Vaping is an innovative harm reduction tool that has been recognised as a safer alternative to smoking by Public Health England, Cancer Research UK, Ministry of Health New Zealand, among many others. Millions of smokers globally choose vaping as a means to quit smoking. Despite its indisputable successes in bringing about the end of the smoking pandemic, vaping is subject to a wide array of myths. Understanding the prevalence of these myths, as well as the fundamental beliefs surrounding them is key to breaking the vaping stigma.

This report presents the findings of two nationwide surveys on harm reduction in Germany and France. The report consists of 30 interviews with general practitioners and a quantitative survey of 862 French and German smokers. The main goal of this study is to gain a greater insight into the misperceptions about vaping, their impact, and understand how to tackle them.

In addition to our own research, we compiled a list of misperceptions around vaping and nicotine in several countries. Taken together, this list shows a fundamental and pervasive lack of knowledge surrounding the topic of tobacco harm reduction  – including the very meaning of harm reduction, the importance of nicotine alternatives, and misperceptions of the effects of nicotine itself. Moreover, current policies ignore the public health benefits that come with a strategy centered around minimising harm. Current cessation approaches focused on outright quitting or altering smokers’ behaviour have been unsuccessful and have left their intended beneficiaries down. By contrast, campaigns to quit smoking are far more likely to be successful when they focus on the inclusion of alternatives such as vaping.

The report recommends engaging in more robust and scientifically-informed communication with smokers about the real risks involved in smoking as well as informing the latter about possible substitutes for nicotine. Furthermore, future regulatory measures should be risk-based, encouraging doctors and smokers to seek out less detrimental alternatives to classic cigarettes.

Read the full report