British smokers are losing trust in vapes - with more than half now believing they’re just as, or more, harmful than cigarettes.
A poll of 2,000 smokers revealed a growing distrust in switching to vapes, which could hit plans to make smoking obsolete in the UK.
Nearly four in 10 (38%), who lack trust, say it could stop them from attempting to quit their smoking habits through vaping in the future.
The government’s independent Kahn Review said vaping had a central role to play in a smoke free future across the country, with more than six and half million smokers still in the UK.
And evidence last year, by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), reconfirmed that vaping was at least 95% less harmful than smoking.
But 29% only trust vaping a little as a method to quit smoking, while 13% do not trust it at all.
And of those whose trust is diminishing, 35% cite the lack of independent long term clinical research showing vaping to be less harmful than smoking.
With 31% concerned about the lack of any information available about the harm profile of different vape products.
Dr. Chenxing Pei, senior aerosol engineer at inhalation tech company SMOORE, which commissioned the research, said: “There's a major push to get smokers to move to vape products, but as of now, they just do not have all the information they need to make an informed decision to switch.
“It's vital smokers are confident enough to switch, especially since health minister Neil O’Brien said the government must “exploit the huge potential of vaping to help adult smokers to quit”.
“But reducing or quitting is incredibly difficult, it’s imperative to give them the belief that what they are attempting isn’t going to be a waste of time.
“And if vaping is to be viewed as a credible way to quit, urgent efforts need to be made to ensure smokers trust these products to have the desired impact.”
The research also revealed how trust among these smokers could be regained, with 30% claiming public health campaigns promoting the evidence-based facts could turn the tide.
Better education of doctors to give more advice on how vaping can be an effective way to reduce harm caused by smoking, was cited as another key way to build trust.
While 21% would welcome advertising regulations for vaping companies to be lifted - as long as they are promoting evidence from credible sources.
But confusion persists among 68% of smokers when it comes to understanding which products would be suitable to help quit.
And 70% now “don't know who to believe” when it comes to vape products.
Three quarters of smokers want information to be made available on the harm profile of the vape product at the point of purchase.
With 87% of these saying it is important to know exactly what it is you are inhaling, the research, conducted by OnePoll, found.
Many are looking for clarification about the chemical constituents (60%), carbon residues (46%) and heavy metal content (44%) in their vapes.
However, of those who smoke and vape, 74% initially started to reduce their reliance on cigarettes, with 58% of these claiming they were successful.
Dr Pei from SMOORE, which has established an independent think tank of experts to explore a standardised way for vaping products to be harm reduction rated and communicated, added: “Government statistics last year showed that the proportion of smokers in the UK was at its lowest level since records began a decline, which was attributed largely to the major role played by vapes.
“However, the findings of this study, highlight a significant trust gap amongst adult smokers and it’s crucial for the vaping industry, government, regulators and the healthcare profession to come together to bridge it and support smokers on their quitting journey.
“It’s clear that open and transparent communication is essential in this process and to supporting the government's ambitions for the country to go smoke free.”
