10.2. SR 09-08-2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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E-cigarettes: an evidence update 57 8. Harm perceptions Perceptions of the harmfulness of EC are frequently assessed in surveys, most commonly relative to conventional tobacco cigarettes. However, a recent Eurobarometer survey [63] asked smokers in absolute terms whether EC were harmful to the health of those using them. Overall in Europe, 40.6% perceived EC as not harmful (UK: 48.6%), 28.5% as harmful (UK: 14.6%) and 30.9% did not know if they were or were not harmful (UK: 36.8%). Harm perception relative to cigarettes In GB, the ASH surveys and the Internet Cohort survey have included questions on the perceived relative harm of EC. These surveys consistently show that compared with conventional tobacco products, EC were perceived as less harmful by a small majority of respondents, but with a sizeable minority inaccurately judging them to be more harmful, about as harmful or being unsure about their relative risks. For example, in the 2015 ASH Smokefree GB adult survey, 2% thought that EC were more harmful than cigarettes, 20% equally harmful, 52% less harmful, 2% completely harmless and 23% did not know. Harm perception differed by smoking status (χ2=104.05, p<0.001) and by EC use status (χ2=453.4, p<0.001) (Figure 15). Overall, smokers were more likely to judge EC to be less harmful compared with cigarettes (63.7%, including ‘completely harmless’) than ex- smokers (55.6%), whereas never-smokers were least likely to judge EC as less harmful (51.2%, all p<0.05). A higher proportion of current EC users (87.4%) thought that they were less harmful compared with cigarettes than those who had tried but were not using (68.8%) or never-users (50.4%), among whom the proportion was lowest (all differences p<0.05). Perceptions among youth were similar to adults. For example, in the 2015 ASH Smokefree GB youth survey, 2% thought that EC were more harmful than cigarettes, 21% equally harmful, 67% less harmful and 10% did not know. In the STS, the proportion believing EC to be less harmful appears to be even lower. Only 44.1% of current smokers in England between November 2014 and March 2015 believed that EC were less harmful than cigarettes [15].