SIX in 10 smokers wrongly believe vaping is just as bad for them, a study found.
Polls of 28,000 Brits revealed we are becoming less trustful of e-cigarettes.
Only 27 per cent of tobacco smokers thought switching would be healthier.
Meanwhile 34 per cent said it is just as dangerous and 23 per cent said it was worse.
Health chiefs say vaping is not risk-free but it is much healthier because it involves no smoke or tar, which both cause cancer.
Quit-smoking initiatives may be undermined if smokers think vaping is just as harmful
Prof Jamie Brown
An estimated 65,000 cancer cases every year – one in five – are linked to fags.
Dr Sarah Jackson, of University College London, said: “The risks of vaping are much lower than the risks of smoking and this isn’t being clearly communicated to people.
“This misperception is a health risk because it may discourage smokers from substantially reducing their harm by switching to e-cigarettes.
“It may also encourage young people who use e-cigarettes to take up smoking if they believe they are comparable.
“Better communication is needed.”
UK smokers becoming less trustful of vapes over time
Research suggests e-cigarettes are one of the best ways for smokers to quit.
Ministers plan to tax vapes and ban jazzy flavours and packets to put children off, but are under pressure to keep them available for tobacco addicts.
The study, in the journal Jama Network Open, found vapes have gone down in Brits’ estimations in the past 10 years.
In 2014, 44 per cent believed e-cigarettes were less harmful than smoking – but this nearly halved while the proportion who said they were worse doubled from 11 per cent.
Prof Jamie Brown, from UCL, added: “The Government plans to offer one million smokers a free vaping starter kit to help them quit.
“This initiative may be undermined if many smokers are unwilling to try e-cigarettes because they wrongly believe them to be as harmful as cigarettes.”
PLANS FOR NEW UK VAPING LAWS
MINISTERS have pledged to crackdown on poorly regulated vapes and e-cigarettes following an explosion in the number of teenagers who use them
New rules for manufacturers and shopkeepers are expected to come into force in late 2024 or early 2025.
They are set to include:
- Higher tax rates paid on vapes to increase the price and make it harder for children to afford them
- A ban on single-use vapes in favour of devices that can be recharged
- A ban on colourful and cartoonish packaging that may appeal to youngsters
- Tighter controls on flavourings and a ban on unnecessarily sweet or child-friendly ones like bubblegum and candy
- More regulation on how and where they are displayed in shops, potentially putting them out of sight
- Harsher penalties for shops caught selling them to under-18s
Sarah Carter is a health and wellness expert residing in the UK. With a background in healthcare, she offers evidence-based advice on fitness, nutrition, and mental well-being, promoting healthier living for readers.
