap about it, in terms of financial costs and the heavy toll it takes on people's health. Governments around the world have long had a policy of increasing taxes on cigarettes, in an attempt to try and get people to quit and become healthier. Many, however, continue to puff away and pour massive amounts of money into their addiction. But at a time when e-cigarettes are rising in popularity and growing numbers of smokers are making the switch, is it cheaper to smoke or vape? Currently, there are around 9 million adult smokers in the UK — 19% of men and 15% of women in Britain — and two thirds of them began smoking cigarettes before they were 18. Now, they're paying over £10 a pack to feed their cigarette habit, and an astonishing 77% of that is in tax.   The UK is among the most expensive places in Europe, if not the world, to smoke. When you consider that heavy smokers can easily get through several packs of cigarettes in a single day, it adds up to one extremely expensive activity (over £3,300 a year if you smoke one pack of 20 a day). It's no wonder so many British smokers fly to cheap European destinations, like Prague or parts of Spain, where prices of cigarettes are far lower and they stock up by buying cartons containing hundreds of cigarettes.

Smoking Health Cost

While smokers take a big hit in their pocket, and suffer with generally declining health as the many toxic chemicals released by burning tobacco play havoc with their bodies, the country also suffers. In England alone, smoking-related diseases and conditions cost the NHS at least £2.6 billion in treatments and care. There’s barely anything positive to say about smoking, now that we know the true facts and the stratospheric costs associated with it. Smokers just want nicotine, to give them a buzz or a feeling of relaxation. Do they really want to be inhaling such horror substances as tar, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide and arsenic, to achieve that nicotine intake? Smoking has become the leading cause of preventable death around the world — claiming some 7 million lives annually, around 100,000 of them here in the UK. The high cost to human life and the UK health service is why the authorities here are racing to try and coax smokers to give up for good. Initiatives like Stoptober and VApril back e-cigarettes as one of the leading smoking cessation methods — because smokers get the nicotine they desire, but none of the thousands of toxic chemicals in cigarette smoke.

So, Cheaper to Smoke or Vape?

Now we come to the question many smokers want to know: is it cheaper to smoke or vape? If you're just starting out on your vaping journey and perhaps trying to give up smoking, a basic e-cig starter kit would set you back just over £10. You may well get free e-liquid refills, with that, as well as free postage. The hardware will last for ages — you just need to either charge your e-cigarette or change the batteries — and the e-liquid will keep you going for up to a week, although it depends on how much you vape. You’ll also need to change your coil every 1-3 weeks, again depending on usage. Coils are often sold in multi-packs, so you’ll only need to pick up a pack once a month at most. Once you're happy with your vape gear, or perhaps want to change to something else, all you then need to do is regularly change the e-liquid refills. These come in an amazing range of fruity and other flavours, and contain varying nicotine levels, as well as none — and you can buy them from as little as £1. So if you're a pack-a-day smoker who spends over £70 a week on cigarettes, that's an incredible saving of £69. In giving up tobacco and saving your health and your finances, vaping wins over cigarettes every time. Vape pens are a great way to give up smoking and get healthier, as they're incredibly easy to use. Browse our range of vape pens now and you could soon be on the way to stubbing out smoking for good —  and saving your cash! Electric Tobacconist gives you free UK delivery on orders over £10.