A study from a leading tobacco researcher in Greece found the majority of vapers in the country are adults who are either current or former smokers.
The research, published April 13 in the Harm Reduction Journal, was led by Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos of the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Centre in Greece, a global voice for harm reduction technologies. The scientists surveyed 4,058 adults about their relationship with electronic cigarettes and combustible tobacco to determine the habits of people who regularly vape, reports Vaping Post.
They found roughly 62 percent of daily vapers in Greece are former smokers who have transitioned off combustible cigarettes. Conversely, only 6.5 percent of people who have never smoked reported trying an e-cigarette. More than half of respondents who admitted to ever trying a vaping device are current smokers.
“E-cigarette use in Greece is largely confined to current or former smokers, while current use and nicotine use by never smokers is extremely rare,” the researchers said in the study’s conclusion. “The majority of current e-cigarette users were former smokers. Most participants overestimate the harmfulness of e-cigarettes relative to smoking.”
The study aligns with previous research showing e-cigarettes hold little appeal for people who have never smoked and are immensely popular with smokers trying to quit. Research from the American Heart Association released in November reveals that e-cigarettes are the favorite method among smokers for quitting cigarettes.
The research shows that vapers tend to be either current smokers attempting to ditch combustible tobacco or former smokers maintaining their abstinence from cigarettes. The researchers also found that during their last three months of quitting, former smokers are 23 times more likely to rely on a vaping device.
Vaping largely eliminates the harms from conventional cigarettes because 95 percent of the carcinogens that cause tobacco-related illnesses are released through combustion, according to Public Health England. E-cigarettes simply heat liquid nicotine, creating an aerosol vapor.
Millions of former adult smokers in the U.S. are embracing the positive science on vaping and using the harm reduction tools to quit combustible cigarettes.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
