Gorilla Vapes is proud to recognize the American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout on Thursday, November 16. This annual event, held every year on the third Thursday of November, happens to be exactly one week before Thanksgiving. Why does that day matter? Thanksgiving is a time to slow down and meet up with our closest friends and family- a perfect day to ask for their support and find an alternative to smoking.

People used to encourage smokers to quit cold turkey on a single day. But we now know that quitting is a process. It starts with a plan, often takes time and requires a lot of support. And as more research continues to support the benefits of vaping, the Great American Smokeout is also a perfect opportunity to become knowledgeable about vaping as an effective alternative to smoking.

In the News: “Switch From Smoking to Vaping Could Save Over 6 Million U.S. Lives”

According to "optimistic" projections from cancer researchers at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. as many as “6.6 million cigarette smokers could live a combined 86.7 million more years under policies that encourage them to swap their smokes for e-cigarettes.” The lead researcher of the study, David Levy, states that these numbers also show that by adopting e-cigarettes as an alternative to smoking, it would lead to a decrease in tobacco use in the United States and improve health. "What the scientists have discovered is it's not the nicotine that causes nearly all the deaths," Levy said. "It's all the other stuff in cigarettes that people inhale."

In the News: “Scientists Agree Vaping Is Helping Smokers Quit And Saving Lives”

A recent study showing that daily use of e-cigs exponentially increases a smoker’s chances of successfully quitting. Researchers from the Georgetown University Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center studied smokers’ habits and how they relate to their efforts to quit. They found that casual use of vaping devices by smokers does not do much to help their chances at quitting, but found that a more regular usage correlated with a successful transition off tobacco.

Nicotine in E-Cigarettes vs Cigarettes: Did You Know?

Did you know that e-cigs allow you to control your nicotine levels? You can start at a higher level that you may already be used to and dial it down to wean yourself off of it at your own pace. You can monitor how much nicotine you’re getting through a digital readout on your vaping mod. And if the physical act of smoking is keeping you from quitting, you can continue vaping using zero nicotine e-liquid.

ACS Body Benefits When You Quit Smoking Cigarettes

According to the ACS, within minutes of smoking your last cigarette, your body begins to recover:

●20 minutes after quitting: Your heart rate and blood pressure drop.

●12 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

●2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.

●1 to 9 months after quitting: Coughing and shortness of breath decrease. Tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs (called cilia) start to regain normal function in your lungs, increasing their ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.

●1 year after quitting: The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of someone who still smokes. Your heart attack risk drops dramatically.

●5 years after quitting: Your risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and bladder is cut in half. Cervical cancer risk falls to that of a non-smoker. Your stroke risk can fall to that of a non-smoker after 2 to 5 years.

●10 years after quitting” Your risk of dying from lung cancer is about half that of a person who is still smoking. Your risk of cancer of the larynx (voice box) and pancreas decreases.

●15 years after quitting: Your risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker’s.

Consider Vaping as an Alternative to Celebrate the Great American Smokeout

Both Gorilla Vapes and the American Cancer Society share the same goal, to become as healthy and happy as you can be and find safe, healthy alternatives. During this year’s Great American Smokeout, we hope you will consider taking that first step to toward a healthier life, embrace vaping and be grateful for all the wonderful things in your cigarette-free life.