There's not a person alive right now who'd call what we're going through right now "normal." Well, maybe there is, but they probably aren't very normal themselves. Like it or not, COVID-19 has had an effect on everyone across the country, not just the Niagara area. And in all the chaos and misinformation, people have made a pretty big deal out of COVID and its effect on smokers. We're here to set the records straight and give you a little bit of truth in the process. 

COVID-19 and the current rationale regarding smoking and vaping

You've probably heard it plastered all over the news: people who smoke or vape are at an increased risk of catching and even dying from COVID-19. The New York Times separates it into two distinct risk factors.

For one, smokers are more likely to have impaired respiratory functions. There's lots of studies out there that link habitual smoking to conditions like lung cancer and emphysema. No surprise there, right? I want to take a minute to remind you that while the public at large likes to lump cigarettes and vaping into one big category, there's a huge difference. Vaping carries virtually none of the same risk factors no matter what politicized scare tactic you read about. 

The second thing that the New York Times highlights is the fact that by smoking, and yeah vaping I guess, you are routinely touching your hand, and your vape or cigarette, to your face. The going theory is that this may increase your chance of catching COVID, smoke or not.

For the most part, everybody has just accepted this narrative as gospel. It's common sense that people with unhealthy lungs would be more susceptible, right? That's not exactly a surprise either, but the media's Corona-approved message is, "Smoking is bad, but in the era of global pandemics, it's really, really bad."  

There's more to this story than that though.    

Nicotine research

While the common narrative is full speed ahead against smoking, a group of researchers in France have a different take on things. According to this article from Reuters, a group of scientists in Paris, France are conducting research on how smoking actually affects a person's chances of getting COVID-19, or to be more precise, how nicotine affects it. 

Their thesis? That nicotine more or less covers receptors in the person's body making it hard for the coronavirus to bond to their cells. The upcoming clinical trial, in which researchers intend to monitor front-line healthcare workers wearing nicotine patches versus a control group with placebo patches, is a follow-up to an initial trial which showed that people with regular nicotine were up to 80% less likely to contract the disease. Whoa. 

The benefit of vaping

Don't get us wrong; we'd never tell you to go out and start smoking. We're not about to advocate for an additional public health crisis over here. iLL! HQ is all about responsible vaping. Our products are meant as a stepping stone to get you away from cigarette smoke while giving you a cleaner alternative to your nicotine consumption. So if you ever had the desire to quit smoking cigarettes, now is the time to do it. Vaping provides the perfect segue, and it fits perfectly with the direction that the French study is pointing in.

Vaping allows you to take in nicotine without the detrimental, cancer causing effects of tobacco. Plus it just tastes better and doesn't leave you with a stale, old smell when you're done. If you're looking to make the transition, or you vape already, take comfort in the fact that you may have a little bit of extra protection from COVID-19 already. You never know, but vaping, the cleaner alternative, might just save your life. And in the most unlucky year in modern human history, every win counts.  If you're ready to make the change, drop us a line and check out our full range of products.