APPG For Vaping: Report Into Vaping In The Workplace

Whilst the general consensus on vaping is fairly accepted and liberal, the use of electronic cigarettes in the workplace or in public areas is somewhat murky.

With regards to this, the APPG (All-Party Parliamentary Group) has released a new report, ‘Vaping In The Workplace and Public Places’, outlining a set of guidelines and recommendations designed to challenge the common misconception that vaping, particularly second hand vaping, is not only damaging to bystanders but also socially unacceptable.

Many workplaces regard vaping as the same as smoking, which ultimately can be detrimental for those looking to quit smoking entirely. Over 96% of vapers are smokers or ex-smokers, trying to kick the habit.

What This Means For Vapers

The new report, chaired by Mark Pawsey MP (also chairman of the APPG for Vaping) has brought forward some key recommendations in relation to employees vaping in the workplace. These include:

• Permitting the use of vaping in all outside areas (terraces, courtyards and gardens) as well as leisure areas (restaurants, cafeterias and lounges) pending reasonable permission from colleagues or occupants.
• Vaping not permitted during client or staff meetings, as well as operating machinery or equipment wherein vapour could be a distraction during the performance of the required role.
• Vapers should respect the wishes of colleagues who do not wish vaping to take place around them or who dislike certain stronger smelling flavours or large-scale cloud production.
• Vapers must ensure that all vaping paraphernalia is securely stored and is inaccessible to those under the age of 18.

The Research

Comprehensive studies have suggested that the misconception of second-hand vapour being harmful is false.

Both Public Health England and The British Medical Association found that “there is a lack of evidence that exposure to the constituents of e-cigarette vapour poses specific health risks to bystanders”.

Whilst it’s determined to be respectful to ask to vape when in the vicinity of non-vapers, this notion suggests that compared to smoking, the effects of inhaling second-hand vapour are largely non-existent.

Over 96% of vapers are forced to use shelters and smoking areas, shared by smokers, to vape. Andrew Alisson of the Freedom Association goes on to state, “a non-vaper may not like the smell of vapour when they encounter it but this is much more tolerable than the harm caused by requiring vapers to share space with smokers”.

This reiterates the fact that placing vapers in a designated area with smokers, has a detrimental effect in stopping smoking altogether. Something which needs to change in order to fulfil the government's ambition to reduce smoking rates down to 12%.

Check out this infographic our friends over at Purplebox Vapours have created on vaping etiquette in the workplace: