British vapers have been bullied and even fired for vaping in the workplace, according to a new study carried out by the online vaping retailer E-Cigarette Direct.
The company surveyed around 2,000 vapers to understand their attitudes and experiences to a host of employment issues around vaping.
It is thought to be the most comprehensive study of its type to be conducted in the U.K, coming just weeks after the government announced patients could soon be prescribed e-cigarettes on the NHS for the first time.
The E-Cigarette Direct Vaping in the Workplace Study found:
- 13 people lost their jobs through vaping, with men (nine) twice as likely as women (four) to get fired.
- There were significant levels of discrimination aimed at vapers in the workplace. Two hundred and twenty-four vapers admitted to being discriminated against, with the northeastern U.K. a particular hotspot where they feel they are being treated differently.
- Many vapers have also been bullied at work, with almost one in 10 respondents working in the Real Estate sector alone lifting the lid on this issue.
“It is quite shocking to learn people have actually lost their jobs due to vaping,” said James Dunworth, chairman of E-Cigarette Direct.” It is also concerning many people have experienced bullying and discrimination.
“Vaping in the workplace is a little-explored area so we devised our study to help understand the challenges faced by vapers in the working world, and gather data to help employers make informed decisions to aid staff retention, health and morale.
“We spend at least a third of our waking lives at work and our working environment has a huge influence on our health and happiness—so these issues are hugely significant for people who wish to vape while at work.”
In contrast to smoking, people in the U.K. are legally allowed to vape inside. E-Cigarette Direct says there is no evidence passive vapor causes harm to bystanders and says the U.K government actively encourages employers to provide a smoke-free area for vapers.
However, E-Cigarette Direct’s research found 75 percent of vapers are allowed to vape at work only in dedicated smoking areas.
The company says this is in direct contravention of Public Health England guidance (now U.K Health Security Agency), which states, “…vapers should not be required to use the same space as smokers, as this could undermine their ability to quit smoking and stay smokefree, particularly among those most heavily addicted.”