SGF poll shows support for vaping among Scots

A new poll for the Scottish Grocers’ Federation (SGF) has found that around half of the Scots want to make accessing vapes easier, where as only one in six people, including non-smokers and non-vapers, want to make it harder.

According to the survey, Scots think quitting smoking by vaping e-cigarettes should be encouraged, and vaping is much safer than smoking cigarettes.

The research has revealed that e-cigarette users choose the products because they are cheaper and less harmful, and because they help them stop smoking.

“Scots – both smokers and non-smokers alike – are giving the thumbs up to e-cigarettes. This is important evidence from the real world which backs up the view of NHS Scotland that vaping is much less harmful than smoking cigarettes,” Dr John Lee, SGF’s head of policy and public affairs, said.

“Vapers are telling us that they are turning to e-cigarettes because they are safer, cheaper and more likely to lead to them quitting for good.”

Significantly, vapers are increasingly choosing to buy e-cigarettes from local stores rather than the internet, the survey has found.

“Our member convenience stores want to play their part in the massive effort needed to switch smokers to vaping and make Scotland smoke free by 2034,” Lee added.

“It is great news that double the number of respondents are buying their e-cigarettes from convenience stories than were doing so a year ago. Not only is buying in one of our member’s stories good for the local economy, it also helps the vaper know what they are buying.”

The polling comes in the wake of a Scottish government consultation which proposes that in-store promotional displays of e-cigarettes should be banned. Carried out by the Diffley Partnership, it asked more than 2,000 people for their views on smoking and vaping. Just under half of those surveyed are current or ex-smokers, and around one in five are current or ex-users of e-cigarettes.

“The Scottish Government wants to make Scotland smoke-free by 2034 – they have the route to achieving that right in front of them,” Lee concluded.