A Cup of Tea With My Anti-Vaping Neighbor

Sarah lives next door to me in a romantic-looking cottage in rural Wales. Most days we have a cup of tea together in my kitchen. Although we’re good friends, we’re worlds apart.

Sarah reads the Daily Mail. I do my best to avoid it. She’s in her late 60s, while I just turned 50. She hates my home city, London, which I love. Despite these contrasts, we choose to spend time together. Our friendship is a Venn diagram, with spheres overlapping in unexpected places.

There’s one issue, however, that really sends us into our separate corners: Sarah is vehemently against nicotine vapes.

She’s vociferous in her mistrust of them, which has become even more entrenched since she recently quit her 32-year smoking habit. She often cuts out newspaper articles that demonize the safer nicotine products, bringing them over for me to read. This is somewhat strange when my job is to report on tobacco harm reduction, and my conversations with scientists and directly impacted people have underlined its many benefits.

Sarah is far from alone in her mistrust, however. More than half of people who smoke in England incorrectly believe that vaping is as harmful as smoking or worse. When most British adults who quit smoking do so with the help of vapes, the threat posed by such misperceptions is clear.

It occurred to me that Sarah represents a large and important constituency, right here on my doorstep. I wanted to learn more about her views, why she holds them and what it might take to change her mind. So I invited her over for a cup of English breakfast tea and a slice of lemon drizzle cake.

“I read the Daily Mail, so I get my information in there. There has never been any positive story about vaping. All these stories can’t all be wrong.” 

Kiran Sidhu: What is your opinion about vaping?

Sarah: I don’t think there’s been enough studies about the long-term effects of it. I don’t believe that vaping is less harmful than smoking. It took years for people to realize smoking was harmful, so why would vaping be any different? They simply haven’t been around long enough for scientists to come to a plausible conclusion. What I’m worried about is the future outcome. Who knows what they’ll eventually find out?

I’ve never liked people walking and smoking in the streets, and I feel the same way about vaping. It’s not very attractive, is it? There’s a couple in the village who ride on a two-person mobility scooter and they vape into town, which is three miles away. Sometimes I’m driving behind them and it’s like I’m following a steam train! It’s quite comical but it can’t be good for you, living in a cloud of smoke or vapor, whatever you want to call it.

KS: Where do you get most of your information about vaping? What kind of things have you heard?

S: I read the Daily Mail, so I get my information in there. There has never been any positive story about vaping. I know you write about vapes too, and I’ve looked at the ones you’ve given me.

I recently read a story in the Daily Mail about flavors in vapes and how they are not good for you. With cigarettes, you can smell the smoke, and you instantly know that it can’t be good for you. With flavored vapes you smell strawberry or chocolate and you get the impression that it’s safe. Inhaling flavors could be damaging, as the article I read stated.

I know you must find me annoying when I give you those Daily Mail vape articles, but this is what’s in the national press. This is what I hear and none of it’s good. All these stories can’t all be wrong. 

“You’re the only one, apart from my son, who has something positive to say about e-cigarettes. But you must realize, your voice is small.”

KS: My reporting illustrates how vapes are important harm reduction tools. How do you feel about what I do?

S: I think it’s interesting to know your opinion, as you’re the only one, apart from my son, who has something positive to say about e-cigarettes. But you must realize, your voice is small compared to all the news articles that I come across. You’re the only person who has written about vapes being good, as far as I know.

I find it quite surprising that you’re writing about vaping and helping people quit but have never been a smoker yourself. You don’t have the experience of having to give up cigarettes to know how difficult it is for people. You’re talking without the experience of that difficulty. I’m not sure where your enthusiasm or passion would come from having never been a smoker. 

KS: For me, it’s quite simple. Smoking is one of the worst things for people’s health. I write about options that can help people quit. So I feel I’m doing something positive.

S: I think that’s admirable. I think it’s good that you’re doing a job that will encourage people to quit if they can’t do it cold turkey. Smokers are literally a dying breed!

“My son used to smoke roll-ups and then started using vapes. I think he vapes more than he smokes now—he’s never without it. I don’t see the benefit.”

KS: Can you tell me about your own history of smoking, and how you quit?

S: I started smoking when I was 17. It was the thing to do back then. I gave up just before I got married at 24, as my fiancé wanted me to. I started smoking again 13 years later when we got divorced! The divorce was incredibly stressful and smoking helped.

I recently quit after having numerous chest infections and sinus problems, and a persistent cough. I couldn’t smoke with the chest infection, so I thought it’s a good time to give up. It’s been two months since I had my last cigarette—cold turkey—though I did dream about having one the other night, and it was lovely!

In total I have been smoking for 32 years. I’m trying not to think of all the money I’ve spent. I’m not going to work it out—I might need a cigarette! 

KS: Can you tell me about your son’s journey with smoking and vaping?

S: Paul used to smoke roll-ups and then started using vapes; that was four years ago. I think he vapes more than he smokes now—he’s never without it. I don’t see the benefit of him both vaping and smoking.

He gave me a vape to help me stop smoking two years ago and it’s still in the packet. I get very nervous about trying new things—medications, for example—so I wouldn’t try something like vapes that have a very short history.

“I don’t believe in smoking and vaping at the same time. I think it’s ridiculous. You’re basically trying to give up a vice but replacing it with another.”

KS: Could seeing research on the subject help to reassure you that “dual use” can not only reduce people’s smoking but is often a step towards quitting cigarettes entirely? 

S: Not really. In my mind you should give up completely, or not at all. You could be vaping and smoking for years. It’s not good in my opinion. You’re still putting something foreign in your body. If you’re going to give up, you will, and nothing will stop you if you set your mind on it. I don’t believe in smoking and vaping at the same time. I think it’s ridiculous. You’re basically trying to give up a vice but replacing it with another.

KS: Congrats on quitting smoking unaided! But we know that lots of people have not been able to, despite hearing for years that cigarettes are deadly—predominantly people on low incomes, or with other stresses in their lives. What would you say that they should do? 

S: This surprises me, that low-income groups have a high percentage rate of smoking. I acknowledge that quitting is difficult, especially if you go to the pub and you socialize a lot. You’ve got to have the will to stop.

It’s fine for them to vape, if it helps them, but I don’t like people who smoke and vape. It’s cheating in my opinion.

Years ago, I tried nicotine patches when I was 19. I went potty! It was an awful experience. I wasn’t in control of myself because the patches were too strong. Everyone begged me to start smoking again! That was the one and only time I tried a smoking cessation aid, and it failed. 

“It’s all very alien.”

KS: Do you generally support people’s right to choose for themselves, even if it’s not a choice you would make?

S: Yes, that’s fine. People are entitled to make their own choices in life. But once I make up my mind about something, I do it. I don’t need crutches. I gave up cold turkey twice in my life. Will power on its own works for me. 

KS: A decade ago, a Public Health England review estimated vaping to be 95 percent less harmful than smoking. The National Health Service states, based on the research, that vapes are about twice as effective for smoking cessation as nicotine patches or gum. The UK government has had a program giving out free vapes to people who smoke. What would it take for you to change your opinion about vaping? What would you need to see in order to feel confident that it can help people who’ve been smoking to protect their health?

S: I think I need to see more years in research. Without extensive years of research I can’t see myself believing in anything. I am very skeptical about the whole thing, flavors and everything that’s linked to vapes. It’s all very alien.

Photograph via PxHere/Public Domain