What is the difference between vaping and smoking?
The fundamental difference lies in the absence of fire. Smoking means inhaling the combustion of tobacco and paper, which is like breathing in the exhaust of an old truck. Vaping is inhaling an aerosol produced by evaporation at low temperatures. You keep the nicotine hit and the sensory pleasure, but you eliminate the tar and carbon monoxide that clog your system. It is a bit like switching from an old coal boiler to high-tech electric heating.
From a biological standpoint, smoke carries burning solid particles that embed themselves in your tissues, whereas vapor dissipates much faster without leaving sticky residues. The "hit," that throat sensation, is preserved thanks to propylene glycol and nicotine, but without the aggressiveness of carcinogenic substances linked to flames. It is a transition toward a cleaner and much less suffocating consumption for your body.