Vaping has become increasingly popular over recent years, particularly with smokers hoping to quit traditional tobacco products. In fact, research suggests that 8.7% of adults in England, Scotland and Wales now regularly vape, which has risen significantly from 1.7% just ten years prior.
The popularity of vaping has boomed so much so that Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) labelled the last decade the ‘Vaping Revolution’, with the number of regular vapers reaching record levels at an estimated 4.3 million in Great Britain alone.
Alongside this significant increase in e-cigarette users, the UK has simultaneously witnessed a boom in veganism, with a 400% increase in plant-based diets over the last two years. We can assume from these two trends that more individuals following a vegan diet will also transition to vaping, in which case, an important and valid question has been raised: “Is vaping vegan friendly?”.
To help answer this question, we have outlined our top tips on how to ensure e-cigarettes are cruelty-free, including what ingredients to avoid and how to spot a vegan-friendly manufacturer.
Why Are Traditional Cigarettes Non-Vegan?
While many of us acknowledge the adverse health effects of smoking, we’re less aware of how traditional cigarettes have contributed to animal suffering. To help develop your understanding, we have outlined the two main reasons why traditional cigarettes are not vegan friendly.
Animal Cruelty
According to PETA, there is a long history of unnecessary animal testing within the tobacco industry. Rats, mice, dogs and even pregnant monkeys have been forced to inhale cigarette smoke over long periods of time. After, these animals are inhumanely killed and dissected to better understand the impact of cigarette smoke on the body. However, due to the differences between humans and these species, the data collected could not effectively advise on human health, so the findings were disregarded as unreliable. For this very reason, animal testing for smoking products has since been banned in several European countries, including the United Kingdom.
Animal By-Products
It should be noted that some traditional cigarettes can contain animal-derived components. For example, cellulose acetate – often found in cigarette filters – is made from processed wood pulp and can include traces of animal ingredients like gelatin. Additionally, beeswax can also be found in cigarettes. To extract the beeswax, commercial honey producers commonly subject bees to poor nutrition or expose them to harmful pesticides. All in all, these ingredients, no matter how small their traces may be, conclude that traditional cigarettes do not adhere to vegan beliefs.
Identifying Vegan E-Cigarettes
As the vaping community expands, we are seeing an increased demand for cruelty-free products that allow vegans to enjoy the benefits of vaping without compromising their moral principles. However, in this saturated market, it can be overwhelming trying to locate an e-cigarette brand that is entirely vegan. To help you identify authentic vegan products, we have outlined our top three tips below:
Check the Ingredients List
A simple way to identify a non-vegan product is to check the ingredients list on your e-liquid bottle. If the list contains any unnatural components, it’s unlikely the e-liquid is vegan. Below, we have noted specific animal-derived ingredients to watch out for:
Carmine
E-liquid colourings – especially those found within red and pink liquids – sometimes include carmine, which is a red pigment derived from crushed beetles.
Gelatin
Derived from collagen which is found in animal skin, connective tissue and bones, gelatin is a widely-known animal ingredient. It’s likely you will find gelatin in many e-liquids, where it is used as a thickener to enhance their consistency.
Castoreum
Used to enhance the sweetness of popular flavours like vanilla, strawberry and raspberry, castoreum is created using a secretion from glands located near a beaver’s rectum. As you can imagine, the way in which this ingredient is extracted goes against vegan belief.
Casein
Casein – a protein found in milk – is often used by e-liquid manufacturers as a thickener or to enhance the flavours of the liquid.
Choose a Vegan-Friendly Company
The modern vape market is now full of brands catering for vegans, all of which will avoid using non-vegan ingredients. We recommend researching and comparing various vape companies before purchasing your e-cigarette. In doing so, you can enjoy the benefits of vaping without sacrificing your commitment to the vegan lifestyle.
Do Your Research
Vaping is a great environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional tobacco products. The production of e-liquids is typically less harmful to the environment compared to traditional cigarettes, producing far fewer CO2 emissions and avoiding deforestation. In addition, many e-liquids can also be recycled, unlike cigarette butts which take approximately fourteen years to degrade.
Although there is no doubt that vaping is an eco-friendly option, it’s still important to recognise the materials used during the production of your vape device. For example, many electronic cigarettes are produced using plastic and other materials that may contain animal-derived ingredients. To avoid these components, we recommend dedicating time to research the materials used in your e-cigarette; as a general rule, if the device is made entirely from glass and metal, it’s likely to be vegan friendly. Some manufacturers also offer sustainable options such as reusable and recyclable devices to help reduce your environmental impact when vaping.
E-cigarettes are certainly a viable option for vegans who are looking for an alternative to traditional tobacco products. Whether you’re looking to improve your health and well-being or opt for an eco-friendly option, e-cigarettes allow you to enjoy the benefits of vaping without the associated guilt. At Red Vape, we can proudly guarantee that you will never find any artificial ingredients, flavourings or colourings in our products. Using only the finest natural ingredients, you can rest assured that our products are both luxurious and vegan friendly.
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Is Vaping Vegan Friendly?
Vaping has become increasingly popular over recent years, particularly with smokers hoping to quit traditional tobacco products. In fact, research suggests that 8.7% of adults in England, Scotland and Wales now regularly vape, which has risen significantly from 1.7% just ten years prior.
The popularity of vaping has boomed so much so that Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) labelled the last decade the ‘Vaping Revolution’, with the number of regular vapers reaching record levels at an estimated 4.3 million in Great Britain alone.
Alongside this significant increase in e-cigarette users, the UK has simultaneously witnessed a boom in veganism, with a 400% increase in plant-based diets over the last two years. We can assume from these two trends that more individuals following a vegan diet will also transition to vaping, in which case, an important and valid question has been raised: “Is vaping vegan friendly?”.
To help answer this question, we have outlined our top tips on how to ensure e-cigarettes are cruelty-free, including what ingredients to avoid and how to spot a vegan-friendly manufacturer.
Why Are Traditional Cigarettes Non-Vegan?
While many of us acknowledge the adverse health effects of smoking, we’re less aware of how traditional cigarettes have contributed to animal suffering. To help develop your understanding, we have outlined the two main reasons why traditional cigarettes are not vegan friendly.
Animal Cruelty
According to PETA, there is a long history of unnecessary animal testing within the tobacco industry. Rats, mice, dogs and even pregnant monkeys have been forced to inhale cigarette smoke over long periods of time. After, these animals are inhumanely killed and dissected to better understand the impact of cigarette smoke on the body. However, due to the differences between humans and these species, the data collected could not effectively advise on human health, so the findings were disregarded as unreliable. For this very reason, animal testing for smoking products has since been banned in several European countries, including the United Kingdom.
Animal By-Products
It should be noted that some traditional cigarettes can contain animal-derived components. For example, cellulose acetate – often found in cigarette filters – is made from processed wood pulp and can include traces of animal ingredients like gelatin. Additionally, beeswax can also be found in cigarettes. To extract the beeswax, commercial honey producers commonly subject bees to poor nutrition or expose them to harmful pesticides. All in all, these ingredients, no matter how small their traces may be, conclude that traditional cigarettes do not adhere to vegan beliefs.
Identifying Vegan E-Cigarettes
As the vaping community expands, we are seeing an increased demand for cruelty-free products that allow vegans to enjoy the benefits of vaping without compromising their moral principles. However, in this saturated market, it can be overwhelming trying to locate an e-cigarette brand that is entirely vegan. To help you identify authentic vegan products, we have outlined our top three tips below:
Check the Ingredients List
A simple way to identify a non-vegan product is to check the ingredients list on your e-liquid bottle. If the list contains any unnatural components, it’s unlikely the e-liquid is vegan. Below, we have noted specific animal-derived ingredients to watch out for:
E-liquid colourings – especially those found within red and pink liquids – sometimes include carmine, which is a red pigment derived from crushed beetles.
Derived from collagen which is found in animal skin, connective tissue and bones, gelatin is a widely-known animal ingredient. It’s likely you will find gelatin in many e-liquids, where it is used as a thickener to enhance their consistency.
Used to enhance the sweetness of popular flavours like vanilla, strawberry and raspberry, castoreum is created using a secretion from glands located near a beaver’s rectum. As you can imagine, the way in which this ingredient is extracted goes against vegan belief.
Casein – a protein found in milk – is often used by e-liquid manufacturers as a thickener or to enhance the flavours of the liquid.
Choose a Vegan-Friendly Company
The modern vape market is now full of brands catering for vegans, all of which will avoid using non-vegan ingredients. We recommend researching and comparing various vape companies before purchasing your e-cigarette. In doing so, you can enjoy the benefits of vaping without sacrificing your commitment to the vegan lifestyle.
Do Your Research
Vaping is a great environmentally-friendly alternative to traditional tobacco products. The production of e-liquids is typically less harmful to the environment compared to traditional cigarettes, producing far fewer CO2 emissions and avoiding deforestation. In addition, many e-liquids can also be recycled, unlike cigarette butts which take approximately fourteen years to degrade.
Although there is no doubt that vaping is an eco-friendly option, it’s still important to recognise the materials used during the production of your vape device. For example, many electronic cigarettes are produced using plastic and other materials that may contain animal-derived ingredients. To avoid these components, we recommend dedicating time to research the materials used in your e-cigarette; as a general rule, if the device is made entirely from glass and metal, it’s likely to be vegan friendly. Some manufacturers also offer sustainable options such as reusable and recyclable devices to help reduce your environmental impact when vaping.
E-cigarettes are certainly a viable option for vegans who are looking for an alternative to traditional tobacco products. Whether you’re looking to improve your health and well-being or opt for an eco-friendly option, e-cigarettes allow you to enjoy the benefits of vaping without the associated guilt. At Red Vape, we can proudly guarantee that you will never find any artificial ingredients, flavourings or colourings in our products. Using only the finest natural ingredients, you can rest assured that our products are both luxurious and vegan friendly.