According to ASH’s annual survey data, approximately 1.8 million smokers who have not yet tried vaping believe that e-cigarettes are as harmful or potentially more harmful than smoking. This percentage has risen from 27% in 2019 to 43%. Furthermore, among the 2.9 million smokers who have tried vaping but eventually stopped, 44% now hold the belief that vaping is as harmful or more harmful than smoking, up from 25% in 2019.
ASH has found that the most accurate risk perceptions about vaping come from the 2.7 million ex-smokers who currently vape and the 2.9 million ex-smokers who used to vape. Among these individuals, 75% and 45%, respectively, believe that vaping is less harmful compared to smoking.
Hazel Cheeseman, the deputy chief executive of ASH, emphasized the importance of dispelling safety fears related to vaping. She stated, “The government has endorsed a vaping strategy to reduce smoking rates, but this approach will be undermined if smokers do not give vaping a chance due to safety concerns or if they cease vaping prematurely and revert back to smoking.” Cheeseman called on the government to swiftly improve public understanding that vaping poses significantly less risk than smoking.
Dr. Ruth Sharrock, clinical lead for tobacco dependency at the North East and North Cumbria NHS Integrated Care Board, recognized vaping as an important tool to aid smokers in quitting. She added, “When I see patients who smoke, they are often already ill due to smoking-related diseases and have lost hope of quitting. Vaping is a valuable resource in our efforts to combat smoking, especially for heavily addicted patients. However, many of my patients have been discouraged from trying vaping because of alarming media headlines.”
In addition to the adult vaping data from 2023, ASH will release a ‘myth buster’ document that refutes common misrepresentations about vaping. Created in collaboration with leading experts on smoking and vaping, this document provides evidence to debunk the following misconceptions: vaping being more harmful than smoking, vaping being more addictive than smoking, vaping being a proven gateway to smoking, and nicotine damaging young people’s brain development.
Professor Ann McNeill from King’s College London, an author of a government-commissioned review on vaping harms, reiterated the importance of switching from smoking to vaping for better health outcomes. She acknowledged that while concerns about youth vaping should not be dismissed and further regulation is warranted, the focus should remain on helping more adults quit smoking, with vaping being an effective means to that end.
Addressing concerns about accurate perceptions of vaping leading to increased youth vaping, Cheeseman emphasized that teenagers experiment with vaping not because they mistakenly think it is safe, but rather due to product appeal, affordability, and accessibility. She stated, “Implementing additional regulations will be more effective than fearmongering. Moreover, if teenagers who try vaping start to believe that smoking is equally harmful, there is a risk they may be more inclined to smoke.”
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