How smoking harms your eyes

old man blowing vapor off cigarette

While most people who smoke combustible cigarettes know many of the health risks involved with long-term tobacco inhalation, many disregard the fatal impacts that smoking has on an organ like your eyes. While heart disease and cancer are often discussed, sight-threatening vision and eye problems are not well-known among smokers. Listed below are the benefits of quitting smoking that help your eye health.

Cataracts and smoking

A cataract is a clouding of the normally clear lens of the eye. As the leading cause of blindness in the world, having cataracts is like seeing through a fogged-up window. Those who smoke combustible cigarettes significantly increase their risk of developing a cataract compared to those who don’t smoke. As one of the many benefits of quitting smoking, you can lower your chance of forming cataracts by waving goodbye to tobacco products or reducing your nicotine intake by using an e-cig

Macular degeneration and smoking

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a condition that affects the center of the retina, which is the part of the eye that’s responsible for sharp, centrally focused vision that’s needed for such tasks as reading and driving. When people smoke heavily, they’re at an increased risk for developing AMD (about 5.5 times more likely), which causes blind spots that severely affect central vision. However, since smoking is a controllable risk factor, quitting smoking at any age can significantly reduce that risk. 

Uveitis and smoking

A serious eye disease, uveitis, is caused by inflammation of the eye’s middle layer, the uvea. Harming vital structures of the eye, including the iris and retina, uveitis can cause complete blindness and other complications such as cataracts, glaucoma, and retinal detachment. Since smokers are more likely to develop this eye-threatening condition, it’s worth giving up the habit to reduce the risk and help your eye health. 

Are you ready to quit?

It’s never too late to reap the benefits of quitting smoking by enjoying a healthier lifestyle. Quitting at any age significantly reduces your risk of developing many sight-threatening eye conditions, and since nicotine withdrawal makes the quitting process irritable and overwhelming, we recommend quitting combustible cigarettes through the help of e-cigs. Since e-cigs allow ex-smokers to wean off tobacco and gradually reduce their nicotine intake over time, the success rate in quitting for good is much higher and more sustainable than trying to quit cold turkey. 

Do you have any further questions about how smoking harms your eyes? Please drop them in the comments section below to share with our readers. 

Should e-cigs be licensed as medicine?

Medical Professional holding an e-cigarette

Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) could be a promising registered nicotine replacement therapy if we could have them registered as licensed medicines. Even the best e-cig products on the market face strict measures in getting them into the hands of vapers that need them which is why after reading a January report out of France that highlights the benefit-risk ratio, we’re suggesting that health care professionals consider this angle. Here’s why. 

E-cigs help ex-smokers eliminate tobacco and lower nicotine levels

When a user first transitions to using e-cigs over combustible cigarettes, they become tobacco-free by eliminating the source. Next, they select a product from an assemblage of the best e-cigs to supplement their current intake needs with the option to slowly lower nicotine levels at a pace that works for them. Not only do vapers have a grand opportunity to overcome to horrible effects that tobacco can have on their health, but they also don’t need to need nicotine withdrawal, which has unpleasant effects on the mind, mood, and body. 

We ask the question, “should e-cigs be licensed as medicine?” It seems with the above health-related benefits that it only makes sense to offer these devices as nicotine replacement therapies and smoking cessation tools, as that’s exactly what they do. 

Logic e-cigs are only offered in tobacco 

While there is some controversy around e-cigs with enticing flavors, Logic only manufactures tobacco e-cigs, catering to the adult population who’s looking for a tool to quit traditional cigarettes. These tobacco e-cigs are available in two nicotine strengths and as a replaceable or disposable device, giving ex-smokers the option to select a product that matches their transitioning needs. 

Again, we ask the question, “should e-cigs be licensed as medicine?” If the products are made using only tobacco flavoring, they’re only appealing to transitioning smokers and shouldn’t face the same restrictions as other e-cigs products. 

What are your thoughts on the subject above? Please drop a comment below to start a discussion.

8 More Reasons Why Vaping is Superior to Smoking

Setting a New Year’s Resolution is one thing but pulling through is an excellent achievement and a great way to start the year. Quitting Smoke has always been one of the most challenging habits to break, and it only makes sense if smokers have a hard time stopping them, even if they include this on their resolutions yearly!

Meanwhile, vaping seems to be the superior driving force of many smokers who are finally pulling through and officially breaking their smoking habits. If you ever feel like switching to vaping, here are ten more reasons vaping is better than smoking!

Using Vape will Help You Ultimately Quit Smoking.

No one can deny how hard it is to quit smoking cigarettes, and the best alternative solution might be something that feels similar to smoking but far less dangerous, which is vaping. There is a reason why vaping remains the most effective solution in helping people quit.

This is because ex-smokers won’t feel as much withdrawal compared to stopping “cold turkey.” Switching to vaping has helped many people save themselves from the overwhelming addictive factors that coincide with smoking, and it will continue to help more people in the future.

You Could Save More with Vapes

If you’re trying to cut costs, you’ll love the numbers regarding how much you could save when you switch from smoking combustibles to e-cigarettes.

Suppose you’re 1 pack a day smoker. Imagine how much you could keep instead of wasting your hard-earned money on expensive cigarette costs while saving your life and preventing yourself from any significant health problems. 

Save Yourself from Major Health Problems

The physical health consequences of tobacco use remain a significant factor and stay far more dangerous than e-cigarettes. According to NIH, cigarette smoking is linked to 80-90% of lung cancers and many other cancers.

In addition, it is a massive factor in the development of heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, vascular disease, and aneurysms. While these are alarming health problems, they can still be prevented by using far less harmful alternatives and aren’t linked to the potential risks mentioned above.

Convenience of Use

There is no debate about whether it’s easier to use the vaping device or the traditional cigarette. A lot of speculations about vaping being labeled as the same as cigarettes, but it is still far easier to find places where you can freely vape and aren’t allowed to smoke.

Another thing to consider is that you can quickly puff your devices on-demand whenever you want, compared to a cigarette, where you are obliged to finish them once you have already lit them up.

Controllable Nicotine Intake

Another great thing about E-Cigarettes is that you have complete autonomy to choose how many Nicotine Levels you are willing to smoke. This feature is handy, especially for people trying to quit slowly, as they could gradually decrease their nicotine usage with so much ease!

Less Harmful to People Around You

Now we all know about the detrimental effects of secondhand smoke. While there is enough research about e-cigarettes proving way better than cigarettes in terms of health, this is also the case for people around the user. Vaping has much lower risks to users than smoking; therefore, it is also far better for your environment.

E-Cigarettes are Taking Huge Steps In Helping the Environment

We all know how cigarettes contribute so much to overall pollution, not just for air but also waste after usage. Cigarette litter has always been a problem, which E-Cigarettes are trying to avoid.

Disposable E-Cigs are equivalent to 40 times the traditional cigarettes. Not only that, but they are also recyclable, which is good news for environmental sustainability.

Plastic and Waste have reduced substantially as the switch to vapes has arisen, and it’s always great to know that you are part of the solution instead of the problem.

You Don’t Have to Stick with One Flavor

Another hit selling point of vapes is their versatility in the flavors you can vape and enjoy. Since they are chemically produced, extracting natural flavors in any form is easier, adding to the relaxing and therapeutic experience. Whatever liquid juice you prefer the most to Vape is entirely your choice, and always keep it interesting. Having a variety of options to choose from is always better than sticking with just one.

Do you have more points to add to this list? Comment down below and share it with us.

Why are Logic e-cigs great for getting off combustible cigarettes?

man wearing beanie smoking cigarettes

While there’s an abundance of nicotine replacement therapies on the market, many ex-smokers express that none quite stand up to the advantages that are offered by e-cigs. An e-cig, also known as a vape pen, is a cig-a-like product that offers its users a fixed nicotine delivery so that they can similarly use the device to transition away from the use of combustible cigarettes and tobacco. While the quality of a vape pen varies between brands, we chose to only sell Logic e-cigs because of their proven success for so many transitioning smokers. The look, feel, and taste closely replicate traditional cigarettes making Logic e-cigs great quit-smoking tools!

How do Logic e-cigs look?

Here at I Love Ecigs, we sell three types of Logic e-cigsLogic disposables, the Logic Pro Advanced Vapor System, and the Logic Power Series. All of the following units are slender and are comparable in size to a combustible cigarette. Also, The battery and mouthpieces that twist together have a close appearance to the wrapped tobacco and filter of a traditional cigarette. Lastly, when a user inhales via the mouthpiece, the battery at the end lights up, much like the ash of a burning combustible cigarette. So, since Logic e-cigs are crafted in the image of combustible cigarettes, ex-smokers find more comfort in them. 

How do Logic e-cigs feel?

As mentioned above, each unit is manufactured with a slender, smooth construction, allowing the devices to smoothly sit between two fingers, whether the vaper chooses to continuously take puffs or simply fiddle with it. Each Logic vape pen also mimics the same hand-to-mouth motion as combustible cigarettes—the user brings the device to the mouth to inhale, the battery end lights up, the user draws the device away from the mouth as they inhale the vapor, then they slowly exhale at their leisure before performing the same action again. E-cigs are the only nicotine replacement therapies that offer fulfill an ex-smoker’s physical and mental dependencies to nicotine. 

How do Logic e-cigs taste?

While there’s an assortment of flavored e-cigs products, Logic focuses on the flavoring that ex-smokers know and love. By providing transitioning with rich, vigorous tobacco flavoring, combined with an intuitive device that looks and feels like a combustible cigarette, it’s easy to see why so many people stop smoking tobacco with the help of Logic e-cigs! 

Are there other advantages that you look for in an e-cig device? Please drop your opinion in the comments section below.

Combustible Cigarette Sales in 2020 Climbed for the First Time in Over Two Decades

a pack of combustible cigarettes

Have you been feeling extra stressed since the start of this global pandemic? If you have, you aren’t alone. Combustible cigarette sales have risen for the first time in over two decades and a study from Georgia State University links this increase to the stress that’s been induced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Continue reading to learn more about why traditional smoking is on the rise and why having access to e-cigarettes for sale online is so important.

The study

Life is full of stressful situations—financial, educational, family, etc.—but the pressures associated with the continuation of this pandemic, and the resurgence of cases due to new variants, are leading to added societal tension and anxiety. According to a new study from Georgia State University, this stress has contributed to the sales of combustible cigarettes rising for the first time in over 20 years. 

Lucy Popova, an associate professor in GSU’s School of PublicHealth who serves the U.S. Food and Drug (FDA) Administration’s Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee, led the study. She explains that it was aimed at looking into each participant’s experience to gain an understanding of what current and ex-smokers have gone through during the pandemic. 

Small sample sizes were used so that each participant was able to tell their personal story. The 61 researchers were divided and paired with three groups of smokers. Two of those groups included people who had not been thinking about quitting combustible cigarettes and/or relied on e-cigarettes for sale while the third included participants who were actively trying to give up nicotine. 

What were the results? 

Popova said she saw a pattern among stressed-out, bored people who either smoked more than usual or went back to smoking after COVID hit, even though said smokers understood they were at a greater risk of severe lung infection. 

“There were a lot of different stories and a lot of experiences, and that’s why qualitative research is so cool as you get to hear those firsthand stories,” she said. “Some people who work and whose job is to tell people not to smoke, when they come home and they no longer have the job, the might be the ones lighting up more often.”

Factors like unemployment, loss of income, and the strain of balancing work and family life from home made quitting tobacco very low on the list of vices to tackle, the study found. While people who smoke to relieve stress expressed short-term relief, the long-term reality is that smoking is more likely to lead to depressioe-n and higher stress levels.

Restricting access to e-cigarettes for sale online is damaging to those who’re trying to quit smoking for good and to those who rely on these life-saving products to help them lower their nicotine levels, especially under stressful circumstances. 

Have you struggled with managing stress throughout this pandemic? Tell us all about it in the comments section below. 

How to reduce the effects of nicotine withdrawal at home

woman putting a cigarette in an ash tray

Nicotine withdrawal affects every aspect of our day-to-day life, and when we’re in our home environments, these symptoms can come on more heightened due to a lack of routine. Other than work, we spend the second most amount of time in our homes which means it’s important to have strategies to minimize the effects of nicotine withdrawal in this environment. If you haven’t created an at-home plan as part of your quit-smoking journey, read below for suggestions to get you started.

Use an e-cig as your quit smoking tool

E-cigs, such as the Logic lineup, have been helping ex-smokers transition away from combustible cigarettes since they first emerged in 2004. By offering users a variety of nicotine strengths, many vapers have been able to supplement past nicotine needs, allowing them to quit tobacco for good. Not only do e-cigs give more power to the user by offering nicotine concentration varieties that are designed to lower at the pace of each user, but they mimic the taste and feel of combustible cigarettes, alongside a hand-to-mouth delivery that fulfills any mental dependencies the user has. 

What do e-cigs do to combat the signs of nicotine withdrawal? By satisfying the bodies’ nicotine cravings, the user can take control of their health and lower their chances of developing a variety of cancers and heart diseases that are directly linked to tobacco burning smoke inhalation. They also never have to experience the physical and debilitating signs of nicotine withdrawal that may be onset when quitting cold turkey. Instead, they’re able to minimize the risk by eliminating tobacco and lowering their nicotine levels over time with the help of e-cigs

Spend time cleaning and rearranging your home

Not only will this keep you busy during this challenging time, but removing things that smell like smoke and/or rearranging visual reminders of your past habits are great ways to make changes to your environment that make it harder for you to miss smoking. 

Some suggestions we have are:

  • Cleaning fabrics that retain the smell of smoke including curtains, clothing, carpets, rugs, upholstery, sheets, blankets, and towels. 
  • Flip your mattress and give it a good vacuum.
  • Consider replacing your sleeping pillows.
  • Wipe down all hard surfaces around your home including furniture, walls, windows, and light fixtures. 
  • Rearrange and repurpose spaces that were once dedicated to smoking.
  • Decorate with upbeat, motivational items like photos and/or quotes
  • Turn your home into a smoke-free zone.

Keep an emergency kit stashed away for those harder days

Even the most committed transitioning ex-smokers have a day where the signs of nicotine withdrawal can come creeping up unexpectedly, which is why keeping an emergency kit that’s full of items designed to overcome cravings is a handy way to remain smoke-free.

  • Fresh, chopped fruits and vegetables ready for snacking.
  • Access to sugar-free gum or sweets.
  • A few puzzles or games that you haven’t tried yet.
  • Some books and/or magazines.

All of the above are great at-home distractions when signs of nicotine withdrawal come knocking.

Have you ever experienced any signs of nicotine withdrawal? If so, how did you overcome the cravings?

2 things to motivate you to squash smoking in 2022

Girl breaking a cigarette in half

Combustible cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. year after year, and while many know the risks, dangers, and harm that go along with long-term use, they remain stuck in an addictive pattern that’s harder to break as more time passes. Are you motivated to squash smoking in 2022? You can do it by selecting some motivational factors alongside the utilization of quit smoking aids like e-cigs. Continue reading to find out how. 

Think about your physical health 

When deciding to quit smoking, many users consider the negative impacts it has on their physical health and the increased risk it has on a variety of physical health conditions, such as:

  • Coronary heart disease is developed 2 to 4 times more often in smokers
  • Strokes are to 2 to 4 times higher in smokers
  • Men develop lung cancer 25 times more often if they smoke
  • Women develop lung cancer 7 times more often if they smoke

*All of the above stats are compared to that of a non-smoker

Along with the increased risk of specific conditions, smoking is also known to harm your body’s organs, affect bone health, tooth and gum health, the immune system, and much more. 

Combustible cigarettes are full of toxic chemicals

There are more than 5,000 chemicals found in combustible cigarettes, with hundreds that are harmful to your health. A few destructive chemicals include: 

  • 1,3-Butadiene: Used to manufacture rubber
  • Arsenic: Used to preserve wood
  • Benzene: Used to manufacture other chemicals 
  • Cadmium: Used to make batteries
  • Chromium VI: Used to make alloy metals, paints, and dyes

We believe that you can do whatever you set your mind to. With a positive mindset, the support of your friends and family, and some high-quality e-cigs as quit smoking aids, you can easily make 2022 your year to commit to quitting.  

Looking for additional help and quit smoking resources? Feel free to drop a comment below if you have any questions for the I Love Ecigs team.

Study: Smoking doubles the risk of premature heart disease

illustration of dynamite made with cigarette and a damaged heart

While cancer, diabetes, hearing, and vision loss are at the top of your worry list as a combustible cigarette smoker, cardiovascular issues are also a growing issue, as new research shows that smoking doubles the risk of premature heart disease. Learn more about this study below.  

The study

New research from Kaiser Permanente, a healthcare company, shows that young adults who smoke combustible cigarettes are twice as likely to develop premature heart disease as those of the same age who don’t smoke. The study, which was published November 16, 2021, in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, concluded that its findings are especially important for women, as 1 in 3 living in the U.S. will die from cardiovascular disease. 

Researchers used electronic medical records to identify 871,989 Kaiser Permanente Northern California members between the ages of 30 and 55 who had no history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD)a type of heart disease that occurs when fatty deposits (plaque) build up in the arteries. This heart disease causes the plaque in your arteries to narrow, which blocks the flow of blood to your heart. Smoking was found to be the key risk factor for ASCVD. 

The study examined individuals that were current or former smokers as well as those who had never smoked at all. Then, they looked to see which participants developed ASCVD between 2005 and 2015.

What were the results?

Overall, 16.5% of the young adults in the study were current smokers and 13.7% were former smokers. The analysis revealed that current smokers had two times the risk of developing ASCVD compared to those that had never smoked. The risk of developing ASCVD was lower in former smokers, but still higher than it was in those who had never smoked

What should you do?

Heart disease causes heart attacks, strokes, and a slew of cardiovascular diseases that can cause pain, discomfort, blocked arteries and blood vessels, irregular heartbeats, blood clots, and more, so it’s important to lower your risk by quitting smoking today! 

How can you promote smoking cessation and lower your risk of heart disease? While eating well and getting proper exercise can go a long way in lowering your risk, the best thing you can do for yourself is to quit smoking. If cold turkey doesn’t feel like the best option for you, we recommend lowering your nicotine intake with an e-cig so that you can wave goodbye to the harmful effects of tobacco and select a nicotine strength that works for your needs. 

What did you think of the above study? Did you quit smoking for health reasons? 

Stroke Survivors are Less Likely to Quit Smoking than Cancer Survivors

palm hand and cigarette on the other hand

New data from a National Cancer Institute (NCI) press release reveals that stroke survivors are less likely to quit smoking when compared with cancer survivors, with nearly 40% continuing to smoke combustible cigarettes post-stroke. Colleagues in the neurology and neuroscience department at Weill Cornell Medicine performed cross-sectional data analysis following the results to address the need for interventions addressing the substantial proportion of stroke survivors with a smoking history who continue to smoke.

The study

Researchers used the CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System—an annual, nationally representative health survey—to perform the analysis. Pooled data between 2013 and 2019 contained information on 4,434,604 stroke and cancer survivors with smoking histories. Employed survey procedures were then used to estimate frequencies and summarize quit rations with attention to demographic and geographic factors for all survivors. The median age was 68-years-old, with 45% being women.

What were the results?

The cross-sectional data analysis indicated that the overall quit ratio for stroke survivors was 60.8%, with quit ratios varying by age group, sex, race and ethnicity, and geographic factors. The quit ratio for cancer survivors was 95%.

While health is a focal point when considering the benefits of quitting smoking, researchers want more in place to support stroke survivors. 

“Programs for patients with stroke and cardiovascular disease should be as robust as smoking cessation programs offered to patients with cancer,” said Neal S. Parikh, MD, MS, and assistant professor of the department. 

What do you think? Are there enough resources in place for those seeking out the benefits of quitting smoking? Drop a comment below to share with our audience.

Workers claim they lost jobs for vaping at work despite NHS rules

Corporate woman vaping at work

Even though e-cigs were created to aid combustible cigarette smokers in quitting smoking since these intuitive devices first hit the market, manufacturers and vapers have faced discrimination and strict regulations; even more so than the smoking population. Despite the fact that the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom promotes and supports the use of e-cigs as a means to quit combustible cigarettes and as a successful harm reduction method, hard-working members of the population reported in a recent e-cig study survey that they have lost their jobs for vaping while at work, while their smoking counterparts have not. 

The study

Vaping retailer E-cigarette Direct carried out a nationwide survey entitled, “Vaping in the Workplace Study” which analyzed the reports of over 1900 respondents, 224 of which claimed to face discrimination because of vaping at their workplace and 13 reporting job termination. 

The average member of society will spend a third of their waking lives at work, and the environment they work in, the people they work with, and the rules they work under have a huge influence on their health and happiness, explained James Dunworth, chairman of E-Cigarette Direct. 

The results

In contrast to smoking, in the UK people are legally allowed to vape inside or employers must provide them with an outdoor environment that’s smoke-free. The e-cig study reported that over 75% of vapers were not allowed to vape at work unless they used the designated smoking area, which undermines their ability to remain smoke-free and, of course, exposes them to all the harmful side effects of secondhand smoke.

Key findings from the results

  • Most vaping restrictions are imposed on those who work in finance, banking, and insurance (88 people) followed by government, health, and education (86 people), and then construction (44 people).
  • Most of the reported job terminations were within the government, education, health, and defense sectors. 
  • 17% working in the real estate sector have considered changing their job because of vaping restrictions and bullying.
  • Of the 224 reports, men were more likely to report being discriminated against. 
  • Almost 1 in 5 vapers said that vaping restrictions would make it more likely for them to return to smoking

What did you find most interesting about the above data? Does it reflect how you or vaping colleagues are treated in your workplace? Drop a comment below to share with other readers.