Active support from peronal in vape shops increases the chances of quitting smoking using e-cigarettes. This is according to a study among e-cigarette users in France.
The French study is an attempt to measure how staff in vape shops influence e-cigarette users to quit smoking. 453 shopkeepers in the district of Ille-et-Vilaine took part in the study. They were asked questions about their habits, e-cigarettes, smoking and their relationship with a specialised e-cigarette retailer.
Over half, 294, of the users were regular customers of a vape shop. And of these, an average of 78% had quit smoking completely.
'The big difference between them was the relationship with the vendor in the vape shop. Of those who said they had good contact with the seller, 84 per cent had quit smoking completely and switched to vaping. Among those who said they had no close contact with the seller, the corresponding figure was 72 per cent".
According to the doctoral student Thibaud Le Mehaute in the newspaper Vapolitics.
Expertise in roadside shops
The study suggests that expertise and active involvement of staff play an important role, says Mr Le Mehaute.
"Those who had active contact with the vendor received advice and support in choosing the right equipment. It is these users who are more likely to switch to vaping only, rather than using both cigarettes and e-cigarettes in the long run". Says Thibaud Le Mehaute.
Important role in the fight against smoking
Thibaud Le Mehaute also noted that very few e-cigarette users seek support from health services. More than half had contact with some kind of specialised e-cigarette retailer, while only 3% had contact with a health care cessation service.
"This raises the question of the role of vaping in the fight against smoking. The cool interest in medical treatment among vapers may be due to the ambivalent attitude of the medical profession and authorities towards e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. This in turn has led to doctors not being educated about vaping and not raising the issue with their patients." says Thibaud Le Mehaute in Vapolitique.
Thibaud Le Mehaute defended his doctoral thesis "Is the transition to exclusive vaping linked to the type of support provided to vapourisers? Study conducted in Ille-et-Vilaine". at the University of Rennes in November.
