More and more smokers believe that vejping is as dangerous as cigarette smoking - or even worse. This is according to new opinion data independent UK organisation "Our World in Data" highlights in a recent analysis.
Researcher Hannah Ritchie notes that misconceptions are spreading even though the research is clear: vaping is far less harmful than smoking.
”Vaping is not risk-free, but it is less harmful than tobacco,” writes Hannah Ritchie in the article, pointing out that the difference in risks is not really that difficult to understand. The tobacco in cigarettes burns, producing thousands of toxic substances that damage lungs and blood vessels. A vape, on the other hand, heats a liquid containing nicotine - without combustion and without the same chemical soup.
Misinformation that costs lives
But this picture does not seem to be getting through. According to Action on Smoking and Health” (ASH), more than half of UK smokers now believe vaping is as dangerous as smoking - and the proportion is increasing year on year. Representatives from a range of health groups describe the trend as downright dangerous.
”Equating vaping with smoking is a lie that costs lives. Misinformation kills trust, and without trust, smokers won't switch,” Delon Human, a doctor for the Smoke Free Sweden campaign, told the Planet of the Vapes website.
Fewer smokers understand the health benefits
According to Smoke Free Sweden, in 2015, around one in three UK smokers knew that using a vape was less harmful. Today, less than one in eight do. The figures are confirmed by similar analyses from University College London, where much of the independent research on vejping and e-cigarettes are compiled regularly.
Organisations warn that the growing mistrust of vejpning is leading fewer smokers to make the switch, despite clear evidence of the health benefits. A smoker who switches completely to vaping nicotine reduces their exposure to toxic substances by up to 95 per cent, according to British Health Authority NHS.
The overall picture is skewed
Hannah Ritchie says the change is largely about how the media, politicians and interest groups portray vaping. In recent years, the focus has increasingly been on youth use, disposable products and flavours - not on adult smokers switching to less harmful alternatives. The result has been a more alarmist picture where risks are exaggerated and context is lost.
- ”In many cases, the headlines are correct, but the overall picture is skewed. When people hear that a product contains nicotine or flavourings, they interpret it as if it were as dangerous as cigarettes,” writes Hannah Ritchie.
She says the problem is not just about ignorance, but about how people's trust in science is communicated. When research results are downplayed - or when authorities, fearing young people's use, give unclear messages - it is easy for the public to interpret the silence as a warning.
Charitable organisation identified
The Planet of the Vapes article ”Misinformation is Costing Lives” argues that the negative image of vejpning has been partly reinforced by the way major international campaigns are funded and communicated. They argue that some of these campaigns, with links to American philanthropist and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, have contributed to vaping often being portrayed as as dangerous as smoking. Planet of the Vapes emphasises that the criticism is about how the messages are perceived by the public, not directly about the campaigns themselves being dishonest or lacking public health objectives.
An opportunity that is being lost
The hesitation of many smokers is not just an information issue, but a public health issue. According to the UK NHS smoking still causes around 70 000 deaths in the country every year, while the potential health risks of vaping are not even on the same playing field.
”This is a lost opportunity. If more smokers switched to vaping, the number of tobacco-related deaths would fall dramatically in just a few years,” continues Hannah Ritchie.
Not: Our World in Data is run in collaboration between Oxford researchers and the non-profit organisation Global Change Data Lab. The Oxford team is responsible for the research and data analysis, while the non-profit organisation runs and maintains the website. The research is linked to the University of Oxford Martin Programme on Global Development and focuses on analysing global problems using data.
Sources:
Our World in Data Vaping vs Smoking: health risks (Hannah Ritchie)
Planet of the Vapes Misinformation Is Costing Lives
Smoke Free Sweden - Misinformation about safer nicotine alternatives is costing lives, experts warn
