Office vaping is big business 10 years after the smoke ban

Electronic cigarettes are taking over offices as British workers are opting for smoking alternatives 10 years on from British buildings going smoke-free, but experts remain unsure of the safety of vaping. Smoking figures have seen a steady decline since 2010, from one in five adults in 2010 to around 15% last year, while vaping has become a £1 billion business.

Inhaling vapour through a personal e-cigarette, vaping offers users benefits over traditional smoking; it’s odourless and doesn’t stain fingers and teeth; there’s no need for an ashtray; it can be more cost-effective than buying cigarettes and it’s ‘e-liquid’ is customisable – from different flavours to varying nicotine strengths. As the most popular quitting aid for smokers, reports have revealed that it has even encouraged smokers to reduce their smoke intake subconsciously by choosing lower nicotine strengths.

Still a relatively new phenomenon, the true health benefits are still unknown, and different businesses are tackling it in different ways. Personnel Today has released a report on the various concerns of bosses when it comes to office vaping. Encouraging bosses to set clear and distinct policies emphasising the differences between smoking and vaping, the guide reminds employers that de-normalising smoking through e-cigarette policies could make a dramatic difference to their workers’ health, with a 2015 report suggesting vaping could be up to 95% safer than tobacco.

“The evidence is clear that vaping is much less harmful than smoking and that e-cigarettes are helping many smokers to quit,” said Professor Kevin Fenton, National Director of health and wellbeing at Public Health England last year, responding to reports of British vapers reaching the 3 million mark. “Different approaches will be appropriate in different places, but policies should take account of the evidence and clearly distinguish vaping from smoking.”

With the government keen to discover any notable side-effects from e-cigarettes, members of the public are encouraged to refer to the Yellow Card Scheme to ensure the product is meeting safety standards.