Health and Medicine

Vaping E­-Cigarettes Costs Higher Than Conventional Smoking

March 29, 2016
14 Comments
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2 Min Read
Vaping Smoking

As the e-cigarettes are not subjected to excise duties and taxes, these are generally perceived to be cheaper than the traditional combustible cigarettes. A recent study, however, shatters the misconception about e-cigarettes being a cost-effective alternative for the smokers.

The initial cost involved in vaping e-cigarettes is almost twice the cost associated with its traditional counterpart, reveals the study conducted by the American Cancer Society in association with the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

The study involved assessing the price of e-cigarettes in comparison with regular tobacco cigarettes in 45 countries around the globe. The findings show that e-cigarettes actually cost higher than the conventional cigarettes in all the countries, barring just one. While the e-cigarettes are usually marketed as an affordable alternative that can aid the smokers in quitting tobacco, the research does raise question marks over whether vaping liquid nicotine is really as affordable as they are projected to be.

A comparative analysis was performed on the starting cost of regular cigarettes against two types of e-cigarettes available in the market – disposable e-cigarettes and refillable e-cigarettes. The researchers found that the disposable e-cigarettes cost nearly double the price of an equivalent amount of regular cigarettes ($5.00 and $8.50, subsequently). While the liquid nicotine used in the refillable e-cigarettes can cost a couple of dollars less, one has to shell out an additional $20 to purchase a refillable cartridge – which, at the start, eventually makes it more expensive compared to the regular combustible cigarettes.

Among the countries that were a part of this research, United Kingdom is the only nation where the costs of e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes are almost identical (pack of regular cigarettes averaging nearly $14 USD). The researchers are unsure of whether price equality between cigarettes and e-cigarettes is the way forward, but they are in complete agreement that increasing the price of cigarettes through excise taxes is the right practice to persuade the smokers into quitting.

  • Lee

    I’d like to see the math behind this…because this sounds pretty far off. Take Canada for example (I know it best)

    1 pack of cigarettes is, let’s say $12. If i smoke a pack a day, that’s anywhere from $360 a month.

    Even in the first month of vaping alone, let’s say you buy a decent vape kit (battery, atomizer, juice, tip), that’ll put you back anywhere from $150 – 300 (and higher if you want to go all in)

    Now let’s say you smoke a full tank of juice a day (which is a stretch), a bottle of juice should last you ~10 refills, adding up to 3 bottles of juice a month. Juices have a range, but let’s even put it on the high end and say $30 per bottle.

    Let’s even say that instead of doing your own coils, you’re buying ready made ones, at (rounding up) $15 for 5 (changing once every 5 days)

    That month (which will by far be the most expensive) adds up to 300 + 15 + 30* [3 juices * (30 days/10 days per bottle)] + (15* 1.2)

    That equal $423 in the first month, and $123 in the subsequent months.

    Increasing the monthly prices above threefold will put you at the same cost of smoking. Sure there’s a somewhat larger initial investment, but unless you’re breaking your vape every month, the math doesn’t add up in the article.

  • SicLuceatLux

    This article doesn’t make sense and seems to mis-report the study findings. From the study abstract:

    “Results: Comparable units of combustible cigarettes cost less than disposable e-cigarettes in almost every country in the sample. While the e-liquids consumed in rechargeable e-cigarettes might cost less per comparable unit than combustible cigarettes, the initial cost to purchase a rechargeable e-cigarette presents a significant cost barrier to switching from smoking to vaping.”

    The abstract states, clearly, that e-liquids are cheaper in unit-cost than cigarettes. Over time, the investment in a cheap vape pen is overcome. So while the article states:

    “While the liquid nicotine used in the refillable e-cigarettes can cost a couple of dollars less, one has to shell out an additional $20 to purchase a refillable cartridge – which eventually makes it way expensive compared to the regular combustible cigarettes.”

    The truth is exactly the opposite: eventually, after the initial investment, switching over becomes cheaper.

    It is unclear to me why the author of the linked article attempted to skew these findings and am disappointed at the implied attempt to discourage smokers from switching to a healthier option. Even were it to me marginally more expensive the health benefits are well-documented.

    What I can say is that I have saved hundreds of dollars both in direct (buying cigarettes) and indirect (lost productivity from taking breaks to go outside) costs from switching over.

  • Cory Zirk

    for the price of a carton of cigarettes (80 ish dollars) I can go out, and buy a really nice starter mod, and a months worth of juice…. This article makes ZERO sense, unless u smoke less than one or 2 cigarettes a day.

  • Ron Harris

    These “studies” on vaping from non vapors are driving me nuts. $20 for a cartridge? These so called studies are paid for by tabacco companies. Since measuring cigarette consumption vs vaping is impossible, let’s put it this way..ONE CAUSES CANCER, CIGERETTES, THE OTHER DOES NOT, VAPING, any questions? Do you really need another study?/ Done and Done.

    • prisoner223

      Vaping hasn’t been around long enough to know what the health effects are.

      Ridiculous to make a proclamation like that.

      Unless you’re actually from the future and have decades of research into the health effects of vaping at your disposable?!

      You’re coming to the conclusion that you want to without any supporting evidence or research, exactly what you claimed the authors of this study did.

      • Gabriel Sebastian

        Lets just go by common sense and anecdotal evidence. I have been to steam rooms, but I have never been to a smoke room.

      • Joshua Teks Fritz

        as a 20 year smoker, I can say without refute that after 20 days I could feel a noticable differance and was able to jog much longer, breathe better and just overall felt better. We are talking about people who normaly are trying to quit smoking. If this helps to quit, a %10-%20 swing in either direction in the odds if getting cancer isn’t going to matter if you’re only doing it a couple of months and then are able to quit once you feel great and wean yourself down in the nicotine. It’s also much cheaper. The upfront cost is about $100 for a decent setup with $20 a month in “filters” and $60 – $80 a month in juice. Smoking was costing me $2500 a year, vaping would cost about $1400, tops. It’s also well known that Cigarette companies add like 200 chemicals to their tobacco, vaping has only 3 chemicals, one is nicotine and the others are traditionally produced by food companies. Short answer: “Sometimes it doesn’t matter if it’s “not healthy”, it’s the shinier of two turds”.

      • wikkiwikki

        As Ron Harris states, “These so called studies are paid for by tabacco companies,” maybe that should tell you something. If Parent company of Tylenol came out and said Ibprofen is known to cause vomiting when used for headaches when you have been using it for 10 years treat your headaches, are you going to suddenly believe them too?

        I pay 60 bucks a year for nicotine. $15, Maybe $20 a year in VG juice. and $20 for flavors. My mod was $80 and batteries $30. Initial startup cost, as with anything you are starting, is a small bit to get going but as you can see 364 x $6 a pack is way the fuck more expensive then vaping. Two weeks of smoking and I can vape for a year.

        Sure if I want to buy designer e-juice at 15 to 20 bucks per 30ml bottle, I could drive my costs up. But even vaping heavy you’d have a hard time killing 30ml in 4 days and that still is cheaper then smoking analogs.

        Health benefits from switching from analogs to vaping is YUUUGE!!!!! As an asthmatic who now vapes, I no longer have to have my inhaler nearby or my nebulizer on the ready. You need to do real research and learn that vaping, when done right, is not only safer but way more cost effective.

  • Werds

    30ML juice last me 1-2 week lets call it 9 day cost around 19 bucks or i smoke a pack a day for 7.80 or 70 bucks for 9 days

  • Werds

    30ML juice last me 1-2 week lets call it 9 day cost around 19 bucks or i smoke a pack a day for 7.80 or 70 bucks for 9 days

  • MC

    What a stupid, misinformed article. And what the hell is a cartridge? I buy a bottle of liquid for $20 that lasts me 10 days, or about $2 a day. Even if you bought new hardware every year, which I don’t, that would only add maybe 25c per day over the course of a year. And WHAT ABOUT THE HEALTH COSTS! Inhaling combustion products that contain hundreds of carcinogens vs vaping which seems to be harmless? Gee not sure what the best option is. Why are so many people out to get something that is such a drastic improvement and could be the end of tobacco?

  • Gabriel Sebastian

    First of all who wrote this article didn’t factor refillable tanks. My liquid costing me 25.00 per 30 mL of premiuum grade last me two weeks at least. a Pack a day is being replaced. so 6 x 14= 84.00.
    Secondly, getting rid of the smell of cigarettes off clothes is anoth cost that needs to be factored.
    Thirdly: gum to ,mask the ashtray breath
    Disregard the study, it was done by an idiot.

  • Werds

    God why do they try to lie to smoker we fucking know how much it cost pack a day at 7.50ish more tho so athats 255 bucks a month with that you could get any mod you want and a months worth of juice. i don’t hate liberals because of there politics i get it RARARA I hate liberals because they constantly try to shit in my mouth and call it rain.

  • Werds

    DON”T DO THE MATH ITS BEEN COVERED but can we please get a comment from the author of this you know he reads these i’m calling you out SJN you gotta give us some feedback or im going to start stalking you ill be back in a month