Are There Any Good Alternatives to Smoking?

Smoking has become something of a public health crisis in recent decades, even with the number of worldwide smokers in decline. Tobacco companies are excellent at marketing, dragging in thousands of new users on a yearly basis, despite losing thousands simultaneously. With money in the right places, regulations are lax, to say the least; especially when it comes to tobacco’s environmental impacts.

When you think of smoking, your first concern is probably cancer. Smoking is most certainly responsible for certain cancers and other ailments like heart disease, but it’s much worse than that. Smoking affects air quality, puts a burden on our healthcare system, and contributes to deforestation, pollution, toxic waste creation, and more.

The bottom line? Smoking is killing more than just your Aunt Genny. It’s slowly killing off our planet! Which begs the question: are there any good alternatives to smoking? If by “good”, you mean “less impactful/harmful/destructive”, then yes. Here are just a few.

Non Tobacco Chew

One of the best ways to minimize tobacco’s impact on public health and the environment is to eliminate the need for tobacco altogether. Non tobacco chew is just what it sounds like: chewing “tobacco” without the tobacco element. In place of tobacco, you’ll find medical-grade nicotine and all-natural ingredients that mimic the look, feel, and taste of tobacco dip.

Non tobacco chew is a good alternative because it eliminates the thousands of chemicals that you get from cigarettes from your body. Once you quit smoking, your body begins to heal from the damage, and you want to keep it that way. Nicotine withdrawal isn’t pleasant, however, so many people choose a nicotine alternative so they can still get that “fix”.

Non tobacco chew comes in several flavors and has an authentic feel to it. You won’t even notice the difference between tobacco chew and non tobacco alternatives! If you’re a smoker or a current chewing tobacco user, you may want to consider this as a viable alternative to smoking and dipping.

CBD Oils and Vape

You’ve likely heard something about CBD oils in recent years; they’ve pretty much exploded onto the market and caused something of a buzz with consumers and investors alike. CBD is a naturally-occurring compound found in Cannabis, known as a cannabinoid.

Cannabinoids are pretty much designed to be compatible with the human body. We even have our own endocannabinoid system for accepting foreign cannabinoids and producing our own. Pretty amazing, right? CBD isn’t the same as its cousin, THC, though the two are often mistaken for one another.

CBD doesn’t produce a “high”, but rather offers several benefits without impairment. From managing anxiety, inflammation, and pain, to possible treating addiction, we’re still learning about CBD. So far, the results are quite promising.

Vaping CBD or taking oils under the tongue is a popular alternative for many smokers. Since CBD has few to no side-effects and offers no danger to the human body, it’s much safer to use than smoking cigarettes.

Vape Pens and E-Cigs

Vape pens and e-cigarettes are often advertised as a “healthier” alternative to cigarettes, but it’s important to remember that inhaling anything isn’t a healthy choice. Your lungs are a resilient organ system, but they’re designed to accept certain gasses; not anything you decide to breathe in.

E-cigarettes and vape pens use “vape juice”, which contains nicotine, among other things. Some vape juice has been found to contain similar ingredients as cigarettes. Overall, vaping is certainly an alternative, but whether or not it’s a good alternative depends on the person.

Some people choose vaping because it contains fewer chemicals, and you can control your dose better. Some use it to ween themselves off of nicotine for good, inhaling only a little less per day until they don’t need it anymore.

Be cautious when you’re buying e-cigarettes and vape pens. Choose a well-respected brand to avoid faulty equipment or sub-quality juice.

The Patch and Nicotine Gum

Nicotine patches and gum yield mixed results when it comes to quitting smoking. Depending on your reaction to them, you could feel a whole lot better or a whole lot worse with either one. The basic principle is that the gum or patches will provide you with minor doses of nicotine so you don’t need to smoke to get your nicotine fix. Eventually, you won’t need nicotine at all.

The Bottom Line

Smoking alternatives are numerous, but we’ve covered a few of the most common. Remember that smoking is an entirely destructive habit, and giving it up is always a good idea. That being said, be careful not to trade one bad habit for another. Things like vape pens and e-cigarettes can still be addictive! Pay close attention to how your body reacts to the sudden changes from alternative products.