Vapers might 'fall back to cigarette smoking if workplace restrictions tighten'

Vapers can return to cigarette smoking if workplace restrictions get tighter, says a recent new study which also claims that vapers tend to convince tobacco smokers to switch to vaping.

According to a study by vaping retailer E-Cigarette Direct, one-fifth of people using vapes to quit smoking tobacco could return to smoking cigarettes if restrictions on e-cigarettes tightened in their workplace.

The study is based on the survey of 2,000 people who vape.

Unlike smoking, people are legally allowed to vape inside, which many use as an alternative to tobacco.

The study also uncovered how vapers often convince their acquaintances and colleagues to switch from cigarettes to vaping. About 45 per cent of women and 52 per cent of men say they had introduced a colleague to vaping, stated the survey’s findings.

James Dunworth, chairman of E-Cigarette Direct said: “It is sad and very frustrating that a fifth of vapers would consider smoking tobacco again if rules around vaping in the workplace got stricter.

“Some workplaces provide a shared space for people to vape and smoke, which could cause a lot of relapses.

“Sometimes work can be a stressful environment, which can be a common situation for relapses. Those trying to avoid tobacco-based products should be given the respect and space to vape away from cigarette smoke.”

The revelation comes amid invitations by UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to vape manufacturers to submit their products to go through the same regulatory approvals process as other medicines available via the health service.

It could lead to e-cigarettes being licensed and provided as a prescription medicine in England within 18 to 24 months, the government has said.

When (and if) a product receives MHRA approval, clinicians will then be able to decide on a case-by-case basis whether it is appropriate to prescribe an e-cigarette to NHS patients to help them quit smoking.