The ‘Inside Health’ programme on BBC’s Radio 4 on Tuesday 28th Feb featured a discussion on electronic cigarettes, as to whether or not they should be considered safe.
The programme’s research team, led by Doctor Max Pemberton – himself a user of electronic cigarettes in his “ongoing battle against his own addiction” – went out and about in the UK interviewing a number of smokers to ask them about their experiences with electronic cigarettes. The interviews included an office worker who said he was using them because “they don’t have the other chemicals found in cigarettes, only nicotine” and that he regularly used his e-cigarette at his desk at work. When asked if his boss was OK with him doing this, he explained that he was fine with it, because his boss had also started using e-cigarettes!
Then there was a builder, who said that whilst he had heard of them, he hadn’t tried them, as a couple of his workmates had told him “they weren’t any good” and that you “have to send off for them” and can’t buy them in the shops. Another office worker interviewed said she had tried one in the past, but didn’t like the taste, and she would be too self-conscious to be seen using one at work, as it might give the impression that she was too dependent on nicotine.
Another man, called Alex, said he is a “complete convert” having been told he had to give up his 40-a-day habit immediately over a year ago (due to surgery on his back) and switched to electronic cigarettes. He hasn’t had a cigarette since and has never looked back once. At the time of his interview he said he was “in a Cafe Nero with my coffee and puffing away on my e-cigarette and I’m not even getting any strange glances”.
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