The rate of e-cigarette use is increasing across Europe – alongside the belief that they are harmful, according to an analysis published today.
A study from Imperial College London, has found that the number of people in the UK who have tried e-cigarettes almost doubled between 2012 and 2014, from 9% to 15%. This is among the higher rates in Europe. The highest is in France, with 21% of people trying e-cigarettes.
During the same time period, the proportion of people in Europe who consider e-cigarettes dangerous rose from 27% to 51%.
"This research shows e-cigarettes are becoming very popular across Europe, with more than one in ten people in Europe now having tried one of the devices," says lead researcher, Dr Filippos Filippidis.
"However there is debate about the risks and benefits associated with e-cigarettes. For instance, we don’t know whether we may start to see diseases emerge in ten to 20 years’ time associated with some of the ingredients.
"We urgently need more research into the devices so that we can answer these questions."
The research is published today (25 May) in Tobacco Control. Dr Filippidis says the reasons for variation between countries are not clear. Possible reasons are the differing rates of cigarette smokers, different smoking bans, and different levels of e-cigarette advertising.
"Although this data shows most of the people who use e-cigarettes are current or former smokers – which suggests the devices may be helping some of them quit smoking – it is worrying that some people who have never smoked are using them," says Dr Filippidis. "This raises the question of whether they could be a ‘gateway’ to smoking conventional cigarettes."
Filippidis, F. T. et al. Two year trends and predictors of e-cigarette use in 27 European Union member states. Tobacco Control 25 May 2016 doi 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2015-052771
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