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Online Vape Shop Customers Who Use E-Cigarettes Report Abstinence from Smoking and Improved Quality of Life, But a Substantial Minority Still Have Vaping-Related Health Concerns

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  • Dinska Van Gucht

    (Applied Psychology Unit, Thomas More Mechelen-Antwerp University College, Molenstraat 8, 2018 Antwerp, Belgium
    Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven—University of Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Karolien Adriaens

    (Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven—University of Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

  • Frank Baeyens

    (Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven—University of Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, 3000 Leuven, Belgium)

Abstract

(1) Background: Characteristics and usage patterns of vapers (e-cigarette users) have mainly been studied in web-based convenience samples or in visitors of brick-and-mortar vape shops. We extended this by targeting customers of one particular online vape shop in the Netherlands; (2) Methods: Customers were questioned on their smoking history, current smoking and vaping status, reasons for vaping, perceived harmfulness, and potential health changes due to vaping; (3) Results: Almost everyone (99%, 95% CI 0.96, 1.00) smoked before they started vaping. A great majority agreed that unlike with other smoking-cessation aids, they could quit smoking (81%, 95% CI 0.79, 0.90) due to vaping. Almost all customers were regular vapers (93.6%, 95% CI 0.89, 0.96) who used state-of-the-art open system devices without modifications and e-liquid with 10 mg/mL nicotine on average. Vapers reported using e-cigs to quit smoking, because e-cigs are healthier, and for financial reasons. The majority (52.6%, 95% CI 0.46, 0.60) perceived vaping as not that harmful to not harmful at all , but one fifth (21.8%, 95% CI 0.16, 0.28) believed vaping to be harmful. More than half (57.8%, 95% CI 0.50, 0.65) reported gaining more pleasure from vaping than from smoking. A substantial majority (84.2%, 95% CI 0.78, 0.89) agreed that their health had improved since they started vaping; (4) Conclusions: Findings are similar to those obtained in other vape shop studies, but also to the results of convenience samples of less-well-defined populations.

Suggested Citation

  • Dinska Van Gucht & Karolien Adriaens & Frank Baeyens, 2017. "Online Vape Shop Customers Who Use E-Cigarettes Report Abstinence from Smoking and Improved Quality of Life, But a Substantial Minority Still Have Vaping-Related Health Concerns," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-11, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:14:y:2017:i:7:p:798-:d:104902
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Riccardo Polosa & Jaymin B. Morjaria & Pasquale Caponnetto & Eliana Battaglia & Cristina Russo & Claudio Ciampi & George Adams & Cosimo M. Bruno, 2016. "Blood Pressure Control in Smokers with Arterial Hypertension Who Switched to Electronic Cigarettes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-14, November.
    2. Karolien Adriaens & Dinska Van Gucht & Paul Declerck & Frank Baeyens, 2014. "Effectiveness of the Electronic Cigarette: An Eight-Week Flemish Study with Six-Month Follow-up on Smoking Reduction, Craving and Experienced Benefits and Complaints," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-29, October.
    3. Konstantinos E. Farsalinos & Giorgio Romagna & Dimitris Tsiapras & Stamatis Kyrzopoulos & Vassilis Voudris, 2014. "Characteristics, Perceived Side Effects and Benefits of Electronic Cigarette Use: A Worldwide Survey of More than 19,000 Consumers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-18, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Walton Sumner & Konstantinos Farsalinos, 2018. "Lessons and Guidance from the Special Issue on Electronic Cigarette Use and Public Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-9, June.
    2. Greta Hsu & Anthony C. Gamst & Yue-Lin Zhuang & Tanya Wolfson & Shu-Hong Zhu, 2019. "A Comparison of E-Cigarette Use Patterns and Smoking Cessation Behavior among Vapers by Primary Place of Purchase," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-13, February.
    3. Melinda Pénzes & Márta Bakacs & Zoltán Brys & József Vitrai & Gergely Tóth & Zombor Berezvai & Róbert Urbán, 2021. "Vaping-Related Adverse Events and Perceived Health Improvements: A Cross-Sectional Survey among Daily E-Cigarette Users," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-15, August.
    4. Karolien Adriaens & Dinska Van Gucht & Frank Baeyens, 2018. "About One in Five Novice Vapers Buying Their First E-Cigarette in a Vape Shop Are Smoking Abstinent after Six Months," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-21, August.
    5. Jorien Smets & Frank Baeyens & Martin Chaumont & Karolien Adriaens & Dinska Van Gucht, 2019. "When Less is More: Vaping Low-Nicotine vs. High-Nicotine E-Liquid is Compensated by Increased Wattage and Higher Liquid Consumption," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-18, February.

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