Why aren't more smokers interested in using e-cigarettes? Researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA, want to find out. In a new study, a team of researchers will examine adults' smoking behaviour and perceptions of e-cigarettes. The aim is to develop strategies to improve communication about the health risks of vejping versus smoking.
"We are not trying to glamorise vejpning, but we want people to have access to accurate information to make informed decisions about their health."
Despite e-cigarettes being shown to be a less harmful alternative to traditional cigarettes, few adult smokers still make the switch. Less than 10 per cent of adults who try to quit smoking each year succeed, and researchers from Rutgers Health hope their new study can help more people consider making the switch.
Research with government support
The study, led by Caitlin Victoria Weiger, a postdoctoral fellow at the Rutgers Institute for Nicotine & Tobacco Studies, aims to understand why so many smokers continue with traditional cigarettes despite the health benefits that can be achieved with e-cigarettes.
The research team, which has received a $171,742 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, will investigate adult smoking behaviour and develop strategies to improve communication about the health risks of e-cigarettes. The study will run until June 2026 and is expected to provide insights that can inform public health policy.
Controversial but less harmful solution
E-cigarettes are notoriously controversial when it comes to their use as a smoking cessation aid. Different countries make radically different judgements, ranging from strict bans to encouragement to quit. Weiger emphasises that the research project does not aim to present e-cigarettes as completely safe, but that they are clearly a less harmful alternative compared to traditional cigarettes.
"We are not suggesting that e-cigarettes are completely harmless" says Weiger. "But they are definitely less harmful than regular cigarettes. If adult smokers switch completely to e-cigarettes, they reduce their exposure to many of the dangerous chemicals released during the combustion of traditional cigarettes. It is these combustion products that cause most of the long-term health effects, such as lung cancer, heart disease and lung disease," she said in an interview on the university's website.
Widespread misconception about risks
According to the researchers, the study is particularly important, especially in light of previous research showing that between two-thirds and three-quarters of adult smokers believe that e-cigarettes are as dangerous, or even more dangerous, than regular cigarettes. This widespread misconception may discourage people from even considering e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool, the researchers say.
"That's the misconception we want to address" says Mr Weiger. "We're not trying to glamorise vejpning, and we understand that there is a negative reputation around e-cigarettes, but we want people to have access to accurate information to make informed decisions about their health."
Aims to improve communication
The study will be conducted via a nationwide survey involving adults aged 21 and over who smoke at least five cigarettes a day. The researchers plan to analyse smokers' perceptions and develop strategies to improve communication around the health benefits of e-cigarettes compared to traditional cigarettes.
The study will focus on three main areas. First, they want to identify perception patterns by mapping and analysing different perceptions around both cigarettes and vejp. Step two will be to develop and test new messages to correct misinformation and encourage smokers to consider a less harmful alternative. Finally, the new messages will be tested to evaluate their effect on individuals' willingness to switch from traditional cigarettes to e-cigarettes.
Emotional attachment to cigarettes
Weiger emphasises that the process will not be easy. Many smokers have a deep emotional attachment to traditional cigarettes, which can make it difficult to switch.
"Beyond nicotine addiction, there is a strong emotional attachment to cigarettes for many people, which can be a major barrier to switching to e-cigarettes. It's not just the addiction we're trying to address, but also the cultural and emotional significance that cigarettes have for some people. This makes the whole issue more complex." says Caitlin Weiger.
Society's attitude towards e-cigarettes
The bad reputation of e-cigarettes has grown in recent years, partly due to reports of health risks linked to vejpning, the researchers say. There have also been concerns about the increasing use of e-cigarettes among young people, which has further fuelled the negative image. Many consider e-cigarettes to be the gateway to smoking regular cigarettes, especially among young people.
But Weiger points out that the research behind the Rutgers study is clear: e-cigarettes can be a valuable part of a harm reduction strategy for adult smokers. By reducing smoking and switching to a less harmful form of nicotine use, smokers can significantly improve their health.
"I recognise that none of this will be easy," Weiger concludes. "But if we can help more people understand how much safer e-cigarettes are compared to traditional cigarettes, and encourage them to switch, we can ultimately save lives."
