A new survey by ASH has shown that for the first time more than half the people who use e-cigarettes have quit smoking completely.
Every year ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) conducts a national study called the Smoke-Free GB survey. In this study they track the use of e-cigarettes, their effectiveness and public opinion.
Some 1.5 Million people have used e-cigarettes to stop smoking in the UK alone, with more trying every day.
This is of course incredible news! That means millions of people are now smoke-free! In the space of a couple of years ecigs have transformed the way people stop smoking. E-cigarettes have made it easier, cheaper and more achievable than ever before to kick the habit.
However it was not all good news, the study showed a growing misunderstanding about e-cigs. The study looked at people’s opinions of e-cigarettes and showed some strange trends.
Vaping is Less Harmful
One of the surprising things that came out of this study though is how many people still think that e-cigs are as harmful as a cigarette.
26% of people asked thought that e-cigarettes were more harmful the cigarettes, with a further 30% not sure. That's over 50% of people who aren't sure about e-cigarettes!
Just to be clear then, e-cigs are at least 95% less harmful the cigarettes. They don't contain any of the 4,000 toxins or carcinogens in cigarettes, nor do they even produce smoke.
This has been proven by Cancer Research, ASH, Public Health England and e-cigs are even recommended by the Royal College of Physicians.
Despite this people still doubt them. Only 16% thought that e-cigs were a lot less harmful the cigarettes.
The aggravating thing then is that the one group of people who got the answer right are the only ones that don't need convincing, the e-cig users.
The people who still need convincing though, the smokers, are actually the worst informed. And the worst thing is that the misinformation is getting more widespread. In 2013 only 9% of smokers thought that e-cigs were just as bad as or worse than cigarettes, today 22% of them do.
Uptake has Slowed
With those kind of numbers then, it is no surprise then that the rate of people trying e-cigs has slowed down. The study looked at the number of new e-cig users, and though the numbers are still increasing, it is not as fast as it was.
The reason for this seems to be misinformation. Almost a third of smokers haven't even tried an e-cig, the main reason being "concerns about the safety and addictiveness".
Both of these are ridiculous, but at least the safety reason can be explained by biased articles and scaremongering tactics. The addictiveness argument just makes no sense though. How would e-cigarettes, with 4000 less chemicals and only nicotine and flavourings in be more addictive than cigarettes?
The answer of course is that it isn't more addictive. Cigalikes obviously contain nicotine, which is the reason people can make the switch from cigarettes after all. However e-cigs don't have the sugar present in cigarettes that can enhance with the addiction.
This of course isn't the only reason that uptake has slowed. Like any new product the people who were looking for something like this already were the first to swap.
The people who are left are those who aren't sure or who don't want to give up.
So if you are one of those smokers who isn't sure if ecigarettes could help you, or just don't want to give up, why not give one our starter kits a try? They are 95% less harmful for you then cigarettes and they give you the same hit and feeling as a cigarette. Why not try an e-cigarette starter kits!
