IT'S BEST TO QUIT
It's best to quit tobacco and nicotine completely. Quitting is a very personal experience and there's no one way that works for everyone. Every year, thousands of people do what's best - quit smoking altogether. A good place to start is by getting as much information as you can.
SMOKE-FREE PRODUCTS
Those who don’t quit altogether deserve information about alternatives. There are now a range of alternatives that are a better choice than continuing to smoke.
YOU'RE NOT ALONE
Hear from some fellow Unsmokers who have made the step.
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS TO CONTINUED SMOKING?
The most well-known alternatives to continued smoking are e-cigarettes, which involve inhaling a nicotine vapor created by heating a liquid.
There are also heated tobacco products. Like the name suggests, they heat tobacco to a temperature that releases a nicotine-containing vapor that the user then inhales.
Modern oral products also exist. These include products such as snus and tobacco-free nicotine-containing smoke-free products designed for oral use. Snus is a tobacco-containing smoke-free product consisting of ground tobacco mixed with water, salt and flavouring agents usually contained in a pouch. The nicotine is released by placing the product between the upper lip & gum. Nicotine containing pouches are used in the same way, however do not contain tobacco.
By not burning tobacco, these products don’t create smoke. Their emissions should contain fewer and lower levels of harmful chemicals compared to cigarette smoke. Of course, this needs to be assessed on a product specific basis. Also, these products are not risk-free, and they contain nicotine, which is addictive.
E-CIGARETTES
E-cigarettes are smoke-free products that heat an e-liquid to produce a vapor.
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What are e-cigarettes?
E-cigarettes produce an aerosol by heating a liquid that contains flavorings and usually nicotine. Some resemble cigarettes, some resemble pens; while “vape mods” are bigger devices that can be modified, e.g. by adding a larger liquid chamber. Like other smoke-free products, e-cigarettes are not risk-free and contain nicotine, which is addictive.
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How do they work?
Broadly speaking, they include a rechargeable battery and an element that heats the e-liquid to produce the vapor that’s inhaled. The vast majority of liquids—and their vapors—contain nicotine.
HEATED TOBACCO
Heated tobacco products are smoke-free products based on the concept of heating tobacco to temperatures well below those reached by a burning cigarette.
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What is heated tobacco?
Heated tobacco products generate a nicotine-containing aerosol by heating tobacco to temperatures sufficient to release nicotine and flavors from the tobacco, but low enough to prevent the tobacco from burning. Like other smoke-free products, heated tobacco products are not risk-free and contain nicotine, which is addictive.
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How does it work?
To produce the nicotine-containing vapor, tobacco (in a stick or capsule) is heated using battery-powered heating systems or by way of a carbon tip.
MODERN ORAL PRODUCTS
Modern oral products refers to tobacco (known as snus) and tobacco-free nicotine-containing smoke-free products designed for oral use.
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WHAT ARE MODERN ORAL PRODUCTS?
Snus consists of ground tobacco mixed with water, salt and flavoring agents. It can be loose or in small portion pouches. Its use does not involve burning or inhalation of an aerosol. Tobacco-free nicotine-containing pouches do not contain tobacco. Like other smoke-free products, modern oral products are not risk-free and contain nicotine, which is addictive.
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HOW DO THEY WORK?
It's generally placed between the upper lip and gum where it gradually releases nicotine.
THE PROBLEM WITH BURNING
The majority of harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke comes from burning—not the tobacco itself.
The smoke from burning any plant will contain dozens of harmful or potentially harmful chemicals. Remove the combustion and this should reduce the levels of many of those chemicals.
NICOTINE
Nicotine, while addictive and not risk-free, is not the primary cause of smoking-related diseases. It’s actually the high levels of harmful chemicals in the smoke of a burning cigarette.