Scots think quitting smoking by vaping e-cigarettes should be encouraged, and vaping is much safer than smoking cigarettes, according to a new poll for the Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF).
The poll of 2,000 people, which comes in the wake of a Scottish Government consultation that proposes that in-store promotional displays of e-cigarettes should be banned, also shows that:
- E-cigarette users choose the products because they are cheaper and less harmful, and because they help them stop smoking.
- Vapers are increasingly choosing to buy e-cigarettes from local stores rather than the internet.
- Only 1 in 6 people, including non-smokers and non-vapers, want to make accessing vapes harder. Around half of the respondents want to make it easier to access vapes.
Dr John Lee, SGF’s Head of Policy and Public Affairs, said: “Scots – both smokers and non-smokers alike – are giving the thumbs up to e-cigarettes. This is important evidence from the real world which backs up the view of NHS Scotland that vaping is much less harmful than smoking cigarettes. Vapers are telling us that they are turning to e-cigarettes because they are safer, cheaper and more likely to lead to them quitting for good.
“Our member convenience stores want to play their part in the massive effort needed to switch smokers to vaping and make Scotland smoke-free by 2034. It is great news that double the number of respondents are buying their e-cigarettes from convenience stores than were doing so a year ago. Not only is buying in one of our member’s stories good for the local economy, it also helps the vaper know what they are buying.”
Lee added: “The Scottish Government wants to make Scotland smoke-free by 2034 – they have the route to achieving that right in front of them.”
